Transcript
NextGen Matters: Hey friend, welcome to the Next Gen Matters podcast. a show for ministry leaders seeking to move beyond overwhelm and move into leading with clarity, confidence, and consistency. hey i'm rich brown and welcome to episode 35 as we are taking this topic of the power of the open home.
NextGen Matters: Now, in this episode, I have three different areas I want to walk us through. And the first is to give a scriptural foundation as to the power of home ministry. The second.
NextGen Matters: Because I'm going to walk you through a little bit of my own life and our own journey as a family of me growing up and now as an adult of having Our home is a place. of ministry And then for you, I'm offering five different benefits of opening up your home for ministry. And I'm sure as you listen to this, many of you already do open up your home. And if that's the case, I want to encourage you with that.
NextGen Matters: to keep on keeping on, but if you haven't yet, Offered up your home for a place of ministry. in a place of hospitality. I really hope this will. really empower you to say,
NextGen Matters: Let's do it. Let's go for it. Even if it's an apartment, Or if it's a home. If you're single, or you're married. to create a place and a space for people to enter into your home.
NextGen Matters: And as we're going to see throughout this episode, enter into your life. Now look. I think of biblical foundations on this. It all started in the early church. I mean, Acts chapter 2 and verse 46, as well as chapter 5.
NextGen Matters: In verse 42, speak of the church meeting daily in the temple. That's that large group gathering. And then it said, And in... how in in house to house or in homes
NextGen Matters: And you kind of think of it like this. My mindset in a ministry context goes, there's something so powerful about the large group gathering. In that case, they met at the temple steps. Until later in Acts, it became illegal to be a follower of Jesus, and they they fled out of the city of Jerusalem. But until that time, the first part of the church, they met daily in the temple for large group gatherings.
NextGen Matters: But they also met. in homes. And I think of that even more, that sense of discipleship and intimacy. So yeah, the church was beginning to meet. in homes we also know romans 12 and verse 13 paul tells us he he commands the roman people as well as to us as the readers to demonstrate. hospitality and they knew in that culture exactly what that meant hospitality was more than just Hey, how you doing? Hey, you want to go out for coffee?
NextGen Matters: It's more than that. It was actually opening up your home. We see that in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Well, with the lack of church buildings that didn't take place until centuries later, Where did the church meet?
NextGen Matters: They met in homes. We see that in Colossians chapter 4 verse 15 and other places. Where... Homes were open for the local church to gather and to meet. One of the qualifications of those of you and and I who serve as pastors and elders, if that's what your role is, we are commanded to be, as one of our qualifications is, we are to be hospitable, meaning open up our home. That's Titus chapter 1. And verse 8.
NextGen Matters: now I even think about the ministry of Jesus. I mean did Jesus minister in homes? Of course he did. We see this consistently throughout all four Gospels. Jesus was meeting in homes, doing... deep intentional ministry. in homes.
NextGen Matters: Now of course, Jesus even said, the Son of Man, meaning Himself, had no place to lay his head in other words he did not have like we think today of a home But what I love...
NextGen Matters: is that same son of man. ultimately invites... Us. into his home. Yeah, it's John chapter 14. Let me read to you verses... two through four.
NextGen Matters: In my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so... I would have told you. I'm going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you.
NextGen Matters: I will come back and take you. To be with me. that you also may be where I am. And you know the way to the place where I'm going. And of course, and Thomas kicks in and says,
NextGen Matters: Well, how do we know the way? And of course, the classic John 14, 6, Jesus says, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. But Jesus is inviting us. into his father's house. into his father's house where there's... Lots and lots of rooms.
NextGen Matters: into his father's house where there's lots and lots of food and in his father's house where We can play football. All right, sometimes I get a little carried away and throw back to the 90s of Mark Stewart and Audio Adrenaline when I read that passage. Is it just me or maybe you as well? but You got the point.
NextGen Matters: But seriously. Jesus, the son of man who had no place to lay his head. Yet he did have a place when he left this world to go back home and invites us to his home.
NextGen Matters: That is awesome. Ministry takes place so effective in a home. Now. Speaking of home. I'm gonna... throw you back into my... air as Little Richie, okay? So here we I am. My my my parents, they meet in the 1950s. Maybe you've heard me share this in different times. If you have, just...
NextGen Matters: Just nod your head and go ahead with me. If you haven't, here we go. my parents Met. as adolescence teenagers in the later 1950s. They both grew up in the same area. the city of Binghamton, New York.
NextGen Matters: My mom on the outskirts, more in the countryside. My dad on the... just on the outside line. And yet he went to a city school. Mom went to more of a country school. Dad went to a city church downtown Binghamton. Mom went to a small country church of maybe 100 people on a good day, right?
NextGen Matters: Two different churches. where they met. where they met. What's so cool is this was the. Area Youth for Christ youth rallies that were held every Saturday night.
NextGen Matters: right there in Binghamton, New York. But before they met, They already had the had been attending YFC. And they already as adolescents were feeling that calling of God. to go into full -time ministry later as adults, but they weren't going to wait till then.
NextGen Matters: Again, they hadn't even met yet at this point where God already put in their hearts to help launch a student ministry. That's what we call today a youth group back in that day.
NextGen Matters: In their own church, so they went to each one of them went to their their senior pastor and said, hey, can, my dad said to his senior pastor, my mom to her senior pastor, hey, can we can we start a youth ministry in our church? And they both said this phrase.
NextGen Matters: Like we'd have at Youth for Christ. So they both were already starting youth ministries in their own churches. Then they meet. And, of course, the magic happens. In 1960, they get married. They're both now in Bible college, doing Bible college and seminary, and they are serving.
NextGen Matters: as the youth directors, that was the term back then, as the youth directors in my mom's home church. Three years later, 1963. Little Richie comes along. Richie Jr. is now born literally into student ministry. I have pictures.
NextGen Matters: of Of me as a little baby being held by the teenagers. in my home. Because my parents opened up the home. Consistently to those big kids, to the teenagers.
NextGen Matters: Right. Again, so many pictures I have of me as a little kid hanging out with. the adolescents, the teenagers of that church. So I was born in the youth ministry, man. I mean, it's crazy, right? I love it.
NextGen Matters: So as the years progressed, And then my dad entered into pastoral ministry. I was third grade when my dad became a pastor, and immediately as he became the senior pastor of this country church in the Binghamton, New York area,
NextGen Matters: My parents were having over the teenagers and the college students. So here I am, eight, nine, then 10 years old as I'm getting third, fourth, fifth grade and growing up. I'm growing up with my parents on Sunday nights after the, remember the traditional Baptist, you know, Sunday night service, which is cool, right? But after Sunday night. service my parents would invite over.
NextGen Matters: all these teenagers and these college students, and we just hang out. So I thought this was so cool because I got to hang out with the cool big kids, you know which also meant I got to stay up a little later than usual until my mom scooted us upstairs.
NextGen Matters: But even then it was like, man, the big kids, they're at our house. I remember this. I remember even sometimes some of the the the big teenagers, they come up and they talk to us in our bedrooms. And it's like, they make us feel like at home. Well, it was our home, but you know, they were like connecting with us. And and they were actually like encouraging me to have a godly life. And I remember some of these conversations.
NextGen Matters: as a preteen myself. So I'm watching my parents model it. I'm growing up in the middle of it.
NextGen Matters: And two years later, into the mid -1980s, when my wife Janet and I were newlyweds and newly married, and literally the first thing we're doing in 1985, as we get married, we're immediately, I'm in youth ministry at that point, we're immediately opening up our home. Which, ironically, our home as a parsonage was literally next to the church. building. So yes, there were people. always over to our home.
NextGen Matters: high school students. other adults, friends. We would have people over to our house constantly and consistently. And then moving ahead. All those years in youth ministry. every place I served.
NextGen Matters: Our home was open for different gatherings. Because I loved having an open home. because I know that's where Ministry Connections really take place. Well.
NextGen Matters: 23 years later, I mean, 23 years ago, we moved from Seattle to Virginia. And at that point, as a university professor. I am now opening up our home.
NextGen Matters: anywhere from 30, sometimes to 100 students. And that would have been more when we had nice weather and it was outside of the campfire. But the point is, low ball 30 up to maybe 80 in the house, we would have... college students, university students in our home where we would have.
NextGen Matters: Always having food because, you know, if there's if it's Christian, we've got to have food, right? So we're having refreshments and food. We gather for worship i mean in my living room upstairs from where I'm... filming this right now in my in my uh downstairs office.
NextGen Matters: Just above me is our living room, and that room literally packed, spilling out and over into the hallway of times of... amazing and passionate worship. And then my wife would take the young ladies in one room. I would come down here to the man cave area with the guys.
NextGen Matters: and We just have great conversations. That happened a couple times a month for years. And then years later, as I became part of a church plant starting a student ministry, where did we start the student ministry? We met here on Wednesday nights, especially since there's no church building. It's a church plant. So sure enough, we we definitely took advantage of our home for times for teenagers to have.
NextGen Matters: intimate worship with Jesus. and times In the word. We'll leave it now as a volunteer. And even now. working with high school students. I'll have the high school guys over to our house. Campfires, chili feeds, etc. Matter of fact, that just took place last week.
NextGen Matters: Mama's homemade chili.
NextGen Matters: We were supposed to have a campfire, but the the torrential rains from Florida kind of even hit us up here in Virginia and knocked that out. But hey, I lit a candle, called it a fire. It was all good, right? I was so... Cool, man. I mean...
NextGen Matters: There's like 30 minutes of... To avert. Two of our gentlemen. one high school senior and one of the dads in the student ministry. playing acoustic guitar. leading us in about 30 minutes of worship.
NextGen Matters: And to hear these young men, these dudes, these guys sing. My wife even commented later how powerful it was for her to hear these guys singing because they got good voices.
NextGen Matters: and they love to sing loud. And I'm like, babe, that's what we do on Wednesday nights. We bring our worship on. And that was here at the house. And I asked my friend Mike to share a small challenge, which he did with our guys, being a dad of of one of the teenagers and a dad in our church, as well as I then shared.
NextGen Matters: what it means to stay strong in the grace that's in Christ Jesus. Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy. You got the idea? I... I love using our home.
NextGen Matters: I love you. And even now as a volunteer. I'm opening up our home because I know the power. of what takes place. in a home. And I know you're doing it. Many of you that are listening to this open up your homes as well. I see social media. I love watching of the different pictures of of Mike, my buddy, Mike Camary up there in Richmond, Virginia. He has with a ball in Bible study with his dudes.
NextGen Matters: during I mean, for months it goes on. not during January, February, obviously, but during the more warmer months, I'll see it. They play kickball. They do, they do tee ball, not tee ball. That's for children. I mean, they do wiffle ball. I love seeing that. I see other pictures of, of people meeting with students in their homes. And I say, man, I applaud that. I love it.
NextGen Matters: I want us to now look at. There's five. I'm sure there's more. You could come up with more, probably even better than me. But I want to share with you five benefits. of opening up your home.
NextGen Matters: Now, let me let me draw back to what I just shared about... those high school guys coming over the other night. Again, it was just a week ago. The next Wednesday night we met.
NextGen Matters: So many of them said to me, how much of a blast they had. They loved it. Matter of fact, in the in the the group text, a lot of us are sharing it, like my own high school senior guys and and some others. They were talking about how they loved the time in worship.
NextGen Matters: And again, it was like 30 minutes of worship. it was it would Dude, it was cool. right so i just after thinking through this i i really wanted to Talk about this in my weekly email, but also now in this podcast, because.
NextGen Matters: I want us to reflect on this. What can we do to open up our homes? to really... create even a deeper sense of connection.
NextGen Matters: to those that we serve. so Last week, I jotted down about five. different benefits. of opening up your home. heres Here's the first one. Here's the first of the five.
NextGen Matters: It creates a model. I'm sorry, it creates a modeling environment. yeah it creates a model of environment but i mean it creates a modeling environment One of the greatest benefits of of opening up your home.
NextGen Matters: is that it it allows... people. in our case students. To see your faith. lived out. in daily life. I mean, get this, in a church setting,
NextGen Matters: You know, students are going to hear biblical principles taught. I mean, you better be bringing it. Come on, let's go, right? Bring the word, bring the heat. So they're hearing you. whether it's as a small group leader like me or or you're the one leading and in in the Bible study.
NextGen Matters: They're hearing Bible principles being taught. But get this. But in a home? They get to watch those principles lived. Out.
NextGen Matters: I'm gonna back up and say that again. In the church setting, Students hear the biblical principles taught. but in your home. They get to watch. those biblical principles be lived out.
NextGen Matters: You see, they get to see you and I as real people. And i I laugh about this because I remember hearing so many times from my university students. By the way, that was just amazing and and just so awesome. that that As this this old youth pastor,
NextGen Matters: Missing student ministry, that was my way of scratching the itch, if you will. Yes, teaching biblical principles of ministry in the classroom was way cool. But to be, in a sense, in the pastoral framework of they're they're coming to my house and we're having biblically framed conversations and walking through scripture, just it just was the joy.
NextGen Matters: and filling my heart so much. But I would hear some of them say even this. I remember one of the young ladies said, To me, she goes, doc. We've never seen you. In jeans. And I thought, that's... odd like they don't think we own a pair of jeans and t -shirts because we're professors?
NextGen Matters: of course we do now i realize now like in church you know people Some are dressed down even when when they speak. But in the academic setting, of course, we were dressed up a little bit more.
NextGen Matters: And I just love that. Something as simple as that. They began to see... myself as a real person. They come in the house and... Our our one lab just passed away a few months back. I still have. the other lab. We had two for years and years.
NextGen Matters: And they'd walk in our house and they'd say, Puppies! Dude, they weren't puppies, they were dogs. They were big labs, okay, but still. Puppies! I remember once a student saying, a couch! You know you're living in a dorm when you don't see a couch, right? So they're like, oh, a couch! And they were like, ooh, a living room.
NextGen Matters: especially those living on campus residentially. You know? I mean, dorm rooms are cool, but because it's not. a home. And it was so cool for them to feel like their home. And I would get those comments too. They say, this is kind of like my second home. They would say things like, this is like my home away from home.
NextGen Matters: Guys. that's That's so cool. You know. But more than just... They think it's neat I wear jeans. Students get to see you and I in the context of real life.
NextGen Matters: They would watch me with my wife because they would tell me about that. They would talk about the dynamics as my kids were. younger now of course they're all gone but i mean i did this for years and years so i had High school senior, when we moved here, I had a middle school.
NextGen Matters: I mean, I had a high school freshman. I had a middle school daughter in seventh grade. And Ryan, my little guy, was in second grade. you know as they all they moved up through dad you know was bringing all these college students over, right?
NextGen Matters: And they would try to hide. But even then, I loved it from being a dad's perspective because now those college students were integrating their passion for the Lord and just their passion for life onto my own kids.
NextGen Matters: Just like... those teenagers did to me back in the 1970s.
NextGen Matters: I also began to hear the students talk about They loved... watching us as a couple. Because they begin to see their professor. not just as their prof.
NextGen Matters: but as a man who's married to his wife. and when my kids were still living here as a father to my children. And back in the days of being a student pastor. even more so watching us as a family.
NextGen Matters: Those are powerful moments. Now, do you see why? Paul tells Titus that one of the qualifications of eldership of pastoring is to be given to hospitality, opening up your home, because then the people can see how real it is.
NextGen Matters: in your life. Before I move on to number two, I want to say this. Yes, students can see me in the context of real life, but I really want you to... to to pick up on this one.
NextGen Matters: And for those who do not have strong Christian families. whether it's middle school ministry, high school ministry, college ministry. And for those that don't have strong Christian families or don't have...
NextGen Matters: a family like my wife growing up they had they had Her parents had no allegiance to Jesus. There was nothing mentioned of Christ Jesus our Lord. She grew up in an unsaved home. So for the students that are coming into your home,
NextGen Matters: Please get this. You're home. Maybe. The only. Christian home. they will ever enter.
NextGen Matters: That'll preach. That. will preach. And even those that are coming from good homes. It's another reminder of what it's like. to have a good Godly.
NextGen Matters: home life. So yeah, we're modeling it number two creates a relaxed environment. Yeah, because I get the word genes, right? creates Creates a relaxed environment. There's something so naturally... I'm going to use this word disarming.
NextGen Matters: about being in a home. So unlike the formal settings of the auditorium or in some circles, the sanctuary, you know? Unlike those formal settings,
NextGen Matters: in the auditorium or even your student ministry room or your children's room or young adult room, whatever ministry you serve in, homes. tend to create a sense of calm. They create this calm and this... cozy and this comforting space.
NextGen Matters: Students are more likely to laugh. To swap stories? To ask questions? and to engage in deeper conversations when they feel. Relaxed.
NextGen Matters: So it creates a relaxed environment. The third benefit of opening up your home. It creates a... personal environment. We've gone from a modeling environment. to a relaxed environment, now into a personal environment.
NextGen Matters: And please get this, please, please get this. Being invited into your home. communicates to others something very important and here it is. You matter enough. For me,
NextGen Matters: to share my space. with you. You matter enough. For me, to share my space with you. inviting people into your home.
NextGen Matters: is a personal act of hospitality. It's demonstrating care. Trust. and intentionality. Being invited into my home is saying you're invited into my life. It's like mi casa es su casa.
NextGen Matters: My house, your house. Being invited into your home also creates personal engagement, just not. from you to others. But in the case of student ministry, from the students to students.
NextGen Matters: It creates personal engagement for them to be ministering and just connecting with each other. So this creates opportunities to learn about each other's lives. getting to know each other better.
NextGen Matters: and can even begin to deepen those personal relationships. They already do exist. I'd say on the church campus, but now it can become so much more deeper in.
NextGen Matters: a home. The fourth benefit. It creates a conversational. environment. I mean you know this is true. Being in a home naturally encourages dialogue.
NextGen Matters: You're gathered around tables. You're sitting in circles, possibly a living room. And you're engaging in discussions that flow more naturally than they do often in large group settings.
NextGen Matters: So. Have you heard the phrase? And maybe you have. Circles, not rows? Circles, not rows? I mean, we we think of like that main service, our worship services in our church on Sunday mornings, typically done in rows, but there's something powerful about about doing ministry in circles and a home is an incredible place.
NextGen Matters: to have those connections. take place what better place to create conversation than in a home. A meaningful discussion over, and yes, I had my coffee right here. it's It's Pike's Market today. I keep going back to Pike's. A meaningful dialogue and conversation over coffee. or a shared meal.
NextGen Matters: can have a greater impact then it carefully... planned. presentation. Now I am big on having carefully planned presentations. Study to show yourself approved.
NextGen Matters: I'm sick of this. Hey kids, what do you want to talk about tonight? Meaning. I didn't prepare anything, so let's wing it. Wrong answer. Study to show yourself approved. So have a game plan.
NextGen Matters: But we also know, even when we give our lessons, When we have those small group breakouts for conversation later, Even in our church campus settings. That's where it can really happen.
NextGen Matters: How much more deeper can we go? In a home. Because it's in a home, people can talk, they can listen, they can learn, they can grow, and they connect. together.
NextGen Matters: So speaking of connecting, that takes us to our last of the five benefits. Meeting at homes. creates a connecting environment. So at its core, Ministry is about connecting people to God.
NextGen Matters: and people to each other. So as already mentioned, Is there a better place to do ministry than in a home? i mean This is true for those who are just meeting each other.
NextGen Matters: or even for those who are going deeper and here's what i mean So many times I would have my former university students would be telling me, Like the next day in class or the next week when they see me again in class, they're like, doc, I just met. And they mentioned the name of a person they just met. I mean, I knew all these different students in the five or six classes I was teaching.
NextGen Matters: but they didn't always know each other. That's why I created this environment in this space in our home because I wanted. all the youth ministry students to be invited, seniors, sophomores, juniors, freshmen. I want them all to come together. At least they were invited. all of them to come.
NextGen Matters: And it was so. amazingly cool for me to hear them say, hey, I met so -and -so here. Hey, I met that person here. They were in the same class sometimes, didn't know each other. They were in different classes, in different classifications, meaning juniors and freshmen, et cetera.
NextGen Matters: I love that. Matter of fact, to be honest, some of them. Male, female, kind of wound up getting married, y 'all. And they met in my house. I'd always say it was great. they met at our house great so name your first child after me that's rich rch brown okay so Not only were they meeting sometimes for the first time.
NextGen Matters: But I also noticed casual friendships, became deeper. became much deeper. And what I loved was then the spillover was now they started hanging out on their own time.
NextGen Matters: And now it's just potentially a catalyst. having a home that was open for ministry. We were just a catalyst to get them to go deeper with each other on their own time. My friends, that is so cool.
NextGen Matters: Going deeper. That's what it's about. So some of the deepest and most honest sharing can take place where? in A home. It's in these genuine and vulnerable moments, deep connections.
NextGen Matters: can take place. There you have it. those five benefits Creates. A. Modeling environment. a relaxed environment.
NextGen Matters: a personal environment. a conversational environment and a connecting environment. So my friend, whether you're on staff. Or you're like me and you're a volunteer. Whether you have a home,
NextGen Matters: Or you have an apartment. Consider what you can do to invite others into your space. and create those opportunities. of greater engagement. and deeper Growth.
NextGen Matters: like I've already been mentioning. You're home. may be the only place some students will ever see a good and godly. Christian home.
NextGen Matters: And for those who have good and godly homes, your home is another example. of what that looks like. to have a home built. on. The Rock.
NextGen Matters: look as I wrap this up I would love to hear your stories I mean, seriously, reply in the comments to this podcast. Send me an email. Let me know. just what you thought about this and even what you're doing in your own. places of ministry in homes.
NextGen Matters: Or if you have my number, just text me. I would love to hear. what you're doing in opening up your home and the benefits it's bringing to you. Alright.
NextGen Matters: You got a call to action. It's very simple. Just be a Nike Swish. Just do it. Think of what can you do? And maybe start small.
NextGen Matters: You don't have to have university students over at 100 a time. But just start small. Like like just with me having a few of the guys over watching a game or I'm just hanging out and playing. Playing board games, which I think are boring, but my wife loves board games. You know what I'm saying? I think that's why they call them board games. Ooh, I'm digressing. It's kind of like I'm going back to the audio drilling moment.
NextGen Matters: Snap into a rich. Okay, here we go. You got the point. Go ahead. Reach out to people. especially those in your circle. And invite them in. to your home
NextGen Matters: If you're the... student pastor or children's pastor or you know director if you're the lead to that team I loved actually opening up our homes for our adult leadership team.
NextGen Matters: We would have many of our meetings, our gatherings, our training times right in my home. shared meals, conversations. There were so many times of open weeping An honest prayer that took place as adults.
NextGen Matters: And us as a team. became family. Because we had an open home. Sometimes it wasn't my house, sometimes it was another house. another person's home. But the point was we met in a home.
NextGen Matters: So that's my call to action. Just do it. Be the Nike Swish, y 'all. Just do it. Start small. You can go bigger later. but Just start small. Look, thanks for joining me on the Next Gen Matters podcast. Remember. If today has ministered to you, let me know. Comments.
NextGen Matters: Text me. Send me an email. I'd love to hear from you. And please. Share this podcast with someone else. Send it to a friend. Encourage them. Encourage your volunteers if you're on staff to listen to this as well. So until next time.
NextGen Matters: Your leadership matters. Because your ministry matters. because the gospel matters. So. Have a great day. Open up your home. And we'll see you around the next time. God bless.
