House Churches Everywhere

Centurion Helmet Some of the early converts to Christianity were God-fearers who were attracted to Judaism but had not become full proselytes. In Palestine, we have the example of Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea, whom Luke describes as "a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. " ¹

As a result of Peter's vision and proclamation of the gospel ² a number of Gentiles, including Cornelius' household, were saved and baptized, ³ as Peter opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Luke appears to reinforce the significance of this event by repeating it to the Jewish believers and. leaders in Jerusalem ⁴ and alluding to it again at the Jerusalem Council.

Peter reminded the council members that God had obliterated certain legal distinctions between Jews and Gentiles and that salvation was by faith and not by keeping the law. ⁵ Given Cornelius's piety, generosity and financial means, he no doubt opened his house to the believers in Caesarea. One wonders whether Philip's house in Caesarea was used in this way as well. ⁶ ⁷

Many Households in Many Places

Green Garden Other house churches are mentioned in the New Testament, with the names of the people in whose houses they met, e.g. at Philippi, ⁸ Corinth, ⁹ Rome, ¹⁰ Ephesus, ¹¹ Laodicea, ¹² Colossae. ¹³ Such phrases as "the brethren who are with them," "the saints" (i.e. fellow Christians) "who are with them" seem to mean "who are in their house church."

Several of these house churches, like the one in Jerusalem, were in the homes of women, probably widows. In some cases both husband and wife are named. Where other names are added, they probably represent grown-up members of the family. In one house church only men are mentioned. ⁷

Wealthy Overseers

Thyatira Ruins Detailed information is not available in other cases, but the fact that the first converts in certain places were wealthy or prominent persons who were baptized together with their households is significant for the way the movement spread. At Philippi it began with a pro-Jewish woman who was the business agent for the luxury textile industry based in Thyatira in Asia Minor. ¹⁴ The baptism of her household was followed by that of the city's jailor. ¹⁵

The first baptism at Corinth was of the household of one Stephanas, who earned a reputation as a benefactor of the Christians, ¹⁶ but the accession that attracted most attention at the time was that of the household of the chief ruler of the synagogue. ¹⁷

Question for Discussion

The New Testament household exhibited a remarkable "open door policy." Does your Christian community hold to and practice the same beliefs?

Bibliography and Notes

¹ Acts 10:2 ¹ Acts 10:44-48 ³ Acts 11:1-18, esp. v. 14 ⁴ Acts 11:1-18 ⁵ Acts 15:7-11 ⁶ Acts 21:8-10 ⁷ Selections from "The First Advance - Church History 1: AD 29-500" by John Foster S. P. C. K, Copyright All rights reserved. ⁸ Acts 16.40 ⁹ Acts 18.7 ¹⁰ Romans 16.5; 16.14; 16.15 ¹¹ 1 Corinthians 16.19 ¹² Colossians 4.15 ¹³ Philemon 1 and 2 ¹⁴ Acts 16.15 ¹⁵ Acts 16.33 ¹⁶ 1 Corinthians 10.16, 16.2 ¹⁷ Acts 18.8

A devout man who feared God with all his household

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