house church

read a good article on house churches from a missionary in sudan. i met with him about a month or so ago over coffee. he recently sent me the below regarding house churches. much, ok all, of this rings true with me. this form of the church gathering is what i would like to seek out in the future.

For the past 3 years our family as has been meeting in house churches. Why? It is not because house churches are more common in Sudan than America. Quite the opposite! I would like to share our reasons with the hope of persuading you to consider New Testament-style church. My purpose for writing this article is not disunity, but that we as a unified body of Christ might recover some New Testament principles that I believe will strengthen us and contribute to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. First, a little church history.

All the churches planted by the apostles in the New Testament met in homes. Church buildings did not become popular until the 4th century when the Roman emperor Constantine converted pagan temples into Christian churches. The Protestant Reformation of the 15th century saw multitudes return to biblical doctrine but Roman Catholic church practice remained to a large degree. There has always been a remnant of believers throughout the ages who have sought to obey biblical principles for the weekly gathering of the church to one degree or another.

When we trace modern church planting movements in China, India, Cambodia, etc. we find similarities to the churches planted by the apostles. We find house churches, participatory church meetings, abundant evangelism, lay leadership that springs from within, rapid reproduction of churches, and mature believers. Currently there are more house churches in the world than there are churches that meet in buildings. When we see rapid advancement of the gospel, we find house churches. This is my main reason for advocating house churches...... to fulfill the Great Commission to "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them" and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commanded as written in Matthew 28.

The strongest biblical basis for intimate church is found in 1 Corinthians 14. Nowhere else in the Bible do we have 14 consecutive verses “commanding” (vs.37) us what to do when we gather for church. Verse 26 says, "What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation.” It is a fact of church history that the churches planted by the apostles were gatherings where mutual edification, interaction, and spontaneity were the norm. It was far from being a spectator sport. The goal of the gathering was simply to “let all things be done for edification” (vs.26). It operated more like a family and less like a staged performance. Believers came to church not only asking "What can I get out of this?" but also asking "What can I give to build up the brothers and sisters here?" Someone once said, “If you tell me to do something, I probably won't. If you show me how, I might. If you involve me, I will.” When all the believers present begin to have ownership of the weekly church meeting, they mature spiritually.

Imagine going to a park to play some pickup basketball. You see one guy on the court shooting around while he has told everyone else to sit and watch him. That doesn’t fly anywhere. We, especially us men, want to play. We want a piece of the action. Don't make us come to church, sit, and listen to one man talk. An impression without an expression can lead to depression. We will grow in spiritual maturity when we are given opportunity to express what God is teaching us. Then we will be more of the husbands, dads, and friends we should be. The most practical place to obey the Lord’s commandment (vs.37) of interactive, open church gatherings is in homes. When the gathering becomes too big and time does not permit all to participate, another house church can be planted to reach and teach more people in a new neighborhood. In China, a believer is considered to be maturing in Christ if he has a church that meets in his home.

Other reasons why we gather in homes:
*You reveal your true identity at home. Gathering in homes fosters transparency and intimacy. (Romans 12:9)

*We are obeying biblical commands to follow apostolic tradition as well as apostolic teaching. (2 Thess. 2:15 NASV)

*The Lord's Supper can be eaten as a full meal as the early church did. They looked to the cross with the Eucharist and looked to the future wedding feast of the Lamb with the fellowship meal. (1 Cor.11:20-22)

*There are more opportunities for believers to practice their spiritual gifts. (Romans 12:6-8)

*Authority resides in the church corporately and decisions by consensus of all the believers present are possible. (Matthew 18:17)

*Meeting in homes positions the church closer to lost family members and neighbors. (Acts 1:8)

*Currently 38% of American evangelicals listen to a sermon via podcasting each week. (Barna 5/26/08) With this phenomenon occurring, why not let the weekly gathering of the saints return to the New Testament-style meeting? (Ephesians 4:11-13)

*Multiple lay elders need not concern themselves with buildings and salaries, but are able to focus their attention on their relationships within the church.

*The Holy Spirit is more free to move as He spontaniously impresses something upon someone's heart during the meeting, or as He leads someone to prepare a teaching days before the meeting. (1 Cor.14:30-31)

*There is greater potential for relationships that are more community based, seeing each other more than just once a week. (Acts 2:46)

*Formality can be minimized while reverence for God can remain high.

*Intimacy fosters accountability. (James 5:16)

*Believers would be less likely to invite a non-believer to a church program and more inclined to personally speak with them about salvation. (Acts 5:13-14)

*Believers become loyal to God’s kingdom and each other, not programs and buildings.

*Each time we see the word “preach” in the Bible it always refers to something taking place outside the church….. evangelism. In a house church we teach one another and preaching is returned to it’s proper place.

*The unfortune event of church discipline can be applied with greater effectiveness. (Matt. 18:17-20)

*Evangelists and church planters can be supported with voluntary gifts rather than the unbiblical practice of salaried positions within the church. (Matt.10:8)

*Tithes/offerings are given to the needy instead of buildings and salaries. (James 1:27)

*Before the 1950s churches in America were not 501c3 incorporations. It is much easier for a house church to be a free church rather than the unbiblical practice of falling under the government’s jurisdiction. (Matt.22:21)

*Prayer requests can be heard and prayed for individually. (Acts 1:14)


A few objections answered:

“Our church has Sunday school classes and small groups that meet in homes. Isn't that enough?”

It is definitely a step in the right direction. I’ll be the last guy to say that the traditional church model with it’s building, pastor, and denomination is “bad”. The Lord saved and discipled me in the traditional church, and He will continue to use this model to expand His kingdom. It’s not a matter of “good” or “bad”. It’s a matter of “good, better, or best”. A traditional church with home groups is better than a traditional church without them. I’m persuaded that a voluntary network of autonomous house churches is best.

During the small group, is there freedom for a believer to share a teaching, song, or testimony as the Lord leads? Do you eat the Lord's Supper as a full meal like the churches planted by the apostles? With our time, talents, and treasures do we demonstrate that we value buildings and programs more than the simplicity of the 1 Corinthians 14 church meeting? Do we feel we have simply inve$ted too much into our traditional church buildings to walk away from them? Are we more focused on how many people are coming to our church than how many believers are coming to maturity in the kingdom? There are few paid ministers who will encourage small groups to become house churches, for obvious rea$ons. It just wouldn’t make cents.

”Does it really matter how we gather as long as we are loving Jesus?”

Jesus says that those who love Him will obey His commands. Do we really think that Christ would leave us without instructions about something as precious to Him as His church? A legalist exalts a rule above the principle behind that rule. Without becoming legalistic, how can we best apply all biblical principles in our church gatherings?

”Wouldn't house church foster heresy?”

Actually, the participation of all believers in the house church minimizes heresy. Heresy was maximized when church buildings became the norm and silenced the pew sitter. When all believers have the freedom to speak within the church gathering, teachings can be questioned and other passages of scripture can be presented. Is it possible that denominations began when pew sitters were silenced and unable to share their interpretation of scripture in regard to a certain doctrine? Can we not joyfully gather with believers who disagree with our interpretations in regard to doctrines not related to salvation? As important as many secondary doctrinal issues are, is there one greater than the unity of believers? Can we trust the Holy Spirit to give life to house churches that honor Him and to give death to those churches that do not? It is much easier for a church to die when it’s members have not inve$ted in it’s building.

”What about the guy that just keeps talking?!”

A more mature believer, possibly an elder, needs to speak with him privately. The elder must learn how to use his relational influence, not the power of his position, to persuade.
Could 1 Cor. 14:30 have been written with this in mind? Could it be understood that if you’ve lost eye contact with most folks that it’s time for you to wrap it up? In the traditional church where the pew sitter is silenced, his character flaws are rarely discovered, but his non-Christian co-workers know them well.

”What do we do with the children?”

Children can be taught to sit quietly. Younger children can sit on the floor and play quietly, or if needed, play in a room beside the gathering room. Flexibility is the key. We want our children to see us interacting with other believing adults in spiritual conversation and prayer. Children should learn the Bible primarily through their parents, not the weekly gathering. House church is a gathering of families.


I speak daily with Muslims who have never questioned their Islamic traditions because they have never experienced an alternative. Even when a Muslim is persuaded by the truth of the gospel, fear of man often influences his decisions. Many of us here in the west have never questioned our church traditions because we have never experienced anything different. If you are persuaded that some biblical principles are missing from your current church experience, will you obey whatever God tells you to do? Are you more comfortable following the church traditions of a 4th century Roman emperor than the church traditions of the apostles?

Personally, our family’s experience with house church has been far from perfect. Maybe years from now I will not keep the same convictions about church that I have now. Above all is Jesus Christ….. His glory, His kingdom, His praise. Lord, help me to never to focus on the bride above her Groom.