House Churches or Church Buildings?

Throughout the New Testament, God’s people gathered in house churches. In fact, the only place where church meetings happened in the New Testament is in homes (Acts 2:46; Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2). There are no examples of any NT church meetings happening anywhere else. Sometimes the early Christians evangelized in synagogues or in the temple, but they only met for church meetings in homes.

The first church buildings were built much later, in approximately 300 AD. Neither Jesus nor the apostles ever told anyone to build a church building. 

Today, however, there are many church buildings. In fact, most Christians today meet for church in church buildings, and house churches are rare. 

Some people say there are good reasons why Christians today have “moved beyond” house churches into church buildings today. 

Let’s examine some of these reasons.

1. Too Few People. Some argue that the early church did not have many people, but today there are many more Christians, and therefore we need buildings to accommodate them all. However, the early church had thousands of converts (3,000 people converted to Christ on one day alone in Acts 2), but all these people did not need a building to meet in. Instead, they met in several homes throughout each city.
2. Too Poor. Some say that the early church was too poor to build buildings, but we have more money today, therefore we can build buildings. However, the early church had a lot of resources, as many people sold their houses and lands and brought the money to the apostles. But instead of using the money to build religious buildings, they used it to support servants of God and poor people. 
3. Persecution. Some say that the early church was too persecuted to build church buildings, but we are not persecuted today, and therefore we can build church buildings. However, the Roman Empire only began to systematically persecute Christians only after 250 AD, during the reigns of Emperors Decian and Diocletian. (The earlier persecution under Nero was limited to the city of Rome.) Ironically, during this time of intense persecution, the first church buildings were constructed – around 300 AD. There was less persecution earlier, but they didn’t build buildings during this time. Furthermore, the apostles never let persecution stop them from obeying God. If God wanted them to build church buildings, they would have done so, regardless of whether they were facing persecution or not.
4. Too Weak. Some believe that the early church did not build church buildings because it was too weak; but now that the church is stronger and more established, we should build church buildings today. However, the early church was full of the Spirit and power of God, and the Bible says they turned the world upside down. The church of the 1st century was far stronger than the church of the 21st century, and they didn’t need buildings.
5. Times Have Changed. Some say that times have changed, and therefore we can now build church buildings. But the Bible never said that we should start building church buildings when the culture changes. We have no authority to change the form and function of church that was given by God in the New Testament.

Instead of these reasons, there is a more obvious reason that the early church did not build church buildings – Jesus never told them to build any! Rather, Jesus (through his apostles) told them to meet in homes. The reason the early church met in homes is because they were following God’s plan.

There are many advantages to meeting for church in homes.

1. Eating Together. Sharing a meal was a basic part of early church meetings. Whenever the first Christians came together for church, they shared a meal and partook of the Lord’s Supper. This common meal was also called a love feast. Eating together regularly in homes is easy, but in religious buildings, it’s harder.
2. Participative. In the early church, each believer had an opportunity to participate in the church meetings (1 Corinthians 14:26). People could ask questions and discuss things in church. In a building, it’s hard to discuss, participate, or ask a question. In fact, in most large church buildings today, if you stand up to say something, you risk being escorted out by security guards. Furthermore, there are too many people in many churches today for people to meaningfully participate. In a church of 500 people, if everyone were to share something, the meeting would last all day. Furthermore, in church buildings, there is a stage where people speak, and an audience which is supposed to sit quietly. This spectator format prevents meaningful participation and produces a clergy/laity mindset.
3. Growth in Spiritual Gifts. The New Testament says that every believer has a spiritual gift (1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11). As we operate in our spiritual gifts, the body of Christ will grow. In a house church, believers can be encouraged to operate in and grow in their spiritual gifts. It’s a comfortable place for people to develop in their own ministry. But in a large building church on Sunday morning, multiple people operating and growing in spiritual gifts is usually seen as disruptive.
4. Effective Discipleship. In a house church, the specific spiritual needs of each person can be identified so individuals can receive specific ministry and grow rapidly. But in a large building, the specific spiritual needs of most people are generally unknown.
5. Accountability. In a house church, people can truly know each other, and this means that they can keep each other accountable. Error and sin can be more easily confronted. But in a religious building, relationships are often superficial, and people often remain anonymous. This produces a lack of accountability, and sins may never be dealt with.
6. Avoid Hypocrisy. When a person is on a stage or hiding in an audience, it’s possible that no one really knows what’s going on in his life. But in the informal setting of a house church, in which people actually know each other, masks will come down and reality will be exposed, eliminating hypocrisy.
7. Bear Burdens. In a house church, it’s possible to share your struggles and receive prayer, counsel, and help. But in a large building, there is generally no opportunity to share burdens or request prayer during church services.
8. Avoid Persecution. House churches are low-profile. When the government seeks to control churches or shut them down, they will start with the church buildings. House churches can stay under the radar, which is why house churches survive today in Communist China or Muslim Iran. As we prepare for the end times and the Antichrist, we will need to get back to house churches for our own survival.
9. Saves Money. Buildings are expensive to buy, build, and maintain. But people already have houses, and they can use these houses as meeting places for the church of God. Instead of spending money on religious buildings, money can be spent supporting servants of God and poor people.
10. Rapid Growth. House churches can expand rapidly and are not limited by the need to raise funds for building projects. When the church outgrows one home, it can multiply into more homes throughout the city.

In the New Testament, the apostles only did house churches. They never met for church anywhere else, and they never built any church buildings. They never told anyone to build such buildings. As we have seen, there are many good reasons for house churches. The apostolic model of church is the only one that is really going to work. We need to follow this example today. It’s Biblical, spiritually healthy, and the means by which the church will be prepared for the end times.