“Temple courts and house to house.” Ever used that line to connect small group ministry to the very beginning of the Church? You know you have. That phrase is probably top 5 in the all time most popular ways to describe the importance of small group ministry.
The line is a kind of paraphrase from right here in Acts 2:42-47:
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Temple courts and house to house.
Ever wonder how that actually happened? The house to house part? Remember, at the end of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 we’re told that “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day” (Acts 2:41).
Ever wonder how they made house to house work with 3,000 people? Who led? How’d they choose leaders? Had they gone through a leader training program? Did they have a coach? What did they do without a DVD player or study guides? Whose homes did they meet in? Did they rotate homes? Who brought the chips and dip?
There’s a lot to wonder about. And right at the heart is the question, “Who led?”
I came to the conclusion a long time ago that ordinary people led and God used them in an extraordinary way. They weren’t trained and they didn’t have curriculum but look at what happened! Amazing? Maybe. Mostly it’s a God thing.
