Early this Spring all our kids were sick on Sunday morning so we decided to meet as a New Testament church in our home. What peace and blessedness! The next Sunday we wondered what we should do. My wife suggested that we might get snowed in. We both laughed. Next Sunday rolled around and a big snow fell Saturday night. We were snowed in. We met again as a church in our home. Couldn’t have been happier. After that we never wondered what we should do. By the third Sunday we had almost forgotten what the regular Sunday morning church service was like. The past seemed to be a dream. Now we are inviting our neighbors and people we meet. The Lord knows those who have hungry hearts.

We start the Sunday meeting at 11AM. Sometimes someone prays or different ones suggest a hymn or song. We encourage each another to share something that will bless those gathered. One of our younger daughters usually reads the Proverbs for the day. Others share something the Lord has been teaching them or something meaningful from the Bible. After an hour or an hour and a half, it usually seems that the meeting is drawing to a close - everyone has shared what they felt led to share so we close with prayer - read from Corinthians about the Lord’s supper and adjourn to eat a piece of bread and drink a little juice to proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again.

If meeting as the Bible instructs were any simpler, it would certainly be impossible! But with God’s help all things are possible.

Hope this gives you a quick picture of a New Testament Church meeting. There’s not much to it except that Jesus meets with us and in His presence, His peace and His Joy and His love fill our hearts. We are satisfied in the largest sense of the word.

God bless you. If you are ever in Cincinnati call us - 513-373-2256.

Sincerely, Rob

Here we are searching into workings of spiritual things, the Kingdom of God on earth and the church of Jesus Christ - the New Testament Church which is described in the Bible as the Body of Christ. This is the church that Jesus spoke about when He said that He would build His church and He, Himself, would be the Cornerstone.

Three keys to starting a New Testament church: 1) Jesus, Himself, is the first member. 2) Jesus, personally, is the One who does the building. 3) Jesus creates His Body, living , breathing, loving and serving - continuing His ministry - here on earth.

Our Lord is the beginning of any New Testament church. This fact points to our need to sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts. The building of His church is a spiritual effort - accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Offering ourselves for this effort requires us to be filled and possessed with the Holy Spirit. Considering this, let’s remember what Jesus said about the goodness of God the Father who gladly gives the Holy Spirit to those that ask. In creating His body on the earth Jesus said simply that where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in the midst. It actually only takes you or me and one or two other believers who are willing to gather together in Jesus’ name - a New Testament church is born.

Some things are so simple that if they were simpler, they would be impossible. Starting a New Testament church is probably one of those efforts that is simply impossible with man. Take heart though, because what is impossible with man is possible with God. All things are possible with God.

Beyond this short introduction to starting a New Testament church, you could benefit from my free book on the New Testament Church, titled, “Can You Imagine? Discovering Jesus’ Plan for the New Testament Church” found on the website, HeartsBurning.com. If you have any questions, please e-mail me at robertweber(at)heartsburning(dot)com or call me at 513-373-2256.

Thanks and may God bless you and help you! Rob

More than twenty five years ago when I was a student at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, this impelling by the Holy Spirit began to make itself known. I felt it in my own heart, although it was not by any stretch of the imagination a ground swelling movement. After graduating in 1981, I tried starting a New Testament Church. It didn’t take long to realize that Jesus’ plan for His Church needs leaders who are as gentle and humble in heart as He. I was not the man I needed to be. My grand plans failed, but the flicker of that dream die would not die.

In 2004, after a dozen years working in industry, a dozen years starting my own manufacturing business, and ten children later (all by the same wife) my seminary note card study of the New Testament Church came out of storage and I began to write a study book, “Can You Imagine? Discovering Jesus’ Plan for the New Testament Church”, now featured on my website, HeartsBurning.com. In 2007, my wife and I started a “New Testament” church - still meeting in our home and largely attended by members of our family. Importantly, when we gather, Jesus is in our midst.

The number of websites offering assistance to those interested in the New Testament Church movement has grown considerably over the past several years. Here at NewTestamentChurchHomePage.com you will find sites and studies dedicated to this mission as well as information, encouragement and assistance for those interested in starting a New Testament church or who are part of a New Testament church.

Please e-mail me at robertweber(at)heartsburning(dot)com with your comments, inquiries and suggestions - or call me @(513)373-2256.  I look forward to talking with you.

Thanks and may God bless you! Rob Weber

The site does not currently include a section on “How to start a New Testament church” but the author gladly fields and answers readers’ comments, questions, suggestions and inquiries.

This book possibly had the greatest positive influence on my journey discovering Jesus’ plan for His church. After reading “The New Testament Order for Church and Missionary”, I returned the volume and set about my own personal study of the New Testament in order to “double check” Mr. Hay’s findings. In this effort I was not disappointed.

The time you spend working your way through this volume will not be without reward. You will benefit by becoming acquainted with a fellow pilgrim who as a sincere seeker was rewarded with a precious find - the truths, though hidden in plain sight, concerning the church as Jesus intends to build it. His faith, his sincerity, his love for our Lord, and his pure desire to discover God’s will and way in the church will rub off on you and you will be richer for it.

One caveat: Mr. Hay at the time of publishing his book had strong suspicions regarding “speaking in tongues”. In some of his writings you will observe a tendency to suggest strict adherence to set patterns and ways of doing things. Frankly, at first I was a bit disappointed - like when you find a beautiful vase in a secondhand store, only to discover an unseemly chip on its rims’ edge.  Actually, this is what makes Mr. Hay’s work such a marvel of the grace of God.  And its discovery greatly encouraged me.  If our brother was human and God still worked mightily through him, then there is the possibility that being human myself, God can work wonders through me and through you as well.  We have this treasure in earthen vessels.

I had the distinct honor and privilege of speaking with Mr Hay’s son and hearing some of he stories about the author’s life. I asked about the time it must have required in order to write such a lengthy volume and learned that Alex Hay had contracted an unknown illness which prevented him from pursuing mission work for several or more years. During this time of physical inactivity, Mr. Hay wrote the volume.  After he finished, circumstances led to his illness being identified and diagnosed with a ready prescription available for its cure.

Additionally, I’ve spoken and corresponded with a saint, Sam Burton, whose parents were fellow-workers with the Hays.  Sam, who also spent his career as a missionary church planter and educator graciously reviewed my own book, “Can You Imagine? Discovering Jesus’ Plan for the New Testament Church”, and offered many insights, suggestion and encouragements.

If you’re interested in obtaining a copy of Mr. Hay’s book, there are some listed on Amazon.com or contact me.

As always, I’m very interested in your comments, inquiries and suggestions. thanks, Rob

The secret of the church can also be discovered in the New Testament Bible. The treasure you will uncover in this search is the pattern and life of the authentic New Testament church. This is the church as it was birthed at Pentecost after Jesus ascended to heaven and sent the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, to indwell and fill the lives of His followers. The New Testament church is the church that Jesus built through His personal teaching and leadership and through the faithful service of His apostles whom He sent throughout the world making disciples of all nations.

In its simplest form the New Testament church, and for that matter, any “New Testament” church, was and is the gathering of two or three believers in Jesus’ name. Discovering what it means to actually “gather in Jesus’ name” is the focus of the book “Can You Imagine? Discovering Jesus’ Plan for the New Testament Church”. This book is available at no cost on the website www.HeartsBurning.com. E-mail the author, Rob Weber, at robertweber(at)heartsburning(dot).com or call him @ 513-373-2256.