House Churches

[tabletalk]

Are they legitimate churches?
Did the early Church meet in homes of Believers?
Did cities such as Corinth have many churches?
Do house churches have Elders and Deacons, or no leadership at all?
Should house churches eventually meet in a separate building due to increased membership; becoming a house church no longer?



From 1Corinthians 1: 2. "To the church of God which is at Corinth..."
: 10. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Ce’s household, that there are contentions among you."
1 Corinthians 3: 3. "...For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4. For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? " :

 

[Windmill Charge]

What is a Church?
Is it a fancy building or a utilitarian hall or is it a group of people?
You will find the answer to your question when you answer the above.

 

[Stranger]

Are they legitimate churches?
Did the early Church meet in homes of Believers?
Did cities such as Corinth have many churches?
Do house churches have Elders and Deacons, or no leadership at all?
Should house churches eventually meet in a separate building due to increased membership; becoming a house church no longer?



From 1Corinthians 1: 2. "To the church of God which is at Corinth..."
: 10. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Ce’s household, that there are contentions among you."
1 Corinthians 3: 3. "...For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4. For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? " :

House churches are legitimate. Many times that is the way the early church would have met. But they do have their dangers. If it is set up at the beginning to continue for a long time then it probably will. But if it is just some Christians deciding we just want to meet at each others house instead of meeting at a known church, then it probably won't last very long. If it is believers saying we won't have any doctrine, we will just worship Jesus, it probably won't last. If it is believers who say we will have no authority figures in our church because we are all priests and we will just focus on Jesus, it probably won't last.

A house church should function like any other local church. It should have leaders, a pastor/teacher, and teachers in places of authority. They should have a doctrine and be in agreement. They should have a statement of faith. They should have plans for when the church grows. It doesn't take many to be too many. They only have two options. Meet somewhere larger or divide up into another house church. Either is fine, but they must know which they plan to do. If they divide up, leaders must be found in both groups.

To neglect any of these things is to invite the wolves in sheeps clothing. Some charismatic figure will come in and be appealing to all. Or some novice believer will be elevated to places that destroy him because of pride. And he in turn can cause much damage.

Stranger

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Are they legitimate churches?
Did the early Church meet in homes of Believers?
Did cities such as Corinth have many churches?
Do house churches have Elders and Deacons, or no leadership at all?
Should house churches eventually meet in a separate building due to increased membership; becoming a house church no longer?



From 1Corinthians 1: 2. "To the church of God which is at Corinth..."
: 10. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Ce’s household, that there are contentions among you."
1 Corinthians 3: 3. "...For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4. For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? " :

Is this a family picture?

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

House churches are the best of all churches.
It allows personal friendships to form and grow.
It allow for discipleship that you may not receive elsewhere.
It brings back the early church, the breaking of bread together, group prayer where everyone has a chance to pray, Bible study, and support for those with special needs.
It is church the way church was meant to be.

 

[tabletalk]

Is this a family picture?

Ha! They are Kosher too.

 

[Triumph1300]

There are many house churches in remote areas.
Nothing wrong with it.
2000 years ago people would meet in homes.
The first European church was in Lydia's home.

 

[GodsGrace]

There are many house churches in remote areas.
Nothing wrong with it.
2000 years ago people would meet in homes.
The first European church was in Lydia's home.

Lidia's that old??
LOL

 

[GodsGrace]

House churches are the best of all churches.
It allows personal friendships to form and grow.
It allow for discipleship that you may not receive elsewhere.
It brings back the early church, the breaking of bread together, group prayer where everyone has a chance to pray, Bible study, and support for those with special needs.
It is church the way church was meant to be.

Sounds good.
And I agree.
But there's no glue.
You need glue.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Nowadays, all churches will keep changing.
The world moves fast, people leave for college and never come home.
They take on new jobs in new cities.
They find a more exciting church down the street.
Then in 6 months, they find an excuse to leave that one and move.
And quite often justified as corruption and politics seem to be taking over the churches.

I say find a couple of people who just want to worship Jesus and learn his word better and go with it.

 

[Triumph1300]

First church in Europe, actually a house church: After Lydia’s conversion and baptism, she insisted that Paul and his friends come to stay at her home, if they judged her to “a believer in the Lord” (verse 15). Luke says that “she prevailed upon us,” which indicates the fervency of her desire to be hospitable. The missionaries did indeed judge Lydia to be a true believer, and they stayed at her home while in Philippi.

 

[GodsGrace]

First church in Europe, actually a house church: After Lydia’s conversion and baptism, she insisted that Paul and his friends come to stay at her home, if they judged her to “a believer in the Lord” (verse 15). Luke says that “she prevailed upon us,” which indicates the fervency of her desire to be hospitable. The missionaries did indeed judge Lydia to be a true believer, and they stayed at her home while in Philippi.

Lidia doesn't live in Philippi.

 

[Helen]

Are they legitimate churches? YES
Did the early Church meet in homes of Believers? NO
Did cities such as Corinth have many churches? YES
Do house churches have Elders and Deacons, YES
Should house churches eventually meet in a separate building due to increased membership; becoming a house church no longer? NO

 

[Dcopymope]

A church is any place a group of likeminded individuals, who share the same beliefs meet up. It can be done at a stadium or someone's home. God doesn't care either way. A house church is a bit too touchy feely for me, and crosses the line of my privacy. My house is off limits.

 

[GodsGrace]

Are they legitimate churches? YES
Did the early Church meet in homes of Believers? NO
Did cities such as Corinth have many churches? YES
Do house churches have Elders and Deacons, YES
Should house churches eventually meet in a separate building due to increased membership; becoming a house church no longer? NO

The early church met in homes...
Peter's was one of them.
It might depend on what one means by "early church".
The church right after Jesus' resurrection and maybe, the first 50 years or so. By Revelation, in the year 90AD or so, there definitely were churches in bldgs.

 

[Truth]

Where Two Or More Gather In My Name, there I Will Be Also. Church is a word used to describe, a gathering of believers in a building. I do not believe It was called that in the Early Time! Find the root word for Church__ LOL

 

[Triumph1300]

Lidia doesn't live in Philippi.

Not any more. She's in heaven now.
But according to scripture that's where she was living.

 

[aspen]

In the earliest days of the church Christians met in the Temple in Jerusalem and in each others homes. (Acts 2:26)

The Apostles would preach in the Jewish synagogues, often evangelistically, but sometimes even at the invitation of the other Jews. (See Acts 13 for example)

They would meet in halls, such as the Hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus. (Acts 19:9)

The New Testament doesn't mention purpose built church buildings, and in the New Testament era the most common meeting place for Christians was in each others' homes.

The earliest known church building is the Dura-Europos church, which was converted from a regular house in around 233-256AD.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Philemon 1b-2;
"To Philemon our dear friend and fellow co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:"

 

[GodsGrace]

Not any more. She's in heaven now.
But according to scripture that's where she was living.

Just Kidding.
I have a famous friend named Lidia.
I'm sooooo bad !!
:)