Given how PI the Church seems to be viewed by many the "Second Coming of the First Century Church" seems to be an appropriate title for this post. As often happens with me, I was sidetracked by remembering a teaching by Chuck Missler from several years ago. Chuck provides a good history of the persecution of the early Christian church and then goes on to talk about home churches. Again, very relevant today.
It seems that the Wuhan Virus has had a negative impact on religious freedom. Attending church is being discouraged, so the home church is a possibility. Was the First Century Church that met in catacombs in Rome is a type for present day. How close are we to underground meetings to be able share the Word of God?
For years my favorite Bible study was a small group meeting openly winters at a camping site in the desert in a 10’ x 20’ tent on Bureau of Land Management land. There is something about studying the Word of God in the desert that makes me feel even closer to Jesus. Our Bible study leader, Jay, always prepared thoroughly and had many references and included word studies in her teachings. Jan didn't just talk at us, we were encouraged to join in.
Even this little gathering didn't escape minor persecution. Several years ago one of the local politicians challenged Jay about holding a Bible study on BLM property. This person brought with her an air of darkness but Jay stood her ground as we had permission to meet there. We even invited her to join us, her reply was something like "You would like that wouldn't you." Yes we would have welcomed her and prayed for her salvation, however, she glared at Jay. After she left the atmosphere that had been so uplifting was weighted down by a feeling of darkness. Our little group joined hands and prayed and the atmosphere was cleared up. A preview of coming persecution?
Sadly last year our Jay had a series of strokes and her extensive teaching are scattered among a pile of yellow legal sheets and in her confused mind. Thus ending Jay's desert Bible study.
As an aside, should we be forced to meet in small group, well, there are some advantages:
· Members of a small group seems to me to bond with each other
· The group can get into a very in depth Bible study
· Members of small groups can be very supportive of each other
· There doesn't seem to be the clicks in a small group
· Everyone is involved in the discussion
The 2020 election is tending towards a Biden/ Harris administration, however, there still are courts cases pending and the Electoral College is still to meet. Will the church be going underground if the left takes over control of our national government? Home/ underground churches have the advantage of not drawing attention as does a large church in these post Wuhan Virus days. Small groups may very well be the future churches in America as they are in so many other countries.
There is more and more discrimination against the Christian faith and Christians even here in the United States. Some state governors have restricted church attendance and even banned singing praises to the Lord. I would pray that rather than having to go underground, we will see great revival in the United States. For now, the possibility of a Biden/ Harris administration may be a shaking of the Church (capital C) a wake up call, a rebirth of the church at Pentecost in Acts 2.
Dr. Missler’s teaching on the “Once and Future Church” is available at https://store.khouse.org/products/the-once-and-future-church
