Why You Should Start a Home Fellowship.

On February 18th, 2024, a small but significant movement began—a home fellowship. Unlike a typical church service in a formal compound, this gathering happens in someone’s home, creating a family atmosphere of intimacy and spiritual growth.  

To be honest, this was not part of my grand plan. When I moved here, my focus was on school ministry as I prepared for the next mission station. But you know how God is—He loves plot twists: throw that guy in a fish's mouth, spit him out and plant a tree for him. 😂 He used a neighboring family to reorder my steps as I continue with the initial plan.

One day, they approached me and asked: "Sasa kwa sababu wewe ni mchungaji, na sisi hatujakuwa tukienda kanisani kwa muda, unaweza kuwa mchungaji wetu?"

I wanted to say no. But their request carried a certain spiritual weight—a prompting of the Spirit. I prayed and sought counsel from my brothers in the faith. Their response? Do it! So, one year ago, this fellowship was born. Happy anniversary to us.

ONE YEAR LATER…

By God's grace, we have:  

- Read and studied (or at least tried to) 11 books of the Bible. (2 Timothy 2:15)  

- Practiced community care, supporting the bereaved, the sick, and others in need. (James 1:27)  

And through this journey, I’ve learned a few truths about home fellowships—truths that could transform the Church if widely embraced:

1. They Are Easy to Run

A home church is less about following a program and more about family. Sometimes, we start late because "catching up" turns into a whole session. Plans shift based on needs. If someone is sick, we stop everything and pray. (Galatians 6:2) If someone has a testimony or struggle, we pause and listen.

No one is burdened with time constraints. People actually arrive earlier and leave late—because they enjoy being there.  

The music leader traveled for another engagement? No problem.Today, *no singing!* It's a family, not a concert. Yes, we have plans and goals, but we follow *The Wind*—the Holy Spirit. (John 3:8)  

2. God Is the Hero

Isn't this part of the goal of gathering? To exalt God, not men? There’s no elevated pulpit and no superstar teacher, pastor, apostle, evangelist or prophet. We sit in circles, share, ask questions, and learn together. (1 Corinthians 14:26)  

The Spirit leads, not the schedule. When the fellowship grows, more homes will open up, and new leaders will emerge. (Acts 13:2) In home fellowships, the leader is not the hero—God is.  

3. No Backbenchers

Unlike large church halls where you can hide in the crowd, here everyone is seen, heard, and involved. Some thrive in this intimacy, while others…disappear.  

Why? Because home fellowships have a way of nudging us toward repentance. (James 5:16) Sins that can hide in the shadows of a large hall become visible in the light of close fellowship.

In our fellowship, everyone must answer one key question each week:

“What part of the Bible did you read this week, and what is God teaching you?” If your answer is “Eish…sikuweza kupata time,” it’s a long day for you! #ShameOnMeMoment

4. The Word Takes Center Stage

Not like we have a stage, but with a small group, we slow down and truly engage with Scripture. (Acts 17:11) We don’t just preach from the Word; we study the Word. Together, we read, discuss, question, and apply the Bible to our daily lives.  

Here, sessions don’t end with “Amen!?” They end with, “Sasa, how do we live this out?”

5. Financial Stability

One day, our treasurer informed me that we had 10,000 KES in our account. I was shocked! Hadn’t we covered home and hospital visits? Yes, he assured me.  

The truth is, home fellowships don’t require massive budgets.  

- No salaries and equipments.

- No expensive amenities.  

- No utility bills.  

- No hidden costs.  

Our biggest expense? Juice and biscuits—1,000 KES every 2-3 months. Occasionally, we cook and eat together. Sometimes, we visit the elderly and share a Sunday meal with them. And yet, we still have money left over! If we had started a hall gathering, we would have done several fundraisers by now and the leader would be stretched. We're thinking of getting sound for outreach purposes and by Gods help, we shall get one set this year.

In a home fellowship:  

- You need a treasurer, not an accountant.  

- A secretary, not an HR department.  

- Ultimately, you report to God, not a governing body. (Colossians 3:23)  

6. Home Fellowships Work

The early Church began this way—meeting in homes before moving to halls as denominations emerged. (Acts 2:46-47)  

- In homes, discipleship thrives. In halls, dictations happens.

- In homes, discipline is upheld. In halls, discipline is often forgotten.

Homes produce disciples who are deep. Halls produce converts who are countable but not accountable. But which is more sustainable?  

A Call to Action.

The Church isn't a building—it's a body of believers. That body grows best in relational settings. (1 Corinthians 12:27)  

Wherever you are—your neighborhood, your network, your nation—you can start a fellowship. You don’t need a registration certificate. Just check in with God. You don’t need a stadium—just a sitting room. And I'm not asking you to live the hall gathering yet. You might not be ready for that shift yet. But one day, we will need to embrace change and do Church at home. You can start one wherever you are as a believer. Even this week. One brother, Oscar Muriu(Bsp) once did a talk on rabbits(home) and rhino(hall) churches and my take home from that delivery was that rabbits are the workable future of the Church ( https://youtu.be/RS7sf2BMlec?si=IlhbmIAG7Z9e-EbV ). My best part of this home church setting is that people don't have to dress up for Church (ladies still do). You can dress down and still be comfortable. A feature that seems to work well for the male gender mostly.

Gather. Pray. Read. Share. Grow.  

Will you start one to the glory of God?