The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ remained pure for the first 300 years during which time much persecution from the Romans took place against the Christians. In the year 313 AD, Kaiser Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, resulting in the Christian faith becoming the state Church. In Biblical days the Church of Acts gathered in houses as well as congregating on the first day of the week (Sunday).
As described in the book of Acts, the Church was vibrant, every believer was a minister, agape love flowed freely, and the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit were evidenced daily on the streets and in people’s houses. There were no Bibles or Bible Schools, no Theological Seminaries, no Church buildings or Cathedrals – people just ministered to one another in the early days of the Church. Something major went wrong with the Church from ±300 AD onwards causing the Church to slide into the “Dark Middle Ages”. Christianity became a “religion”, the Church an “organization”, and religious activities were centred around the cathedrals and monasteries. Only the official clergy had access to the Bible and were allowed to minister the Word of God. In the 20th Century, the Church recovered to a great extent from the lowest point of the “Dark Ages”, but was still a far cry away from the pattern of the Church in the book of Acts. We believe that the “Cell Church” is the closest model to the Church in the Book of Acts, and this concept will be explored in this course.
In Jesus’ ministry, He operated mainly out of homes, not formal buildings. He often taught His disciples in houses (Mark 2:1; 7:14-27; 9:33; 10:2-12; Matthew 13:36). His disciples lived with families in homes wherever they went. Living in a home was part of His plan for bringing people into a personal faith experience. In Luke 10, Jesus assigned the 70 disciples to enter homes, offering peace to all who lived within. When they found a “man of peace” (one desiring to find peace), they remained in that home, eating and drinking whatever was set before them. In this way, a household would be converted to Christ, and another Home Cell would be established.
We endorse the New Testament pattern of the church gathering in public meetings and in homes:
Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 5:42 …Daily in the temple and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 16:40 Paul and Silas then returned to the home of Lydia, where they met with the believers and encouraged them once more before leaving town.
Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.
Rom 16:5 Please give my greetings to the Church that meets in their home...
1 Cor 16:19 …Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the Church that is in their house.
Col 4:15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the Church that is in his house.
Philemon 1:2 …I am also writing to the Church that meets in your house.
We know that if you become part of one of the home cells (Groups) at LFCC, you will be well cared for.
To make it easy for you to find out in what district you stay and who your district pastor will be, please click on the link called "Geographical Districts."
Once you have determined in what district you fall then click on the "Find a group" link, this will help you to get connected very easily.
May God bless you as you grow spiritually in a group near you!