Home Church and Calendar

Our communities and homes are the most vital places for the Spirit of the Lord to dwell among us.

Naturally because He has a close affinity for us He wants to be in our midst in the places where we let down our hair, kick off our shoes, hang our hats, celebrate our joys, endure our deepest sorrows. It isn’t hard to see why the Lord would prize Shabbat worship of the Heavenly Father in our very homes. And this kind of practice was not just meant for the Jews alone, but for all! Even all the feasts observed by the orthodox Jews were meant for every human being, not just the Jewish race!

As the 2020 COVID pandemic approached, we saw governments worldwide engage in a coup that limited our congregational worship and brotherly unity. So now because of many assaults both secular and legal to our faith,  we have to reconsider public church and the venues in which we worship.

Early disciples of Yeshua met in very small, private groups in homes or secluded areas away from scrutiny of hostile and disbelieving observers and the governors. They had the same problems of persecution that the faithful endure today, only worse. In fact it is not hard to see that the closeknit band of followers of Yeshua (Jesus), a group of twelve was the proper and exact representation of the size of a group that could adequately be considered a manageable private ‘home’ church. 

When it got too big and public, there were logistical and organizational consequences from Judea and Rome associated with that. But if the group was too small, then the propensity for sowing spiritual seed was decreased.

The number and size of the Lord’s personal followers (the 12) was an example compared to John’s much wider audiences of plein air preaching of how many people should come together in worship in a spiritually meaningful and intimately positive interaction. Anything bigger than that number might mean some followers get missed or neglected in some part of the worship or ministry. That is not to say Yeshua did not condone large crowds for the large crowds pursued Him everywhere. But for the purposes of strictly ministering intimately and effectively to a manageable size of a group, Yeshua utilized the small group of the 12 to establish a true and lasting ministry. So if you are called to be a spiritual leader, take the Lord’s example and limit your group to a small number in home worship and ministry. If the group becomes larger, make another group and assign another disciple to lead the second group in home centered worship. But never allow the group to get so big that the worship leaders and hosts cannot engage all participants personally and directly.

I have a deep appreciation for the concept of home church. With home church the Lord can plant many seeds, tender them individually and bring in a great harvest. 

It is surprising that even in this day and age where mega churches sprout everywhere and large group revival and world evangelism has grown rampant, the harvest of souls for Heaven remains yet small! 

It is not enough for Hollywood celebrity styled evangelists to bring large audiences together for one night of praise and worship. The problem is they cannot connect with each and every individual that responds to the invite. For the next day after they have flown back home on their private jets, they will have abandoned the newly saved neglecting the vital and ongoing work of souls in their walks for the days to come.

A dynamic ministerial connection with disciples must be an ongoing spiritual process for true transformation and salvation. An impactful worship event for believers must be followed by an intimately guided, personally directed and continually fostered renewal among like minded individuals. Else how would hot tempered Cephas have become the Rock? How would John the beloved been able to glean the spirit of wisdom from Yeshua? How would Toma, the doubter have been able to open his eye?

Could home churches once again be the answer to a depraved world?