What Is A Home Church?

by Molly Noble Bull

A home church is exactly what the name implies. Instead of worshipping in a church building, worship takes place in individual homes, and home churches are as different as denominations. I want to hear about yours. But I would like to begin by telling a little about the one I attend.
To me, a home church means that all the tithes go to the poor and needy instead of to pay for air conditioning, pastor's salary, etc. The home is the church building, and the pastor or pastors are fellow members.
Our home-church is pretty conservative. By choice, the women in our group do not preach or teach the men. Though we ask questions and give our opinions openly during Bible study, when we have a communion service, we close our mouths and let the men speak.
(I find this hard to do since I like to talk.)
We try to pattern our home-church from the early church in Paul's time, and the women also cover their heads during prayer as Paul said to do. We believe in healing, gifts of the spirit and casting out demon just as Jesus and his disciples did. We sing and have a lot of fun, and our joy often explodes into laughter. I think home church is the wave of the future. If one day worshipping the Lord is outlawed, perhaps we will meet in secret.