THE IMPACT OF HOUSE FELLOWSHIP ON THE GROWTH OF THE

CHURCH: A CASE STUDY OF FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH, AGBADO

DISTRICT, AGBADO, OGUN STATE.

BY

OMOLE, O. ELIZABETH

L.I.F.E THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, IKORODU,

LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA.

NOVEMBER, 2014.
THE IMPACT OF HOUSE FELLOWSHIP ON THE GROWTH
OF THE CHURCH: A CASE STUDY OF FOURSQUARE GOSPEL
CHURCH, AGBADO DISTRICT, AGBADO, OGUN STATE.

By

Omole, O. Elizabeth

A Project

Submitted to the Faculty of

LIFE Theological Seminary

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of Bachelor of Theology

In Pastoral and Biblical Studies

LIFE Theological Seminary,

Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria.

November, 2014.

i
 FACULTY APPROVAL PAGE

I certify that this project was researched and written by OMOLE

OLUWAFUNMILAYO ELIZABETH under my supervision in the Department of
Pastoral and Biblical Studies in LIFE Theological Seminary, in partial fulfillment for the
award of B. Th in Pastoral and Biblical Studies.

Approved:

REV. PETER ASHIMI

PROJECT SUPERVISOR

..

REV. JULIUS O. AKINWOYE

B.A Business Administration (UNILAG)

B. Th (LIFE)

CENTRE COORDINATOR

ii
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this project has been written by me and that it is a record of
my research work. To the best of my knowledge, this work has not been presented in any
previous application for the award of a higher degree.

All quotations are indicated by quotation marks or indentation and the sources of
information are specifically acknowledged by means of references.

Omole O. Elizabeth

iii
 DEDICATION

This research work is dedicated to the people God has used to develop and help
me attain this great feat: to my Children, Oluwatobiloba, Oluwatunmininu and
Oluwatomipe Omole; mother, Mrs. Deborah Tolani; my mother in law, Mrs. Mary Anne
Eniola; Barrister Tunji Omole and the entire Omole family, Mr and Mrs Fisayo Agboola,
my sisters and their familes. Thank you for your support, help and encouragement, I am
stronger, wiser and better because of your inputs into my life.

iv
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my profound gratitude to God Almighty for His love, mercy and
unchangeable love towards me. He was a great helper in my completing my course. He
will continually be God; He has brought all His promises to fulfillment.

My supervisor, Revd Peter Ashimi who out of his tight schedule still took time to
read through my manuscript and make meaningful contributions and corrections; I will
continually appreciate and be indebted to you Sir.

My appreciation goes also to Revd and Revd (Mrs.) J.E Audu, Revd (Chap.)
and Pas. (Mrs.) A.T Oluwalowo, Revd (Mrs.) P.A Bodunrin, Revd (Mrs.) V. Alonge,
Revd Segun Akinpelu, Pastor Akanbi Adeyemi, Pastor I.O Olowoyeye, Pastor (Mrs.) G.
Oladipupo, Pastor (Mrs.) F. Yusuff, Pastor (Mrs) Ifeoluwamuyiwa, Pastor Joseph Onojake
and other too numerous to mention, God bless you richly. I also appreciate my family
members, lecturers and the graduating class of 2014 at LIFE Sango Ota Centre for their
prayers, encouragement, support and sacrifices. Thank you immensely for your prayers
and support; they propelled my throughout the duration of my course.

I also appreciate the support, prayers and counsel my Pastor and District Overseer
Revd and Pastor (Mrs.) Julius O. Ajogbeje, the Pastorate, Church Council, Council of
Foursquare Men, Foursquare Women International, Teenagers, Youths and Children
Church and entire membership of Foursquare Gospel Church Agbado District
Headquarters Agbado. I am also greatly indebted to the Coordinator of LIFE Theological
Seminary, Sango Ota Centre, Revd Julius Akinwoye for his compassion, support and
encouragement during the cause of my stay at LIFE. You are a rear gem and father
indeed, God bless you powerfully, Sir.

v
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Faculty Approval Page ii

Declaration iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement v

Table of Content vi

Abstracts ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1:0 Background of the Study

1:2 Statement of the Problem

1:3 Hypotheses

1:4 Purpose of the Study

1:5 Significance of the Study

1:6 Delimitation of the Study

1:7 Limitation of the Study

1:8 Research Procedure

1:9 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2:1 History of the House Fellowship

vi
2:2 The Purposes of the House Fellowship

2:3 The Goals of the House Fellowship

2:4 The Importance of the House Fellowship to Church Growth

2:5 The House Fellowship Leader, Facilitators and Programme

CHAPTER THREE: BIBLICAL APPROACH TO HOUSE FELLOWSHIP AND

CHURCH GROWTH

3:1 The Role of The House Fellowship In Church Growth

3:2 The Old and New Testament Perspective to House Fellowship and Church
Growth

3:3 The House Fellowship and Discipleship

CHAPTER FOUR: A CLOSER LOOK A THE HOUSE FELLOWSHIP AND

CHURCH GROWTH

4:1 Three Church Growth Principles for a Soul-Winning Church

4:2 Why Churches Fail to Grow?

4:3 Why Should a Church Grow through the House Fellowship?

4:4 How to Grow a Church through the House Fellowship

4:5 The History of Foursquare Gospel Church Agbado District

4:6 Presentation, Analysis and Discussion of Data

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION FOR

FURTHER RESEARCH

5:1 Summary

vii
5:2 Conclusion

5:3 Recommendations

BIBLOGRAPHY

APPENDICES

viii
 THE IMPACT OF HOUSE FELLOWSHIP ON THE GROWTH OF THE
CHURCH: A CASE STUDY OF FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH, AGBADO
DISTRICT, AGBADO, OGUN STATE.

By

Omole, O. Elizabeth

Supervisor: Rev. Peter Ashimi

This research work is on the Impact of House Fellowship on the Growth the
Church: A Case Study of Foursquare Gospel Church, Agbado District, Agbado, Ogun
State. The purpose of this study is to find a relationship between the House Fellowship
and the Growth in the Church of God. The study will show whether Growth of Church
has been influenced by the House Fellowship.

The study is also designed to make comparison between the House Fellowship
and Church Growth in churches within Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Agbado
District, Agbado, Ogun State.

Chapter One of the project serves as an introduction to the research. Chapter Two
deals with the review of related literature, this will create awareness and expound
information about the views and opinions of various authors and authorities on the
subject matter in general and different ways with which the subject matter is relevant
today.

Chapter Three is the Biblical Background to House Fellowship and Church

Growth. The research reveals that the bible sets the standard for House Fellowship and
Church Growth. The bible consistently reveals and links Church Growth to the House
Fellowship. The objectives, mission and goal of the House Fellowship is aimed at
bringing men to Christ and equip them for the body of Christ.

ix
Chapter Four reveals the need for House Fellowships in Churches to be rebranded,
refocused and reprioritized to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Pastors, Christian
Education Ministers, Sunday School Superintendents, Church Administrators,
Administrators, House Fellowship/Welfare Department/Unit Heads and workers as well
as all stakeholders need to get involved more in terms of structure, planning and
implementing a frame work that will endure and last long.

Chapter Five of this project gives the summary of the research. Based on the
findings made, a number of recommendations were made with the view to help the
Church grow through an effective, efficient, purposeful and viable House Fellowship
Programme.

x
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

One of the pressures facing the House Fellowship movement today is one
of continuity and impact it is making on church growth. Despite the
accomplishment of the ministry of House Fellowship, what it is accomplishing
and can accomplish, we still need to check, cross check and evaluate its present
state of affairs to ascertain that it continues to be relevant in this age and time. The
goal of this research is to develop theoretical models that are useful in describing
or explaining the membership increase or declare. It is also to develop practical
and successful techniques/recommendations for increasing membership.
The researcher has observed however that certain problems are militating
against the operation and implementation of the House Fellowship curriculum and
programs. The researcher believes that these problems and challenges have gone
on to affect the growth of the House Fellowship. To this end, the researcher seeks
to centre his energies into investigating on the impact of the House Fellowship
growth. To ensure a thorough research into these remote causes, this research
work has been limited to Foursquare Gospel Church Agbado District, Agbado,
Ogun State.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Any ardent follower of the House Fellowship Programme would agree
with the investigation into its decline in our churches. To this effect, many
churches have shown concern about the alarming rate of the decline in House
Fellowship and its ripple effect on church growth/membership. Many writers have
even attested to the fact this was a sign of the end times, other felt that the House
Fellowship has out lived its usefulness. It is disheartening to note that these
categories of entices to have not taken pain to look into the impact of House
Fellowship on church growth. To worsen the situation, members are found of
criticizing the House Fellowship, many of the House Fellowship Administrators,
workers and personnel are not disposed to writing on the House Fellowship. This
is the major problem which this research seeks in its modest attempt at solving
 The impact of the House Fellowship on church growth raises some
questions on the mind of the researcher;
1. Do churches give priority to House Fellowship?
2. Do churches look only inwards as regards the House Fellowship
Programme?
3. Is there any enlargement Programme in place through the House
Fellowship?
4. What proportion of the House Fellowship teachers visit their members
regularly?
5. How efficient and effective is the follow-up department/unit?
6. How often do we train and re-train our House Fellowship workers?
7. Do House Fellowship workers have enough time to pray together?
8. Do House Fellowship teachers attend weekly workers meeting?
9. To what extent does lack of commitment and dedication affect the House
Fellowship Programme?
10. Do Churches care enough to identify the needs of their communities?

1.3 Purpose of the Study

This research work aim at finding out the impact of the House Fellowship
on church growth, its challenges, problems and necessary action / attention, the
entire Church will therefore witness spiritual growth apart from numerical growth
which is bound to occur.

1.4 Hypothesis of the Study

In an attempt to investigate the impact of the House Fellowship on Church
growth in Foursquare Gospel Church Agbado District, Agbado Ogun State, the
following hypothesis, the following hypothesis were formulated:
1. The House Fellowship is not given the needed priority.

2. The House Fellowship focuses its programs inwardly.

3. There is not enough effort towards Church growth through the House
Fellowship.
 4. Serious commitment is not been given to the House Fellowship.

5. Lack of visitation is responsible for the decline in House Fellowship

attendance.

6. Lack of proper follow-up of prospects is an indication to our attitude towards

Church growth.

7. Planning is given its appropriate place in the House Fellowship program.

1.5 Significance of the Study

As noted earlier, anywhere a successful House Fellowship Programme is
identified, the central measuring yardstick of achievement made is its impact on
the growth of the Church. Therefore, to ensure Church growth, the impact of the
House Fellowship and its hindrances must be eliminated.
Since a problem cannot be solved or removed without first identifying the source,
the researcher believes that this work is relevant, if the impact of the House
Fellowship on Church growth has to be analyzed and its challenges and problems
removed or reduced to the barest minimum.

1.6 Delimitation of the Study

In other to carry out a thorough analysis on the impact of the House
Fellowship on Church growth, attention will be focused solely on Foursquare
Gospel Church, Agbado District, Agbado, Ogun State. The researcher will be
focusing on the nine (9) Zonal Headquarters Churches which are:
1. Foursquare Gospel Church, Adiyan Zonal Headquarters Church, Adiyan,
Ogun State.
2. Foursquare Gospel Church, Agbado Zonal Headquarters Church, Agbado
Crossing, Ogun State.
3. Foursquare Gospel Church, A.I.T Zonal Headquarters Church, Alagbado,
Lagos State.
4. Foursquare Gospel Church, Alakuko Zonal Headquarters Church, Alagbado,
Lagos State.
 5. Foursquare Gospel Church, Amje Zonal Headquarters Church, Alagbado,
Lagos State.
6. Foursquare Gospel Church, Ijoko/Ntabo Zonal Headquarters Church, Ntabo,
Ogun State.
7. Foursquare Gospel Church, Lemode Zonal Headquarters Church, Ijoko, Ogun
State.
8. Foursquare Gospel Church, Moboluwaduro Zonal Headquarters Church,
Alagbado, Lagos State.
9. Foursquare Gospel Church, Opeilu Zonal Headquarters Church, Opeilu, Ogun
State.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

The scope of this research will be limited in the following ways: Firstly,
while an effective evangelistic House Fellowship is designed and organized to
reach all ages, this research will be limited to the Foursquare Gospel Church,
Agbado District, Agbado, Ogun State.
Secondly, the research work was hindered by time constraints as there is
limited time available to carry out a thorough research work.
Thirdly, by focusing on Church growth through the l, the researcher is not
suggesting that the cell group/small group/house fellowship model is ineffective
for Church growth. The purpose of this research is to show how the Church can
grow today through the House Fellowship Programme.
Fourthly, the researcher was constrained by the area covered in the process
of carrying out the research. The research was limited to the forty-five (45)
churches under Foursquare Gospel Church, Agbado District, Agbado, Ogun State.
The researcher therefore focused on the nine (9) Zonal Headquarters Churches as
his case study to reflect the churches under them. The nine (9) Zonal
Headquarters covered were:

1. Foursquare Gospel Church, Adiyan Zonal Headquarters Church, Adiyan,

Ogun State.
2. Foursquare Gospel Church, Agbado Zonal Headquarters Church, Agbado
Crossing, Ogun State.
 3. Foursquare Gospel Church, A.I.T Zonal Headquarters Church, Alagbado,
Lagos State.
4. Foursquare Gospel Church, Alakuko Zonal Headquarters Church,
Alagbado, Lagos State.
5. Foursquare Gospel Church, Amje Zonal Headquarters Church, Alagbado,
Lagos State.
6. Foursquare Gospel Church, Ijoko/Ntabo Zonal Headquarters Church,
Ntabo, Ogun State.
7. Foursquare Gospel Church, Lemode Zonal Headquarters Church, Ijoko,
Ogun State.
8. Foursquare Gospel Church, Moboluwaduro Zonal Headquarters Church,
Alagbado, Lagos State.
9. Foursquare Gospel Church, Opeilu Zonal Headquarters Church, Opeilu,
Ogun State.
Finally, the researcher is of the opinion that the House Fellowship
Programme has evolved beyond a Sunday- Sunday only routine. The House
Fellowship Programme Curriculum can be modified to suit any time, day or place.
The researcher is therefore not suggesting that the House Fellowship Programme
is defined solely by classes that meet on Sunday evening in the various
centres/homes.

1.8 Research Procedure

The study covers Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Agbado District, Ogun
State. The selection of churches under the district was based on three criteria viz: they
have been established for more than ten years.
Secondly, they are zonal headquarters churches under the district
Thirdly, they have more than fifty (50) worshippers. The church must have been
properly constituted and must be a chartered church in Foursquare Gospel Church,
Nigeria.
A comprehensive questionnaire will be prepared and used to acquire further
information on issues relating to the research problems. The data that will be obtained
from the questionnaire shall provide information in validating the research hypotheses.
The research method used in carrying out this study will be the use of questionnaire. The
questionnaire will be administered to the zonal superintendents, senior pastors,
departmental heads, church leaders, deacons and deaconesses, committee members,
House Fellowship administrators and teachers, etc to obtaining information from them.
The study will also take advantage of tremendous book journals and other
material from the following libraries.
1. LIFE Theological Seminary, Sango Ota Satellite Campus, Library
2. E- Books.
3. Personal library.
4. The Internet

1.9 Definition of Terms

1. Church Growth: is no more sociological process. It is basically a

theological stance. It is a movement within evangelical Christianity which
emphasizes mainly missionary work combined with sociological awareness of
the target population. Church growth is the science that investigates the
nature, function, and health of Christian churches as they relate specifically to
the effective implementation of God's Commission to "make disciples of all
the nations" (Matt. 28:19). The Church of Christ is made of those who have
had their sins forgiven because of the shed blood of Jesus at Calvary (Rev.
1:5; 7:14). Membership of the Church of Christ is made possible ONLY
through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross, Jesus
accomplished the work of salvation. He said, It is finished, John 19:30.
Thus, a Church is an organized assembly whose members have been
properly called out. Each local gathering of believers is called THE
CHURCH, hence the reference to The Church at Philippi, The
Church at Corinth, The Church at Colossea, The Church in Lydias
house. All these referred to the people rather than the town, city or, house in
which they gather. The existence of the Church is the most important reality
on earth: as its light and salt.
Church growth is simultaneously a theological conviction and an
applied science, striving to combine the eternal principles of God's Word
with the best insights of contemporary social and behavioural sciences,
employing as its initial frame of reference the foundational work done by
Donald McGavran and his colleagues (Towns 2008:187).
2. House Fellowship: is where Christians fellowship with fellow Christians
in private houses and not in the church building. It can also be said to be
an avenue where fellow Christians intercede and learn from Gods word
and also an agency of the Church which engages in the teaching and
discipling of members, and also where people learn to live daily, godly life
outside the church environs. It can also be said to be a group of people
who share common interests, goals, experiences or views.
Companionship; mutual association of persons on equal and friendly
terms. A Home Life Centre, or House Fellowship, or better still, a HOME
CHURCH, will be effective with leaders of vision, and commitment of
both the led and the Leader, to the purpose of her existence: an extension
of the Church of Christ in her locality. As a living body, SHE MUST
GROW.

3. Impact: A noticeable effect or change the power of making a strong,

immediate and long lasting impression to have a direct effect or significant
change.

4. Disciple: A disciple is not only a pupil, but an adherent. Hence disciples

are spoken of as imitators of their teacher (John 8:31; 15:8). A disciple is a
Christian who follows Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, is growing in the
grace and knowledge of Him, and who is a responsible member of His
body (Towns 2008:190).
5. Discipling: To disciple means to assist a spiritual baby to become
spiritually mature. Put in another way, "Discipling" is mentoring the
disciple to express (bring forth/out/into the open) the life of Jesus
(Discipling 2008). Discipling is bringing people to a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ (Towns 2008:190). The state of a disciple or follower in
doctrines and precepts.
 CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2:1 History of the House Fellowship

The house fellowship or cell group is a form of church organization that is

used in some Christian churches. Cell groups are generally intended to teach the
Bible and personalize Christian fellowship. They are always used in cell churches,
but also occur in parachurch organizations and other interdenominational settings,
where they are usually referred to as such as Bible study groups. They are known
by a variety of other names, including growth groups, connect groups, care
groups, life groups, fellowship groups, small groups and home groups. David
Hunsicker suggests that the "cell" group concept in church structure "is becoming
prominent in almost every denomination in American Protestantism. The cell
group differs from the house church in that the group is part of an overall church
congregation, whereas the house church is a self-contained congregation.

The term cell group is derived from biology: the cell is the basic unit of
life in a body. In a metaphorical sense, just as a body is made up of many cells
that give it life, the cell church is made of cell groups that give it life. Colin
Marshall uses the term "growth group", suggesting that the aim is for group
members to "grow in Christ", and, through the group, for the gospel to "grow and
bear fruit." Another term, typically employed in Missional Communities,[3] is
huddle. This refers to a small group in which discipleship is emphasized and in
which membership is by invitation only.

David Hunsicker points out that while house churches are mentioned in
the New Testament, the institution of a "well-organized, structured church"
resulted in the decline of the small home groups. The concept was resurrected at
the time of the Protestant Reformation and "Ulrich Zwingli inadvertently pushed
the Anabaptists in the direction of small groups when he started meeting with a
small gathering of men who were interested in learning New Testament Greek.
The concept of small groups was revived again in the late seventeenth century by
Anthony Horneck in Great Britain and Philipp Jacob Spener in Germany. Spener
 published his Pia Desideria in 1675 and laid out his program for the reformation
of the Lutheran Church, emphasising the use of small groups. He suggested the
reintroduction of "the ancient and apostolic kind of church meetings," held "in the
manner in which Paul describes them in 1 Corinthians 14:2640." Spener goes on
to suggest this might conveniently be done by having several ministers (in places
where a number of them live in a town) meet together or by having several
members of a congregation who have a fair knowledge of God or desire to
increase their knowledge meet under the leadership of a minister, take up the Holy
Scriptures, read aloud from them, and fraternally discuss each verse in order to
discover its simple meaning and what- ever may be useful to the edification of all.
Anybody who is not satisfied with his understanding of a matter should be
permitted to express his doubts and seek further explanation. On the other hand
those (including the ministers) who have made progress should be allowed the
freedom to state how they understand each passage. Then all that has been
contributed, insofar as it accords with the sense of the Holy Spirit in the
Scriptures, should be carefully considered by the rest, especially by the ordained
ministers, and applied to the edification of the whole meeting. Influenced by
Pietist conventicles, John Wesley took on the concept of small groups, and has
been called the "Father" of the modern small-group concept. John Wesley formed
societies to "bring small numbers of people together (usually twelve) to pray, read
the Bible and listen to exhortations, and to encourage and enjoy each other's
company.

2:2 The Purposes of the House Fellowship

To hear that the House Fellowship seeks to do evangelism surprises some

people. Many have limited the House Fellowship to teaching Christians to grow,
to providing opportunities to fellowship, or to give children basic Bible
information. In fact, the House Fellowship organizes the church into small groups
to fulfill several purposes.
1. Teach People The Bible: The House Fellowship exists to teach people the
Bible. The House Fellowship claims as its textbook the Bible.
2. Win the Lost to Christ: The House Fellowship exists to win lost people to
Christ. A House Fellowship class takes responsibility for a particular age group,
 and can receive prospect assignments. It can commit itself to reaching people in
its own affinity group. The House Fellowship has many opportunities for
evangelism.
3. Instruct members in the work of the Church and Great Commission: The
House Fellowship exists to instruct the members on the work of the church and
the Great Commission. The House Fellowship should labor to build up the church
and its efforts at reaching the world.
4. Reach people for Bible Study: The House Fellowship exists to reach members
and prospects for Bible study. Without hesitation, the House Fellowship seeks to
increase the number of people who sit under the teaching of Gods word. The
House Fellowship does not shy away from numerical growth. Some do, but of
course, some of those who run numbers down are the very ones who are too lazy
to run them up.
5. Lead members and prospects to Worship: The House Fellowship exists to
lead members and prospects to worship. The House Fellowship teacher can aid
worship also by explaining salvation and the public invitation in each lesson.
6. Minister: The House Fellowshipexists to minister to members and prospects.
Without organizing people into smaller groups, churches will find it difficult to
care for members and prospects. Worship oriented churches that organize open
group ministries find they let many people slip through the cracks. House
Fellowship leaders can prevent this by organizing student and adult classes into
care groups. These groups consist of one care group leader for every five
members.

2:3 The Goals of the House Fellowship

Sadly, so many Christians and Christian leaders are not aware of the
purpose of the church vis a vis the House Fellowship/Cell Group/Home Church.
Here they are:

1. To Worship God Magnify

2. To Evangelize Mission

3. To Fellowship Membership
4. To Disciple - Maturity

5. To Serve - Ministry

The church organizes around those five purposes. They taught each other,
they fellowship together, they worshipped, they ministered, and they evangelized.
Today our purposes are unchanged. The church exists to Exalt, Evangelize,
Encourage, Edify and Equip. While each church will differ in how these tasks are
accomplished, there should be no disagreement on what we are called to do.
These goals can be achieved because the House Fellowship is:

a. It is the closest church to you. It is your church; so feel at home there

b. You have a caring Pastor or leader that is ready to champion your cause
c. There, you will hear teachings on the Bible, and have the opportunity to
ask questions and discuss the text
d. There, you will grow spiritually faster and better than you ever thought
e. People are often lost in the crowd. Your home church will prevent you
from being a victim of the crowd.
f. You are a member of the body. You cannot do without other members of
the same body
g. In the church, there are no nonentities. The opportunity to be used by God
lies before you. Seize it and use it!
h. There, you are availed the opportunity and atmosphere of using and
developing your spiritual gifts.
i. There, you can easily receive the call of God unto higher service The
example of Barnabas and Paul, Acts 13:1-3
j. There, you have the opportunity of meeting people and forming
friendships.
k. Many members also get together socially at other times during the week.
These groups are an ideal setting for making friends and finding ways to
be used by God to build up others
l. Remember, you are a tree needing dews from other trees while at the same
time shedding your own dews for the nourishment of other trees.
2:4 The Importance of the House Fellowship to Church Growth

The House Fellowship has the following characteristics which makes it unique and
self sustaining:
1. The House Fellowship operates not only on Sundays but on the other six days as
well.
2. Everything that happens in a House Fellowship exists to support the cells.
3. The House Fellowship first grows and then builds a building.
4. House Fellowship meets in homes during the week and are basic units of the
church.
5. The House Fellowship considers each member to be a minister and equips him or
her to do the work of the ministry.
6. The lost are reached through House Fellowship Evangelism. House Fellowship
multiplies causing dynamic growth.
7. Church members are cared for at House Fellowship level.
8. Celebration Worship Services, which take place on Sundays, are an overflow from
the body life, taking place in the lives of the members during the week.
9. Spiritual gifts for edification, equipping and evangelism are released in the cells.
10. The community of cells is a place of healing for the individual and the family.
11. In the small groups e.g House Fellowship, members can lose all inhibitions and
can receive edification and healing.
The above listed point goes on to impact the larger church by becoming a model
for growth, planning and implementation of policies in the church.

1. Effective Management Units

The House Fellowship is manageable because it is self-contained. Every task of the
church can be implemented through this one basic unit. The House Fellowship also
has a simple leadership structure, which cares for and develops the members of the
House Fellowship.
2. An Effective Caring System
The House Fellowship structure ensures that hurting members are taken care of at any
time and not just on Sunday.
3. Church Growth
The key for the church to multiply and grow is the House Fellowship unit. As the
House Fellowship members reach out to the lost, the House Fellowship grow and
multiply.
4. Raising Up Leaders
The House Fellowship structure provides the opportunities for members with a
calling on their lives to fulfill their calling without necessarily entering the ministry
full-time.
5. The World Can be Reached
In the House Fellowship structure, every member is a minister. They touch the lives
of the hurting and lost people out in the world.
6. Spiritual Gifts can be properly exercised
In a House Fellowship setting, everyone can exercise spiritual gifts.

2:5 The House Fellowship Leader, Facilitators and Programme

House Fellowship groups are made of small numbers of Christians,

often between 6 and 12, and led by a House Fellowship leader. Members may be in the
same cell group because of common locality, schools or interests. House Fellowship
meetings are usually not conducted in the church sanctuary, if any, but in any of the
members' homes, rooms in the church building or other third-party venues. House
Fellowship meetings may consist of a fellowship meal, communion, prayer, worship,
sharing or Bible study and discussion. The use of small Bible study groups is related, but
not exclusively associated with, the large churches sometimes called mega churches. In
these congregations, small groups perform much of the ministerial work of the church,
including teaching the Bible.

A number of lesson plans, workbooks, and programs have been developed to

facilitate the study of the Bible in small groups. The Alpha Course, originally developed
in a Church of England context, but now ecumenical, is one such course intended for use
by small groups that provides a synoptic introduction to the entire Bible. The more
theologically evangelical Christianity Explored course was devised as an evangelical
response to the Alpha Course. Other denominations have similar resources available,
such as Study Bibles and the United Methodist Church's Disciple series.

CHAPTER THREE

BIBLICAL APPROACH TO HOUSE FELLOWSHIP AND CHURCH GROWTH

3:1 The Role of The House Fellowship In Church Growth

Thom Rainer in his book High Expectations, identifies seven primary

methods and programs that contribute the most to effective assimilation: special

events, weekday ministries, recreational activities, youth programs, preschool

programs, Sunday School, House Fellowship and childrens programs. The

effectiveness of the House Fellowship program depends upon the quality of the

experience. In tracing the significance of House Fellowship to church growth,

documented a direct relationship between the quality of the House Fellowship

program and church growth was noted by Ken Hemphill. He referenced the finds

of Kirk Hadaway about church growth principles: [Hadaway] discovered that 78

percent of plateaued churches that managed to break out of their plateaued

situation reported an increase emphasis on the House Fellowship. The researcher

will present trends and issues which should be considered when contemplating the

future role of the House Fellowship in Church growth. House Fellowship is

receiving renewed interest and attention in our midst, as well as elsewhere. One

writer, Clarence Snelling, believes that in the new millennium, the House

Fellowship will be reaffirmed as the source of church growth/evangelism, a role it

has played in many denominations since the mid 1800s. 3

In the absence of

extended families in our society due to the plethora of marriage and family break-

ups, others view House Fellowship as becoming an important

fellowship/relationship group within the body of believers. Elsewhere, the Lord

calls upon the body of believers to assist each other in the Scriptural training of
 the next generation. One need only recite the Great Commission to see God

urging his Church to teach all nations, souls of all ages included. The what of the

teaching the Church is to accomplish is not debatable: everything I have

commanded you says our Lord Christ. Yet the manner and method of how the

Church does this teaching is left open in the Gospel freedom we so cherish. Is

House Fellowship the best way of teaching the saving message of the Messiah

Savior? What role does House Fellowship have in relation to Church Growth?

Just how important is this tradition in training our children and/or adults? Are

there other alternatives? The House Fellowship can be used mightily by God the

Holy Spirit in direct relation to the amount of contact achieved between the Holy

Word and the people of God. To that end I would encourage us to take a moment

and look at House Fellowship through the Lords eyes. Then, and only then, will

we be given a perspective on House Fellowship that can excite and encourage

each one of us to renewed energy in this aspect of Gospel service.

3:2 The Old And New Testament Perspective to House Fellowship and Church
Growth.

After evangelistic workers who are filled with the Holy Spirit receive the gift
of evangelism and exercise their gift, they choose the most effective evangelical
method to target the persons they will evangelize. Therefore, in order to help the
House Fellowship workers choose and apply effective methods, the researcher will
present discussion on the process of teaching, aims and objectives,
characteristics/role of a teacher, various biblical teaching methods, focusing on the
accounts found in selected scriptures of the Old and New Testament books in the
bible.

Leveticus 6:2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his
neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing
 taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;

Psalms 94:20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth
mischief by a law?

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking of bread, and in prayers.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his
Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice
to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with
devils.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath
light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 8:4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take
upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

Galatians 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, Who seemed to be pillars, perceived
the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of
fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
reprove them.
Philippians 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

Philippians 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if
any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Philippians 3:30 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may
have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his
Son Jesus Christ.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not
the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

3:3 The House Fellowship and Discipleship

The word, "Teach" in Matthew 28:19 and from the scriptures quoted

above from the Old and New Testament books of the bible comes from the Greek

word matheteou which means to make disciples, enroll as learners or pupil. It is

quite different from the plural subject of a noun, Teaching found Matthew 28:20

which is from the Greek word didasko which means to instruct, give instruction,

deliver a discourse; to impart knowledge; instill doctrine into another; to explain.

The House Fellowship can therefore be said to be the tool for teaching and

making disciples. It from this premise that the mandate of disciple- making as

commanded by Our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19-20. The mandate for

making disciples was clearly expressed by Jesus in the Great Commission which

He gave to His followers near the time of His departure from the earth. The

must of making disciples is clearly high-lighted throughout the New Testament.

Such passages as I Corinthians 3:1-3 and Hebrews 5:11-6:3 point out the

desperate urgency within the Christian church and the Christian movement to

bring each of Gods children to maturity and multiplication. This will only be

done by disciple-making. The model of disciple-making is seen in Jesus and the

early Christians. And the methods of disciple-making are also revealed in the New

Testament.

Pauls first recorded letter in the New Testament is I Thessalonians. In this

first letter, Paul reveals his primary follow-up techniques. In I Thessalonians,

Paul reveals that he made disciples in person, by prayer, by proxy, and by pen.

The first three of these methods are revealed among all disciple-makers in the Old

and New Testament, and the fourth was added necessarily because of

circumstance and demand. The four methods of making disciples revealed in the

Old and New Testament are;

I. By strategic personal contacts that is, in person.

Ii. By strategic personal communion that is, through prayer.

Iii By strategic personal companions that is, by proxy.

Iv. By strategic personal correspondence that is, by pen.

For the purpose of this study, the use of strategic personal contact that is in person

will be discussed by the researcher.

The first method modeled in the New Testament for making disciples is

the use of strategic personal contacts. That is, visionary and committed disciples

made other disciples by meeting with them in person. This was true whether the

meeting was a one-on-one encounter or one-with-a-group.Some wise disciple-

makers have identified five definable stages in making disciples:

(1) The modeling stage. The motto of this stage is, I minister and you watch.

In fact, a genuine Christian disciple should minister continually to the needs of

others even if no one is watching.

(2) The mentoring stage. The motto of this stage might be, I teach, we learn

together, and we minister together. Though the mentoring stage is usually

regarded as a transition of life and truth from the mentor to the mentee, it may

also be regarded as co-learning between two spiritually maturing believers.

(3)The monitoring stage. The motto here is, You minister, and I will watch and

supervise. By this stage, both discipler and disciple have come to a relationship

of mutual vulnerability and mutual accountability.

(4) The mobilizing stage. The motto is, You assume responsibility to do it, and I

will move into the background. This stage is usually reached as the discipler

makes assignment for the disciple to function independently in ministry, taking

responsibility for doing what had been taught. By this time, the disciple is

maturing as a discipler, and is usually implementing stages one and two in his

own disciple-making ministry.

(5) The ultimate stage in the disciple-making process is the multiplying

stage. The motto of this stage is, You do it with someone else, building him

toward multi-generational multiplication. You and I will maintain only a chain of

counsel from this time forward; the chain of command is past. At this stage,

the disciple finds someone else to disciple, and so does his discipler. What an

unspeakable joy it is to see the man God has given you (John 17:6, 9, 11, 12,

24) move powerfully and productively into the multiplying stage! The disciple-

maker can paraphrase the Apostle John at this point: I have no greater joy than
to hear that my children are walking in the truth of multiplicative disciple-

making (III John 1:4). He can also paraphrase Paul, I live, because my disciple

is standing fast in the Lord (I Thessalonians 3:8).

Disciple-making means that you ignite other candles as your own candle

burns. In John 5:35, John the Baptist was called a burning and shining lamp.

Note the order of the verbs. No Christian can shine (truly communicate Christ)

without burning (paying the price of commitment, discipline, relationships,

etc.). It is as he burns that he shines. So the disciple is slowly consumed as

he communicates. Much has been said about consumer-friendly Christianity, or

a user-friendly presentation of the Gospel. One truth is often overlooked in

these considerations. That truth is that in Christianity, the consumer is God, and

the consumed is the Christian. This is what Amy Carmichael meant when she

wrote, Make me thy fuel, O flame of God. Jim Elliott, a martyr-hero of the

faith, echoed the same concept when he said, Am I flammable? Am I

combustible? O God, save me from the dread asbestos of mediocre living!

 CHAPTER FOUR

A CLOSER LOOK A THE HOUSE FELLOWSHIP AND CHURCH GROWTH

Jesus explained it specifically, there was one reason above all others for
deciding to leave the glories of heaven and come to earth to live and to die. He put
it this way: For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost
(Luke 19:10, KJV). After he had instructed his disciples for three years, made the
atonement on the cross, and risen from the dead, his very last words to those who
would carry on his work were: Ye shall be witnesses unto me . . . (Acts 1:8,
KJV). The Great Commission constitutes the marching orders of the followers of
Jesus Christ. That is why I consider it of utmost importance that every church
professing loyalty to Jesus Christ be a soul-winning church. Winning souls in
itself, however, is not quite enough. True commitment to Christ carries with it a
simultaneous commitment to the body of Christ. Jesus' Great Commission tells us
to go and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19, 20). Disciples are those who
accept Christ, who are baptized, and who continue as responsible members of a
local church. When this biblical principle is clearly seen and acted upon, a soul
winning church will also be a growing church. Too many churches give lip
service to soul winning, and some even invest substantial quantities of time,
energy, and money in soul winning, but year after year show little or no
membership growth. Why does such a thing happen? Church growth is complex,
but through the years, I have come to the conclusion that there are three principles
above all that must be followed if a church is to grow.

4:1 Three Church Growth Principles for a Soul-Winning Church1

Principle 1: A Dedicated Pastor Who Will Lead His Church into Growth
Jesus himself is the great shepherd of the sheep. His under shepherd in each local
church is the pastor. Whereas each individual Christian person is directly
accountable to Jesus Christ, when it comes to the church, no one is as accountable
as the pastor. I have studied some growing churches and found out that a pastor
who is willing and able to lead his church in growth is the
first vital sign of a healthy church. To be perfectly frank, many churches are not
growing because their pastor does not want them to grow. He is often not willing

1 Donald A. McGavran, Understanding Church Growth , Grand Rapids: Eerdmans W.B, 1970) P. 51.
to pay the price for growth. What are the aspects of this price for growth that scare
some pastors off?
1. The first price to pay for growth is hard work. Identify a growing church
and you will identify a hard-working pastor. The routine of the status quo is all
too comfortable for many pastors, so they decide they are working hard enough.
Pastoring a growing church may be enjoyable, but it is not easy. This is why
church growth is not high on the agenda of many of today's pastors.
2. A second price that pastors must pay for growth is that they must be
willing to share leadership. By this I do not mean the top leadership. There should
be only one senior minister. Many churches have attempted a plurality of elders
concept of leadership, and only a few of them have succeeded in sustaining
vigorous church growth. Furthermore, most of those who have can clearly
identify a first among equals who functions as the undisputed top leader even
though he might not have the title. The leadership that must be shared is on two
levels: the staff level and the lay level. Growth-minded pastors must be willing to
delegate responsibilities to other professionals whom they hire as staff colleagues.
This does not apply to churches up to around 200 active members, but it is
essential if the church is to grow through the 300 or 500 mark and beyond.
Besides the staff, gifted lay leadership needs to be discovered and trained and put
to work. Unfortunately, many pastors
(a) Do not have the ability to lead a staff effectively and
(b) Are threatened silly by strong lay leadership.
Such a person is not destined to lead a church into much significant
growth.
3. A third part of the price that pastors must pay for growth is a willingness
to have church members whom they cannot personally pastor. This for many is
not only a difficult, but an insurmountable barrier. They have been brought up in
the rural or small church tradition that the pastor must take direct responsibility
for the personal needs of every church member. Every home is called on at least
once or twice a year. Members who go to the hospital expect one or a series of
pastoral visits. The pastor provides premarital counseling for all young couples.
He visits every Bible study group, addresses prayer circles, and says grace for the
women's tea. He marries people and buries them. He consoles parents of wayward
children. He is a shepherd to all. Again, for a church of up to 200 this may be
feasible. But if the church continues to grow, the pastor must be willing to move
from what has been called a shepherd attitude to a rancher attitude. A rancher
sees to it that all the people are properly cared for and counseled and consoled,
but he himself does not attempt to do it personally. He recruits and trains others
who are gifted for that task so that his energies can be used for more crucial and
specialized leadership roles.

Principle 2: A Congregation Motivated for Growth and Willing To Pay the

Price
While I have yet to see a vigorously growing church where the pastor does
not want the church to grow, I also have yet to see one in which the congregation
does not want their church to grow. The active participation of the people of God
is crucial for church growth. But while both pastor and people are essential, the
order must not be reversed. A congregation that wants growth with a pastor who
does not is an unlikely prospect for growth. Just as there are certain prices that a
pastor must pay for growth, there are also prices that the people of the
congregation must pay if their church is to grow. What are some of them? What
are some of the characteristics of a growth-oriented congregation?
The first characteristic of a growth-oriented congregation is a
willingness to follow growth leadership. The people of the congregation honor,
love, and follow the leader God has given them. I once heard a pastor say to a
group, There are only two requirements for membership in my church: pay your
tithe and love your pastor. The remark was meant to be humorous and it did draw
a laugh. But there was a good deal of truth behind it, since his church then had
about 3,000 members and was growing rapidly. Many churches don't grow
because a strong-minded group of lay leaders has gained control of them and they
have long since decided not to surrender their leadership to any pastor. Their usual
tactic for preserving that control is to change pastors every two to five years. This
is highly effective in prohibiting any pastor from usurping their leadership power.
It is equally effective in keeping a lid on the growth of the church.
The second characteristic of a growing congregation is its willingness
to pay the bills. Stingy, miserly, penny-pinching Christians are not conducive to
growth. Admittedly, some church growth is quite economical, and I believe such
models as the house church movement are likely to increase over the next ten
years. Growth usually means a sanctuary, surplus parking areas, Christian
education units, staff salaries, choir robes, audio visual material, office supplies,
buses and vans, and more. Christians in growth-oriented congregations know this
and are willing to tithe their income and add generous offerings to that to make it
happen. They also end up happier, more attractive Christians because in the
process they discover that they cannot out give God.
The third characteristic of a growing congregation is that the people
are willing to readjust their fellowship patterns. One of the major reasons why
people stay in a church once they have joined is that they find there a quality of
love and fellowship that can be found nowhere else. Christian fellowship is highly
important in church growth. But it should never be considered the ultimate value.
If it is, it can get in the way of winning the lost to Jesus Christ. Many churches
fail to make newcomers feel welcome. Warm and loving fellowship groups have
been formed in which people enjoy each other very much. That is the good news.
But although they would never verbalize it, they really do not want strangers in
the group. That is the bad news. Many churches which have aggressive soul-
winning programs and which report high yearly baptisms but still fail to grow are
weak in this area. New church members seek in vain to enter a fellowship group
and in three to six months they are gone. Most of them don't even bother to say
goodbye.

Principle 3: A Church Which Understands Where It Is And Where It Wants

To Go
This last principle needs to be examined more by churches having growth
problems than by those which are showing vigorous growth. Growing churches
already know where they are and where they are going. They are doing things
right and God is blessing them. They are in good health, and healthy churches do
not need a physician. But churches which have been growing only slightly or not
at all should be deeply concerned with their health. They need to realize that there
is something wrong, and they need to get to the bottom of it. Up until recently
there has been very little skilled outside help available for ailing churches. Church
leaders have known whom to call if they or their children have awakened with a
rash or a fever or chest pains or dizziness. But they have had no one to call if their
church has begun to show symptoms of ill health. Many, in fact, can't even
 recognize the symptoms when they do show up. This situation is now being cared
for. We have available an increasing body of knowledge concerning both the vital
signs of a healthy, growing church and the diseases frequently seen in an
unhealthy, non growing church. Skilled and experienced Christian workers are
now being employed by denominations, districts, and interdenominational
agencies which can fairly rapidly diagnose the health of a given church and make
suggestions as to what to do about the situation. One organization has even
developed and marketed a sort of do-it-yourself Diagnostic Clinic that can be
used by pastors to get a better understanding of what might ail their churches.
Once a church has an accurate picture of its own health and growth opportunities,
it should set specific measurable goals for growth. A faith projection answering
the question, How many people can we trust God to bring to himself and to bring
into membership in our church in the next five years? is a powerful instrument
for future growth. The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please
[God] (Heb. 11:6, KJV)2. Making a projection and holding each other
accountable for attaining it is one obvious way that the faith dynamic has been
used of God in many, many churches. To grow well, a church needs to understand
where it is and where it wants to go. I believe that Jesus wants to see every one of
his churches healthy and growing. He wants souls being saved and new Christians
enjoying the thrill of worship and fellowship and the power of the Holy Spirit in
their lives. There is no better example of this happening than in that church
formed in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Part of its life-style was that the
Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47, KJV) 3. With
God's help this also can be a description of your church.

4:2 Why Churches Fail to Grow?

Barriers to growth do exist. But they can be overcome! Recognize them.

Move over or around them.

2 Dake F.J (2007), Dakes Annotated Reference Bible, Lawrenceville, Georgia, Dake Publishing.
3 Ibid, 2.
Small number of unreacbed people. More obvious a hindrance to church growth
is the limited population of a church field. In rural communities there may be few
people; in some locations there may be few of the type people a church wishes
to reach. A church may be so uptight about undesirables and reaching its own
kind that hundreds of families go unreached, untouched, and forever lost to the
gospel of Christ.
Cultural differences. Many churches will not cross cultural and language barriers.
Yet, should not every person hear the gospel in his own language, culture, and
tradition? Will he not respond more quickly and easily? Then why shouldn't a
church cross these barriers, refuse to be limited by type staff, building, strategy,
location, or program? Limited capacities and resources indicate that not all
persons can be reached by one manner. To insist that all do so is to limit growth.
University Christian conduct. Disunity in a church surely will kill or chill its
evangelistic outreach. A house divided against itself cannot promote conversion
and growth. It breeds hatred and jealousy instead of loving concern and
compassion. Church members who are disgruntled, unhappy, and dissatisfied
hinder progress and growth, both numerical and spiritual. Un-Christian conduct
dishonors Christ, turns off lost people, and causes the church's witness to
become powerless. A New Testament church cannot grow in this kind of soil.
Not every person has by nature a personality that adjusts well to others.
However, every Christian can, through the power of the Holy Spirit, reflect the
love of Christ in all his relationships with others.
Limited faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please him (Heb. 11:6, KJV).
Faith in Christ is indispensable. Christian leaders must have complete faith in
Jesus Christ. They cannot possibly lead others to a saving faith in Christ unless
their own faith in him is indisputable and uppermost. Christian workers must have
an unshakable conviction that Christ is the answer to every human need and that
we are not only saved by his power, but are kept by his grace. It is hard for a
church to grow when its members have a shaky uncertainty concerning their faith.
Faith in others is a necessity. To be a good worker or leader in a New Testament
church, one must not only have faith in Christ, one must also have faith in others.
There is good in everyone if it is sought for, discovered, and brought out. One of
the major values of the Sunday school is an enlistment agency for uncovering and
developing the potential talent for service within each redeemed individual. God
 has a purpose for every life. And that purpose can and should be, found. Believing
in others means helping persons find and follow that purpose to the glory of
Christ.
Faith in oneself is a prerequisite. I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me (Phil. 4:13, KJV). Strong Christians can and should develop
self-confidence. A person must have faith in himself, because he will seldom
accomplish that which he does not believe he can do.
A. V. Washburn says in his book, Outreach for the Unreached4, If a person
accepts a place of service because he feels confident that God led him to it, then
he can claim with assurance every resource of God to strengthen him for the
task.
Inadequate organization. Without the addition of new teaching units, churches
cannot experience growth. If organizations, like cornerstones, are set in concrete,
the church will not grow. Needs of people precede, but also should dictate the
establishment of organizational patterns. The more people to be reached, the
larger the organization should become' Fred Smith, one of America's great
management consultants, says: The difference in a good organization and a bad
organization is structure. There must be a good structure. But the difference in a
good organization and a great organization is motivation. When we become
enthusiastic and excited about reaching people, our churches and their
organizations will rise to the necessity of meeting the needs of the people-both
physically and spiritually. A church must provide adequate space, a sufficient
number of classes, excellent Bible teaching, and attractive programs; when it
reaches the people and brings them in, their needs can be met adequately. The
above are vitally essential to sustain growth.
Failure to plan. Sometimes a preacher or teacher justifies lack of studying and
planning by saying, Oh, I just let things roll and God takes care. I just open my
mouth and the Lord puts the proper words in it. This seems to relieve them of
responsibility for proper preparation and planning, also for failure. Some Sunday
schools seem to operate in a similar manner, never setting goals, never planning
calendars of activity, never developing visitation programs, enrollment emphases,
or enlargement campaigns. They hope to grow by some magic. Churches showing
significant growth and producing great fruit in souls redeemed and lives

4 Washburn, A.V, Outreach for the Unreached, 68.

transformed are those churches that plan and prepare to attempt great things. Over
twenty centuries ago Jesus left his command to disciple the entire world. When a
church, taking seriously his command, plans how to reach more people, the Holy
Spirit surely will inspire the planning and bless the actions planned. Planning for
effective church growth through effective Bible teaching in the Sunday school
organization cannot be overemphasized.
Vision. Where there is no vision, the people perish (Prov. 29:18, KJV). Let us
paraphrase the words of Nehemiah, Ye see the distress of these communities
how they lie in waste and the people are scattered abroad, as sheep not having a
shepherd. Come, let us organize Sunday schools in these communities that we be
no longer guilty of neglect and that these communities be no longer a reproach to
us. The God of heaven, he will prosper ustherefore, let us arise and save these
neglected communities. There is a malfunctioning of the eyes when one eye is
nearsighted and the other is farsighted. Without a proper diagnosis and lens
prescription, seeing becomes difficult for the one afflicted. However, we should
all be so afflicted in our spiritual vision, nearsighted so as to look inwardly and
grow strong base churcheswith straight Bible teaching and preaching and a
fervor for winning those in our midst who have been brought in through visitation
and Sunday school enrollment. Then on the other hand, we should have a
farsighted visionlooking out beyond our own church field to neglected
communities of lost and backslidden people who need churches and Sunday
schools within walking distance of where they live.
Misplaced priorities. A financier in a federal savings and loan institution was also
chairman of the finance committee in the church to which he belonged. He
compared the financial priorities of a church with those of a family. First of all,
he said, the home needs must be met. In the home, the rent has to be paid,
groceries bought, medical needs supplied, utilities paid, and of course, the tithe.
Secondly, the other creditors must be paid, and lastly any luxury items that might
be under consideration can be purchased. The same priorities should hold true
for a church, he continued. First of all, the home base is provided for, mortgage,
utilities, salaries, mission gifts. These must be met. Then all other bills and
obligations must be taken care of. Then luxury items can be considered. That is,
things which we can use but do not necessarily have to have in order to exist as a
church. J.N. Barnette said, The success of any church is to a great degree bound
 up with the finances. If a church is behind with running expenses, the spirit of the
members is dampened; if spasmodic appeals are made from time to time to meet
current bills, a church will soon have a low rating in the thinking of the people.
The lack of a sound, practical, result-filled financial system cripples all the work
in a church and hinders further growth.
No desire to grow. Not all churches want to grow. With growth comes change,
and to many people change is painful. I like things the way they are, someone
may say. if too many new people come in I won't know anybody. Our classroom
is all fixed up with new rugs and drapes. If we grow, we may have to change
rooms. We don't need all those bus kids messing up our nice, clean walls,
another may say. It doesn't look right for our classes to be meeting in the
auditorium. Things used to be so quiet, now it's too noisy around our church.
When the Action program was in its infancy and I was still a pastor, hundreds of
calls and letters came in daily with orders for the Action Manual and materials.
One small church had received the Manual, but had returned it to me with an
attached note that read: Dear Brother Andy: Enclosed please find Action Manual,
unused. We are not going to do the program in our church, as we have decided we
do not want to grow. This man's candid honesty is to be appreciated. He openly
expressed what so many pastors and church leaders feel and would never
verbalize. Growth does bring a greater responsibility, hard work, and sometimes
even pain. It is much more comfortable to remain as is.

4:3 Why Should a Church Grow through the House Fellowship?5

It is Gods will. What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you
believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave
the growth (I Cor. 3:5-7, RSV).' Praising God and having favor with all the
people. And the Lord added to their number
day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:47, RSV). Built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the
cornerstone in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy
temple in the Lord (Eph. 2:20, 21, RSV).

5 Towns, E., America's Fastest Growing Churches, 79.

 People wait to be reached. How can a church be satisfied to exist in a community
of unsaved people and continue to conduct business as usual? People without
Jesus Christ as Savior are lost. The church's primary task is pointing men to Jesus.
Charles E. Jefferson suggests that a good definition of a Christian would be, A
builder of the church of Jesus Christ.' Practically every believer must in the final
analysis trace his own personal salvation back to some one of Christ's churches.
Out of love and gratitude to Christ and his church, we are motivated to a growth
commitment. Not only do the lost need Christ, but Christ certainly needs the lost.
Without these people for whom Christ died, the church would lack certain
elements for its building and growth-certain living stones so vitally needed for the
construction of Christ's church.
The task is so large. The United States itself is a needy mission field. There are
about 185,000,000 Americans who have no systematic Bible study. The
responsibility of the churches is to reach, teach, evangelize, and disciple every
one. Specific plans must be provided to reach this generation. To reach these
people would require more than 750,000 new Sunday schools the size of those
existing today. Parachurch movements have their values, but the church-the
organization established in the New Testament- is the unit on which God is
depending. The Great Commission was given to the church!
The love of Christ impels growth. For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life (John 3;16, KJV). No one could be saved without his matchless
love. Christians must be involved in sharing this love with the peoples of the
world. Paul tells us that Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it
(Eph. 5:25,KJV). This statement goes deeper than may at first be thought. It
means more than that he died for it, more than that he 'purchased it with his own
blood.' In very fact he gave himself for it. He spent his strength in the making of
it. He gave himself to the building of it. The purchase price was far greater than
his death; it included also his life! He gave himself to the gathering and preparing
of living stones and to the building of these stones into his church.

4:4 How to Grow a Church through the House Fellowship.6

6 Rafferty. E W, How To Lead a Bible Study, 38.

 It would be a mistake to conclude that in order to turn a House Fellowship
around from decline to growth, a concern for spiritual nurture and personal
growth must be abandoned in pursuit of a mission emphasis. Christ did not
abandon his disciples after they agreed to follow him. He spent much time and
effort teaching them and encouraging them in their new life. The spiritual growth
and maturity of Christ's disciples were essential for him to carry out his goal. Yet,
Christ's goal was not to develop a class of spiritual giants. The training and
teaching of his disciples was a means to an endpreparing them to be effective in
reaching and winning others. The Book of Acts is replete with accounts of the
growth of the early church and the central role of Christ's students in building
the church. The difference between an inward-focused and an outward-focused
Sunday school, and in most cases a declining Sunday school and a growing one, is
simple. One sees Christian growth and spiritual maturity as an end in itself. The
other also sees growth and maturity as an essential part of Christian education.
But it is not the goal, it is the supporting foundation. The goal is making disciples.
Campbell Wyckoff nearly twenty years ago stated the simple implication of
priorities facing the Sunday school:
All education clearly implies a process toward an end. The end, the goal, gives it
direction. Purpose, to a large degree, determines what shall be included in the
educational process, what shall be stressed, and what shall be played down or
omitted 7.
Church and Sunday school leaders, for the most part, continue to have a strong
commitment to the Sunday school. And well they should have. The Sunday school
provides many unique contributions to the life of a local church that are essential
for growth.
1. The House Fellowship is a great source of evangelistic outreach to friends
and relatives of existing members.
2. The House Fellowship provides the opportunity for establishing and
developing personal relationships, which, in turn, greatly support the
incorporation of new members into the life of the church.
3. The House Fellowship provides a unique opportunity to teach Bible
knowledge and to study the implications of the Christian life in today's
world.

7 Ibid,6, 25.
 4. The House Fellowship is a natural structure to create new fellowship
centres which appeal to a wide spectrum of new people.
5. The House Fellowship provides a system for the church to minister to the
entire family and to include every age group in this ministry.
6. The House Fellowship is the most natural organization within the church
for training and equipping large numbers of laity for the work to which
Christ called his Church. The time has come to take a fresh look at the
House Fellowship, to see our House Fellowship through growth eyes. This
means, above all, to see with clear understanding the purpose to which we
are called. Our past history has a rich heritage. The future could be equally
as bright. Let us, in obedience to Christ, go into all the world and make
disciples.

4:5 The History of Foursquare Gospel Church Agbado District

The church came into existence through the efforts of an Evangelistic team
under the leadership of Reverend Gabriel Olabode. This team was sent to Agbado
during the tenure of Late Reverend J. Ademulegun as the Senior Pastor of Agege
District Headquarters Church. The first service was held on the 15th of February
1981 at No. 1, Church Street, Agbado (The Residence of Rev. G. Olabode). A
missionary from the United State of America, Late Reverend Bello Baba the then
Missionary Adviser/Dean Life Seminary preached the first sermon.

The house of Reverend Olabode was used free of any rents or charges for
almost ten years. A team of student Pastors, Rev. J.O Kazeem, Pastor Yinka
Ojumu and Pastor Abegunde formed the basis of the pioneering ministers that was
led by Rev. Kazeem. Rev. Kazeem was on the driving seat from 1981 to 1983
when he travelled to Kenya for further studies. Rev. I . Ojo took up the mantle of
leadership from. Rev. Kazeem and was the Senior Pastor from 1983 to 1984
when he was transferred. Rev Samuel Ajayi was the senior pastor from 1984 until
1985 when he was also transferred. Rev. Akinbolu a man like Moses of old who
used all that God deposited in him to lead the church to the promised land (i.e the
present site), pastored the church for 6 years (1985- 1990).
 Rev.B.P. Mathew took over from Reverend Akinbolu in 1990 and held
way as the Senior Pastor till 1996. Under his leadership, the church was upgraded
to the status of a Zonal Headquarters. Rev. Joel Akinpelu was installed as the
zonal Superintendent in 1996 and was retired in year 2000. Rev. J.E. Audu was
the senior Pastor and Zonal superintendent from 2000 to 2009 when he was
transferred to Oko Oba zone. The indefatigable Rev. (Chap.) A.T. Oluwalowo
took over from Rev. Audu in 2009 and was the Zonal Superintendent and Senior
Pastor till 7th of July, 2013. The church became a District Headquarters on 7th of
July, 2013 and Rev. and Pastor (Mrs.) Julius O. Ajogbeje was installed as the
Pioneer District Overseers/Senior Pastor. The District consists of nine (9) zones
namely: Adiyan, Agbado, A.I.T, Alakuko, Amje, Ijoko/Ntabo, Lemode,
Moboluwaduro and Opeilu.

4:6 Presentation, Analysis and discussion of Data

This aspect deals with the analysis, interpretation and discussion of

datas result. These are based on the Questionnaire responses from pastors and
members of some selected churches in Agbado District. The respondents were
analyzed, compared, contrasted and evaluated in order to arrive at reasonable
interpretations and decision.

4:6:1 Presentation of Data

Table 1
Question 1: Do churches give priority to House Fellowship?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 43 43%
No 57 57%
Total 100 100

43% of the population agreed that the House Fellowship was not given the needed
priority while fifty-seven percent of the population said No.

Table 2
Question 2: Do churches look only inwards as regards the House Fellowship
Programme?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 64 64
No 46 46
Total 100 100
64 members responded positively while 46 said No.

Table 3
Question 3: Is there any enlargement Programme in place through the House
Fellowship?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 42 42
No 58 58
Total 100 100
42% of the population said that there was not enough effort to grow the Church
through the House Fellowship while 58 % said No.

Table 4
Question 4: What proportion of the House Fellowship teachers visit their
members regularly?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 47 47
No 53 53
Total 100 100
47% of church members said that some members have left because of lack of
visitation while 53% said No.

Table 5
Question 5: How efficient and effective is the follow-up department/unit?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 46 46
No 54 54
Total 100 100
46% of the population supported the question while 54% said No.

Table 6:
Question 6: How often do we train and re-train our House Fellowship workers?
 Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 41 41
No 59 59
Total 100 100
41% of the population said that training and retraining was given its appropriate
place while 59% answered in the affirmative.

Table 7
Question 7: Do House Fellowship workers have enough time to pray together?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 43 43
No 57 57
Total 100 100
43% said that the House Fellowship workers had enough time to pray together
while 07% said No.

Table 8
Question 8: Do House Fellowship teachers attend weekly workers meeting?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 50 50
No 50 50
Total 100 100
50% affirmed that House Fellowship teachers attended weekly workers meeting
while 50% responded negatively.

Table 9
Question 9: To what extent does lack of commitment and dedication affect the
House Fellowship Programme?
Responses Respondents Percentage
Yes 90 90
No 10 10
Total 100 100
90 members responded positively while 10 said No.

Table 10
Question 10: Does the church care enough to identify the needs of the community.

Responses Respondents Percentage

Yes 74 74
 No 26 26
Total 100 100
74 members responded positively while 26 said No.

The research carried out was administered by One Hundred (100)

members from the nine Zonal Headquarter Churches in the Agbado District of
Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria.
Although One Hundred and Twenty-Five (125) questionnaires were sent
out but only One Hundred (100) were dully filled and returned. A total of Fifty-
Five (55) males and Forty-Five (45) females ranging between ages Twenty (20)
years and above Fifty- One (51) years responded to the questionnaire. The
educational qualification of the respondents included Twenty-Two (22) SSCE,
Thirty-Two (32) OND, Thirty-Five (35) B.Sc, Nine (9) Masters and Two (2) PhD
holders. Thirty-Four (34) Singles, Sixty-Four (64) Married and One (1) Widowed
responded while there was no Divorced responding. The respondents included
Children workers, House Fellowship Leaders and Workers, Sunday School
teachers, Evangelists, ICT Team members, Deacons and Deaconesses, Elders,
Choir members, Ushers, Youth and Teenagers Pastors, Assistant Pastors, Elders,
Council of Foursquare Men and Foursquare Women Internationl Leaders, Head of
Departments and Ministries, Record Keepers etc. The age /duration of
membership/church attendance of the respondents was between one (1) and Thirty
(30) years.

4:9:2 Testing of Hypothesis

Hypothesis 1
Questions 2 and 3 are keyed into to testing this hypothesis. From the tables
above, the respondents were strongly in support of the fact that the House
Fellowship is not given the needed priority.

Hypothesis 2
Question 10is keyed to testing this hypothesis. Respondents were of the
opinion that the House Fellowship focuses its programs inwardly.

Hypothesis 3
 Question 1 was keyed to testing this hypothesis. Many of the responses
were in support of the fact that there is not enough effort towards Church growth
through the House Fellowship.

Hypothesis 4
Question 9 was keyed to testing this hypothesis. This hypothesis states that
serious commitment is not been given to the House Fellowship.

Hypothesis 5
Questions 4 and 5 are keyed to testing this hypothesis. The table reveals
clearly that lack of visitation and follow-up is responsible for the decline in
House Fellowship attendance.
Hypothesis 6
Questions 4 and 5are keyed to testing this hypothesis. The respondents
support the fact that lack of proper follow-up of prospects is an indication to our
attitude towards Church growth.

Hypothesis 7
Questions 6, 7 and 8 are keyed to testing this hypothesis. It is strongly
noticed that Planning is given its appropriate place in the House Fellowship
program.
 CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION FOR FURTHER

RESEARCH

5:1 Summary of Findings and Its Implication

As we study the House Fellowship and Church Growth, we come to a very

interesting conclusion. Churches are growing for reasons which all real Christians
can heartily see. This is one of the great discoveries of the Church Growth
movement. Churches grow not for odd, unusual, exotic, or questionable reasons,
but because God wants his church to grow. They pray for church growth, they
intend and work for church growth, they recognize the social realities in the midst
of which God has set them to work, they create multitudes of substructures of
belonging in each of their congregations, and they plant multitudes of new
churches. I hope they will commend church growth to you. Church growth is a
delightful and fruitful enterprise. All hope for a transformed world and a great
movement toward righteousness rests on and arises out of multitudes of sound
Christian churches, branching throughout the families of mankind, both in Nigeria
and in the uttermost parts of the earth.

The purpose of this project was to understand the correlation between the
House Fellowship and its effect on Church Growth. The study has shown that the
House Fellowship has an effect on Church Growth. The study also made
comparison between the House Fellowship Programme and Church Growth in
churches within Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Agbado District, Agbado,
Ogun State.

Chapter One of the project serves as an introduction to the research.

Chapter Two deals with the review of related literature, this will create awareness
and expound information about the views and opinions of various authors and
authorities on the subject matter in general and different ways with which the
subject matter is relevant today.
 Chapter Three is the Biblical Background to House Fellowship and
Church Growth. The research reveals that the bible sets the standard for House
Fellowship and Church Growth. The bible consistently reveals and links Church
Growth to the House Fellowship. The objectives, mission and goal of the House
Fellowship is aimed at bringing men to Christ and equip them for the body of
Christ.

Chapter Four reveals the need for House Fellowships in Churches to be

rebranded, refocused and reprioritized to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Pastors, Christian Education Ministers, Sunday School Superintendents, Church
Administrators, Administrators, House Fellowship/Welfare Department/Unit
Heads and workers as well as all stakeholders need to get involved more in terms
of structure, planning and implementing a frame work that will endure and last
long.

Chapter Five of this project gives the summary of the research. Based on
the findings made, a number of recommendations were made with the view to
help the Church grow through an effective, efficient, purposeful and viable House
Fellowship Programme.

The result of the study has several implications which are as follows:

The House Fellowship and Church Growth are intertwined. To experience growth

in tremendous way the Church needs to become more refocused and creatively

begin to look outside the box in her planning and programming, the causes of

decline were discussed and examined; the implications of the current findings are

discussed in detail, particularly in regard to the relationship of the data collected

and the precedent literature related to House Fellowship and Church Growth in

Foursquare Gospel Church Agbado District, Agbado, Ogun State.

The major findings of this study thus include:

1. That Several Churches in Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Agbado District

have structured but dysfunctional House Fellowship Programme.

 2. That the House Fellowship is meeting the needs of Church members but needs to

focus on meeting the needs of its immediate community also.

3. That there is significant relationship between the House Fellowship and Church

growth in Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Agbado District.

4. Effective and proper planning for visitation and follow-up has a significant

influence on the growth of the entire churches in Foursquare Gospel Church in

Nigeria, Agbado District.

5. That understanding of the concepts, relevance and place of the House Fellowship

is known but is not been put to practical use among pastors, leaders and members.

6. It was also found out that pastors, leaders and House Fellowship workers are

commitment to the work of God placed in their hands.

7. That when the House Fellowship is managed effectively it will increase Church

Growth and bring in more souls and members of the church.

8. There is a direct correlation between the House Fellowship and Church Growth.

9. That there is significant relationship between trained pastors, leaders, workers and

members on the effect of the House Fellowship and Church Growth.

Finally, in view of the importance of the House Fellowship and Church

Growth, I suggest that further research be carried on this subject matter.

5:2 Conclusion

These conclusions are based on the findings of this research work. As

revealed, there needs to be an increase of strategies of pastoral leadership,

effectiveness and efficiency in contemporary churches: change in attitude,

increased prayer lives, training and retraining, servant leadership, equipping and

use of teaching aids, more serious commitment to vision and mission of church

growth as by Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Matt 28:18-20. This research
 work and its findings could also be applied to contemporary churches including

Foursquare Gospel Churches.

5:3 Recommendations

The structure of the House Fellowship as found in Foursquare Gospel

Church in Nigeria is laudable and quite commendable for proper discipleship and

church growth of the entire membership of the organization, though there is still

room for improvement in many areas. Hence, the under- listed recommendations

which this research present below is being put forward:

1. The recommendations here are aimed at improving the quality of service delivery

by our House Fellowship leaders and workers.

2. To enable our local churches have solid structures in promoting the House

Fellowship and therefore the churches effectively.

3. To enable quick identification of prospective converts for proper and necessary

follow-up thereby aiding church growth.

4. To rebrand, re-strategise and expand the scope of the exiting provision by the

House Fellowship programmes in our churches.

There should be deliberate and conscious effort by the pastor and the

House Fellowship leadership to pay special attention to the Sunday school like

never before in Agbado District to promote massive and rapid church growth.

Above all, most of our churches need adequate and well trained pastors

and leaders. They should always be encouraged to undergo relevant courses and

trainings that will help them in managing the House Fellowship effectively. We

also need to pray for guidance to obtain logistic to meet targets, fulfil destiny and

sustenance to run to win.

BIBLOGRAPHY

Albert. O. Aina, Masters Strategies for Church Growth and Multiplication, Lagos Nigeria
Life and Ministry Publications, 2011.

Charles C. and Ron L., Design for Church Growth, Tyndale House Publishers, Carol
Stream, IL, U.S.A 1989.

Dake Finis J., Dakes Annotated Reference Bible, Lawrenceville, Georgia, U.S.A, Dake
Publishing, 2007.

David, Yonggi Cho, My Church Growth Stories, Church Growth Conference Volume 1,

Christian Crusaders Quality Press, Tennessee, U.S.A, 1997.

David, Yonggi Cho and Harrold Hosteller, Successful Home Cell Groups, Christian
Crusaders Quality Press, Tennessee, U.S.A, 1997.

Elmer L. Towns, How to Grow an Effective Sunday School, Elmer Towns Online Library,
www.elmertowns.com.
Elmer L. Towns, Americas Fastest Growing Churches, Elmer Towns Online Library,
www.elmertowns.com.

Foursquare Blue Book, For Christian Education Workers, Foursquare Press, Lagos
Nigeria, 2012.

George A.E and Harold E.C, Strategy For Sunday School Growth,
www.digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/view

Karen Hurston, Growing the Worlds Largest Church, Evangel Publishers/Printcorp,

Belarus, 1994.

Kirk Hadaway, Church Growth Principles: Separating Fact from Fiction (Nashville:
Broadman, 1991), 40; quoted in Ken Hemphill, Revitalizing the Sunday Morning
Dinosaur (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1996), 26.

McGavran Donald A, Understanding Church Growth, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co,

Grand Rapids, Mich U.S.A,

Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Church, Zondervan Publishing House, Nashville,

Tennessee, U.S.A, 1995.
Thomas Wade Atkins, Pioneer Evangelism, Junta De Missies Nacioanas, Mexico City,
Mexico, 1998.

Vandapuye Sophia, Organizing An Effective Christian Education Ministry in a

Developing Society, Foursquare Press, Lagos Nigeria, 1999.

Washburn, A.V, Outreach for the Unreached, Convention Press, Nasville, Tennessee,
U.S.A, 1960.

www.google.com/ History of the House Fellowship

www.google.com/ History of the Home Cell Groups

 L.I.F.E THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IKORODU,
SANGO OTA CENTRE, LAGOS STATE

QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE IMPACT OF HOUSE FELLOWSHIP ON THE

GROWTH OF THE CHURCH: A CASE STUDY OF FOURSQUARE GOSPEL
CHURCH, AGBADO DISTRICT, AGBADO, OGUN STATE.

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am an undergraduate student of the above named institution. I am currently
carrying out a research on the Impact of House Fellowship on the Growth of the Church:
A Case Study Of Foursquare Gospel Church, Agbado District, Agbado, Ogun State. This
study is purely an academic exercise and in effect all information received from you will
be treated with utmost confidence and will be used precisely for academic purposes to aid
my research. Thanks for your cooperation and assistance.

Yours faithfully,
OMOLE, O. Elizabeth

SECTION A:
Instruction: Tick the option box that most describes you.

Gender/Sex: Male Female

Age: 20-30 31-40 41-50 51 and above

Marital Status: Single Married Divorced Widowed

Educational Qualification: SSCE OND B.Sc Masters PhD

Position/Job Title in The

Church_________________________________________________

Years of Church Membership

SECTION B
Instruction: Kindly tick X for your preferred option.

S/N STATEMENT YES NO

1 Do churches give priority to House Fellowship?

2 Do churches look only inwards as regards the House Fellowship

Programme?
3 Is there any enlargement Programme in place through the House
Fellowship?
4 What proportion of the House Fellowship teachers visit their
members regularly?
5 How efficient and effective is the follow-up department/unit?
6 How often do we train and re-train our House Fellowship
workers?
7 Do House Fellowship workers have enough time to pray
together?
8 Do House Fellowship teachers attend weekly workers meeting?
9 To what extent does lack of commitment and dedication affect the
House Fellowship Programme?
10 Does the church care enough to identify the needs of the community.