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origins page
why house churches? Jesus
modeled for His followers a God-honoring life 24/7. To often we compartmentalize our lives into boxes—a “work” box,
a “family” box, an “emotional” box, an “intellectual” box, a “spiritual” box,
etc. Jesus loved and lived as a whole
person and encouraged His followers to do the same. . . Jesus said, “ Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your
neighbor as yourself.' Matthew
22:37-39 The
early followers of Jesus lived out their lives loving God and loving
people. They did it in the
“everydayness” of their lives. They
saw it in Jesus and began living it too.
They didn’t stop living to follow Jesus. They brought Jesus into their living. So at a pragmatic level, they used the things that were already
present in their life to follow Him. The
followers of Jesus were spiritual families—also called “churches.” These
churches were the collection of followers of Jesus who lived in community
with each other. They didn’t go out
and find a building to become a church.
The group was already “living as the church” together. They used the everyday stuff of life—their
houses—to provide a place to gather the people. We desire the
same—to live in community with each other and to bring Jesus into our
living. We long to love God and love
people in the “everydayness” of our lives.
We gather into our spiritual families in our houses—because it is
something God gave us and we ought to use for His purposes. We are not about
“houses.” We are about being the Church together. Maybe you want to
go a little deeper than this. The
next section examines what the Bible records about the early followers of
Jesus and what they called –“the church that meets in your house.” We are
shortening that phrase and calling them “house churches.” the Bible & house
churches
Introduction
This biblical tour will give an introductory sentence or two, then a statement directly from the Bible (in the NIV-- New International Version). These statements speak volumes about how the initial followers of Jesus lived in the first century. The challenge is on the table as to how we will live nearly 20 centuries later.
Let's look. . . The early followers of
Jesus gathered in a house together right after Jesus went up to be with his
Father. They were living out “church
life” even before having the Holy Spirit When they
arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those
present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew
and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of
James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Acts 1:13- 14 They received the Holy
Spirit in a house When the
day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and
filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that
separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the
Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:1-4 Eating together—it doesn’t get
much more ordinary than eating—but eating together in homes was an important
part of their lives together. Every day they continued to meet
together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate
together with glad and sincere hearts, Acts 2:46 The good news of Jesus was
talked about in their homes . . .daily. Day after day, in the temple courts
and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good
news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:42 Saul (who later becomes Paul
and writes half of the New Testament) sought to wreck the church. He went to homes—to those following Jesus
in the “everydayness.” He didn’t burn books or a building. Instead, he
dragged off people . . . because people are what the church is about. But Saul began to destroy the church.
Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in
prison. Acts 8:3 Peter’s miraculous release
from prison was being prayed for by a gathering of his spiritual family in a
house. Read the whole story in Acts
12 . . .it is amazing. When this had
dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called
Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Acts 12:12 After Lydia embraced Jesus,
Paul and company stayed at her house.
Then days later, after Paul and Silas were released from jail, they
went to her house for a “spiritual family” meeting. "If you consider me a believer
in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she
persuaded us. Acts 16:14 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to
Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then
they left. Acts 16:40 Paul focused on telling the
truth about Jesus in the synagogue, but when he was opposed and abused, he
went to an everyday place—the house next door. Then Paul left the
synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of
God. Acts 18:7 Again, Paul focused on telling
the truth about Jesus and His teachings.
Paul told it everywhere: public spaces and private ones. You know that I have not hesitated to
preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and
from house to house. Acts
20:20 In the personal greeting
section of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he sends a special greeting . . . to
a house church. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow
workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all
the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that
meets at their house. Romans 16:3-5
Now that house church of
Aquila and Pricilla’s sends a special greeting . . . to the church in
Corinth. The churches in the province of Asia
send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so
does the church that meets at their house.
1 Corinthians 16:19 Another special greeting to a
house church— Give my greetings to the brothers at
Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. Colossians 4:15 This letter to Philemon was
also addressed to the house church . . . because it asks Philemon to do
some difficult things and Paul wants them all to know. Read the whole letter to figure it out. To Philemon our dear friend and
fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to
the church that meets in your home: Philemon 1:1-2 Conclusion
That’s the end of this Biblical tour. The conclusions are pretty obvious. Hopefully this was helpful for your understanding . . . now you have to do something about it. What will you do?
© 2002 thequest written by Mike Jentes mike@thequestcolumbus.com
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