David M. Grubbs

More Links of David Grubbs' Russian Outreaches or Organizations:

Moscow Training Center St. Petersburg Training Center Russian Village Women's Organization Moscow Cell Groups Russian Training Organization Limassol, Cyprus

History of Training Conferences in Russia

3guys.jpg (78302 bytes) Just two weeks after the former Soviet Union (FSU) officially dissolved in early January 1992 I landed in Moscow for the first in a long series of large scale training conferences. As director of Christian Youth International Russia (CYI), I was responsible to coordinate approximately 1200-1500 university delegates, 70 foreign speakers, and hundreds of workshops and seminars 5 to 6 times a year.

The delegates came from all the countries of the FSU and from as far away as 11 time zones. Sometimes the delegates came further than the foreigner teachers and speakers. The ministry came from Asia, Europe, USA, Canada and Latin America. All of them needed everything from pickup at the airport, baggage handling, registration, room, meals, to hand-held directions to their speaking assignments and lecture halls.

lgmtgizmail.jpg (55512 bytes) The following is taken from a Newspaper article describing the work in Russia: According to David Grubbs, the administrative director for Christian Youth International (CYI), over 300 churches related to CYI have sprung up in different parts of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Since January of 1991, CYI has held more than 20 university leadership training conferences and has trained over 10,000 leaders. The conferences, sponsored by Bob and Rose Weiner Ministries, have also brought many American pastors to Moscow for the purpose of training student leaders and making contacts for future missionary involvement.

CYI has been successful both in reaching and training the potential leaders among university students from the furthest reaches of the C.I.S. and has spawned significant activity in many cities, towns and universities. Due to the fact that the conferences have been so successful, CYI is now beginning its second phase: a regional development strategy.

David Grubbs has compiled a list of known churches and cell groups that have been begun by CYI leaders. So far Grubbs has estimated that there are over 300 such groups and he is still counting. In some cities, such as Yaraslavl, Izhevsk, and Kazan, there is tremendous revival. Several groups in each city are adding new converts every week. Small and large groups of new Christians have sprung up in many places and have begun to move out in ministry without guidance or support on a local level. It is not unusual for these groups to be pastored by young men and women in their teens or early twenties who been Christians for less than one year. Many are in great need of support and training. grouppastors.jpg (106375 bytes)

From June 21-29, 1200 student leaders will be trained at a three day Moscow conference and American missionary teams will be sent out to 25 cities to help plant churches and minister to newly established groups. The churches of American ministers who have been involved with CYI conferences will "adopt" fledgling churches for the purpose of giving financial support, further training of leaders and developing relationships with young ministers. Throughout July, August and September, American "sister churches" will be developing relationships with leaders of the new churches in the C.I.S.

From September 28 to October 5, the process will begin once again with another national leadership conference. The American missionary teams will return to the cities where they have adopted churches or will travel to new cities to plant churches.

Christian Youth International will remain as a centrally located leadership training center in Moscow. Its secondary purpose will be to link American churches with opportunities for church planting and regional development. In this way, the churches established by CYI student leaders may take on the flavor and ministry gifts of diverse movements as many different American churches become involved in regional development.

David Grubbs explains that this strategy is crucial to retaining the fruit that has already been cultivated. Many cities in the C.I.S. are experiencing momentous revival and a there is a great need to coordinate and network the ministries and activities that are taking place.

Grubbs reported on a newspaper article which recently appeared in Russia which presented a picture of the former Soviet Union becoming the most religious and spiritual nation on earth. It stated that just as in the past the Czars and the Communists were the supreme authority in the land, so the Church must now become the supreme power. The article paints a picture of a time when unbelievers and agnostics will virtually disappear. It predicts that Russians will be transformed into the most hard working people in the world. They will surprise the whole world by a new renaissance - both in the spiritual and practical.

At the same time, Grubbs warns, CYI is encouraging churches all over America to work together and not compete against each other so that the great harvest is not lost to the huge missionary efforts of cults, such as the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and to the planned evangelistic thrust by the Muslim nations which border the C.I.S.

natashaphone.jpg (59682 bytes) After several successful years of CYI ministry and conferences the prices in Moscow for conference facitlities began to skyrocket. At the same time we saw that many of the same leaders were returning back to the conferences simply for the excitment of another meeting. It was time for the leaders to be turned loose and for us to simply encourage them to start up ministries everything across the Former Soviet Union. God's season for bringing everyone to Moscow was over and the emphasis now needed to switch out to the 'regions'. At that time we finished up the CYI ministry by doing a few more regional conferences a few hours outside of Moscow. From that point on the vision had been launched and reached its natural orbit which called for self-sustaining support, no longer from foreign sources. Thus, a movement of self-sustained, self-propogating churches is what we felt would be the most effective for the long-term future of the great land of the Rus.

What is Christian Youth International?

* Christian Youth International (CYI) is a leadership training and church planting organization established by Bob Weiner and Administrated by David Grubbs based in Moscow, Russia.

* CYI is training a new generation of leaders to build a revived and glorious church in the former communist bloc.

* CYI's training conferences are a resource for the entire church in the former USSR. Youth leaders from many different cities attend.

* CYI provides a network for Americans to sponsor churches in the former Soviet Union. Missionary teams plant churches with the cooperation of CYI's leaders.

* CYI trains students to begin Bible studies on campuses, to begin campus groups, to hold evangelistic outreaches, and to be church planters.

* Phase one: Training seminars were begun by Bob Weiner at the Izmaijilovo hotel in Moscow in 1991. During the first year, youth leaders traveled from all parts of the Soviet Union to be trained at bimonthly five-day seminars. These leaders were equipped with hundreds of thousands of Bible study books, Bibles, New Testaments, and a Christian youth newspaper to distribute. Leaders began Bible studies, cells groups and established churches among the youth of their city. ???????? 50-????? ???????

* Phase two: Three day training conferences are now being held five to six times a year in Moscow. After each conference apostolic teams will be sent out to new cities to plant churches with CYI's leaders; other teams will be sent to established churches to strengthen young believers, build ongoing relationships, and to serve the leadership. CYI will provide a link between American and Russian "sister-churches" by matching compatible ministries and spiritual gifts between Americans and Russians. American churches help with church planting, equipping, evangelism training, and servant leadership.

* Religion in the former Soviet Union is dominated by the Russian Orthodox Church, and smaller Protestant and Pentecostal churches. There are many true believers among these groups, however, there are few churches acting as "new wine skins" to hold the new wine that God is presently pouring out. There is also the threat of the Muslims and many cults who are threatening to spoil the harvest. There is a serious need to establish new churches to reap the harvest among the new generation of believers of the current spiritual awakening.

* The Protestant Reformation did not occur in this region of the world (with the exception of the Baltic States). Therefore, a biblical worldview which was restored to the church in Europe and America during this time is unknown by Christians in the former Soviet Union. There is no vision for the reformation of society and the restoration of the New Testament Church; many believers in the former Soviet Union are hearing this aspect of the Good News for the first time in CYI's leadership training conferences and through their relationships with sister churches.

* Christian Youth International is providing an important support link between Russian churches and western ministries. Powerful ongoing missionary activity in the former USSR is being facilitated by CYI.

* Revival in the former Soviet Union has come in the wake of political and economic disintegration. The Soviet Union is now comprised of separate republics tied together only by sobering economic realities: food shortages, inflation, distribution problems, lack of adequate medical supplies, transportation, etc. Political and economic turmoil provide a unique opportunity for the Church to rise up and be a mighty deliverance force in this region of the world.

* An opportunity to establish an international youth movement is possible through reaching many "people's groups" in the former Soviet Union. There are over 150 ethic nations that need to be reached with the gospel in the former USSR.

A recent InterVarsity poll indicated that 60% of the people living in the vast former USSR are completely open to the gospel. A great window of opportunity lies open before us today in the former Soviet Union!

At the end of the Second World War, General Douglas MacArthur pled with the American church to rush thousands of missionaries to a humbled, defeated Japan. Shintoism had failed them. Their "god," Hirohito, had just been "dedeified." It was a classic opportunity for Christianity to walk into a colossal spiritual vacuum. Instead we hesitated. In the minds of many American Chrisitans, the Japanese were still "the enemy." And while we stalled, Japan groped toward a new religion - shameless, often vicious materialism. Is there a consequence, other than spiritual, when missions opportunities are lost? Every American pays every day for our spiritual failure in Japan.

We must not let this become another missed opportunity. God has already given America the resources. At an exchange rate of 400-500 rubles to the dollar, a gift of only $100 can give three students the opportunity to come and be trained at a CYI conference.

The messianic Jewish vision is an integral part of Bob and Rose Weiner Ministries. One-third of our time is spent working among believers of Jewish heritage who have a vision to reach Jews throughout the world. We believe that, in accordance with Romans chapters 9-11, a great number of ethnic Jews will be ingrafted into the vine: Jesus Christ.

In the former Soviet Union there are 3-1/2 million ethnic Jews. These young people have not been indoctrinated against Jesus Christ by their rabbis and are the most open Jews in the world to the gospel. Among Christian Youth International's leaders there are a number of Jewish believers who have a vision to reach their people. Our plan is to equip them to plant hundreds of congregations within the former Soviet Union. Some have been sent out to the nation of Israel; others hope to travel to other parts of the world as a witness of Jesus Christ to God's scattered people - Israel.

Christian Youth International: Izmailovo

MOSCOW (FR) - According to David Grubbs, the administrative director for Christian Youth International (CYI), over 300 churches related to CYI have sprung up in different parts of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Since January of 1991, CYI has held eight student leadership training conferences and has trained 10,000 leaders. The conferences, sponsored by Bob and Rose Weiner Ministries, have also brought many American pastors to Moscow for the purpose of training student leaders and making contacts for future missionary involvement.

For more information on adopting a church in the former Soviet Union, or in taking part in upcoming CYI conferences in Moscow, contact:

Russians Spread Joy in a Time of Crisis

Political instability and shortages of goods have made Moscow a gloomy place. But amid a climate of fear and anxiety, Pavel and Marina Savelev's Rosa Church is giving Russians a reason to be happy.

In Moscow, folks like to quote a traditional Russian proverb that says, "You have less time than you think." For Pavel Savelev, pastor of one of the fastest-growing charismatic churches in the former Soviet Union, that proverb has taken on enormous significance in light of the urgent spiritual needs of his country.

"We must use all our free time to get the gospel out to the Russian people," he says.

Savelev knows everyone in Russia today isn't thrilled that communist era restrictions against religion have been lifted.

Pavel and Marina Savelev (center) with members of Rosa Church in Moscow's Red Square

His boyish face shows signs of concern as he describes the nationalistic fervor sweeping his country today.

"The nationalists want to destroy any idea that is not Russian Orthodox," Savelev says. "They want to destroy the Protestants and the Jews."

Such nationalists are not pleased that his 3-year-old (now 9 year old)Rosa Church attracts about 1,000 people on any given Sunday. Pavel and his wife, Marina, wonder if their congregation, which meets in a large theater in northeast Moscow, will one day be a target of persecution.

Just a few years ago, the Savelevs' church would not have been tolerated anywhere in the vast Soviet Union. Even during the early 1980s, under presidents Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko, Christians were subjected to significant harassment and even imprisonment. Soviet officials declared Christianity a false ideology that worked against communism to destroy the state.

But since the dramatic worldwide collapse of communism in 1990, underground churches have come out of hiding, and new congregations like Rosa Church are flourishing in a climate of genuine spiritual hunger.

"Russian people are seeking the real truth about God," Pavel says, explaining why his church has grown so rapidly. He hopes the new religious freedoms will remain secure long enough for believers like him to point their fellow Russians to Jesus Christ.

TO HELL AND BACK

Pavel Savelev's own search for truth started during his years at the renowned Stroganoffski Higher Commercial College of Art. Hopeless and despondent, the young art student wrestled with the question, "Why do I live?" and even attempted suicide on several occasions.

Then a fellow student invited him to a lecture about occult sciences. The speaker, a non-believer, highly recommended the study of the Bible because he considered it the most superior book.

With no access to information about God during the communist period, the spiritually hungry often sought knowledge from occult sources, Savelev explains. In his case, studying the occult convinced him of the reality of spiritual beings – which led him to conclude that if Satan exists, God must exist too.

Savelev joined some other students who met secretly to read the Bible and pray. When some members of the group were baptized at a registered Baptist church, the church turned over that information to the government. Consequently, Savelev and his friends were watched closely by the KGB.

Savelev eventually came in contact with an underground Pentecostal church that met in the woods. Through the witness of these believers, he made a profession of faith in Christ and was baptized. Months later he was baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Pavel Savelev (bottom right) baptizes a new convert in a river near Moscow

Although Savelev completed all the course work in his major, college officials refused to confer his degree because he would not renounce his faith and publicly expose other student believers.

As further punishment, Savelev was forced into the army, even though he was beyond the usual age of induction. He describes those years in the army as "hell." During the Brezhnev period of the 1960s and 1970s, soldiers lived in dismal conditions. Alcoholism, sexual immorality and suicide were rampant among the troops.

By openly confessing his faith, Savelev exposed himself to the wrath of other soldiers, who roughed him up and even pointed their guns in his face to try to force him to deny Christ. To undergird his faith, Savelev frequently fasted.

Those fasts, which turned into hunger strikes, eventually caused him to lose so much weight that military officials sent him to a hospital to recover. Doctors discharged him when they noticed his body bore signs of abuse.

THEY BEAT CHRISTIANS DON'T THEY?

Marina Savelev recalls that when Pavel returned home he was unrecognizable. Marina herself was no stranger to the persecution that faced Christians in Soviet society at that time.

Although Jewish by birth, Marina was raised in an atheistic home. Even so, she says, at age 11 she began praying to "an unknown God." When she was 16, she composed a school essay titled "What is the purpose of life on earth?"

Her conclusion: "Without God, we cannot find life's purpose." Marina's startling confession sealed her fate. She was denied entrance into a university linguistics program because her beliefs contradicted the official ideology of the state.

Through a Lutheran contact, Marina received a Bible and started reading the history of the Jews. At the time, she understood spiritual belief as some sort of magic. Seeking God's favor, she was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church. Though she observed the religious rites faithfully, she waited in vain for any tangible expression of God's blessing.

Her spiritual hunger unsatisfied, Marina began attending a Bible study with other young intellectuals. Through their study of the Book of Romans, she eventually accepted Christ as her Savior.

When Marina subsequently received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, however, the Bible study leaders told her she would have to find fellowship elsewhere. Her search led her to the underground Pentecostal congregation that Pavel Savelev attended.

Pavel's ministry began in this underground fellowship, where preaching was a responsibility shared by the male members of the group. Although Baptist and Pentecostal churches were forbidden by law to assemble – except for the few congregations tightly controlled by the KGB – the church met daily.

In the year preceding the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, the city's political atmosphere relaxed and churches found it easier to obtain Bibles and other Christian literature. Savelev soaked up the writings of David Yonggi Cho, Kathryn Kuhlman and others. Soon his church started a secret Sunday school for children, a prayer group and a Bible course.

Pavel and Marina married shortly after the conclusion of the 1980 Olympics. But the winds of religious freedom shifted once again. "Beat the Christians and save Russia," was the motto of the day, Savelev says.,

But the official Soviet line was about to change in a dramatic way. The Savelevs and many other Christians in Russia say it was prayer that brought the Iron Curtain down.

MOURNING TURNED INTO DANCING

In 1986 the Savelevs read from Jeremiah, realizing the need to fast for a country to set it free from oppression. There was proposed a fast during January 1987 for freedom for the Russian church.

January was especially cold that year, the Savelevs recall, and fasting was difficult. But believers both inside and outside of Russia fasted and prayed according to a daily plan.

Political changes began to occur immediately. In mid-1987 President Mikhail Gorbachev ordered the release of hundreds of imprisoned political dissidents and believers. He also encouraged planned celebrations honoring the 1,000th anniversary of the advent of Christianity in Russia in 1988.

The Savelevs realized that God was answering their prayers. "We could see that the spirit of communism had lost its power," Marina says.

As reforms continued, Christians began to declare Christ openly in the streets of Moscow. "It was like a fairy tale," Pavel recalls. Believers were free to preach and travel. Missionaries came with Bibles and other assistance from abroad.

In 1988 the Savelevs began a small prayer group in their apartment for new converts. Because it was made up almost entirely of young men, the group adopted Psalm 110:3 as its theme verse: "Thy youth are to thee as dew." The members soon started calling the group "dew" or rosa in Russian.

The Savelevs' street ministry expanded to prisons and hospitals for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.

Soon the prayer group expanded and outgrew the Savelev's small apartment.

Instead of rejoicing at the influx of converts, members of their Pentecostal church – which was steeped in legalism and tradition – became resistant to the enthusiastic new believers. So Pavel and Marina decided they should establish an independent church.

The Savelevs rented a 400-seat theater and planted Rosa Church in 1990. Almost overnight it grew to standing room only.

"It was the first church of its type in Moscow," Pavel says. Attracted by the congregation's joyful and energetic services – an unusual phenomenon in a country where religious tradition stresses suffering and sorrow – young people began flocking to the church.

The joy at Rosa Church is so intriguing to Muscovites that television reporters showed up at a Sunday morning service. On the evening news broadcast, a commentator said he had visited many different places that morning, including a number of churches.

"Almost everywhere we went Russians seemed sad and depressed," the reporter said. "The only place we found joy was at the Rosa Church. There the people were joyful and clapped and were ready to dance."

AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Spiritual hunger among the Russian people has presented unlimited ministry opportunities to the Savelevs, and the church continues to grow. In 1991 the congregation moved to an 800-seat theater. At the end of 1992, the church moved to its present location at a bigger theater.

Rosa church members take advantage of new religious freedoms by preaching in Moscow's streets.

The Rosa Church has established three sister churches, and Pavel plans to open a Bible school soon. Currently, 40 home groups meet for weekly fellowship.

But such rapid growth has come with its own set of problems. In the earliest days of the ministry, Pavel risked physical burnout because the needs of the people were so great.

Today, though many people share the work load at Rosa Church, the ministry faces new challenges. Pavel is particularly concerned about the uncertain political situation. Yet he says he is ready for hard times if they come.

If hard-line communists had succeeded in their 1991 coup attempt, Russia's Christians might have been driven underground again. Pavel says his congregation was prepared to meet quietly in home groups if the larger assembly had been forced to disperse.

The threat from nationalists and communists in the government is still a very real one. State and local authorities often refuse to rent rooms where members can meet for prayer or Bible study. Last spring officials rejected the church's request to buy property.

Pavel says Russia's new religious freedoms are up for grabs. "We have been free to preach in the schools, hospitals and children's homes," he says. "But now the building directors say, 'You Protestants go away. We don't want to have anything to do with you.' "

Such opposition can be discouraging, Savelev admits. But just when he feels like quitting, he says, "the Lord proves Himself." He will receive an encouraging telephone call or letter, perhaps telling how someone was saved or healed during a church meeting. Such testimonies give him the strength to continue.

Unlike the days of the underground church, today Pavel and Marina feel they have the support of other like-minded congregations. The Savelevs recently founded a ministerial fellowship in Moscow, the Association of Charismatic Churches.

"Before, we fought alone against the police, the army and the KGB," Pavel says. "Now we have strength."

No one in Moscow can predict how the delicate political situation will evolve. But regardless of who controls the Kremlin, the Savelevs say their trust is in the One who sustained them during the darker days of communist oppression.

"We don't rely on material things," Pavel says. "Only the Holy Spirit can help us."

– Beverly Nickles is a special assignment correspondent for News Network International.

A Study of New Testament and Twentieth Century House Churches with Application for Moscow

By Bradley J. Thompson

The world is experiencing a growing rate of urbanization. "By the year 2000 . . . [urbanization of the world's populace] will reach 51.3 percent" (Conn 1993, 319). In Canada alone it "is expected to reach 90 percent by the year 2000" (Ibid., 323). More and more of the urban populace consists of non-Christians (Ibid., 222). Urbanization is occurring in two ways: 1. the growth of the cities in non-Christian countries; and 2. the growth of "nominalism and erosion of Christianity in the cities of the northern hemisphere" (Ibid., 323).

Traditionally, the Church has viewed "the city with fear, suspicion, and as a place to be avoided" (Nelson 1994, 429). The trend is for a church to vacate (flee) the city center for the suburbs.

The trend towards urbanization has caused great problems for the populace of the cities. When the population increases quickly, an "unbearable pressure on necessary resources such as potable water, housing, and health care" can develop (Ibid., 430). Moscow is experiencing these difficulties. "By 1992, it had a population of 8,956,000, with perhaps another million of illegal immigrants" (Carnes 1996). This explosion of populace can lead to various health epidemics, homelessness and poverty.

Moscow is seen as an example of such a city. Carnes reports that various people have different views of the city, "but all agree that there is a spiritual and moral vacuum" (1996, 29).

The New Testament House Church

The New Testament (NT) church was effective in reaching the metropolises of its time. The beginning of the NT church was the family unit and the family home. In NT "times the household was regarded as a basic political unit" (Malherbe 1983, 69).

The household could include not only family but "slaves, freedmen, servants, laborers, and sometimes business associates and tenants" (Ibid.). "One of the most important methods of spreading the gospel . . . was by use of homes" (Green 1970, 207). The first meeting of the church in Jerusalem occurred in a home--the Upper Room (Ac 1:15). "The house was both a fellowship and a place of meeting" (TDNT 5:130).

As the movement grew, more houses were incorporated as meeting places. John Marks' mothers' house was an example of a sub-group of the whole meeting for prayer (Ac 12:12; Filson 1939, 106). Ac 2:47 mentions that the people broke bread by house (TDNT, 5:130).

To begin a new congregation in a new city, "one of [Paul's] first objectives was the winning of a household which could serve as the nucleus and center of his further work" (Filson 1939, 111). Paul needed a meeting place in order to establish a church (Ibid.). Notice the various households in which Paul had relationships: Lydia, Philippian Jailor, Crispus (Ac 16:14-15, 31-34; 18:8), Priscilla and Aquila, Narcissus (Rm 16:3,10,11), Chloe, Gaius, Stephanas (1 Co 1:11, 14-15) Caesar (Pp 4:22) and Onesiphorus (2 Tm 1:16; 4:19; Meeks 1983, 75).

The house church became the basic unit of the church in the NT. It is identified clearly by the phrase, "the church in their/your/her house." This phrase is used four times, all in the Pauline epistles. It is used to describe the church that meets in Aquila's and Priscilla's home in Ephesus and Rome (1 Co 16:19; Rm 16:3-5); in Nympha's home in Laodecia (Cl 4:15), and in Apphia's and Archippus's home in Colossae (Pm 2).

The size of a house church was limited by the size of the largest room in the house (Barclay 1956, 187). The largest possible meeting would include 45 people (Banks 1994, 35; Dunn 1988, 911). "Housing patterns . . . varied considerably across the Empire" (White 1990, 107). The church in the various cities of the Aegean coast would gather "in the dining room of the house, which in some cases might open into a peristyle or portico" (Ibid.). Greek and Roman homes, known for the dinner parties their owners hosted, would have well-equipped rooms for meetings. These rooms would often be the largest in the house (Ibid.).

Once the house church was filled to capacity, the continued growth of the church occurred logically through the addition of more house churches. The occurrence of more than one church in a city was suggested in Acts. The early church broke bread "from house to house" (Ac 2:47). The Word was taught "house to house" and persecution happened "house to house" (Ac 5:42; 20:20; Ac 8:3). "In major cities there were probably several such house church cells loosely tied together" (White 1990, 105; Filson 1939, 110).

Increasing the congregation by adding more house churches made the NT church an effective ground-roots movement. It did not depend on the acquisition of a church building for expansion. All that was needed was another family willing to open up its home for meetings. By the middle of the first century "there was a proliferation of settled house church cells . . . through the Roman world" (White 1990, 104).

Initially, before persecution made it difficult, the church of Jerusalem would meet in Solomon's Colonnade, part of the Temple complex (Ac 2:46; 3:11; 5:12). Here, they would receive teaching from the apostles and participate in fellowship and prayer. Miraculous signs and wonders were also performed by the apostles (Ac 2:42-45). Fellowship included sharing the wealth among all who had need (Ac 2:42-45). Unfortunately, because of the treatment the church received from the hands of the Jewish leadership, people interested in the message of the apostles were afraid to join them in Solomon's Colonnade (Ac 5:13).

The house church provided a safe opportunity to seek the truth. At the house church level, the church met for breaking of bread, teaching and prayer (Ac 2:46; 12:12; 20:7-12; 20:20).

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, Paul mentioned different aspects of the services. They included singing, instruction in God's Word (1 Co 14:26) as well as the celebration of the Lord's Supper (1 Co 11:17ff). He also stresses the importance of prayer (Pp 4:6).

The NT church started with the leadership of the apostles. They were initially responsible for all the functions of the church, from preaching to overseeing food distribution. As the church grew, new levels of leadership arose. These new leaders were chosen by the congregation and were responsible for the daily distribution of food. This freed up the Twelve for "prayer and the ministry of the word" (Ac 6:4; NIV).

Another leadership position, that of "elders," (presbuteros) came into being. The elders of the Jerusalem church sent Barnabus to Antioch (Ac 11:30). On his and Paul's first missionary trip, they appointed elders for the house churches they planted (Ac 14:23). Elders were involved in the decision making at the Council of Jerusalem (Ac 15). The Church in Ephesus also had elders (Ac 20:17). Luke also referred to these elders as "overseers" or "bishops" (episkopos; Ac 20:26).

Paul lists the requirements for these elders/overseers (1 Tm 3:1-7 and Tt 1:1). Peter gives a charge to this leadership (1 Pt 5:1-6). These passages also focus on the role of the elders: handling the Word of God, knowing sound doctrine and serving and managing the church. In Philippi, the office of overseer was mentioned alongside of "deacon" (diakonos; Pp 1:1). Paul states the requirements for this office in 1 Tm 3:8-13.

In this passage, there is a reference to gunaikas which can refer to either "wives of the deacons" or "women who fulfill the role of deacons" (Hiebert 1978, 368; v. 11). Phoebe is referred to as a diakonon, a "deacon/servant." This could be an example of this leadership (Rm 16:1). These passages hint strongly at female leadership.

The role of deacons in Ac 6 was to serve the church. The Greeks used this term "to describe one who was a servant or responsible for certain welfare duties within the city" (Hawthorne 1982, 9). The Greek usage parallels the usage in Acts. Deacons acted as "assistant to" the elders (Ibid.). In the late first century, bishops/elders and deacons were the two offices (1 Clem. XL11:4-5; see also Didache XV:l).

By the time of the first century, church officers were more defined. The Bishops were a distinct office from that of the elder. There was one bishop for a city, a board of elders and various deacons (Ign. Phld. IV). The bishop was the authority for the church in a given city. The elders reported to him (Ign. Eph. IV). The deacons reported to both the bishop and elders (Ign Mg. II; Ign. Tr. II).

Ignatius saw the bishop as ruling "in the place of God" and the presbyters [elders] in the place of the Council of Apostles, and the deacons . . . entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ" (Ign. Mg VI:l; see also Ign. Sm. VIII). As the church grew, so did the leadership structure.

The NT House Church's influence was felt at all levels of society. It penetrated the leaders of the Sanhedrin (Joseph of Arimathea; Lk 23:50) and Nicodemus (Jn 3:1), and the synagogue (Crispus; Ac 18:8). It got to the point that the Christians were known as the ones that "had turned the world upside down" (Ac 17:6).

The NT church house church was not a phenomenon that occurred in only one geographical setting. It spread throughout the entire Roman world. It had the advantage of being a small group network. That fact enabled it to expand and withstand persecution. Having multiple house churches within a city ensured that the church was adaptable to the various cultural and social groups contained in that city.

Key cities of the Roman Empire were impacted by these fellowships (Antioch, Syria; Corinth; Ephesus; and Rome; Conn 1989, 5). The social structures of today's cities are similar to the NT time. The house church thrives in areas where persecution (or the threat of persecution) is the strongest. China is a great example. Korea's "Soon" groups are also another example of the thriving house church (Kim 1974). The key to each of these is the commitment and fellowship that happens at the core level - the family house unit.

The church in Korea has more than doubled over the last 20 years. Some of that growth is due to the rapid development of house groups (cells). The Full Gospel Central Church in Seoul is the most successful numerical example of effective use of house groups in an urban setting. Paul Yonggi Cho, the pastor, has seen his church grow to over 750,000 members (Winter 1996).

Park Cho-Choon, the pastor of Young Nak Presbyterian Church (also in Seoul) has seen his church grow using a similar strategy (60,000; Bong-Rin and Nelson 1983, 205). Kim Chang-In has also seen similar growth in the Chung Hyeon Presbyterian Church (10,000; Ibid., 245). Cho's church has the most information available, so the following will look at his structure then compare it to the other churches.

In 1961 Paul Yonggi Cho "decided to build the largest church in Korea" (Cho and Hostetler 1981, 1). Initially, he set this goal for his own ego. He took the church from its beginning (1958) to 2,400 (1964). He was the prime person in the church, serving as pastor, administrator, Sunday School director, and even Janitor. Then he got so sick that he had to rely on God and delegate his authority. At the same time he came to realize the importance of house meetings. The rest is "history" (Ibid., 13-19).

The church meets in two types of settings. One is a traditional meeting place, the church building. The other is in home and business settings.

The church building is a complex of various sizes of auditoriums seating a total of 60,000. The largest auditorium seats 15,000 people. These auditoriums are connected by close circuit TV (Winter 1996).

Numerous services are held each Sunday to give an opportunity for the congregation of 750,000 to meet. To allow everyone a chance to hear the message, people only attend every other week.

Needless to say, this type of church meeting does not meet the need for community that people have. Thus the cell meeting is where the community aspect takes place.

House cell meeting occurs in homes of the cell leaders. These homes are in apartments throughout the city. Other cells for professionals meet in restaurants, hotels or businesses.

The cells consist of no more than 15 families (Cho and Hostetler 1981, 42). Each member of the church has to be in a cell. At present, there are 53,000 cells (Winter 1996). The cells are not seen as house churches but as integral units of the church. They are formed along homogeneous lines (i.e., profession and education; Cho and Hostetler 1981, 44-45).

The format of the house cell meeting is centered around Bible study. The leader receives his/her material from Cho. Cho's emphasis on developing materials came from past experiences of incorrect teaching. Poor and even heretical teaching because leaders were untrained but developed their own studies; they were leading their groups into heresy (Ibid., 33-35).

The leader leads the study of that passage for about one hour. After the study there is social interaction with refreshment (Ibid., 36). Prayer and singing also occur, though the main emphasis is on the study of Scripture.

In 1983, the church had 325,421 members in 19,380 cells (Bong-Rin and Nelson 1983, 270, 283). For a church this size to function properly, it needs to have in place a well thought through leadership structure and chain of command. Cho divided the church into city districts to make the task easier.

Over these districts, Cho has appointed an ordained minister, who reports to him directly. In 1983 there were 12 district leaders. These district leaders are in charge of 50 section leaders each (Cho and Manzano 1984, 47).

The section leaders are licensed ministers. In 1983, there were 600 section leaders. Each one was in charge of 30 cells and their leaders (Ibid.).

The cell group has one leader. This leader identifies an assistant leader, whom s/he trains. As well, the cell has a registrar and treasurer. All cell leaders have gone through standard leadership training (Cho and Hostetler 1981, 38-39).

Women are used extensively throughout the cell groups. Cho began developing female leadership because the men were reluctant to try cell groups. The women wear hats to symbolize that they are under Paul Cho's authority (Ibid., 29; Cho and Manzano 1983, 44).

Because of the networking strategy, Cho's church can have influence throughout the educational and business world. As well, the size of the church can enable it to be a force on society's thinking.

This church has 60,000 members. These members are divided up into 19 parishes, of 1,000 families each. The parishes are led by an ordained pastor. The pastor in turn has cell leaders leading cells of 12 families. In the cell there are also two to three church officers (Bong-Rin and Nelson 1983, 205).

The cell group leaders (1362) meet once a week to receive the Bible training for the week. They in turn pass this teaching on to the cell (Ibid.).

This church started in 1953 with 18 members and has grown to 10,000 members in 1983 (Ibid.). Five services are held each Sunday to allow all to attend (Ibid., 246-7). The cell structure has helped this church to grow as well.

The 10,000 members meet in 631 home cells. These cells have 5 families each. Each leader of the cells has been trained through a standard curriculum (Ibid., 254).

This church has 650 cells composed of 5-7 families each. Once the cell reaches 10 families it divides into 2 groups. The cell leader leads the Bible study. There is usually a prayer time for the needs of the group (Ibid., 266).

All the examples of house churches are of cell house churches. They all use the home for principle fellowship, Bible study and prayer. In the home, members of these vast churches can relate personally, one-to-one. Through these house cell churches, visitation of the large numbers of members is possible.

They also use a traditional church building for their Sunday worship service. The building only holds a small fraction of their congregation, so they have numerous services on Sunday to allow the members to attend. Cho's church is an exception. Because of the huge number of attenders, people come every other week to service.

At the house cell level, meetings usually occur once a week for one or more hours. The stress for these cells is for them to cover the Bible study. Singing, prayer, and fellowship all occur, but are secondary to the Bible study.

All house cell churches have a cell leader. The leaders each identify and train an assistant leader. This assistant leader will lead a cell when the cell divides into two. This cell division happens at varying sizes: usually by ten families, the cell starts to consider dividing. Other leadership positions at the house cell church level are secretary and treasurer.

As the churches grow they divide their house cell churches into districts. These districts are led by ordained ministers and report to the head pastor. When the districts continue to grow, another level of leadership is added. Cho's church added the level, "section leaders." These leaders are licensed ministers and report to the district heads. They are in charge of clusters of house cell churches and their leaders. Women play an important role in leadership and hold positions at the district, section, and cell level.

With such a large number of people in house cell churches throughout Seoul and other cities, the potential for influence is great. Families are influenced through relatives who invite them into their homes for church. The cell churches have impact on business leaders. Because Christians meet at work, work production has improved. Korea can be changed, and the house cell church can be one of the great influences for change.

In Quang Ngai, 2 house churches grew to 28 in a two year period (1972-74). Every quarter, the leaders of these churches received short-term courses taught by visiting missionaries. Over 450 adults met for Bible study in these house churches in 1974 when the communists closed the door to missionaries (Guy 1979, 123-24).

In the late 1980's, the Vietnamese government offered to reopen 200 of the churches they had closed in 1975. The believers refused the offer. From their experiences of house churches, they realized they did not "want to be limited by the buildings" (Birkey 1991, 76).

House churches have seen success in other Asian countries as well. Believers in other oppressed countries meet like the believers in China and Vietnam.

In Myanmar (formerly Burma), one church had 1,000 regular attenders. The church was closed and forced to go under ground. It continued to meet in private homes. "Now they total 12,000 people" (Birkey 1991, 76).

In Nepal, where it is illegal to baptize believers, thousands have been baptized. Christians meet in house churches. One pastor's house has been expanded to enable several hundred to meet for worship and teaching. Baptisms occur in the bath tub (Ibid.).

In a more open area like Andhra Pradesh, India, house churches meet for a daily 30 minute Bible study broadcast. There are over 1,000 such house churches. The people work all day, then assemble in a home for the radio teaching. Following the broadcast, "the content of the Bible study is further explained and discussed" (Mial 1981, 719).

In Singapore house cell-group churches thrive. One Assembly of God church has over 5,000 churches using the house cell structure (Neighbour 1990, 27). Faith Community Baptist Church, led by Pastor Lawrence Khong, "grew to 4,500 in about four years" (Ibid.).

The Singapore Bible College has planted house churches in apartment buildings. Some of these house churches meet in a believer's apartment. Three of them have rented store space in the ground floor of the apartment (Greenway 1973, 232).

In Bangkok, a converted Buddhist, has built a house cell-group church. Chareonwonsak Kriengsak started the Hope of Bangkok Church with one home cell-group. It has grown to over 5,000 people in hundreds of cells. They have purchased a choice piece of property in Bangkok outright. Here, they will build their praise center. They are expanding to other Thai cities (Neighbour 1990, 28).

Many churches of Asia continue to meet in traditional buildings, but there are thousands of churches meeting in homes. The house and its family relationships offer a closeness that is parallel to the Asian culture. It is a non-threatening place for non-Christians to come and investigate Christianity. Some house churches start other house fellowships as they outgrow their homes. Others opt for renting meeting space or even building a church building (Chastain 1981, 693, 696).

Those that use a house cell-group structure still meet for teaching and praise in a traditional building. They take advantage of the closeness that the house offers.

Prayer, Bible study and worship take place usually in a contextualized way. Both communion and baptism are observed. In most cases lay people lead the service.

Because of persecution, those house churches in restricted lands, are often led by lay people with limited training. Both men and women take part in leadership. In open countries, lay leadership still lead, but receive more structured training.

The influence is profound, especially in closed countries. The spread of the church is usually through familiar lines. Often it occurs with miraculous healings, followed by clear Christian teaching (Ibid., 692; Boehr 1981, 695; Desilva 1991, 274, 277).

Dr. Lopez, a medical doctor and Presbyterian pastor, has "established more than twenty churches in and near Mexico City" (Greenway 1973, 98). He asks believers, in a targeted area, if they would open their homes to meetings. Once the house church is started, visitation becomes the responsibility of members of the church. Dr. Lopez moves on to establish another church (Ibid.).

The house church service is led by the head of the house in which it meets. The message is brought by "a visiting preacher or teacher . . . . If there is none, then one from the group teaches the Bible lesson" (Ibid., 98-99). Along with the 20 - 30 minute Bible lesson, "there is fellowship, singing, [and] praying for problems and needs" (Ibid., 99). Meeting times vary according to the house church.

The Mexican Christian Institute is also involved in planting house churches in Mexico city. Within 2 1/2 years, the institute established 25 house churches (Ibid., 213-14). 16 of these 25 continued to grow. The others were closed for various reasons. Two closed because the host family moved, and no other house became available. Three were closed by the landlord's refusal to allow the church to meet. Only two closed because of poor attendance (Ibid., 216-17).

Similar to Dr. Lopez's methods, the students of the Institute would look for people open to having a house church meet in their homes. This would be accomplished by door-to-door visitation (Ibid., 215). The students would lead the services which would include "teaching and preaching of the Bible, . . . singing, personal testimonies, and intercessory prayers" (Ibid., 217). They also found that weekday meetings would draw higher attendance than Sundays. This they attributed to the emphasis in the culture on Sunday sports (Ibid., 220).

In many of the house churches established by the Institute, leadership was held by the students. Many of the families were single mother families. Those house churches that did have males, often had males that were not of leadership potential (Ibid., 230). The most successful of the house churches was led by the host of the house church (Ibid., 227-29).

The Free Methodists of Brazil have been active in planting churches in Sao Paulo. They use one of two methods to plant new congregations. One method is to build a building before there is a nucleus of believers. The other method is to build a strong nucleus of believers which function as a community. This is the house church method. They have found that their strongest church plants occur when they are started as a house church. A prime example of the house church success is one church that grew from six members to over sixty members. It used a medium size room in a house in which to meet (Snyder 1976, 24).

Use of lay leaders in the churches is a factor in the new church's growth in size and maturity. Those churches that give lay people leadership responsibility and train them for the task have the most growth (Ibid., 25).

Once the house churches have a strong nucleus of believers, the pastoral support is then emphasized (Ibid., 29). Once the pastoral support is well financed, the emphasis moves to having a "'respectable' mother-church building" (Ibid., 27).

In 1969, the first house church in this city was started with five couples. Three years later the second house church was started. In 1977, the first house, upon reaching 120 members, divided forming two house churches of 60 members each. The following year, the second house church also reached a dividing stage of 160. It became two house churches with 80 members each. Another house church started in 1978, adding to the already existing four churches. Their combined membership was about 500 (Taylor 1981, 713).

These house churches are unique in comparison to other ones that have been mentioned. "They are made up of members from upper middle class and upper classes people" (Ibid.). These churches discovered the importance of homogenous membership. Once people from the lower classes started to attend, the door to the upper classes was closed to the church. Once they had enough believers from the lower classes, they would form a new separate house church for them. The former house church again became attractive to the upper classes (Ibid., 713-14).

This house church movement flourishes. Their services include teaching, fellowship, prayer, baptism, and communion. Each house church is independent from the others.

Because these house churches are a movement of the upper classes, their influence is among the millionaires, the government officials, and leading businessmen. They reach a people group that is unreached by most traditional churches. As well, "they can expand indefinitely with almost no funds since they meet in their large homes and ordain their own lay and unpaid elders (pastors)" (Ibid., 714).

All the above mentioned house churches meet in homes. These homes vary from small shacks to large wealthy homes. Some of the house churches are church plants, in the process of becoming a church with a building. Others are house churches that when are designed to plant new house churches as they grow. Neighbour mentions house cell churches that are flourishing in Santiago, Chile (over 40,000 attending), and another in Brazil with a 25,000 seat auditorium (1990, 33-34).

The home is used effectively throughout Latin America. Both Protestant and Catholic home cells exist (Ibid., 34; Colombia--Greenway 1973, 100-1).

All house churches have prayer, the teaching of God's Word, and fellowship. Baptism and communion are both practiced in the house church.

In most cases, the leadership is drawn from the members of the house churches. The leaders are identified and then trained. In the case of the Bible Institute students, local leadership was not always selected or developed. When they were, that house church would grow more mature than those that were solely dependent on the Institute for leadership.

All of the house churches had an impact on their surrounding neighborhoods. Some even set up medical clinics to provide much needed care. Influence is also felt in families. The strongest house churches had involvement of most, it not all, members of a family. Some house churches even have influence among the upper classes--including the government.

Dick Scoggins has been involved in church planting for 18 years. The last six years has seen him shift to planting house churches instead of the traditional church. His first house church plant grew to 25+ people. At that point they divided the congregation into two, but still met together for Sunday evening service in a rented facility (Spring 1989). These two formed a small house cell church (Scoggins 1994, 49-50).

By Spring of 1990, the two cells had appointed elders and deacons. A third house cell started from an evangelistic study. By the summer of that year (1990), the cells disbanded the evening service and opted for more independence. They continued associating together and formed the East Providence Fellowship of House Churches (Ibid., 50-51). By 1994, they doubled their number of house churches (Ibid., 53).

Membership to any of the house churches was attained by signing the covenant of that house church and "having hands laid on by the leaders" (Ibid., 51-52). The covenant is drafted by each individual house church. As well, each church develops their own vision statement for the next six months (Ibid., 52).

Leadership of each house church consists of two male leaders. They are responsible to train new leaders for new house churches. The leaders of the house churches are usually unpaid laity (Ibid., 52-53).

The leaders from the house churches in fellowship would meet monthly. They form the Fellowship Overseers Board (FOB). They spend time in training and decision making. Decisions affecting all of the house churches in fellowship are made at this level. Those decisions involving only the local house church are made at the house church level. Appointment of elders and church planters happens at the FOB level (Ibid.).

Each of the house churches meet twice a week. The midweek meeting is for planning activities. "The Sunday morning meetings [are] . . . given over to worship and Bible study. There is no formal preaching service" (Ibid., 52).

Without expensive overhead and with non-paid leaders, monies are freed up for other uses. "50 percent of the offerings routinely go toward missions' endeavors" (Ibid., 54).

Faced with over-crowding in their living meeting place, the Mennonite Church of the Servant, voted to divide into two house churches. They both continued their "corporate identity as Mennonite Church of the Servant . . . and chose new names for each of the house churches" (Barrett 1986, 147-48). The two house churches continued to have regular meetings together, beyond their house church meetings (Ibid.).

The church now has five house churches. Each church chooses its own time to meet. The five house churches come together "twice a month on Sunday morning for worship . . . and once a month for decision-making" (Ibid., 149).

The whole church handles the administration, which includes the finances, hiring of staff, and planning. "Each house church chooses its own name . . . [and] shepherds" (Ibid.). The whole church then affirms the leaders chosen by the local house church. Like the leaders from Providence, RI, the shepherds meet regularly on the whole church level and the house church level. Each level of meeting deals with issues that are relevant to that level.

Communion is celebrated at the house church meeting and the whole church meeting. Social functions also happen at both levels. The whole church plans Christian education activities for the children and youth. These meetings allow for a greater number of people to use their gifts (Ibid., 149-50).

Reba Place Fellowship faced similar growth problems to Mennonite Church of the Servant. They opted to divide into three house churches within one congregation.

After ten years, they were again faced with the problem of too many people in a house church. The three house churches had reached 150 members and another 150 in attendance (Ibid., 150). The intimacy of the small house church was lost.

The solution to this problem was to continue as one congregation with an adjustment. The adjustment was to add a middle level of church life. The three house churches took over many roles of the large congregation. Each of them became a congregation of 30-50 members. They then divided into several house churches (Ibid., 151).

The church has become a multi-level structure. The first level is still the whole congregation (150 members). The second level consists of three federated clusters of house churches (30-50 members each). Level three is the individual house church (15 members). Leadership decisions and development, pastoral leadership, and church socials used to happen at the first level. They now happen at the second level (Ibid.).

The home cell church also thrives in America. Hadaway, Dubose, and Wright list four of the more successful ones:

The meeting places were mainly homes. In the instances of cluster churches, sometimes a larger facility would be rented to allow all the house churches to meet to worship. In the cell house church, they would meet in homes for Bible study and in a large building for joint praise and worship. The difference between the cell house church and house churches in fellowship occurred in leadership decision making, and the authority each house church has.

Services include prayer, Bible study, singing, and fellowship. When the house church grew too large, the effect would be felt most in the close relationship between the members. To regain the sense of closeness, the house church had to divide.

Leadership is raised from within the house churches. Identifying future leaders allows the present leaders time to develop and train them before the next house church is ready to start up. Decisions are made in cluster house churches at the local church level when the issues concern only that church. When the issues dealt with concern the whole cluster, it is then discussed and decided at that level.

The influence of the house churches is among the friends and relatives of the house church members. Neighbors are not influenced as much as in other cultures.

The opportunities for a dynamic house church or cell structure in the cities of the world are unlimited. With only the need of a home to serve as a meeting place, church planters could quickly multiply house churches.

The emphasis falls on developing churches with a "birthing" mindset. Church growth in Quebec after Vatican II was dramatic. The church had a mindset that it existed in part to "give birth" to a "daughter" church. This would occur when a church reached 100 members. They would then birth a church in a new community with half their members. Kim notes of the "Soon," the same reproductive mindset: "the 'Soon' also has to ceaselessly branch out its 'separate soons'" (1974, 33). For this "birthing" to happen, one cannot have a "preaching point church" where a pastor is so known for his preaching and teaching that no one wants to leave!

The use of the house church structure gives the church one of the most effective ways of reaching an urban populace. Evangelism occurring in connection with that structure can be strategic and effective. The "Your Home A Lighthouse" strategy uses the local home as the place to which to invite seekers, where they would then have a Bible study. This method is based on relationships: from the neighborhood, from work or family.

Another way to take advantage of the house church is to use it in an evangelistic outreach. There have been various ways that this has been done. One way was for a house of believers to have a section of the city for which they are responsible. It is from this area that they would gather people for their house group.

An effective means to draw people is outdoor Jesus film showings. The Baptist church in Ivano-Frankov, Ukraine, did outdoor film shows in apartment complexes where key church leaders lived. The film would be set up in the square that was surrounded by four apartment buildings. People from those apartment buildings would come and watch the film. Those who left their names would be followed up by the leader in that complex. A small house group would be formed at the leader's home.

Another variation of this same idea is a "city block" strategy. This was used in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Here the church chose city blocks on which it wanted to start working. It would then do an outdoor film showing on a street in the block. They followed-up people from that film show and started a home group within that block. I did not realize how effective this strategy was, until going for a walk one day, I noticed that the nationals to which I spoke, did not know the next city block.

This "block mentality" seems to be more common in third world urban communities, perhaps because poverty limits their ability to explore. Travel is a luxury, even to other parts of the city. This same awareness occurs in cities like Moscow, where people from one community will not necessarily know much about other areas of the city.

Another variation of the "city block" strategy was used in Kerela, India. Here the church chose strategic schools in which to do Jesus film shows. The schools would define where the next community would be raised.

In L'viv, a similar strategy was adapted to theatres. The Jesus film was shown in local theatres. Whenever it was shown, follow-up would happen the next week. A series of follow-ups would occur, using the theater. Eventually, this theater would form a church.

Another type of strategy uses the Jesus film in video form. A leader would invite friends, family and work-mates to see the video. From the follow-up of the individuals who attended, a small house group would form. On some occasions, this was used over lunch hours in office buildings as a strategy to reach out to fellow workers (Ontario Hydro building, Toronto; Northern Telecom, Ottawa).

Another strategy using the Jesus video combines the video with door-to-door evangelism. A church would give out free copies of the video to people in the neighborhood if they would complete a survey after they saw it. People who made decisions would then be brought into home fellowships for follow-up.

What any urban city needs the most, including Moscow, is a sense of community. Community is at the heart of a dynamic church. A dynamic church offers what the urban city needs. The task ahead of the church is to develop strong dynamic churches with a sense of community, which in turn can be offered to the urban city. This sense of community will best occur through a house church mentality: the opening of homes and lives--and hearts--to each other.

As in Singapore, high rises are plentiful in Moscow. In fact, they are the main form of housing for the populace. Finding open homes in high rises would allow the beginning of a house meeting. A Russian home often has three generations sharing the same apartment space. Through a network of friends and relatives, the house meeting could grow.

One such house church developed in L'viv, Ukraine, which had 27 people seated around a table in the main room and another 10 in the hall. The size of apartments would limit the size of churches to 20 to 40 people.

As the house church grows, it will face the decision about what to do next. The various models this paper has surveyed have suggested ways in which to continue growing. Two of these models have more success in dividing than the others: the house cell church; and the cluster house church. The house cell church depends on a weekly meeting of the full congregation for the principle teaching. The mid-week meeting occurs on the individual house cell level for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. To accomplish the full congregation meeting, the house cell church usually moves towards building a building. This building also gives the church higher visibility.

The greatest difficulty at this time for Moscow churches is finances. It is common for a church to have foreign sponsorship, without which most churches could not afford their buildings. Having a building could keep a house cell church dependent on foreign aid, keeping it from being self-sufficient.

Cluster house churches hold their weekly meetings all in the home. Their leadership has no building costs about which to worry. The once or twice monthly celebration meetings could take place at a rented facility. This method frees money to employ full-time ministers. At present, in light of the financial difficulties Russians are facing, the cluster house church structure seems a more feasible approach for Russian Christians to take. It would give the church the opportunity to be self-sufficient.

As in each of the countries where the house church is growing, contextualization of the service is important. The essentials of the service would still occur: praise and worship, fellowship, teaching of God's Word, baptism and the sharing of the Lord's Supper. But as the church planter understands the culture and as indigenous leadership is raised up, the service would gradually take on forms more suitable to the culture.

In the initial stages of the house church, the leadership can be given by the church planters. It is important to allow the members of the house church to take on leadership. The examples of Mexico stress the importance of identifying and training these leaders. Later, when the house church grows and divides, further leadership in management will be needed to lead the new cluster of house churches. The Rhode Island example of a Fellowship Overseers Board is one viable option to pursue at that point.

The grounding of leaders in not only the basics but the sound doctrine of the Word is vitally important. Without this training, as the different examples have shown, the leader can take his church into heresy.

The Moscow New Life Bible College can offer the necessary training for house church leaders. As well, existing students could be involved in church planting. This would be similar to the situation at the Singapore Bible Institute.

The potential for the house church to influence Moscow and Russia exists. How far the potential develops will depend on the church planters. If they are concerned for families and not just for individual conversions, then the house church will impact Moscow.

Moscow is a "'crushing concatenation of faceless, shabby, shoving, rude and above all, indifferent, uninterested people' . . . a city with . . . 'fear . . . a virtual criminopolis'" (Carnes 1996, 29). It is a society that needs changing. If church planters and evangelists are concerned for the family and not just individual conversions, then the house church can have an impact on Moscow. For the home, like in the Roman Empire, is the smallest building block of Russian society.

This paper has surveyed the house church in the first and twentieth centuries. One dynamic has been observed in each of these churches. That dynamic is that the various house churches are pragmatic, adapting to their cultures and surroundings wherever they go. They exist where people live (McGavran 1980, 216). They meet where "unbelievers can come with the greatest ease"--the home (Ibid. 323).

The house church is one of the best ways to start a new church. It has a low start up cost, for the building used for meeting is the home of a member, provided without cost (Ibid., 217). This enables a congregation to build a strong nucleus of members before adding the weight of a debt for a building. Using a house church to plant a congregation and then build a building is an effective way to grow a church when the high visibility of a building is a drawing card for future members.

The most successful cases of multiplying churches occurred in the house cell church and the cluster church structures. In financial strapped areas and where land is too expensive to purchase, the cluster church seems to have the advantage for developing self-sufficient churches. As in Rhode Island, the cluster church can also free up more money for missions than a church that has a building to buy and maintain.

Where money and land is not an issue, the house cell church has much to offer. Having a building for training and teaching gives the church not only visibility, but some stability in the community.

In any house church, whether a large house cell church, or a small house church, leadership is important. The leader of an existing house church needs to identify potential leaders. S/he needs to train them, before placing them in leadership.

These leaders need to take an active role in adapting the house church to their community. This will involve contextualization of the service to the culture, as has happen in China and Sri Lanka. Successful adaptation will make the house church a potential influence on not only its surrounding neighborhood, but its country as well.