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WHY MEET IN HOUSES?

Why shouldn’t we meet in nice big sanctuaries with all the amenities like everyone else does?

There are many reasons for holding small meetings in homes

 instead of large meetings in “Sanctuaries.”

However THE reason that is foundational is that meeting in homes is THE biblical example. 

Every church mentioned in the New Testament met in a home.

 If we are looking for a “Biblical Model” there is no other.

Another reason is that the entire idea of “sanctuaries” or “Holy Spaces” portrays the concept

that faith and faith-life can be (or should be) compartmentalized.

 As if faith in Christ is somehow divided from “REAL” life. 

A key concept should be examined here. 

This comes from communication theory as expressed by Marshall McLuhan

 in his seminal book Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, in 1964. 

This idea can be summed up in his famous words,

“The Medium is the message”

which are probably best explained by his own words,

“we become what we behold,” 

With regard to the church this concept shows us that as we present the structure of an organization

we become that organization to those who come to know us. 

The Bible presents the church as the “Body of Christ” (I Corinthians 12:27) which is an organism

and we have turned it into an organization. 

In America we have turned this organization into the Corporate model that we are all so familiar with. 

This is usually a standard bureaucracy with a CEO (Senior Pastor) who presides over a Board of Directors. 

As in all bureaucracies there are levels of officers (Associate Pastors, Teaching Pastors, Small group Pastors, etc.)

who preside over departments.

 Many times the loving character of those involved can put a warm, fuzzy face on this

 however many times it evolves into all the family feeling of GM.

Most of us have

“Been there.  Done that.” 

And that’s why over half of all Americans no longer go to church.

People have grown tired of

sitting in the same pew, looking at the back of the same head,

hearing the same person say the same thing, "We’ve got to get out of these four walls!”

and then coming back next week to do it all over again.

Modern churchianity has it down pat,

“Come in – Sit down – Shut up – Cough up – Get out – Come back.”

And don’t try to bother the Pastor with anything important

as he shakes your hand on the way out.

He’s too wiped-out to help out.

The modern model of a Super Pastor

who is all things to all people

isn't fair to them,

it isn't fair to us,

and it isn't what Christ had in mind.

The word pastor is only mentioned one time in the Bible

have we perhaps built too much on too small of a foundation?

There should be no leader but Christ

He said,

“You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.”