The Team Church
Why we should move the Church into Small Groups within Homes and Public Places

  1. It's Biblical. There is no command in Scripture to build a Christian building. But there are plenty of mentions of churches that met in homes. (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19; Col 4:15 ; Phm 1:2)
  2. It's More Informal. People feel more comfortable. People feel that they can be themselves, and can put their defenses down. People feel more at home (because they're actually in a home, or a familiar part of downtown!).
  3. It Fosters Deeper Relationships. Tired of meeting in a big impersonal auditorium with big projection screens and hundreds of people who shake your hand as you put on your best fake smile? Meeting in a small group makes it more personal. People can really get to know you, because it's easier to share. Everyone can remember your name and vice versa. They'll miss you if you don't show up. It's so much easier to get to know each other's every little need, problem and burden, and to care for each other and provide immediate support. It's easier to confess your sins and struggles to one another. You can get to know, or help to identify, each other's spiritual gifts and talents. Also, the Master's Supper (Communion) can be much easily observed in its original, first-century sense: as part of a family dinner among believers.
  4. It's More Effective. Once you identify your spiritual gift, you can put it into action. Everyone can know each other's place. It's much easier to be a team of 20 than a team of 200. Many dormant leaders and gifted teachers will rise up out of the group, because they will finally get the opportunity to be used and to grow. Plus, without the bureaucracy of a large church organization, you can pick up at a moment's notice and minister to your community.
  5. Increased Accountability. Personal relationships will make accountability easier. You can support each other, watch each other, and challenge each other. If someone needs to be rebuked or disciplined, it can be done by a friend. People in a small group will more easily be able to spot a false Christian, or a "wolf in sheep's clothing". People will take the Master's Supper more seriously, and will really examine themselves, because everyone knows each other. Because a house church is a small, tight, group, only serious Christians or serious seekers will attend meetings. People will see what it really means to be a disciple. House churches can do a lot to remedy the rampant hypocrisy in the Church today.
  6. Increased Interaction. Larger church services are prone to becoming spectator events. In a house church, members will be able to really participate in worship music, and will be able to interact with the teaching. Members will be able to ask questions, provide comments, and get into discussions. People will be able to think, instead of being spoon-fed everything.
  7. Community Infiltration. When you meet in homes or public places, you inject yourself into people's everyday lives. Instead of Christians being safely locked-up far away behind church building walls, they can be in the community that they're trying to reach!
  8. A Better Use of Resources. Why do we donate millions of our dollars to pay for a church building that will only be used for a few hours a week??? What a waste of money! You also have to maintain the building, and pay the utility bills. It would be so much cheaper to open your home up for one night a week. Plus, if everyone in the house church starts doing their part, full-time ministers and secretaries might actually have enough free time to be able to support themselves! Just think about it. If the value of the average church building or church complex was one million dollars, just think of how much money would be freed up if we sold them all, or converted them for commercial use and leased them! We could take the whole world over!
  9. Specialized Ministries. If the Church is split up into smaller house churches, the different types of people we can reach out to increases. We could have a house church for every sub-culture: a church for rock musicians, a church for skaters, a church for retirees, etc. (see cultural engagement)
  10. It Meets the Needs of Our Post-Modern Culture. House churches are informal, they are more personal, they're interactive, and the leaders are more likely to be servant-leaders, instead of the traditionally authoritarian clerics of larger churches. This fits perfectly into the post-modern worldview. (see contemporary Western culture)