One of the most wonderful things about a home-church based fellowship is learning from each other. The perspectives and knowledge of a group when undertaking a passage of Scripture are often far more enlightening than those of one person, however educated that person may be. It is an empowering aspect of home churching, that everyone has the opportunity to express their opinion; everyone is heard. Even if a person is stating something that they ultimately realize is not quite right, even the process of stating it is helpful, for by stating it they have the opportunity for others to think about it with them and help them evaluate it.
It is the pursuit of truth and understanding that brings value to the aspect of group discussion. To those who are accustomed to weekly sermons and teaching, the notion of pursuing truth independently or as a group can be disconcerting. However, if embraced, it is actually very liberating and more efficient. Again, the perspectives and training of the sole preacher, over time, can never compare to that of a group of dedicated Christians. Ultimately, the group discussion is more efficient and, as stated elsewhere, is far more cost effective than employing a professional teacher.
Intrinsic in purusing truth together is that people will not always arrive at the same conclusion at the same time. Disagreements regarding how to interpret Scripture are intrinsic to any meeting. In this article, we provide some guidelines that will help you welcome those disagreements and view them as a natural part of your and the group's evolution.
(1) Being Comfortable with Disagreements while Believing in Absolute Truth
We believe in absolute truth. While there may be multiple things that are true about a particular passage of Scripture and while one of those truths may be more important to one individual than to a different individual, we do not believe that contradicting statements can both be true at the same time. As followers of Christ, we seek the truth. But we also recognize that either due to being misinformed earlier in life, or rebellion in our heart that prevents us from accepting uncomfortable truths, or for whatever other reason, we do not have all the answers. And since we are all at different stages in our development, we therefore will likely disagree from time to time. Being accepting of each other's statements is not the same thing as accepting them as being true. Rather, what we are accepting, is that we should all have the freedom to state our opinion and even our counter opinion, up to a point, but that we should ultimately respect each other as fellow seekers of Christ.
(2) The Importance of Speaking Up
We want people to feel comfortable stating their opinion as opposed to keeping it to themselves until they become frustrated by hearing too many of the opposing views. History has shown that people do not indefinitely forebear teaching that runs contrary to what they believe to be true. Sitting in pews week after week, listening to sermons that grate against one's beliefs can become quite tiresome. In fact, it is the aspect of silencing opposing views that can result in formal divisions between churches, e.g., the establishment of multiple Protestant demoninations.
It can be healthy for oneself and for the group to speak up regarding some aspect of interpretation with which you disagree. Doing so accomplishes at least two important goals. First, it will help the other members in the group be more sensitive to the fact that you disagree. Especially in situations where you are in the minority, it can be very helpful.
Second, it will help you understand your position better. When one has to go through the process of articulating an opinion in an environment where others might disagree, one has to process their thoughts more carefully. One must hone their logic and tune their rhetoric to be respectful, gentle, and non-confrontational. These are all excellent skills to carry into the outside world that is hostile to the gospel. Sometimes the process of articulating your position can strengthen it in your mind because you are forced to work through the reasons more carefully. What might start as a vague emotional attachment to an idea can be firmed up significantly by having to support that idea out loud. But the contrary can also occur. When you articulate your position, you begin to realize that it is not as sound as you once thought. Becoming accustom to that discovery in a group is a very valuable part of the growth experience and for the sake of truth, it is essential to welcome it.
Third, it is essential that those who detect a group drifting away from a truthful interpretation speak up to help guide the group back to a more correct interpretation. Sometimes, those in the minority do not want to speak up because they do not want to rock the boat. It is important to understand that, within the bounds of love and gentleness, speaking up to help protect the group against faulty logic gaining a foothold is a valuable contribution. In fact, those who would claim to be spiritual leaders would be those who can make that contribution while protecting the feelings and dignity of others in the group. It is an invaluable contribution.
(3) Respecting Boundaries
Successful home churches must navigate the territory of personal growth, relationships, disagreements, and the protection of correct doctrine with great care. To be successful, it is necessary to understand where the boundaries are and to respect them.
First, it is important always to protect the dignity of anyone with whom you are disagreeing, whether it be privately or in the group setting. It is not necessary to win an argument in a group. It is better to think of planting seeds for others to think about. Giving the Holy Spirit time to work in everyone's minds and hearts is a good idea. And people, including yourself, may need time to process new ideas and contradictions to former ways of thinking. Thus, sometimes it is sufficient to simply state your position and leave it at that. Doing so, rather than driving a point home with perfect logic, may ultimately be more effective.
Second, remember the importance of relationships. If there is a person with whom you always disagree, work to find things about which you do agree and celebrate those areas. The church is a body, and every part is important. As we can clearly see from the New Testament, disagreements are inherent to Christian fellowship. But we do not have to make the kinds of mistakes that Christians made in the New Testament; rather we can learn from their mistakes. We must put love first, beyond making convincing arguments.
Third, there are rigid boundaries that everyone must respect, and those have to do with the authority of the Bible in the literal sense, and the fact that we do not want to quarrel about things of secondary importance at the expense of leading lives that honor Christ. The hard boundaries are important. Respecting the Bible will hold at bay beliefs and practices that God does not approve of. Keeping busy and generous in service to the Lord will help put any doctrinal differences we have in their proper place.