Friends, Early Christians Met Together in Each-Others Houses.
Not in Buildings and Services run by Pastors or Showmen.
Legalism AND Social Gospel are Detestable.
Either one Distracts from Relating With Jesus and Family!!!
There is a lot of Misunderstanding about Early Believers in New Testament Days that has been carried down to the Church for Generations and Pastors of Local Churches would not want you to know because they Rely on those for their Income and sometimes a Whole Lot More!!!
Sad to say, some of their Teaching (apart from the Phony Prosperity Gospel) has been Perpetuated in 'Bible Colleges through the Years and that doesn't make it right. Visit my other Website and know the difference!
After Constantine came Papal Rome (Catholicism) who brought the Tithe back and threatened Hell-Fire if the Christians didn't "Pay Them" - they spent it on the Hierarchy and the Buildings. The very thing Christ did not want. So they're hardly what you would call a Godly Practice:)
Constantine was a very Vain Emperor and he wanted the People to Idolise him basically. Christians were multiplying in great numbers - on the Home Scene because their Neighbors and People from Streets around wanted to Join them and become Christians because they they were Peaceful and Friendly and Expressed Joy in Hard Times. They also Related Well because Jesus was in their Hearts. They Loved their "Get Togethers" and had TRUE Healings and Miracles among them.
Their Neighbors could See the Change in their Nature - I imagine - when they had Truly Experienced the spiritual "New Birth" Jesus refers to in the Gospel of John. Sad to say most "Christians" on the Church Scene are not Truly Born Anew, due to so many Pastors and Mega Churches preaching "Social Gospel" etc. In other words, a "Spiritually Impoverished Gospel" and so many present Jesus as some kind of a Santa-Christ which is no way to experience a Personal Relationship with Jesus as Your Saviour and Redeemer. Those preachers have left the Lordship of Christ and Repentance out of their Sermons whereby People miss out on the "Joy of Sins Forgiven" and finding True "Peace with God"
No wonder Jesus referred to some Preachers as "Hirelings" because they are deliberately Misleading People. And the way so many of them present Jesus as a Santa-Christ is a sure Recipe for Disillusion a few weeks or months later when the 'New Christians' don't get everything they want.
There are Explicit warnings in Scripture Not to "Make Merchandise" of God's People, by Ripping them Off in His Name they take in Vain. You can rest assured they WILL Answer for That.
And the 'Tithes and Offerings' they expect from you and Nag, and Pester and Badger you about are NOT Scriptural for Christians - they WERE for JEWS! If you check out my website Tithes Or Giving HERE you will SEE how they actually quote Scriptures Out of Context and you will have no doubt whatsoever that Tithing is for Jews, not Christians - Giving is for Christians.
Local Churches lose a heck of a Lot of People due to Money Pressure; Pastors don't Practice what they Preach; Legalism and Domination; Superficial Entertainment; Absence of Scripture Reading and the Gifts of the Spirit; Services Centered on Pastors; Too Many Leaders; Too Worldly; Hypocrisy and Ungodly Behavior of Church People - often even the Leaders.
Find yourself a Simple Home Church or Start One with a few Believers and Fellowship around JESUS not Pastors - the System is Wrong, it's Institutional. Jesus didn't want that! Acts 3 and Romans 16 speak about Believers Fellowshipping at Home (in Each-Others Houses) you can see how Paul gives Greetings to a whole bunch of Home Churches saying "the Church that Meets at Their House" (Rom 16:5) indicating the Early Christian Practice of holding Church Gatherings in Private Homes, which was a common form of congregational life before dedicated church buildings were widespread. This specific mention is in the context of Paul's personal greetings to believers in Rome, highlighting the importance of hospitality and fellowship within the early church, according to Bible.org
Hospitality:
This practice underscores the New Testament concept of hospitality and the welcoming nature of believers towards one another.
Context of Paul's Greetings:
Chapter 16 of Romans is notable for its lengthy list of personal greetings from Paul to various individuals and groups in the Roman church, emphasizing relationships and community within the body of Christ.
Examples in the New Testament:
Beyond Romans 16:5, other New Testament books also mention house churches, such as 1 Corinthians 16:19 and Colossians 4:15, further illustrating this common practice in the early Christian communities.
New Website 30th May 2025