Small Church

We find many large Christian churches today, some institutionally connected and some individual non-denominational churches. People tend to equate a large size with success. But, in actuality, a large size congregation of God’s children presents a unique problem.
The common meeting place for the early Christians was none other than the home. Anything else would have been the exception. Note the following passages about “church in the house”: Acts 2:46; Acts 8:3; Acts 20:20; Romans 16:3,5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philemon 2; 2 John 10.
The above Scriptures amply demonstrate that the early church had its meetings in the simple, ordinary, hospitable homes of its members. But does this suggest that it is not appropriate for a church to gather in any other location? No, it does not.
On occasions when it was necessary for “the whole church” to gather together, the church in Jerusalem met in large settings such as the open courts of the temple and Solomon’s porch (Acts 2:46; 5:12).
But such large group gatherings did not rival the small home location for church meeting, which was the house. The large group settings simply accommodated the “whole church” to bring it together for a particular purpose.
In the beginning days of the church’s existence, the apostles used such locations to hold special ministry meetings for the vast number of believers and unbelievers in Jerusalem (Acts 3:11-26; 5:20,21,25,42).
The concept that we see here is that there were two kinds of church meetings. There were large evangelistic meetings designed to preach the gospel to unsaved Jews for their salvation.
But the primary function of the church meeting is for the mutual edification of believers. This function can be somewhat accomplished in large meetings but the small group environment is the best for the edification and growth among fellow Christians.
Large church meetings serve the functions of 1) corporate worship, 2) evangelism, 3) sermons on the faith and 4) overall fellowship. As strange as it may seem, the New Testament never envisions these reasons as being the primary purpose of the church meeting.
There is a place for corporate worship, evangelism, sermonizing, and large group fellowship. But according to Scripture, the governing purpose of the church meeting is mutual edification — that is, one on one, face to face contact among believers. This can only be achieved in small groups.
1 Corinthians 14:26 puts it plainly: “When you come together...let all things be done for edification.” Hebrews 10:24-25 also states: “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together but encouraging one another...”
The meeting of the church envisioned in Scripture allowed for every member to participate in the building up of the Body (Eph. 4:16). Mutual encouragement was the hallmark of the gathering. “Every one of you” was its most outstanding characteristic.
Each believer who possessed a word from the Lord had the liberty to supply it through his or her unique gift. As Paul pulls back the curtain of the first-century gathering in 1 Corinthians 11-14, we see a meeting where every member is actively involved. Freshness, openness, and spontaneity are the chief marks of this meeting. Mutual edification is its primary goal. Again, this can only be achieved in a small group setting.
Christ was fully preeminent in the early small church meeting. He set the agenda through the Spirit leading of the group. His invisible Spirit directed what took place and how it took place.

The Lord Jesus was free to speak through whomever He chose. And in whatever capacity He saw fit.
The New Testament small home church was based upon the “round-table” principle. That is, every member was encouraged to function. This would be chaos in a large church meeting where the congregation is divided into the active few and the passive many.
In the large church meeting, the sermon and the preacher are the center — and this is good for the function desired. But the small home group of Christians reflects a flexible spontaneity where the Spirit of God is in utter control. Each member of the early church came to the meeting knowing he or she had the privilege and the responsibility to contribute something of Christ. An open freedom and informality marked the gathering.
Note that the idea of mutual ministry envisioned in the New Testament is a far cry from the pinched definition of “lay-ministry” that is offered in the modem church. Most churches offer a surplus of volunteer positions for the brethren to fill - positions like ushering, parking lot attendants, greeters at the door, singing in the choir, leading the worship team, etc. And these are all good service functions needed and encouraged.
But these restricted positions are light years away from the free-and-open exercise of spiritual gifts that is afforded to every believer in the small group setting.
So why did the early church meet in this way? Was it just a passing cultural tradition? Did it, as some say, represent the early church’s infancy, ignorance, and immaturity? Not at all! The early small church meeting is deeply rooted in biblical theology. It made real and practical the New Testament doctrine of the priesthood of all believers — a doctrine that all evangelicals affirm with their lips. In Paul’s language, it is the idea that all Christians are functioning members of the Body of Christ.
From a pragmatic standpoint, the small group meeting is the biblical dynamic that produces spiritual growth - both corporately and individually (Eph. 4:1-16).
Granted, believers can and should function outside the small group meetings. But the gatherings of small groups are especially designed for every Christian to express Christ through his or her gift.
For this reason, churches where there are few or none of the small groups are essentially a nursery for overgrown spiritual babes. It habituates God’s people into being passive receivers. It stunts their spiritual development and keeps them in spiritual infancy.
The Reformation recovered the truth of the priesthood of all believers. But it failed to restore the necessary practices that embody this teaching. Hierarchy control of church services continued. Free and spontaneous small group meetings were not encouraged. In the typical institutional church the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers is no more than a sterile truth. The truth of the priesthood of the individual Christian continues to beg for practical application and implementation in the life of the Lord’s people.
God’s eternal purpose centers on forming Christ in a company of people. Significantly, there is nothing more conducive to the culture of spiritual life than the open small group meeting that is depicted in the New Testament.
While multitudes of clergy have made common use of Hebrews 10:24-25 quoted above to stress the importance of “attending church,” verse 26 indicates that mutual, every member, encouragement (not hearing a pulpit sermon) is a deterrent for willful sin.
Does your church break up into small groups?
Do you take part in a close knit, interacting,
Spirit-spontaneous, loving, and encouraging
small church group?
WE NEED EACH OTHER! Small church groups are designed by God.

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