House Church--The First-Century Church Service

The book of Acts records early church meetings consisting of large group meetings in the temple in Jerusalem and in houses. As the gospel spread beyond Jerusalem and throughout the Roman Empire, worshipping in the temple was not an option. They met primarily in homes. This continued for the first three centuries of the Church. Christians met in homes to celebrate and worship Jesus Christ, to read and discuss the Bible, to participate in the Lord’s Supper, and to encourage one another in fellowship and service. As the church is literally the family of God, local churches that met in homes were able to maintain a familial characteristic, which enabled them to develop the deep trust relationships required in the life of the church.

Throughout history, segments of the Church around the world have followed this practice to create and enjoy the type of familial environment envisioned by the New Testament. Twin Cities Church has chosen to follow this pattern of meeting for this purpose.

House Church--A Model for Today

One of the shortcomings of contemporary local churches are weak community experiences-- experiences of being a family together. Close, enduring, and trusting relationships are needed to create the type of community envisioned by Jesus. They can’t be programmed or planned from a central headquarters or developed in large events. They must happen in the context of familial relationships. Our House Churches meet weekly to share a meal, celebrate the Lord’s Supper, worship, read and study the Bible, pray, and serve each other and their neighbors. The relationships formed in the House Church then extend out into the weekly lives and contexts of its members as they increasingly become family to each other.