Meeting in Jesus’s Name
Jesus says that whenever a few people get together in his name, he will be there. Isn’t this what church is? Jesus shows up when we collectively meet and treat him as the main attraction; this is the church at its most basic and purest level.
Though we typically think of this as involving hundreds of people, Jesus says it only takes a few. And he says nothing about it being at 10 a.m. on a Sunday or requiring music and a message—just people.
So can church occur with a friend at a coffee shop? I say yes!
How about in a park, at a museum, or on a nature walk? Yes!
Can church happen during dinner at a friend’s house? Yes!
How about watching TV, playing a game, or just hanging out? Yes, yes, and yes!
Does any gathering that fosters community, constitute a church? As long as Jesus is the intention, the answer is yes.
Two or three gathered in his name. That’s what we did last Sunday at a friend’s house; it was church; and it was better than most any Sunday service.
Church can occur anytime a handful of people get together. All we need to do is make Jesus the focus. Shouldn’t we be doing that anyway?
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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