Everyone knows about the church outside the gate of Eden, the church in the wilderness, the apostolic church, the churches of Rome, Antioch, Corinth, the Ephesian and Colossian churches, and the seven churches of Revelation. But there are some other Bible churches, very small, little known, but of inestimable value.
I. FOUR SMALL HOME CHURCHES
1.The church in the house of Nymphas (Col. 4:15).
2.The church in the house of Philemon (Philemon 1, 2).
3.The church in the house of Priscilla and Aquila in Rome (Rom. 16:3-5).
4.The church in the house of Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth (1 Cor. 16:19).
Aquila and Priscilla, a famous, prosperous couple, had two home churches, one in Rome, and the other in Corinth. Like Abraham, wherever they sojourned, God had an altar. Is this true of you?
The fame of these little churches has come down the ages to us. Like little jets of light, they shine unwaveringly across the centuries. God loved them, and wanted us to love them; hence He recorded them in His Book. Each little church was complete in itself, and was enclosed within four home walls. "Where two or three are gathered together . . ." (Matt. 18:20).
There should be a church in every home—my home and your home. The home church is very much like the large, public church.
II HOME AND PUBLIC CHURCHES ARE DEDICATED TO THE LORD
I. To become a church, a house must be dedicated (Deut. 20:5).
2. A dedicated home is a most sacred place, a little heaven.
3. It is where Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and angels love to dwell.
4. Hence we must be careful what goes on in the home.
III. ORDER IN THE HOME CHURCH
1. Worship, prayer, study, work, meals, play, and rest all should be on time (I Cor. 14: 33, 40).
2. Learn to live on twenty-four hours a day.
3. The home church must have standards Tim. 3:4, 5).
4. Only those who are obedient really love (John 14:15).
5. The good child loves its parents enough to obey them.
IV. STUDY IN THE HOME CHURCH
1. The Holy Scriptures always come first (Acts 17:10-12).
2. Teach the children the Scriptures early in life (2 Tim. 3:15).
3. Have at least two daily helpings of the Father's "bread."
V. HOME CHURCH PRAYER MEETINGS
1. Home prayers delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12:5, 12).
2. Parents have God's help in saving their children (Isa. 49:25).
HOME CHURCH CONVERSIONS
1. Conversions in the home (Philemon 2, 9, 10, 15-19).
2. Noah took his children and their wives into the ark (Heb. 11:7).
3. Jesus said it would be as it was in Noah's day (Matt. 24:37).
THE FINAL REWARD
1. When God asks, "Where is thy flock?" (Jer. 13:20).
2. The parents may answer, "Here we are" (Heb. 2:13).
3. Having a church in the home means a home in the church.
4. Six days in a home church means the Sabbath in a church home.
May God richly bless the Bethels, the little home churches!
