House church, continued

We continued our discussion in Church and Mission talking about the Early Church and how it was organized. At the end of the 1st century, roles became more defined and titles were created, such as bishop, deacon, elder, etc. They continued to meet in homes, though, and the idea of family was centered around the entire faith community that met in the homes. I love this! House churches really emphasize community, and seek the well-being of the whole. They are becoming more popular now for multiple reasons: deepening community, being more financially efficient (!!!), and allowing greater participation amongst all members of the group. I think about the stage of life where I wanted to attend a mega church and be anonymous. While I enjoyed the worship, I was not contributing anything. We are called to be the BODY of Christ, and as such, must be active participants, exercising the gifts God has given each of us.