Why Home Church Participation Is Spreading Across The Globe
Where there are people gathered to glorify the name of God, it can be called a church. The term church does not refer to a grand physical structure according to the Greek word. As with the many other wise quotes written, Matthew 18: 20 says that, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
The beginnings of Christianity were far from being peaceful. The early Christians could not worship publicly because of the fear of being persecuted. They were not allowed to build churches where they could openly worship. Because of this, many of the early Christians sought refuge in the home church where they could freely praise God.
Advantages of Joining a Home Church
The group of Christians that usually meet in a home is usually made up of a limited number of people. Since there are limitations in space, the number of people attending the service is also limited. This makes for an intimate time to share yourself and your beliefs with the people whom you consider to be members of your home church.
Also, most home churches tend to be more informal when it comes to the patterns of their services. This is dissimilar to the structured program of the traditional church that we are familiar with. Since home church members are only a small group, service usually means a shared meal where informal discussions about faith and the Bible are conducted. Sharing your most personal experiences and beliefs is the norm and the service becomes more intimate. Also, the informal setting also allows you to dress as you please.
Spreading of the Home Church
Just as with early church history, the idea of home church flourishes in places where Christianity and preaching of the word of God is not allowed. Places like China have seen the rise in the number of home churches. It is also slowly spreading to other parts of the world like Vietnam, India, Cuba, Brazil and some African Nations.
Hebrews 10:24-25 emphasizes that Christians are not to “forsake the assembly of the church, as some are in the habit of doing”. Whether an informal group of Christians can meet together to worship and not meet with a larger body of believers in the locality is a matter of debate. However, the trend toward home church worship continues to grow worldwide.
