Scriptural Evidence for Home
Fellowships
by Calvin Lashway
Was it a
normal New Testament practice for small groups of Christians to
assemble in private homes for worship, fellowship and instruction?
MUST people worship God only in a large congregation in a church
building or room? What constitutes a "church"?
Today more and more people are
meeting in private homes each Sabbath for worship. These small groups
are referred to by various names such as Home Fellowships, House
Churches, and probably the most popular term, "The Living Room Church of
God". These Christians are often criticized for this practice by some of
the leaders and members of the religious organizations of our tradition.
An example of this criticism is
seen in a quote from a sermon given by a minister where he said:
"In the NT, there was organization and congregations.
Some think that a big organization is a bad thing. The Bible doesn't
spell out the exact organization. It speaks of positions, elders,
deacons. It talks about local churches. But there is no 'Epistle to
the Living Room church'. There is only one letter to scattered
brethren, Hebrews, all the rest were to churches." (1)
This speaker is implying that a
Living Room Church of God is unbiblical, that it is not a "congregation"
or a "church." What does the Bible say?
Is the modern practice of small groups of people meeting in private
homes for worship, fellowship and instruction unbiblical?
The purpose of this study is to
examine scriptural evidence showing that it was a normal New Testament
practice for small groups of Christians to assemble in private home for
worship, fellowship and instruction.
This study will not explore the
subject of Church government. The speaker implies that a Living Room
Church of God has no organization and leadership. This is simply not
true. What is true, is most Home Fellowships do not practice the
hierarchical and authoritarian form of government used by many of the
Churches of our tradition. Church government is another subject
altogether, and in recent years many writers have addressed this issue.
Definition of the
word "Church"
The Greek word translated "church"
is ekklesia 1577 "an assembly, a (religious) congregation"
Abbott-Smith Lexicon.
From the
Online
Bible, ekklesia 1577:
1) a
gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public
place, an assembly 1a) an assembly of the people convened at the
public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating 1b) the
assembly of the Israelites 1c) any gathering or throng of men
assembled by chance, tumultuously 1d) in a Christian sense 1d1) an
assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting
1d2) a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal
salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites,
hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs,
according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake
1d3) those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a
company and are united into one body 1d4) the whole body of
Christians scattered throughout the earth 1d5) the assembly of
faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven.
A Church is not a building, or a
place where Christians met.
A Church is an assembly or
congregation of Christians.
Historical Background
It is important to remember that
there is no evidence: biblical, historical or archaeological of
Christians having special buildings for worship during the first
century.
"Not until
the first half of the third century did the Christians build houses
of worship." (2)
Richard Krautheimer writing in
"Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture" states:
Until A.D. 200, then, a Christian
architecture did not and could not exist. Only the state religion
erected temples in the tradition of the Greek and Roman
architecture. The savior religions [for example Mithras or Isis],
depending on the specific form of their ritual and the finances of
their congregations, built oratories above or below ground, from the
simplest to the most lavish but always on a small scale. Christians
congregations prior to 200 were limited to the realm of domestic
architecture, and further, to inconspicuous dwellings of the lower
classes. (3)
As we examine the biblical
evidence, we will see the importance of "domestic architecture," (i.e.
the private home to the New Testament Church of God).
Direct Evidence for Assembling
in Private Houses
First we will examine the direct
scriptural evidence for Christians assembling in private homes. After
looking at the direct evidence, we will examine the indirect evidence
for home assemblies. (4)
The Assembly in the Ephesian
House of Aquila and Priscilla
First Corinthians is written in the
city of Ephesus during the spring of A.D. 57, (5) by the apostle Paul.
At that time an assembly of Christians are meeting in the house of
Aquila and Priscilla:
"The
churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca [Priscilla] greet you
heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house" (1
Corinthians 16:19).
All scripture quoted are from the
New American Standard Bible (NASB), unless otherwise stated). As we will
see later this was probably not the only House Church in Ephesus.
The Assembly in the Roman House
of Priscilla and Aquila
Paul's letter to the Roman
Christians is written in the city of Corinth during the spring of A.D.
58. By this time Priscilla and Aquila had returned to Rome, where they
had once lived (Acts18:2), and a assembly of Christians were meeting in
their house:
"Greet
Prisca [Priscilla] and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, .
. . also {greet} the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus,
my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia" (Romans
16:3-5).
Like Ephesus, we will see that the
House Church of Priscilla and Aquila was not the only assembly of
Christians in Rome.
The Assembly in the House of
Philemon
Paul's letter to the Colossians is
written from Rome some time around A.D. 61 or 62, during his first Roman
captivity (A.D. 61-63). This is the period of time covered in Acts
28:16-31.
The letter was apparently delivered
by Tychicus and Onesimus. Onesimus was a native of Colossae (Colossians
4:7-9). He was a runaway slave of Philemon, who ending up in Rome, was
converted by Paul (Philemon 15-16, 10).
In addressing his letter to
Philemon, written at the same time as the letter to the Colossians (A.D.
61 or 62), Paul sends greetings to the assembly of Christians meeting
Philemon's house:
"Paul, a
prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our
beloved [brother] and fellow worker, and to Apphia our sister, and
to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: "
(Philemon 1-2).
The Christians of Colossae
assembled in Philemon's home.
The Assembly in the House of
Nympha
In his letter to the Colossians,
Paul makes reference to another House Church:
"Greet the
brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is
in her house"(Colossians 4:15).
In the area of Laodicea there
appears to be two groups of Christians. The first group being "the
brethren who are in Laodicea," or as in verse 16
"the church of the Laodiceans." The second
group is "Nympha and the church that is in her house." It is also
possible that only one group of people is being referred to, and the
entire Laodicean Church assembled in the house of Nympha.
Small Congregations
We see from these scriptures that
some 30 years after the crucifixion Christian were meeting in private
homes. By the very nature of meeting in homes, these congregations were
not large, but small. Each assembly was only as large as the biggest
room in a given home.
Richard Krautheimer describes what
these homes were like:
And as the
congregations were recruited by and large from the lower and middle
classes [1 Cor.1:26-31], their houses would have been typical cheap
houses. Such houses are know to us, if not from the first and second
centuries, at least from the fourth and fifth. In the Eastern
provinces, they were apparently one-family buildings up to four
stories high. The dining-room on top was the only large room, and
often opened on a terrace. This is the upper floor, the anageion or
hyperoon frequently mentioned in the Acts [Acts 1:7; 20:8], the room
'high up, open to the light', of which Tertullian still speaks after
A.D. 200. The furnishings would simply consist of a table and three
surrounding couches, from which the dining-room takes its name in
Latinized Greek - the triclinium. The main couch opposite the
entrance was presumable reserved for the elder, the host, and
speaker as honoured guest. The congregations might crowd the room,
including the window sills, so that at Troas - from the heat of the
many lamps and the length of the sermon -a young man fell from the
fourth floor (the tristegon), only to be resurrected by the
preacher, St. Paul [Acts 20:5-10]. In Rome, where tenement houses
with horizontal apartments were the rule, not necessarily including
a dining-room, any large chamber may have served for these
gatherings. No other rooms would have be required by the
congregations. (6)
Indirect Evidence of Assembling
in Private Houses
The following scriptures refer to
Christians assembling in private homes. These verses are not as straight
forward as the scriptures we just examined, but are indirect or
secondary evidence.
The Practice of the Jerusalem
Church
The first seven chapters of Acts
are a condensed history of the early Church of God, covering the time
period of A.D. 31 to 37. Meeting in private homes is a practice that can
be traced back to the early Jerusalem Church of God.
The early New
Testament Church met in private homes for fellowship and meals. Luke
records:
"And day by
day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from
house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness
and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the
people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who
were being saved" (Acts 2:46-47).
Some time later, private homes were
no longer in use just for fellowship. The apostles utilized them as
another location besides the Temple to teach and preach:
"And
everyday, in the temple and from house to house, they [the apostles]
kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus {as} the Christ" (Acts
5:42).
Around A.D. 37, Saul led a
persecution against the Jerusalem Church (Acts 8:1-3). In writing about
this persecution Luke records:
"But Saul [began] ravaging the church, entering house
after house; and dragging off men and women, he would put them in
prison" (Acts 8:3).
Why did Paul enter "house
after house"? Because he knew that is where he would
find Christians gathering to be taught and to fellowship.
The private house was still being
used as a location for Jerusalem Christians to assemble during another
period of persecution in A.D. 44. During this persecution, James the
brother of John is killed by Herod Agrippa I (reigned from A.D. 41-44),
and Peter is imprisoned. Herod plans to keep Peter in prison until after
Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, then kill him (Acts12:1-5).
While Peter is in prison, the
Jerusalem Christians are continually praying for him (verse 5). The
inference here is to communal prayer, not just individual prayer. This
is supported by verse 12 where it states that people were gathered for
prayer.
Verse 6-11 deal with Peter being
set free from prison. Realizing he was truly free, and not having a
dream, Peter
". . .went
to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark,
where many were gathered together and were praying" (Acts 12:12).
One reason Peter went to the house
of Mary that night, besides it being close by, may have been that he
knew this was one of those houses in Jerusalem were Christians gathered
to be taught and to fellowship. What is known, is that on this night
people were gathered at Mary's home for prayer.
This night was probably the night
following the Last Day of Unleavened Bread. Remember, Herod did not want
to kill Peter until after the Feast (Acts 12:4), and "on the very night
when Herod was about to bring him forward" (verse 6) Peter is set free.
It appears Herod was going to act as soon as possible after the Days of
Unleavened Bread as he could.
There is another reason for Peter
going to Mary's house that night. If Mary's house was a regular meeting
place for some of the Jerusalem brethren. Paul knew some of them would
still be there that night having a fellowship meal, following the end of
the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Peter did not stay at Mary's house.
Her house may have been a known location for Christian gatherings. Plus,
if it was close to where Peter was imprisoned, it would be natural for
the authorities to look for Peter in Mary's house (verse 17).
These scriptures in the book Acts
indicate that the Jerusalem Church of God was a collection of House
Assemblies or Churches. The Jerusalem Christians assembled in private
houses for fellowship and instruction from the word of God. This is the
same activity taking place today in the Home Fellowships or Living Room
Churches of God of our tradition.
Thessalonica and the "House of
Jason"
After departing Philippi (Acts
16:40) Paul arrives in Thessalonica. It is approximately the fall A.D.
51. He preaches in the local synagogue over a period of three Sabbaths.
This results in some Jewish, and even a greater number of Gentile
converts to Christianity (Acts 17:1-4). This angered a few of the Jews,
who stir up a mob, made up of "wicked men from the
marketplace" (verse 5). The mob attacks the
"house of Jason" looking for Paul and Silas (verse 5). While
in Thessalonica Paul and Silas were staying in the home of Jason (verse
7). Not finding them at the "house of Jason,"
the mob found "Jason and some brethren" who they
took to the authorities of the city (verse 6).There is the suggestion
here that the "house of Jason" was more then
just the place where Paul and Silas were staying. It had become the
first meeting place outside of the synagogue for the Church in
Thessalonica.
Verse 4 records that some of the
Jews as well as "God-fearing Greeks" and
"leading women" of the city,
"joined
Paul and Silas." This may mean they accepted the same
religion as Paul and Silas, but that meaning is rather narrow when we
examine the context of the verse. When the mob raided the
"house of Jason" they only found
"Jason and some
brethren" (verses 5- 6). This would imply that joining Paul
and Silas meant joining them in assembling at the "house of Jason." The
loss of these people from participating in the synagogue may have been
the motivating factor in the attack on Jason's house.
Corinthian House Churches
After leaving Thessalonica, Paul
travels to Berea, Athens, then on to Corinth (Acts 17:10-18:1). He stays
there for about a year and half (verse 11), early A.D. 52 to the middle
of A.D.53.
Paul starts out preaching in the
local synagogue. The Jews of Corinth reject Paul's message. From then
on, he concentrates on preaching to the Gentiles (Acts 18:1-6). Paul no
longer goes to the synagogue to preach, but:
"...went to
the house of a certain man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God,
whose house was next to the synagogue" (verse 7).
The house of Titius Justus becomes
Paul's base of operation, and an early meeting place for the young
Corinthian Church. The Corinthian Church starts out as a House Church,
(i.e. a Living Room Church of God).
By examining the scriptures we see
that there are three other possible House Churches in Corinth. First
Corinthians refers to two of these House Churches. Paul sends this
letter from Ephesus during the spring of A.D. 57.
The first possibility occurs in 1
Corinthians1:11
"For I have
been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's [people,] that
there are quarrels among you." (The word "people" is added by the
translators, and is not in the Greek.)
The verse could also be translated:
"For I
have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's, that
there are quarrels among you."
Paul writes that he received
information about the Corinthian Christians, from some people who are
associated with an individual by the name of Chloe. The nature of this
association is not clear. They could be members of Chloe's family,
household servants or possible even members of a House Church meeting in
Chloe's home.
A second possibility is found in
1Corinthians 1:16
"Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas;
beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. "
The Greek word translated
"household" in verse 16 is
"oikos"
3624, meaning " a house, a dwelling"
Abbott-Smith
Lexicon. The NASB translates this word as: descendants
(1), families (1), family (1), home (19), homes (1), house (78),
household (14), households (1), itself (1), palaces (1). The
"house of Stephanas" is a justifiable translation.
Is it possible Paul is referring to
a Christian assembly meeting in the house of Stephanas? The members of
this House Church being baptized by Paul himself?
At the close of First Corinthians
Paul refers to Stephanas again:
"Now I urge
you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were
the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves
for ministry to the saints)" (1Cor. 16:15).
The English word "household" is a
translation of the Greek word "oikia"
3614, meaning "a house, dwelling" and is related to
"oikos"
3624 Abbott-Smith Lexicon. The NASB
translates this word as: home (6), house (77), household (5), households
(1), houses (7).
The "house of Stephanas"
is a valid translation, and that is how the King James
Version translated this verse:
"I beseech
you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the
firstfruits of Achaia, and [that] they have addicted themselves to
the ministry of the saints,)" (1 Cor. 16:15).
Is it possible Paul is referring in
1Corinthians 16:15 to an congregation of Christians meeting in the house
of Stephanas?
A third possible Corinthian House
Church is mentioned in Paul's letter to the Christians of Rome, written
from Corinth in the Spring A.D. 58:
"I,
Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, host
to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city
treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother" (Rom. 16:22-23).
Tertius, Paul's "secretary" writes
that he is staying with a person named Gaius. Gaius is not only his
host, but the "host of the whole church" in Corinth. This may mean the
entire Corinthian congregation meets each Sabbath in Gaius' home. Or it
may mean that when the "whole church" gathers together in one meeting,
it is done at the home of Gaius. With smaller regular weekly
congregational meetings taking place in the homes of Justus, Chloe and
Stephanas. Gaius' home may have been used for these smaller meetings as
well.
Ephesian House Churches
Paul arrives in Ephesus in A.D. 54.
He first teaches in the Jewish synagogue for three months (Acts 19:1,
8). After meeting resistance to his message by the Jews, Paul leaves the
synagogue, and begins holding public meetings for two years in the
school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9-10). Paul spent a total of three years in
Ephesus (Acts 20:31), A.D. 54 through 57.
During his stay in Ephesus, Paul
writes First Corinthians in the spring of A.D. 57. At that time there
was an assembly of Christians meeting in the house of Aquila and
Priscilla:
"The
churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca [Priscilla] greet you
heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house" (1
Corinthians 16:19).
Aquila and Priscilla had been
living in Ephesus since their departure from Corinth in A.D. 53
(Acts18:18-28).
In the spring of A.D. 58, Paul
meets the Ephesian elders at Miletus (Acts 20:17). Commenting on his
stay in Ephesus, Paul said
"...I did not shrink from declaring to you anything
that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to
house" (verse 20).
Paul taught publicly in "school of
Tyrannus" (Acts 19:9), and "from house to house" in House Churches like
the one which met in the house of Aquila and Priscilla (1 Cor. 16:19).
Is it possible the Ephesian Church was a collection of House Churches,
or to use a modern term Living Room Churches of God? The facts point in
that direction.
Troas House Church
On a Saturday night in Troas,
during the spring of A.D. 58, the local Christians are gathered in an
"upper room" to break bread (have a fellowship
meal), and listen to Paul speak (Acts 20:6-12). This may have just been
a continuation of a Sabbath meeting that had begun sometime in the
afternoon.
These verses do not say if the
upper room they were meeting in, was in a private house or in a public
building. We do know the upper room was on the third floor of this
building (verse 9). We also know it was a practice of the early Church
to meet in the houses of its members (Rom. 16:3-5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col.
4:15; Philm. 1-2). So it is plausible that this "upper room" was located
in the house of a Troas Christian.
The House of Philip The
Evangelist
On his way to Jerusalem in A.D. 58,
Paul spends a few days in Caesarea, staying in "the house of Philip the
evangelist" (Acts 21:7-8). During Paul's visit, Philip's house is a
meeting place for the local Christians community (Acts 21:10-15).
Is it likely Philip's house was
also used for regular worship? It was large enough for him to host Paul
and his traveling companions (Acts 21:8). At the same time Philip's
house was able to accommodate "the local residents"
(Acts 21:12) or "those from that place" (New
King James Version [NKJ]), who were present when the
prophet Agabus prophesied what would happen to Paul if he went to
Jerusalem (verse10-12).
Roman House Churches
During Paul's first Roman captivity
(A.D.61-63), he rented a house for two years where he preached and
taught (Acts28:16, 23, 29-31). It seems likely Paul's house would have
become a regular meeting place for some Roman Christians. Was Paul the
host of a Living Room Church of God? The evidence points in that
direction.
Paul's would not have been the only
House Assembly in Rome, and it definitely was not the first. There may
have been as many as five other House Churches in Rome, before the
arrival of Paul. Mention of these assemblies are found in Paul's letter
to the Romans, written in the spring of A.D. 58. It is important to
remember that at this time, Rome had no public transportation. You had
to walk, or have a liter carried by servants or slaves. Carts and
animals were not allowed to move around in the city during the day, only
at night. This was a large spread out city. It was not practical for all
Roman Christians to met together for worship. Rome appears to have had
at least five House Churches.
1. An Assembly or
Church in the house Priscilla and Aquila. We know for a fact
that there was at least one Church or Assembly meeting in the house of
Priscilla and Aquila (Rom.16:3-5). By A.D. 58 they had left Ephesus, and
returned to Rome.
2. "Greet those of Aristobulus." In
Romans 16:10 Paul writes:
"Greet
Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the
{household}of Aristobulus."
In the NASB and as well as NKJ the
word "household" is not in the Greek text, but is added by the
translators. Green's Literal Translation
(GLT) of Romans 16:10 has:
"Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ; Greet those
of Aristobulus."
Paul is sending greetings to
Aristobulus and those who are with him. It is possible that "those of
Aristobulus" refers to group of believers meeting in the house of
Aristobulus.
3.
"Those of
Narcissus." In verse 11 of Romans 16 Paul sends more
salutations:
"Greet
Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the [household] of Narcissus,
who are in the Lord. "
Again in the NASB and the NKJ the
word "household" is not in the Greek text, but is added by the
translators at a latter time. The GLT translation reads:
"Greet
Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of Narcissus, those being in [the]
Lord" (Rom. 16:11).
Paul is sending greetings to
Narcissus and those who are with him. Is it possible that "those of
Narcissus" refers to another group of believers meeting in the house of,
or with Narcissus?
4. "Asyncritus . . .
and the brethren with them." In his letter, Paul acknowledge
an additional group of Roman Christians:
"Greet
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with
them" (Rom. 16:14).
There is a group of brethren
associated with Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas and Hermes, This
maybe another reference to a Roman House Church.
5. "Philologus and
Julia. . .and all the saints who are with them." Paul sends
greeting to another group of Roman Christians, who may have made up a
fifth Roman House Church:
"Greet
Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all
the saints who are with them" (Rom. 16:15).
False Teachers Subverting Whole
House Churches
In his letter to Titus, written
around 67 A.D., Paul warns:
"For there
are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially
those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are
upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not {teach},
for the sake of sordid gain" (Titus 1:10-11).
The Greek word translated by the
NASB as "families" and in the NKJ as "households" in verse 11 is
"oikos" 3624, meaning " a house, a
dwelling" Abbott-Smith Lexicon. The
NASB translates this word as: descendants (1), families (1), family (1),
home (19), homes (1), house (78), household (14), households (1), itself
(1), palaces (1).
The King James
Version translates verse 11 as:
"Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's
sake."
Green's Literal
Translation of verse 11 is similar:
"whose
mouth [you] must stop, who overturn whole houses, teaching things
which [they] ought not for the sake of ill gain."
Paul is warning Titus about false
teachers who are subverting whole houses. This may refer to families,
but it may also refer to assemblies of Christians meeting in private
houses. We know from other scriptures that by the late A.D. 50s and
early A.D. 60s, Christians meeting in private homes is not uncommon
(Rom. 16:3-5; 1Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 1-2), and this practice is
traced back to the early Jerusalem Church (Acts 2:46-47; 5:42; 8:1-3;
12:12).
Paul sends a similar warning about
false teachers to Timothy:
"holding to
a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid
such men as these. For among them are those who enter into
households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on
by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth. And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed
Moses, so these {men} also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind,
rejected as regards the faith. But they will not make further
progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, as also that of
those {two} came to be" (2 Tim. 3:5-9).
Paul wrote this letter about A.D.
68, during his second imprisonment in Rome.
The Greek word translated by the
NASB and the NKJ as "households" in verse 6 is
"oikia"
3614, "a house, dwelling" Abbott-Smith Lexicon.
The NASB translates this word as: home (6), house (77), household (5),
households (1), houses (7).
The King James
Version translates verse 6 as:
"For of this sort are they which creep into houses,
and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers
lusts" (2 Tim. 3:6).
Green's Literal Translation of
verse 6 is similar:
"For of
these are those creeping into houses and leading silly women
captive, [the ones] having been heaped with sins, being led away by
various lusts" (2 Tim.3:6).
Second Timothy 3:6 may be referring
to false teachers entering or creeping into some one's home, and leading
them astray. But in light of evidence showing that Christians met in
private homes (Acts 2:46-47; 5:42; 8:1-3; 12:12; Rom. 16:3-5; 1Cor.
16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 1-2), Paul appears to be warning Timothy about
false teachers sneaking into House Churches and leading people astray
spiritually.
Towards the end of the first
century (95 A.D.), the apostle John writes what is know as the Second
Epistle of John. In this letter, John writes that there are certain
doctrinal standards a teacher should have before he is aloud to teach.
"If anyone
comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him
into [your] house, and do not give him a greeting" (2 John 1:10).
Is it possible that John is warning
a House Church to be careful who they allow to enter their assembly as a
teacher? Spiros Zodhiates in his introduction to Second John writes:
"The 'elect lady and her children' (2 John 1:1) may
be a reference to an actual lady and her children, but many scholar
contend that this is a cryptic way of addressing a church to
safeguard against the letter falling into the hands of those who
were hostile to the Church." (7)
New Testament House Churches -
Conclusion
In this study we examined
scriptural evidence showing that during the period of the New Testament,
small groups of Christians assembled in private homes for worship,
fellowship and instruction. There are at least 21 references to House
Churches in the New Testament. Clearly a very common, if not the normal
practice of the New Testament Church of God. A practice those in the
Living Room Church of God have returned to.
House Church in Caesarea:
The house of Philip the evangelist
(Acts21:7-12)
House Church in Colosse:
The house of Philemon (Philm. 1-2)
House Churches in Corinth:
The house of Titius Justus (Acts
18:7)
The house of Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11)
The house of Stephanas (1
Cor. 16:15)
The house of Gaius (Rom. 16:22-23)
House Churches in Ephesus:
The house of Aquila and Priscilla
(1 Cor.16:19)
Anonymous houses (Acts 20:17-21)
House Churches in Jerusalem:
Anonymous houses (Acts 2:46-47)
Anonymous houses (Acts 5:42)
Anonymous houses (Acts 8:3)
The house of Mary (Acts 12:12)
House Church in or
near Laodicea:
The house of Nympha (Col. 4:15)
House Churches in Rome:
The house of Aquila and Priscilla
(Rom.16:3-5)
The house of Aristobulus (Rom. 16:10)
The house of
Narcissus (Rom. 16:11)
The house of Asyncritus (Rom. 16:14)
The
house of Philologus and Julia (Rom.16:15)
The house of Paul (Acts
28:16, 23, 29-31)
House Church in Thessalonica:
The house of Jason (Acts 17:1-9)
House Church in Troas:
The house with an upper room
(Acts20:7-12)
Footnotes:
(1)
Don Hooser, "Thirty-five Reasons Not to Leave United Church of God,"
August 9,1997, Waco, Texas, transcribed from a tape of the sermon.
(2) Albert Henry Newman, "A Manual of Church History, Volume 1, Ancient
and Medieval Church History to A. D.1517, " The American Baptist
Publication Society, Philadelphia, 1899,1933, page 142.
(3) Richard
Krautheimer, "Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture," Penguin
Books, 1965, 1975, Page 24.
(4) The terms "direct evidence" and
"indirect evidence" are from the booklet: Harvey Bluedorn, "The Biblical
Evidence For House Assemblies," Trivium Pursuit, 139 Colorado Street,
Suite 168, Muscatine, Iowa 52761.
(5) All dates are approximations
and are based on the chronologies found in Frank J. Goodwin, "A Harmony
of the Life of St. Paul," Baker Book House, 1951, 1988, and Merrill F.
Unger, "Unger's Bible Dictionary," Moody Press, 1966, 1982, pages
485-488.
(6) Krautheimer, "Early Christian and Byzantine
Architecture," Page 24.
(7) Spiros Zodhiates, ed., "The Complete
Word Study New Testament" King James Version, AMG Publishers, 1992, page
798.
|
