7 Things That Makes a Home Church Valid in Today's Society

House churches, home churches, cell groups, and other terms refer to a popular movement today. Some have made a principle of separating themselves from denominations and emphasizing that only the house church is a viable representative of apostolic Christianity. Others have used the small group movement to infuse more vitality into a spiritless congregation. Others take a middle-of-the-road attitude, and engage in house churches for practical reasons.

Most of the single denominations in existence today do not adhere to a majority of the commandments, hence they are not valid for any true worshiper who seeks to follow God's law. In fact, there is no denomination that adheres even to the least kept of the commandments: one God, the Sabbath, and prohibition of adultery, stealing and killing. So for practical reasons, the true believer simply cannot participate in just any religious establishment.

Walking with God is the basic form of worship. It continued with Enoch (Gen 5:24) "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." This daily family meeting with God for worship, this walking with him, is the preparation for being taken from this earth one day to meet the Lord in the air. Those in the days of Enoch who neglected the form of worship instituted with Adam and Eve were eventually destroyed in the Flood. "Noah was a just man and perfect in establishing a valid family or home church. and Noah walked with God." (Gen 6:9)

At the coming of the Messiah, worship was reverted to the original plan. Jesus established the original format of small-scale worship in Matthew 16-18, giving precise details for how worship should be organized. The basic institution is in (Mat 18:19) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Mat 18:20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Home churches were established quite close to each other, such as that kept, apparently in the home of the deaconness Phebe in Cenchrea, well within walking distance of Corinth, where another church gathered. The apostolic church generally gathered in homes or in secluded places out of doors... That was the prevalent system before imperial Christianity, which started building large structures in order more easily to control the people and indoctrinate them with apostasy.

A valid home church has the obligation to perform certain ordinances besides ordaining elders and deacons, they include:

1). Prayer for the sick. James 5:14.
2). Give alms to the poor and needy; and visit widows and orphans in their distress. James 1:27
3). The ministry of the Word. Revelation 1:3.
4). Baptism by immersion of those who believe in the death and resurrection of Christ. Romans 6:4.
5). The washing of feet at the beginning of the communion service. John 13:14.
6). The communion in commemoration of the body and blood of Christ. 1Corinthians 11:23-33.
7). Blessing of children. Matthew 19:14.

We do not need a new organization, nor do we need to participate in the institutions engaged in apostasy. The home church that was established in Eden, affirmed in the Gospel, and maintained by early commandment-keeping believers has not changed. It is sufficient to gather as a family at the family altar daily, and come together with like-minded believers in a designated house as occasion permits.