Why Home Church?

Why am I trying to start a home church?

I have become disillusioned with what I call 'Churchianity' of late. We are raised in our Christian lives to believe that to be a good Christian, we must attend an organised church institution. But there is no command to do so. Scripture says that we should gather and fellowship and love and serve together. But there is no strict formula given for what this must look like. I am not saying that organised churches are wrong as such. But I feel they are not set up for true and optimal Christian fellowship. As I quoted on the home page from Acts 2, the early church met privately and publicly, they shared meals in their homes, they devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles, and they fellowshipped and prayed together. They had no fixed location. No single building that they owned and operated out of. 

If you go to a Protestant church today, you will be greeted at the door, be given a pamphlet, and take a seat. You may know the people around you and you may not. You might be able to get a conversation going, or you may get standoffish vibes and it may be awkward. You may not feel welcomed at all and feel surrounded by cliques.
You'll sit in your seat and look at the stage, and a show will be put on. You'll sing a song or two, then someone will get up and say a few things about the message of the day and maybe deliver some notices. Then someone will read some scripture, and a preacher will get up and deliver a sermon that will often be essentially three points and a poem. Then you'll pray and sing another song and it's over.

A brother loaned me a book last year that changed my view of the modern church forever. I discovered that modern church services are still largely based on the Roman Catholic model. The church building is a Roman invention, the sermon is from the ancient Greek tradition of orators giving public speeches; the altar has been replaced by the pulpit, and the priest by the preacher.

Having said that, I am not saying these church services are not often moving and convicting, and that the sermons are not powerful, meaty, and instructional. However, these organised churches follow a plan and a Bible teaching schedule. Their sermons follow a regimented method of preaching, based on the expository style they are taught in seminary. Pastors do not preach from the heart, and often they ignore current events, do not tackle the hard doctrinal issues, and do not guide their flocks through the times they live in.

Many people in my church are loving and kind. But there are also busybodies, gossips, and judgmental hypocrites. They often have the ear of the pastor or the elders. The church is concerned with growing its numbers, which is fine. But they compromise on important issues in order to people-please. This is often what happens to bigger churches, and they lose their way. It's not their fault. Large congregations make it too hard for pastoral staff to effectively disciple and support their congregants. 

A much better model is to have many smaller home fellowships, who then may get together in larger groups on occasion. A common issue in my church is that people who feel loved and involved early on, begin to feel forgotten and isolated as the years go on and new people join. They end up drifting away. But if you have a small home-based fellowship, where you personally know each other well and everyone is like family, this is far less likely to happen. It shouldn't happen at all. Other issues that occur is new people join and bible study groups start up that are not equipped to handle meaty doctrinal issues or questions. They can even be hijacked by a new member with terrible theology and it can permeate the congregation. 

I was part of a Bible study group through my church. I met with up a great group of men once a week, and we would talk and pray and study and eat food. We would often socialise outside of Bible study, and we helped each other with home maintenance, moving house, and whatever else. I found this far more edifying, inspiring, satisfying, uplifting, and real than attending organised church. I actually viewed my Bible study as my true Christian fellowship. But sadly, they have changed the main day of the bible study and I am not able to attend. Another benefit of home fellowship is flexibility. 

This is where the home church model can be so much better than attending an organised and regimented church service. I know a few brothers and sisters who feel the same way. If you feel this sounds like something you would like to be a part of, please contact me. I would love to meet you.