153 House Churches Network Slates 2007 Free-For-All Yard Sale
153 House Churches Network continues unique outreach of giving in local communities.
"Do you remember me?," said the young woman as she attended a 153 House Churches Network gathering for the first time. "Back in the '90s, I came to one of your Free-For-All Yard Sales, and you gave me a computer. I never have forgotten that."
Believers at the 153 House Churches Network will tell you that this young woman's story is one of many deep and lasting impressions that are left upon the hearts of those touched by something called Free-For-All Yard Sales.
Free-For-All Yard Sales are held throughout the year by the house churches network's local members in North America. The yard sales take place in the neighborhoods surrounding 153 House Churches Network churches.
153 House Churches Network members collect items of excellent quality from their own households and those of friends and bring them to the scheduled house churches location.
Flyers are passed out throughout the neighborhoods surrounding that 153 House Churches Network house church location announcing the yard sale, but not explaining what "Free-For-All" means.
On the day of the sale, church members gather and display the items in the front yard of that location, with no prices posted on any item or any mention of a "church" at all.
When the sale begins, people who approach a church member asking about the price of a particular item are in turn asked something like "Is this the item that you really wanted?" They are then informed, upon expressing interest in that item, that they may take it for free.
There is usually a limit (a certain number of items per person or family, for instance) to what each person or family may receive. "There are very few attempts to abuse the yard sale by neighbors," says one 153 House Churches Network member. If a decision needs to be made in a particular circumstance, they say, each member can make that decision as led by God's Spirit, or the group can identify as "go-to person" in advance to make such decisions, once again as led by God's Spirit.
"Even if people offer to pay for the items - and many of them will attempt to do so - all offers are politely and lovingly refused," says minister Ben Hunt, the senior pastor of the 153 House Churches Network outreaches around the world.
When church members are asked why they are doing this, they respond in a personal manner as to their own reasons for be involved with the Free-For-All yard sale, including references to their faith in Christ and God.
"We don't identify the yard sale as a 'church outreach,' because they're not, says one long-time Free-For-All Yard Sale volunteer. "What Free-For-All Yard Sales are is a group of friends coming together to give to the people in their neighborhood, giving to others because they themselves have received so much from Christ Jesus."
The result of these forward expressions of love called Free-For-All Yard Sales, many members of the 153 House Churches Network will tell you, are a potent evangelistic opportunity to neighborhoods surrounding the house churches, and a bond with the people that live there that is deep and lasting.
For more information about the 153 House Churches Network, visit their website at [http://groups.msn.com/153HouseChurches].
"Do you remember me?," said the young woman as she attended a 153 House Churches Network gathering for the first time. "Back in the '90s, I came to one of your Free-For-All Yard Sales, and you gave me a computer. I never have forgotten that."
Believers at the 153 House Churches Network will tell you that this young woman's story is one of many deep and lasting impressions that are left upon the hearts of those touched by something called Free-For-All Yard Sales.
Free-For-All Yard Sales are held throughout the year by the house churches network's local members in North America. The yard sales take place in the neighborhoods surrounding 153 House Churches Network churches.
153 House Churches Network members collect items of excellent quality from their own households and those of friends and bring them to the scheduled house churches location.
Flyers are passed out throughout the neighborhoods surrounding that 153 House Churches Network house church location announcing the yard sale, but not explaining what "Free-For-All" means.
On the day of the sale, church members gather and display the items in the front yard of that location, with no prices posted on any item or any mention of a "church" at all.
When the sale begins, people who approach a church member asking about the price of a particular item are in turn asked something like "Is this the item that you really wanted?" They are then informed, upon expressing interest in that item, that they may take it for free.
There is usually a limit (a certain number of items per person or family, for instance) to what each person or family may receive. "There are very few attempts to abuse the yard sale by neighbors," says one 153 House Churches Network member. If a decision needs to be made in a particular circumstance, they say, each member can make that decision as led by God's Spirit, or the group can identify as "go-to person" in advance to make such decisions, once again as led by God's Spirit.
"Even if people offer to pay for the items - and many of them will attempt to do so - all offers are politely and lovingly refused," says minister Ben Hunt, the senior pastor of the 153 House Churches Network outreaches around the world.
When church members are asked why they are doing this, they respond in a personal manner as to their own reasons for be involved with the Free-For-All yard sale, including references to their faith in Christ and God.
"We don't identify the yard sale as a 'church outreach,' because they're not, says one long-time Free-For-All Yard Sale volunteer. "What Free-For-All Yard Sales are is a group of friends coming together to give to the people in their neighborhood, giving to others because they themselves have received so much from Christ Jesus."
The result of these forward expressions of love called Free-For-All Yard Sales, many members of the 153 House Churches Network will tell you, are a potent evangelistic opportunity to neighborhoods surrounding the house churches, and a bond with the people that live there that is deep and lasting.
For more information about the 153 House Churches Network, visit their website at [http://groups.msn.com/153HouseChurches].
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