New Millennium Churching

The Way Home Fellowship

Arriving at the revelation concerning the NT church:

What you are reading is testimony at how an individual(s) arrived at a revelation from God Holy Spirit. There is much talk these days about revelation and what it is and how it works... alas God is not easily kept in a neat little box that conforms to our ways. God is, in these days, blowing up our neat little boxes and in the process changing our ways to His. There is one truth that is steady in the extreme- Jesus and our relationship with Him is very personal. His kingdom purpose is to first reveal Himself to an individual and then to meld each of those individuals into His working body so that He is revealed to others- this is exactly what is to go on in what is commonly called 'church'. It has been our experience that this in not happening in most 'churches' and so in desperation, we have sought (ask, seek, and knock) the truth from Jesus Himself and are trying to be what He desires us to be in His way. This is a part of that testimony.

Chuck Skeen:

Hello my name is Chuck Skeen. I got saved in May of ’95, six weeks after my wife. It was, mostly, seeing the changes in her life, which really convinced me of my need for Jesus in my own life. We had been married about four and a half years, and both of us were looking for a way out other than divorce. We both had murdered each other in our hearts, and were ready to carry it out in the physical, but Jesus…

We started going to a Spirit filled, non-denominational “church” in Kempner, TX. Then another couple and ourselves would meet at our house and study the Bible together from 5 or 6 pm ‘til, most of the time, 2 or 3 am, every night, then go to work the next day. This continued for about a year. After being saved six weeks, we were ok’d to have a weekly ‘open Bible study’ in our home. It flourished. We had from 16 to 30 people attending. It continued for about a year and a half.

We didn’t realize it then, but we were actually being the Church, but God had other things in store. The “Bible study” shutdown and a few months later, God had us go to a different ‘church’. This ‘church’ had just broken ties with a denomination, and said they were looking for the “Spirit”. We stayed there for about two years, then God moved us to a small congregation of “Spirit filled” “non-denominational” Christians that was just starting. We attended there for about two years, then the pastors brought to our attention a book named “The Normal Christian Church Life” by Watchman Nee. They hadn’t finished reading it yet, but were impressed by it. We got copies of the book and read it ourselves. (Awesome Book) As we read, we read our Bibles and compared what the writer was saying with the scriptures they were quoting. The Holy Spirit convicted us in many areas as we read that book, and we prayed often for forgiveness and further guidance. We saw the truths expressed in the book and grabbed on, while our pastors, having by now finished the book, refused to accept it.

We, my wife and I, left that congregation, and while seeking God for more guidance, we discussed “Home Church” and discovered that what we had called ‘Bible study’ in our beginning, was actually ‘being the Church’ the way God originally intended it.

Chuck Skeen mesenger@dashlink.com

Pepper Skeen:

We started out "home churching" after our salvation experience only we did not know we were doing the Biblically 'correct thing'. We just followed the Holy Spirit the first 1 ½ yrs. we were saved. We with another couple (and eventually many other saints) worshipped, read and discussed the scriptures, prayed, and fellowshipped.

Then in 1997 the Lord (for His own purposes in our lives) sent us to a building that called itself a "church". They had just broken away from a 'denomination' and were looking and praying for God Holy Spirit. We learned a lot there- mostly that folks who are praying for God Holy Spirit do not really know what they are praying for and then when God answers their prayers, they don't always like the answer.

Then in 1999 He sent us to another building calling itself a "church" and ministries also for His purpose. What was the purpose? When we were saved and baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit we were led out of Egypt (sin nature) but then the Lord Jesus led us out of freedom into Babylon (religion and its trappings) to first show us our own religious hang-ups and how that effects not only us but the entire existing church structure of the western church. We were discontent but did not know why, alas, that is what religion will do to you. Then in the late summer of 2000 the Lord started to tell me to go back to where we started out- studying and worshipping Him at home. It was such a contradiction.

In Nov. 2000 the leadership in the "church" building we were attending introduced us to a book by Watchman Nee called “The Normal Christian Church Life”. My eyes were wide open then by the Holy Spirit. The normal Christian church is in the heart! Not some building or denomination or organization that calls itself the church but homes of the hearts of Christians. So in Jan. of 2001 right after our oldest son was saved in our home on New Year’s Eve, we decided as a family to fellow the Lord out of the building and man's made structure of 'church' and back into His church and His field- our own home and neighborhood. We established “The Way Home” fellowship of the Church at Lampasas, Texas on Jan. 19, 2001. We have grown since then from 4 to 12 and pray everyday for the Lord Jesus to reveal to us who He is calling out to to come out of Babylon and to give us the love and grace to help them take off their grave clothes and follow His Spirit in His Way.

Pepper Skeen peppers@n-link.com

John Eller:

The following is how I came to the revelation about home church. I was saved in 1994 and having been the son of a minister raised in the word, I immediately began to see things here and there that troubled me and since I had been away from church for over 20 yrs I began to perceive that some of the doctrine that was being taught in the church was not the doctrine of the word that I had heard when I was younger but that of the doctrines & commandments of men demons & devils.

Others too who had been saved right around the same time as I had began to question things also. As we began to compare the word to the doctrines of men "the church" I began to discover that not all doctrine was scriptural and those doctrines that were had a problem they always fell short of the fullness of the glory and power of God. In short doctrines of men had replaced the doctrine of the word and prevented the Holy Spirit from leading God's people into all truth.

In the summer of 2000 my wife and I took a month off to get alone with God and each other and it was during this time God began to reveal many things which I had questioned and showed me that no matter how much truth we discover in the word there is always more. Shortly after that I read a book by Watchman Nee called "Church Life" as I read I was amazed at the differences between the pattern for the church as laid out in the New Testament and the one most organized church's operate under today. And of course it was shortly after this that decision time came as a result of seeing how the church really should operate. So we made the decision to no longer be a part of or support any church that follows anything but the pattern for the church as laid out in the New Testament.

John Eller eller_john@hotmail.com

Vicki Eller:

This is how I came to the revelation that home church was the Bible way.I was set free and received my salvation in 1995 and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

When I was first saved I studied with some fellow brothers and sisters for about a year or so in their home. God moved, people were saved and set-free. I then started going to a Non-Denominational church. It seemed all right at first. I was told we were priests. So I started looking up the responsibilities of the priest. We then moved buildings like God said. We ran into the same thing- Bondage- had to follow man instead of God’s Spirit. The first thing God used to get my attention was a tape series by T.D. Jake’s about the tabernacle. It cleared up my questions about the duties of the priest. I was not free to function fully as this priest.

The next thing God used to show me this revelation was a book called The Normal Christian Church Life by Watchman Nee. While studying this book I found out why I felt like I was in bondage. He laid out the pattern and function of the church. After these studies by the leading of the Holy Spirit I came to the decision that I was no longer putting any more time or money into a dead stone and wood building. God’s body is made of living stones. So then the decision was made to follow the example of Jesus, breaking bread and returning to having meetings in a home.

Vicki Eller veller@n-link.com

Brother and Sister James Burnell

This is in part how we came to the knowledge or revelation of the unity of all believers in Christ. We have always known we could never “unite” and get under one building so it was always a mystery.

Our hearts cry has been for many years that of St. John chapter 17:20-22 which says “I do not pray for these alone, but for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one”. This has been our burden because we were not seeing it come about.

As many and yet some of you may not know, we are the founders of the Miracle Evangelistic Fellowship, Inc. and the reason for incorporating was due to man’s system and demands that seemingly were unscriptural. We were ordained and worked as faithfully as we knew how and did so for many years.

The Lord gave us a vision of building. Yes building “a place” for Him. This came about while we were living in New York State on May 23, 1978. We, as most of you, believed we were to rise up (build) a complex for people to be trained and sent forth. Our calling and mandate has always been Eph.4: 11-16. We struggled with this enormous task ahead ( we are not getting any younger ) for many years wondering how the Lord was going to do this or finance it. The years have come and gone and we have been faithful to what we believed was the heavenly vision. Sometimes our faith wavered and then doubt would try to ensnare us but we would continually find ourselves at the foot of the cross and back to the calling on our lives.

Then many years later on Dec. 20, 2000 sitting at our kitchen table discussing the goodness of the Lord pure revelation came. The Lord spoke to us and engraved in our spirit man that what we were to “build” was to be “a place” in the hearts of others. He showed us that this “building” was spiritual and not material. My, my, how a load lifted! We then saw the true networking of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people not of brick, mortar, wood, or stained glass.

Our hearts were free as the plan of God unfolded before us. The Lord has a strategy all along but because of man’s ideas and theologies being embedded in us we could not see, therefore, the truth could not yet reach us until at that time.

Remember, all this time and all those years we were shepherding, evangelizing, and ministering. We all, hopefully, walk in the revelation(s) of the truth that we have. We do not judge those still in buildings and worshipping the Lord in them. However, for us, we had to obey the Lord after seeing this truth and came out. Not from the fellowship of all the blood washed but from the financials burden(s) placed on all who do no yet see. We thank the Lord for all those that have gone before us to help us along a new path.

Since then we are free! We want our co-laborers and workers to be free to work and minister in the area that the Lord has called them to and anointed them for. Male or female as all are one in Christ. We personally do not call anyone into ministry. We certainly are not able to give the anointing for the work of the ministry. Jesus Christ is King. He alone is the Head of His Church, the Body, and we, although of different callings and jobs to do, are all but brothers.

We pray that you, the reader, will continue to seek the Lord for your life and find yourself free to obey the Lord and not having to obey the whims of men.

We will continue to build “a place” for the truths of the kingdom of God to lodge in which are in the hearts of His people. We will continue to teach and train those whom the Lord sends our way.

So… you may be a person or persons in the same position we were and are but always remember to leave your heart open for further truth and revelation. We have yet to arrive!

Lovingly submitted, Rev. and Mrs. James G. Burnell Founders of Miracle Evangelistic Fellowship, Inc. peachie@hot.rr.com

(Other testimonies will be posted as the folks give them.)

Our Home Page Links

Also some recommended reading in the area of open/home churching and it's foundations.

"The Normal Christian Church Life" by Watchman Nee

"The House of His Choosing" by Jim Wies

"Rethinking the Wineskin" by Frank Viola

The list does not endorse any one author over another. Nor does it promote their fellowships or ways of doing things. The list for reading is to spur one's thinking about our christian life and our fellowship with each other.

(Licensing is a requirement in the state in which we reside in order to perform marriages and burials of folks)

New Millenium Churching

The Home Church Home Page
Home Church Dot Org.
Home Church Central
Harvest NETwork