What are the minimum requirements?

Greetings Church. We have been thinking about several church questions in our family. The questions about the number of leaders and participants necessary for the establishment of a Christian Church don't seem to attract much attention. I guess we are just used to the model of the large group mentality. 

So are there other models found in scripture and history?

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Replies (13)

    • D

      I have wondered about this myself and often felt Christ's model of 12 disciples was intentional. Of course, it was the right number for His inner circle, but could it also be a model for His Church?

      • D

        Dixie, I think Christ's model is a great example. But consider the time before He had all of the 12 with Him. And then after the 12, others began to gather around Him like an extended family.
        My wife and I came to the place that we found fellowship where ever we could. It took some reaching out and making the first move. Eventually we found ourselves with other like-minded believers who care about and care for one another.
        Different meeting sizes do pose different challenges. I can find no rules in the bible about that, only that we are to love and server one another because of Christ.

      • Community is important and is being in contact to help each other with no ties attached is what attracted me.

        We are one Body and one Church.

        Loving one another listening and accepting discerning the truth that is The Holy Spirit and is revealed to those that seek and love God by faith and trust by looking at creation and our own life.

        • of course Jesús is our Lord God the Son who obeyed God the Father and left us himself in the Holy Tradition and said I go but I will send the Spirit of truth.

          •  Matthew 18:20: "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." It would seem that a church/fellowship can begin with as few as two or three who have gathered together in Jesus' name. Begin there, teach God's Word, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, evangelize, and let God bring the increase.

          • Hi friends, consider this fact, often overlooked. Nowhere in the Scripture do we find a command to start a church or to plant a church. But rather, we meet as the church.

            Yes, Word and Power Ministries, God will add the increase. Elsewhere, we read that others were added to the church - never that a new church was founded, started, or planted. 

            This is significant, in my opinion. The focus was clearly on evangelism and serving others. Then, after the conversion of others - they simply met as the church. I say simply because this method of organic growth is much simpler than being overly concerned if we have enough members or leaders or a permanent place to meet.

            • L

              I totally agree with this method! I was pondering the same question - what does a home church look like/structure? Husband & I are praying and seeing Holy Spirit lead us to invite our neighbors over to read the scriptures.  Praise God for this website we came across today!!

            • D

              When we think of the minimum requirements in various circumstances, it could mean how to cut corners. In this faith, I like to think in terms of the essential requirements.
              In church life, many things people think are necessary were never mentioned by Christ. Love for Christ and for one another can even be down the list at times. When we read the Gospels and Acts we must remember that many of the forms of worship we have today had not yet developed.
              Somehow they got along without them!

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