Small Home Groups - The New Testament Method for Sharing Truth

(Act 10:24 KJVR) And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

This verse is part of an important account of the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles. God had worked on both sides of the issue: preparing the heart of a prejudiced preacher who had the truth to share it with a seeker of the truth who would not have otherwise thought to ask that preacher. The setting for their meeting was Cornelius' home where he had gathered others who were interested in the truth, possibly some just because Cornelius himself was excited about the truth.

Many of these people would have found it difficult to attend the regular services of the church at Jerusalem or any other church of that day for several reasons. Do those reasons really matter or is it more important that God saw fit to send the messenger to the hearer instead of requiring the hearer to attend services at the local church facility? I am in no way diminishing the importance of congregational worship services. However, I am convicted that far too often we have forgotten our Great Commission responsibility to GO with the Gospel to those who are in need. No where do I find a responsibility for the lost to attend a routine church service to have the truth presented.

Throughout the New Testament we see the Gospel presented in homes and churches that are organized in many of those same homes. Confining the teaching of God's Word to church facilities and at somewhat arbitrary times may be limiting our effectiveness in reaching the lost and young disciples. Outside of direct Scriptural mandate, example, or implication, should we not be ready and willing as God's people to sacrifice self to present the truth to whomever and wherever we may gather a group of people? This seems to be the method used by the apostles and early churches. They did not forsake coporate worship, but they did not limit themselves to that format for sharing the truth.

I challenge us to prayerfully consider whether we are more interested in maintaining a structure of services and methods with which we are comfortable or in sharing God's Word by going out to those who need its teaching at personal sacrifice if need be. Small home groups are being used by churches and missionaries today very effectively. I have found several people in my own field of influence who are receptive to such a forum, some of which have negative opinions about organized religion or specific churches. I am convinced these people need to hear the truth from someone who will love them enough to present it to them in a comfortable setting. I have and will continue to look for those opportunities and will gladly make the sacrifices necessary to share the hope of Christ in me with them. What would God have you do?