Yesterday I shared the new hymn about our scattered church gatherings. And earlier I wrote about the different ways churches are handling Sunday morning. Our church continues the Zoom approach including putting us in “rooms” after to visit. With the interaction, it’s been the next best thing to being together.

But my friend Ray Bandi in New Hampshire told me about a church up there that’s using a completely different approach. Instead of using live-stream or Zoom or live-stream via Facebook, the pastor is developing an order of worship and sending it to heads of households who are then running “church” in their homes! And he uses it as a leadership opportunity by bringing those heads of household together for a coaching session mid-week. Ray told him, and I agree: “This may be the most important thing you do at this church!”

What’s better than doing what Ephesians 4.11, 12 commands?

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry… (Ephesians 4.11, 12, ESV)

Now I’d be the first to say that there’s way more to ministry than having folks conduct a worship service in their home, but think of the engagement this practice promotes!

It reminds me of the time when we took our kids to Christmas Eve service at First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs. It’s a large church with a relatively small sanctuary, so they had multiple Christmas Eve services. We aimed for the 4:00p service, arriving at 3:30p as the previous service let out. We found a LONG line in front of us with no hope that we could get in. So, we picked up a few copies of the bulletin, went home, and ran the service ourselves. We let the kids read the various scriptures, we sang all the carols, including lighting the candles for Silent Night. Everyone loved it, and they still remember that service.

Do you remember that Passover, the primary feast in the Jewish calendar is a home celebration?

You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, “What do you mean by this service?” you shall say, “It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.” (Exodus 12.24 – 27, ESV)