1st-3rd centuries Private homes

Acts 2:46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

• The early church was more of a network of house churches or cell groups than a central church building.
• It was a missionary movement through the homes into society.

Church history

• 2nd-4th centuries: Tolerance → State religion
• 5th-11th centuries: Papacy and institutionalization
• Reformation 15th century: Luther reformed doctrine, but not church structures. In a letter to Spalatin in 1523, he mentions the idea of an "ecclesiola in ecclesia," or church within the church.
  • He wanted small communities of serious Christians within the national church.
  • They were to meet regularly for teaching, prayer, and communion.
  • He wrote: "I have often thought about whether it would be possible to create a Christian community modeled on the early church as described in Acts 2:42."
  • However, Luther rejected the idea again because he believed that it was not (yet) feasible in the society of that time, mainly due to the spiritual maturity of the people.
• Anabaptist movement 16th century: small, persecuted communities with strong multiplication
• Pietism in the 17th/18th centuries: "ecclesiola in ecclesia" – small cells within the church, emphasizing personal piety, Bible reading, and fellowship outside of Sunday worship.
• Methodism 18th century: "Class meetings" by John Wesley, weekly small groups for accountability and sanctification
• Freechurches 19th century: Home groups are an integral part of the church structure
• Modern cell group movement 20th century: Cell groups are not only for teaching and sanctification, but also for evangelism and discipleship through fellowship.

Summary

• From small to large back to small
• From decentralized to centralized back to decentralized
• From lay people to professionals back to lay people
• From naturally missionary to institutional state church (everyone is a Christian) back to naturally missionary

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In your opinion, what kind of reformation does your church or congregation need most urgently?

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