House church or excuse?

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Ultimately, the call to house church isn't an excuse for not involving one's self in an institutional church. Those who house church are probably a little more organic in their lifestyles. More missional and perhaps more into alternative expressions of Christianity. Most seek more authentic relationships and personal spiritual growth. In my experience house churches are often the misfits, oddballs, mystics, outcasts, and black-sheep of God's family. Frankly, they don't fit into more traditional institutional molds. However, increasingly house churches are networked into a larger body, most having campus facilities. So, slowly but surely, house churches are becoming more integrated with more institutional structures. Those who are "bitter" against church and are blaming the institutional model for all their woes need to seek healing.

I could not help but notice the use of the word "institutional" in regards to meeting in a church building which involves under a pastoral setting. which implies a man made setting rather than scriptural.
When one truly examines the ministry of Christ and the Apostles, they utilized whatever means was available to them to reach those that had not heard the good news, but one is hard put to determine that they set up churches in the manner we have today. The closest thing scripture gives us is that the early Christians went from house to house "breaking bread".
Which many take to mean they shared the communion meal. I believe they were simply sharing the word.
We also have the words of the writer of Hebrews admonishing us to "forsake not the assembling of ourselves together". Neither of which proves the early church established institutional meetings and hierarchies such as we have today.
The way I see it both institutional churches and house churches fail in fulfilling the commission of God to GO into the world. Instead we lock ourselves up into our closed little worlds, and expect the world to come to us.
God gave the gifts of ministry to equip the saints to minister, not sit on our butts and leave it up to the ministers.