ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
February 5, 2022
The early church was not associated with buildings, but with the community. In Colossians 4:15, we read of “Nympha and the church in her house.” This was literally known as a ‘House Church.’ Too often the eyes of those of us in 21st Century read it as a congregation that cannot yet afford a real church… emphasis on the word ‘real’. But for Nympha, the gathering in her home was not a stepping stone toward becoming a real church. Her home was the gathering of Christ’s body alive and active in the world. I know of some fancy buildings with signs that say: “Church,” but that word does not necessarily mean what happens within those walls resembles the life of Jesus. At the same time, around the globe, there are small assemblies that meet wherever they can find space, yet their lack of a special building has never hindered their capacity to live the Gospel. In fact, it might have provided freedom yearned for by those under the weight of building ownership.
O Holy God, no matter how many gather or what size their worship space, may each community point to you and your redemptive love. Amen.
