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In a previous blog, I mentioned the church I’d led in London was birthed in the house church movement in the late ‘60s. Our church, consisting of several small house churches, grew rapidly. As I’ve mentioned before, it was this same pioneering spirit that led us to where we are today.
We intended to multiply by division, but people who had formed close relationships in their house church were reluctant to start afresh and it wasn’t long before we morphed into a single-congregation community church, hiring buildings in which to meet, whilst continuing to enjoy close fellowship with one another during the week.
Eventually we purchased a redundant school building, enabling us to centralise all our church activities under one roof, as well as providing us with the facilities for running and expanding our independent Christian school.
While Immanuel Church has thrived over the years and still does, there are benefits of house church which can get lost in a larger church setting. For example, when you meet in a house, it’s clear that the church is the people not the building and developing Jesus’ life within is easier to focus on. Also, in a home setting, church stays organic, and whilst leadership is important there’s no division between clergy and laity.
Now, from the peaceful setting of our home in Scotland, my wife Julie and I, together with the friends who are part of our community, find ourselves appreciating the simplicity and intimacy of small gatherings once again.
Practical advantages include minimal financial overheads, no need for amplification, and it’s a great environment for people to work out their spiritual life together with plenty of interaction. It’s a good place for exercising the priesthood of all believers, and the Lord’s supper can become part of a real meal.
The early home churches we read about in the Acts of the Apostles were birthed into the pagan Roman Empire where persecution was rife. The house church model served to protect the saints and the true faith even though many died for refusing to deny Christ. However, when Constantine instigated Christendom as the state religion in the fourth century Christian meetings in informal settings were eventually forbidden.
For much of the global church persecution has forced believers into homes. In places where levels of persecution are highest house churches are burgeoning. The mushrooming of the underground church in China during the communist regime is a testament to the success of the house church model. We believe the church at the end of the age when persecution increases in the West will once again meet in homes.
If you want a space to hear God, for spiritual renewal, to realign with the Lord’s direction for your life, to simply spend quality time with him, or to find a refuge away from the busyness of everyday life, we invite you to use our retreat centre nestled in our peaceful grounds and delightful gardens. Find out more here.
