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LRC also gathers in small groups called house churches during the week. Our House Church Ministry has groups meeting on several nights during the week all over the Little Rock metro area including Benton, Maumelle, N. Little Rock, and Bryant. Currently there are 16 house churches that make up LRC. House churches are designed to create an authentic Christian community that can mature disciples in Christ and equip them for ministry. House churches are at the core of who LRC is and how we mature believers in God’s grace. House Churches are how the elders of LRC shepherd the church family. Each LRC elder shepherds 3 or 4 house churches by working closely with the house church leader.
House churches are as old as Christianity. When you turn to the book of Acts, you find the large group - small group concept being patterned. Acts 2:42-46 shows that new believers that were added to the church also were a part of a small group meeting in someone’s home. Acts 5:42 states “Day after day in the temple courts and from house-to-house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.” Other New Testament passages referring to small groups meeting in homes are Acts 12:5-12, Romans 16:3-5, Colossians 4:15, and Philemon 1:1-2.
LRC’s leadership and structure are inseparable. LRC is designed to grow spiritual leaders out of an intimate community of believers. Each house church (a small group of Christians meeting in homes) has a shepherding leader and a leader in training. Our house church leaders are the heart of the shepherding care available at LRC. The elders of LRC look to the house church Leaders to be “front line” for shepherding, pastoral care, and maturing members of our church body. Members of LRC are asked to recognize and respond to the shepherding care of the house church leader and regularly participate in a house church. To ensure that our house churches grow and remain true to their purpose of growing new house churches, we ask for house churches to regroup and reform after two years if they are not experiencing growth.
The House Churches of Little Rock Church are built around geographic areas. We believe that true Christian community is built by those who are around each other often. We encourage our house churches to meet often and outside the regular weekly meeting. If you are new to LRC, we would ask you to join the group that is closest to your home. If there is not a group close to your home, please ask for some assistance in looking for options.
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