Why Gather In Homes?
We gather in homes to live as family
Jesus called His followers to a high degree of love. In John 15:10-12 Jesus tells us that if we keep His commandments we will abide in His love. He then tells us that His commandment is that we love one another just as He has loved us. To demonstrate this kind of love for one another demands that we know one another well and that we are intimately involved in each other’s lives. When 50, or 100 or more people meet in an auditorium this is hard to accomplish. When we meet in homes with 10-30 people it enables us to live as family. We can truly know one another and love one another.
We gather in homes because we believe in the priesthood of all believers
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
When the church first started to meet, everyone participated. Someone brought a hymn, another person brought a lesson, another a revelation (1 Corinthians 14:26). It is common in our gatherings for people to share what God has been teaching them during the week through His word, or to share a song that God has used in their life to bring them to a place of worship during the week.
We gather in homes to fulfill the Great Commission
The gospel is meant to be shared by followers of Jesus who lead lives that are attractive and compelling because they stand out from the world around them. They stand out in their holiness and in their radical love for one another. Meeting in homes puts us directly in our neighborhoods and close to the people we are seeking to reach.