From House Church to Digital Age: How Participation Has Shifted | Building Up the Body: Everyone Has Something to Give

From the earliest days of the church, gathering together has been central to Christian life. 

In Jerusalem, believers met both in the temple courts and in homes, sharing meals, songs, and stories of God’s work. 

Acts 2:46–47 (ESV)“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

In Corinth, Paul reminded them that when they came together, everyone had something to contribute—whether a hymn, a teaching, or a revelation.

1 Corinthians 14:26 (NKJV) “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” 

What has changed over the centuries is not the purpose of gathering, but the form it takes. While I agree that we should all get up and go out to church, if we are physically able, I do not agree with those condemning those who choose to worship online. 

Yes, that’s my opinion, but as we see here it is also supported in scripture.

House churches grew into cathedrals. The Methodist church started in a home. 

John Wesley (1703–1791) was an Anglican priest and the founder of the Methodist movement. He began preaching outdoors and in homes when many churches refused him. Early Methodists met in small “class meetings,” often in houses, where they studied Scripture, prayed, and encouraged one another in daily holiness. These gatherings emphasized accountability, discipleship, and lay participation. 

Over time, they grew into societies and eventually church buildings, but the movement’s roots were in home-based worship and fellowship.

In other instances, village meetings became global livestreams. 

Today, believers gather in sanctuaries, over radio waves, and across digital platforms like YouTube. The setting has shifted, but the heartbeat remains: God’s people meeting to build one another up.

Acts 2 shows that the Holy Spirit was active in both large and small settings. Whether it was thousands at the temple or a few gathered in homes, God added to the church through their fellowship. 

The same is true today. A massive online audience may tune in, or just two or three believers may gather in prayer—and Jesus promises to be present. 

Matthew 18:18-20 MSG ““Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.””

So you may never stand at a pulpit, but when you log on, listen faithfully, pray quietly, or share a testimony online, you are participating in this centuries-long story of God’s church. 

Just as in Corinth or Jerusalem, your presence and voice matter.