Since the early times of the Jewish group “The Way“, there have been followers of Jesus Christ who consider it necessary to meet regularly to study Scripture together but also to jointly praise God.
Since the first centuries AD, gatherings of believers have been held in private houses, in addition to official places, such as in temples or synagogues, but also in public squares. This is how the first faith groups that formed churches emerged. Home churches or house churches have been an important part of religious life since the early days of Christianity.
Already during the life of the apostles, groups emerged that based themselves on false teachings and deviated from the faith of Jesus Christ, by mixing their faith with teachings of Greek philosophers.
In the earliest history of Christianity, those believers who believed in only one God came together in houses to pray together, read the Bible, and celebrate the sacraments. This was often out of necessity, because Christendom was persecuted in the early period and the Jewish community increasingly began to exclude the followers of the Jewish sect The Way from their places of worship. This caused the public places of worship to disappear.
Since the false teachers went along with many traditions, more people could agree with their groups and institutional churches gradually emerged that united around the belief in a Trinity. Those churches were interwoven with worldly power. The clergy or the body of ordained ministers had a large share in general life and even justice. These clergymen took all their power and did everything they could to prevent Bible study among the common people. People even decided to make possession of a Bible a criminal offence.
Even though it was made very difficult to create Bible study groups, people continued to consciously work to spread true faith and come together with like-minded people. To this end, meetings were held secretly in ordinary houses. Over the centuries, house churches continued to exist among the population.
As Christianity grew and became accepted in society, house churches developed further. They became increasingly organised and often had their own leadership structure. House churches were often led by a preacher or pastor, who led the services and taught the faithful. In some cases, house churches grew into full-fledged communities with multiple homes and a central location for gatherings.
In the Middle Ages, house churches became less and less prominent, because the church became stronger as an institution and more and more public churches were built. Yet house churches continued to exist, especially in areas where Christianity was not officially allowed or where churches were not available. Even where the Roman Catholic Church had superior power, was the only true experience of faith according to the Bible, possibly in ordinary citizens’ homes. Due to the persecution by the Pontifical Church (or Paapsen), the members of such house churches had to keep their religious lives a real secret from the risk of life.
In the 17th and especially the 18th centuries, some Catholic states, such as France and Austria, acted to bring the clergy under their authority. This happened partly under the influence of the Enlightenment. The French Revolution greatly reduced the influence of the Church in France and the countries under French influence.
When persecution by the Roman Catholic Church began to decline and more Protestant groups were able to express themselves publicly, a revival of house churches began again, in addition to the regular or regular church. The Protestants opposed the influence and wealth of the Catholic clergy.
In modern times, house churches are on the rise again, especially in countries where Christianity is a minority religion or where believers face persecution. House churches provide a place where believers can come together to live and share their faith without relying on an official church structure. House churches are often small-scale and informal, but can also grow into larger communities with their own identity and traditions.
Due to their small scale and private character, the house churches remain somewhat in the twilight zone and no numbers can be placed on them.
In some countries, such as Great Britain, there are many house churches that lead a normal public life in addition to the institutional churches. In England, for example, parishes such as an ecclesiastical unit, but also as a civil parish or civil parish, are also the smallest administrative unit of secular government. For example, in Great Britain the church building was not only a place where worship services were held, but also a place where people could meet or do business with each other. This was the case not only with the Anglican Church, but also with smaller groups such as the Quakers, the Ranters or Renter and the anticlerican Seekers.
In 19th-century France, relying on the libertinism of the 17th and 18th centuries, there was a greater wave of anticlericalism.
In Belgium too, an anti-Papian culture emerged in the last quarter of the last century, which increased after the turn of the century due to the many sex scandals in the ranks of the clergy, in which many religious were not ashamed of their paedophile actions.
As Vrije Christenen or Free Christians, several believers from all kinds of denominations formed several house churches in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium at the end of the last century. In the French-speaking part of the country, Bible students had been active for several years and held meetings there in people’s homes.
Among the Bible Researchers or Bible Students there are also Brothers in Christ or Christadelphians who practice true faith. They have no need at all to express their community appearance with large-scale buildings. In Great Britain, they use public gathering houses or community halls, in addition to house churches, simple churches (church halls) or assembly halls. In Belgium, on the other hand, they have to rely on the use of living rooms, conference rooms and public places such as roadside restaurants, spaces in cultural centers and the like.
In addition to a private home in Mons, the Christadelphians use several public places for their Brussels-Leuven ecclesia. A new ecclesia was recently added in Anderlecht. In that sub-municipality of Brussels, the Brothers hold their house church in a private apartment on Saturdays. In the ecclesiae Mons, Brussels-Leuven, English is the main language, while French is in the foreground for Mons-Lille. At the Kanisa la Christadelphian huko Anderlecht, the service is delivered in Dutch and Swahili, with occasional touches of English, while the website brings articles in Dutch, French English and Swahili.
In Belgium, Bible Students, Bible Students, Brothers in Christ and Yeshuaists do not come together in flashy buildings or typical church buildings.
The meeting place is mainly a ‘home port’ where all members can feel at ease and where meetings can be held together in unity in a quiet atmosphere.
While the regular churches usually follow a fixed pattern, the Christadelphians are more likely to have a non-binding loose event, where each service can proceed differently. But what’s important is that the Word of God is central and it discusses how everything fits into the Plan of God. As a key figure, Jesus is central to church events and his supper is remembered for consuming wine and bread. Only baptised members can use the symbols, but everyone is invited to be present during the entire service.
While many rites are held at the institutional churches in which the church members passively follow along, a certain activity is expected in the house church of all those present. For example, everyone is encouraged to read some of the Bible texts and several people can present a prayer. But time has also been allowed to discuss the Bible readings that have been made.
In the house church, everyone is expected to become an active participant during the ‘church event’.
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Another writing about a house church
Wagner the NAR and new wineskins
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- False teachers and false prophets still around
- Beware that you do not fall or be carried away by false teachings
- God’s forgotten Word 5 Lost Lawbook 4 The ‘Catholic’ church
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- Who are the Christadelphians
- Everyone Welcome in our open Ecclesia
- The untiring response of some Christadelphians
- January 6, 2024 official opening of the Anderlecht ecclesia
Bijbelvorser = Bible Researcher 
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