At Home, At Church

In an article written by Lisa Miller, she quotes that according to a recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public life, seven percent of Americans say they attend religious services in someone's home. This surprising number has been "lost" while the media claims that Americans are still vague at best in their religious practices. Seven percent is quite a number when you consider atheists in America are around six percent and Jews account for two percent of the population. For so many Americans to be praying at home speaks not just of religious pluralism but what so many Christians have been saying recently; the established ways of worship aren't working anymore. The mega-church with its Wal-Mart approach to spirituality has become a fixture of the suburban landscape. What sets them apart is the family atmosphere: the potluck supper where the bread and wine are served- and, above all else, the expectation that every member contribute prayers, teachings and songs. House church members support each other, encourage each other, hold each other accountable and mentor each other . Their meetings are a shared responsibility, a time set aside for praising God and appreciating each other. Like beer, food, magazines and music, people are rejecting the one -size-fits-all approach and yearn for a church experience that is more personal and homemade.