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Choosing An Age Group

Unit 2 Chapter 2

Every complete Chosen Explosion House Church consists of three groups of people called tri-groups.

1.) Children (Bible Club)
2.) Teen (Youth Encounter)
3.) Family (Family Service)

A house church may start out as only a children's group, teens group or as only a family group in a specific neighborhood, but should strive toward having all three groups as God provides leaders for all three. This is because one of Chosen Explosions mandates from God is to reach and minister to youth. We feel the best way this is done is to have leaders that can specifically put their efforts toward reaching and meeting their needs. With that said, the family group is no less important to Chosen Explosion. It ties it all together and ministers to the whole family which is very important.

All three groups may meet at the same house and same time with children and teens being taught separately or the teens and children may meet as a different place and time and also attend the family. This is left to the discretion of the church pastors, depending on varying factors.

In most cases the pastor of the family service is the head authority for a particular house church even though all pastors in that house church work together to make decisions. Pastors and co-pastors of a children or teen tri-group must faithfully attend the family service and encourage the children and teens to attend as well.

One pastor or a pastors family as in our case, may pastor all three groups if the family is equipped to handle this. The would need lots of leaders and helpers. More ideally, each group should have it's own pastor and leaders, this gives each house church 3 pastors and at least 3 leaders. Most all of our pastors are lay pastors, so having many to share the responsibilities makes it easy for everyone.

Our family has 3 strong ministers and one in training. Three of us lead a different group and the fourth assists, plus we have other leaders and helpers. We all work as a team to make all three services happen each week. No one is over extended that way.

Now that you know what your options are and how the house church is set up consider these things:

1. Your giftings. What are group do you feel most comfortable with.
2. Your calling. Do you feel God is calling you toward one particular age group.
3. Which age group do you have the greatest accessibility to. Are there tons of teens or kids In your neighborhood?
4. Which group do you feel most equipped to handle?
5. Do you have family members or friends that are strong in the Lord that might be able to assist with a particular group or maybe pastor a group and free you to take another one?
Who do you know that might be able to assist you with some of the responsibilities.

Begin by praying. God is more interested in the harvest than you are. He will not fail to let you know what area He has called you to if you are willing and seek His direction.

When we first began we knew we wanted to do all three groups our self, but wasn't sure which one to begin with. After a time of prayer we decided to begin with children. We had planned to add the other groups slowly, but after a short time God sent us a family so we began a family service. That family had teenagers who wanted their own service so within only weeks we had all three services going. We were surprised that things had gone so quickly but knew it was God at work. Everything went smoothly and continues to go smoothly almost a year later. But every family won't have 3 strong and willing ministers as we did, so it may go more slowly. God will send the help you need as you need it and He will not put more on you than you can handle. He cares about the harvest, but He cares about you and your family as well.

We have one family that was very anxious to get busy doing something for God. They have two teen daughters and thought that might be the way for them to start. But then decided that since they had church experience working with kids they would go that route. While we were preparing them to begin, some adults began to come into their life that needed discipling. We received a word of knowledge from the Lord that it was Him at work and they were to begin immediately with the ones He was sending. That took all the guess work out of it for them. Consider all things but in the end know that God will direct you in one way or another. It may be a word of knowledge, it may be circumstances, or it may just be by His peace, but He will lead you.