House to House

I do believe strongly in the need to gather for corperate worship, but I also believe that many gatherings should be done from house to house. It seems for 75 years or more the churches in America have been moving everything away from the home and to the church campus or building. Discipleship, meals, and other gatherings that in biblical days took place from house to house have been replaced with large gatherings in bigger buildings.

Acts 2:46-47 says, "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart. praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Recently at Oasis Church, we recruited about 25 families to host 8-15 people in their home after worship on Sunday morning.  After speaking on Acts 2:46-47, I called the hosts to the stage and asked the people in the congregation to choose which family they would have lunch with today.  Spontaneously, the seats began to empty as people joined with families they hardly knew to journey to their home for a meal and good conversation. We have received multiple emails from all over Central Arkansas raving about the results of the day. One man wrote, "It was like the Church at Jerusalem at my house today". Another wrote, "We had conversations in our home today that would have never happened on the church campus."

My hope is that these house to house gatherings will continue without the prompting of a pastor.  That through these gatherings, authentic relationships will be built, God will be praised and he will continue to add to his church.

Todd West
Lead Pastor
Oasis Church (Central Arkansas)