Since 2020, there has been a rise of people turning their homes into a church—places where they can meet as a small group, worship, study the Word of God, pray, and encourage one another. While this may seem like a new concept, it's actually a reemergence of something old.
The Early Church
After the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), Peter gave a sermon, repeating what was spoken by the prophet Joel (Acts 2:16-21). The Holy Spirit changed hearts and empowered those who received Him…
- “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”—Acts 2:37-39
What Did Believers Do After Repenting and Receiving?
They…
- Continued to learn more about Jesus through the apostles’ doctrine
- Ate and broke bread together, sharing meals
- Prayed and fellowshipped
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”—Acts 42-47
Everything about the power and glory of the early church came from these things: studying the Word, fellowshipping, remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection, and prayer.
Where Did the Early Church Meet?
At first, the church met in the Temple (see Acts 2:46), but it was destroyed in 70 A.D. However, even before it was destroyed, they met outside of the Temple.
Where?
Church houses. Essentially, they turned their houses into a church or met wherever they could. After the destruction of the Temple, they quickly realized the need to be flexible, and the priority was to study the Word, pray, fellowship, and do life together; it wasn’t so much about where. And they could meet “where two or three are gathered together” in Jesus’ name (Matthew 18:20).
- They met in rented rooms (Luke 22:10-12)
- They met in homes (Acts 2:46).
- They met in schools (Acts 19:9)
Do You Remember What Jesus Told the Samaritan Woman?
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father… But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.’”—John 4:19-12, 23-24
Have you ever asked, “Can I turn my house into a church?” Jesus gave an answer…
- A true worshiper will worship the Father in spirit and truth. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
A Testimonial of Starting a Church House | Worshiping in Spirit and Truth
If the Spirit of God is prompting your heart to start a church house, be encouraged by this testimonial. Remember, what seems impossible to man is possible with God.
Troy and Amy Price
Troy and Amy reached out to Abundant Life after being frustrated with not knowing how to do church with a number of limitations—from meeting during Covid to having enough space. Abundant Life encouraged them with a lot of communication and prayer.
“We were frustrated… tired of lukewarm teaching and were ready to be in a church where our kids could grow and be more engaged.
“We were already doing church online with another family but had many other families asking to join us. We didn't have the space or capacity to accommodate them. It was a very heavy feeling–knowing that others around us were also in a season of frustration but not knowing how to help them.
“[After connecting with Abundant Life], they showed immediate interest by contacting us, coming to Iowa to see our space, and encouraging us with lots of communication and prayer. They also enrolled us in Next Steps Class to help us learn more about Abundant Life and to make sure that this would be a good fit for us. We trust Pastor Phil. [He is] just boldly preaching truth.”
After Troy and Amy began their journey of forming a church house, they were surprised at the amount of face-to-face contact they had with Abundant Life staff and pastors.
“[We are surprised at] the fact that our pastors are totally accessible to us at all times. But mostly that they have all become dear friends! When we have opportunities to attend church in person at Lee’s Summit, it feels like home to us!”
How has their church house grown, and how does it run?
“Our church house somewhat runs itself! We have a cadence and rhythm to what we do, and the good news is we don't even have to be here for it to happen. Our people step in and host and lead the discussion and prayer when we cannot be here.
“Our families are growing! Real discipleship is taking place, and new friendships are taking root. People are being encouraged and challenged with biblical truth each week, which is what we have found they are hungry for. We have done service projects as a group, Bible studies together, hosted baptisms for 20 of our people, and fellowshipped together around food and fun.
“This truly has allowed us to use the gifts the Lord has given us (an empty barn, flexible time, our resources, and leadership abilities) and steward them for His glory, which has really grown our family. We are super grateful for what God has done here and pray we continue to seek His will and guidance in the way forward!”
Want to Know More About Starting a Church House?
If you want to start a church house but don’t know where to start, be encouraged. There is support and resources available to you. We want to help! Contact us here. We want to get you connected, pray for you, and provide you with guidance to help your family and community grow and see more lives changed by Jesus.
