Introduction 

During the early centuries of its existence, before Constantine allowed Christianity to become recognized as a legal religion, the followers of King Jesus met in small house gatherings. See Paul’s greetings to “the church that meets in [someone’s] house” at the end of some of his letters. As Tom Wadsworth teaches, these gatherings were not worship services. They were certainly not like our modern church services. The question becomes: How did early believers do church?

Activities at Early Ecclesia Assemblies 

Certainly, early believers ate together. They celebrated the Lord’s Supper. Along with re- enacting the participation (1 Corinthians 10:16) in one loaf and drinking from one cup (How unsanitary!), they ate a full meal… men and women, Jews and Gentiles, slaves and their masters, together as one family.

They would have listened to some story or psalm or such from the Hebrew Bible and discussed its meaning. Maybe some teacher, like Apollos, or leader, like Timothy, would have given a learned explanation.

On a special day, several small groups gathered into a larger assembly and, along with the usual activities, they listened to a Servant of the Word recite the Good News according to Matthew or John. Maybe the leaders of the city ecclesia had received a letter (epistle) from Paul and everyone came together to hear a reading of that epistle (letter).

Again, people would have discussed the meaning of what was recited or written. At following small group assemblies, people would have talked about how a particular story or passage applied to their lives.

They would have reinforced their belief that God came to Earth to live as a man, died on a Roman cross, and shed His blood to take away the guilt and shame of their misdeeds. They would have discussed the significance for themselves that Jesus disarmed and deposed the principalities and powers, the gods that had previously ruled their lives.

The early believers would have lifted their voices in songs and statements of praise to the One sovereign and all- powerful God, who loved them all like a Father. They would have recited or applied to themselves words of thanksgiving for his mighty deeds on their behalf. They would have offered their bodies as living sacrifices to God so that Holy Spirit continued to live in and work through them.

Finally, these believers would have spoken requests for God’s intervention on behalf of their lives. They would have declared what they believed was the King’s will for their various circumstances.

Small Group Prayers

Particularly in small group assemblies, individuals would have had opportunities to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed (James 5:16).” They would have had the promise of 1 John 1:9. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Imagine that the head of a family, the pater familias, allows himself to become vulnerable and shares his troubles with a small group of believers. He complains that his youthful son goes out partying with unbelieving friends. There are reports of drunken behavior, sexual escapades, and (gasp!) the eating of meat sacrificed to a local pagan god.

The father worries about the saving of his son’s soul. He admits to raging at the youth’s disobedience against him and against King Jesus. He feels the shame the son’s behavior brings to his family.

The small group listens to the father’s confession with acceptance, with positive regard for him as a person. Other fathers sympathize with the pater familias’ worry, shame, and anger. The mothers argue for valuing the relationship with the youth.

One group member with the heart of a pastor recounts the story of the Wayward Son and how the father watched for the return of the prodigal. When the young man reappears, the father eagerly restored him to a position of authority and threw a party to celebrate the son’s return.

Someone shares that the pater familias is within his rights in their culture to harshly punish the young man, even have him executed for his shameful behavior. However, as the father shared, he loves the youth and wants him to return to his senses (Luke 15:17).

The leader of the home group suggests they all pray against the principalities and powers that encourage such ungodly behavior. They should pray that Holy Spirit move in the heart and mind of the youth and bring him to his senses. The father asks for prayer that his own heart would be cleansed of shame and anger over his son’s misdeeds.

In the end, someone speaks words of prophecy that the story of the Wayward Son would be repeated for this father and son. Believing these words, the father and other members of the ecclesia erupt in more praise and thanksgiving for the work of Holy Spirit among them.

Essential Activities of Small Home Assemblies

First, the diverse members of the group come together as one family to eat a meal and share the one loaf and one cup of being part of Jesus their Rescuer. Second, they lift their hearts and bodies to God in praise and worship. Third, they listen to some portion of God’s Word and talk about its meaning and application to their lives. 

They listen without judgement as someone shares his or her struggles with ungodly ways of thinking, some temptation to rebel against God’s rule in his or her life. They speak against the ungodly principalities and powers concerned and call on Holy Spirit to move in the hearts and minds of the people who are involved.