Basics of sharing in house church
Sharing in house church meetings is, at its core, about expressing gratitude for things in our lives. Even when they may seem trivial, learning to give thanks for such things helps cultivate a habit of gratitude, which transforms our thinking in a positive way and ultimately leads us to be thankful to God. However, when we say “share what you’re thankful for,” it doesn’t mean only sharing feel-good stories or things that have gone well. You are encouraged to talk about your struggles and hardships as well—but the key is that the sharing should always end with gratitude.
In house church, all kinds of stories can and should be shared, especially those that are difficult or even shameful. That’s where healing begins. People who share openly and boldly tend to experience transformation more quickly. On the other hand, those who are unable to open up tend to change more slowly. Bold sharing brings faster change because it breaks down the hypocrisy and pride that we hide behind, opens up our closed hearts, enables genuine communication, sparks concern for others, and most importantly, helps us begin to see our own problems more objectively.
For deep and honest conversations to happen inhouse church, it must be a safe space. Sensitive matters shared must be kept confidential, and mutual trust must be built. In particular, it is crucial not to share these stories with non-believing spouses or family members at home. Doing so may cause them to develop negative feelings about the house church or its members, and could even make them hostile toward the faith.
Sometimes, after being part of a house church for a long time, members may feel like there’s nothing new to share. This could be because people still aren’t opening up fully or because their lives have become relatively stable after years of being in the church. The key to revitalising the sharing time is VIPs—those who are new and not yet believers. Coming from the world with real-life issues, VIPs bring many prayer needs and unresolved problems. When a house church welcomes a VIP, the sharing often becomes vibrant again.
When sharing, it’s also important to be a good listener. Active listening—making eye contact, showing empathy, and being fully present—is essential. Interrupting or being distracted can make the speaker feel unloved or unvalued, so we must be careful.
This column was adapted and edited from a column by Pastor YoungChun Shim.
Word of the week
A crisis in the life of faith begins when we start to distance ourselves from things that should be considered normal. However, a spiritually healthy believer regards attending Sunday worship, going to house church meetings, participating in prayer meetings, giving offerings, and serving and volunteering for the church as things that are normal.
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이동주 2025.06.07 14:33
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Sharing in house church meetings is, at its core, about expressing gratitude for things in our lives. Even when they may seem trivial, learning to give thanks for such things helps cultivate a habit of gratitude, which transforms our thinking in a positive way and ultimately leads us to be thankful to God. However, when we say “share what you’re thankful for,” it doesn’t mean only sharing feel-good stories or things that have gone well. You are encouraged to talk about your struggles and hardships as well—but the key is that the sharing should always end with gratitude.
In house church, all kinds of stories can and should be shared, especially those that are difficult or even shameful. That’s where healing begins. People who share openly and boldly tend to experience transformation more quickly. On the other hand, those who are unable to open up tend to change more slowly. Bold sharing brings faster change because it breaks down the hypocrisy and pride that we hide behind, opens up our closed hearts, enables genuine communication, sparks concern for others, and most importantly, helps us begin to see our own problems more objectively.
For deep and honest conversations to happen inhouse church, it must be a safe space. Sensitive matters shared must be kept confidential, and mutual trust must be built. In particular, it is crucial not to share these stories with non-believing spouses or family members at home. Doing so may cause them to develop negative feelings about the house church or its members, and could even make them hostile toward the faith.
Sometimes, after being part of a house church for a long time, members may feel like there’s nothing new to share. This could be because people still aren’t opening up fully or because their lives have become relatively stable after years of being in the church. The key to revitalising the sharing time is VIPs—those who are new and not yet believers. Coming from the world with real-life issues, VIPs bring many prayer needs and unresolved problems. When a house church welcomes a VIP, the sharing often becomes vibrant again.
When sharing, it’s also important to be a good listener. Active listening—making eye contact, showing empathy, and being fully present—is essential. Interrupting or being distracted can make the speaker feel unloved or unvalued, so we must be careful.
This column was adapted and edited from a column by Pastor YoungChun Shim.
Word of the week
A crisis in the life of faith begins when we start to distance ourselves from things that should be considered normal. However, a spiritually healthy believer regards attending Sunday worship, going to house church meetings, participating in prayer meetings, giving offerings, and serving and volunteering for the church as things that are normal.