I am Pepper Skeen of Chuck and Pepper Skeen and family. We live in Tennessee USA (moved from Texas in 2003) but are bound for that city built by God's hand. My hubby and I have been christians for 10 yrs. We were saved from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light in adulthood. We have 3 kidos... Katie, 18; Austin,11; and Jordan,8. All 3 of our children have met Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
The thing that started us on our journey to "hcing" (home/house/open churching - although I do not like this word as it is becoming known as something of a denomination- ugh. We prefer relational christianity) is our own salvation experiences- we were all saved in our home. My bio mom was saved there also. My hubby and I were both raised with some sort of christian denomination religion and as we became adults we gave up on 'religion' and went totally pagan. We were saved in our home by a pure revelation of Jesus Himself to us but have had folks tell us it don't happen that way anymore. I could not and cannot find anything in scripture that contradicted our experience and 'they' could not find anything to validate their position. We started out "hcing" only we did not know it- we had another couple & then more folks coming to our home and we would just study scripture and God would move and we would follow. Then we got religion again... Man- out of Egypt into the Promise Land and then BAM- off to captivity into Babylon.
A well meaning brother started showing up and telling us that a building calling itself a church had more God in it and that we were missing out on something- so we went into exile- ugh. The first building had its roots in the pentecostal/ charismatic movements and was an “independent” congregation- lots of Spirit and no solid Bible base. Then we went to 'a coming out of their mother denomination' congregation who had a good Bible base but no Spirit. Then we went to another charismatic independent congregation and we got the LAW big time in the form of tithing to get God, etc.
While in this last building, the Lord told us to go back to the beginning by giving us John 11 and telling us we were now alive why look among the dead for the living (HA! Some of us are slow at getting the message)... He led us up and out of exile- And INTO HIM... and it started with Him allowing my hubby and I to get into dire straights concerning tithing and taxes. Boy- I am telling you - you live by the Law you die by it. Then one morning as we were 'going to church' the Lord spoke thru our youngest child "Why don't we go to those churches too?" speaking of buildings we pass on the away to our building. So we turned around and went home.
There the Lord led us to read Acts 7:47-51- talk about conviction. We then, by the IC (institutional church system) of all things, were encouraged to read Watchman Nee's "Normal Christian Church Life" so they could start cell groups. We got the revelation then about the money- follow the money you will always find the spirit that is in operation behind the money- promise- we did.
So in Jan of 2001 we walked out on IC's (what is referred to institutional church {Some call it organized, some mainline, some established, some traditional... I call it man-church because at it's heart it is made up of man's traditions, rites, rituals, and thinking and does not allow the Head who is Jesus Christ run His church. And God calls it ‘ A Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother of Harlots) and ain't been back since.
We had one other couple start out with us and now we are 12 couples and several singles not countin' all of the kidos. We range in age 75 to 1, salvation from 45 yrs to 1, and rotate homes. All of us are pilgrims to Zion and so we are all learning to be the body with Christ as head would have us and ain't none of us ever been this way before. April 2002
Since the writing of this tidbit, we have seen a house church split and have moved from one state to another. But all of the joys and trials of gathering in simple faith in Christ Jesus has not dimmed our love for Him and His ways. We have learned and grown a great deal in these 4 yrs. In fact, we have grown more in these yrs. than we did in all of our years in an IC setting.
This is what we have learned- it is not about how we meet or where we meet or even the number or lack of number that we meet with- it is WHO we meet around and where our focus is. Jesus is the sole focus of His church and love for Him and for each other is what His kingdom building is all about. This is fruit- that we are our Father's sons and daughters made in His image. All else is a distraction from that pursuit so we have given all else up in seeking Him. Aug. 2004
If you want to know more about us check out our web pages or just ask... we have learned to be comfortable with that! PTL!!!
Pepper Skeen singin’~ On The Trail To Zion
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