1. Houses are gathering places for the church

• Subset of entire church- Rom 16:5, 16:14, 16:15.
• Early church
• Acts 2:2 (apostles), 12:12 (Mary), 16:40 (Lydia), 18:7 (Corinth)
• Aquila and Priscilla- Rom 16:5, 1 Cor 16:19
• Colosse- Col 4:15, Plm 1:2
• Archaeological evidence- Earliest "church building" dates to the year 232 (and it was a converted house!).
• Old Testament ideas-- family celebration of Passover- Ex 12:1ff.

• Groups based upon location, relationship, other factors
• Scriptural one-another commands facilitated
• can't know everyone in the church, can't always meet in the same place, but small groups facilitate these things
• Don't see groups as excluding others as much as including the group
• God's work in arranging the body- 1 Cor 12:18 (different attributes and roles for the good of all)
• Opportunities to use God's gifts- 1 Pet 4:9-10 (e.g. hospitality)
• Keeps us on track spiritually- 1 Jn 4:20
• Avenue for outreach- Acts 20:20

• Acceptance as a result of God's accepting us- Rom 15:7, 1 Jn 1:7
• Greeting- Rom 16:16,1 Cor 16:20, 2 Cor 13:12, 1 Pet 5:14
• Care and concern for others- 1 Cor 12:25
• Bear with each other- Eph 4:2
• Encouragement in the face of sin- Heb 3:12-13
• Togetherness- Heb 10:24-25. Commitment to "events" vs. commitment to other people
• End Result: God's love made complete in us- 1 Jn 4:12