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Saving America Begins at Home! Step 2 · Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation

• 0:00
  Pastor Robert Young: Ever wonder how and if the Bible has relevance for today.
• 0:03
  Pastor Robert Young: On this podcast, we provide biblical answers to today's tough questions.
• 0:08
  Pastor Robert Young: Hi friends, I'm Pastor Robert Young.
• 0:10
  Pastor Robert Young: We have 30-plus years of church planting and mentoring other pastors, 30-plus years of training leaders in evangelism and discipleship.
• 0:19
  Pastor Robert Young: Our team of missionaries go into jails, rehabs, parks, street corners, coffee houses and any place unchurched people gather.
• 0:27
  Pastor Robert Young: We present the true, untainted gospel.
• 0:31
  Pastor Robert Young: We ask questions and give answers as we conduct surveys.
• 0:34
  Pastor Robert Young: We do this so that you can make a true, informed decision about Jesus Christ.
• 0:40
  Pastor Robert Young: Today, our topic is Saving America Begins at Home, step 2.
• 0:46
  Pastor Robert Young: Hi friends, welcome to part 2 of Saving America Begins at Home, step 2.
• 0:55
  Pastor Robert Young: Last time we talked about America returning to God and teaching our children and household about God, as we stated in the last episode.
• 1:04
  Pastor Robert Young: I won't go into all the details about why I think America has abandoned the faith.
• 1:08
  Pastor Robert Young: There is enough reliable information out there to convince anyone of our need for returning to God and His standards.
• 1:16
  Pastor Robert Young: Last time, we suggested attending a local church for corporate worship, as the Bible states in Hebrews 10, verse 25.
• 1:25
  Pastor Robert Young: We also suggested that each person have a church service in their own home with their family.
• 1:32
  Pastor Robert Young: Because that comes so naturally for me, being that God endowed me with the gift of pastoring and church planting, I didn't realize that the idea of having a church service in your own home might seem a little intimidating to lots of people.
• 1:48
  Pastor Robert Young: So, in this series I'm going to give you biblical formats on where to begin.
• 1:52
  Pastor Robert Young: First, let's look through the Scriptures to see if there are any examples of people having church in their homes.
• 2:01
  Pastor Robert Young: Due to persecution and limited resources, believers in the first century found refuge in the safety and comfort of their own homes where they could gather as a community of faith.
• 2:12
  Pastor Robert Young: The Apostle Paul, in his letters to various early Christian communities, mentions the practice of gathering in homes for worship and fellowship.
• 2:22
  Pastor Robert Young: In Romans 16-5, Paul sends greetings to the church that meets in the home of Aquila and Priscilla and encourages the believers to greet one another with a holy kiss.
• 2:34
  Pastor Robert Young: Through his letters, Paul highlights the importance of close-knit community worship and personal relationship within these small house churches.
• 2:45
  Pastor Robert Young: Other examples of churches in homes are found in Acts 20-20, Colossians 4-15, 1 Corinthians 16-19, and Philemon 1-2.
• 2:56
  Pastor Robert Young: Remember also the kickstart to Christianity was in an upper room in a house, when the Holy Spirit was given to all that was gathered.
• 3:08
  Pastor Robert Young: Gathering in homes fosters an environment of closeness and authenticity.
• 3:13
  Pastor Robert Young: In smaller groups we have opportunities to truly know and be known by fellow believers, allow for genuine fellowship and support, sharing our lives, joys, struggles and prayers in a house church setting creates an atmosphere of trust and vulnerability, strengthening our bond as members of the body of Christ.
• 3:38
  Pastor Robert Young: Church in houses encourages the active involvement and participation of every believer, as each person brings their unique gifts and talents.
• 3:48
  Pastor Robert Young: The burden of ministry is shared, making every member an integral part of the worshiping community.
• 3:54
  Pastor Robert Young: This biblical model empowers individuals to exercise their spiritual gifts in service to others, as the Bible Intends and states in 1 Corinthians 12.
• 4:07
  Pastor Robert Young: Meeting in homes allows for flexibility in worship styles, teaching formats and the overall structure of the gathering.
• 4:15
  Pastor Robert Young: House Churches can cater to the unique needs and cultural context of the community, ensuring a more personalized and relevant worship experience.
• 4:24
  Pastor Robert Young: It also permits the ability to adapt to emergencies, social limitations or unforeseen circumstances, providing a secure space to nurture and sustain faith regardless of external constraints.
• 4:40
  Pastor Robert Young: We see in the scriptures that God blessed the 1st century church with a deep relationship with himself, which, by the way, is the goal.
• 4:47
  Pastor Robert Young: On that note, let me say that loving each other, feeding the poor and all other acts of service is wonderful and God loves this.
• 4:56
  Pastor Robert Young: However, as the Bible states in 1 Corinthians 13, without the love that God gives, all our acts of service do not profit and definitely will not get us into heaven or a growing relationship with God, which, again, is the goal.
• 5:15
  Pastor Robert Young: Our human love is sometimes conditional or even selfish and self-serving.
• 5:21
  Pastor Robert Young: We need God's unconditional love in order to love people the way God intended.
• 5:27
  Pastor Robert Young: This is why God must be first in our lives and hearts.
• 5:35
  Pastor Robert Young: Okay, now that we've discovered the biblical foundation for small gatherings, let's look at the biblical format of worship in the next episode in this series.
• 5:45
  Pastor Robert Young: Now, friends, if you have been listening to this podcast for any length of time and you have come to the decision that you want to be a part of this family of God, you know that you must first repent of your sins and ask God to forgive you.
• 5:57
  Pastor Robert Young: You also believe that Jesus Christ, dying on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, is the only way to God.
• 6:04
  Pastor Robert Young: You also know that you must be filled with the free gift of the Holy Spirit to empower you to live the life that God intended.
• 6:12
  Pastor Robert Young: Will you confess to God right now?
• 6:14
  Pastor Robert Young: If so, then you, my friends, have just begun a journey to deeper fellowship with the God of the universe.
• 6:22
  Pastor Robert Young: As I always say, do your research and find a God-honoring church in your community and participate in corporate worship and worship in your own home with your family.
• 6:34
  Pastor Robert Young: If you need more information, clarification, or if you would like to receive our free e-book on how to do House Church, then don't hesitate to get in contact with me in all of the ways to contact me in the description box below, and until next time when we will be discussing biblical worship, I am your host, pastor Robert Young from Not your Parents Religion Podcast, and may God bless you.