for Christians who knew that something was missing but didn’t know where to look, and for atheists who have been put off by church services
CHURCH 14-26 is a movement of Christians who wish to adopt a model of church that is unusual in our civilisation today, but is the model described in the Bible. Like the apostolic church, we meet in private homes. One weekly meeting runs according to Paul’s description in 1 Corinthians 14:26-30, from which the movement takes its name.
When you meet, each of you has a song, or a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation – 1 Corinthians 14:26.
According to this verse, people bring something as a seed for spontaneity led by the Holy Spirit, and prayer and praise are shared. Jesus Christ is present wherever believers gather in his name, and he shows himself through these activities. A second weekly meeting is a Bible study. Larger meetings in a hired or borrowed indoor space, or outdoors in suitable weather, sometimes replace or supplement one or other of these regular meetings. These larger meetings are for worship or teaching, or prayer about a matter of concern to Christians across many house gatherings.
The combination of house gatherings according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-30 and the weekly Bible study reflects the two things God has given his church – his word and his Spirit – and provides Church 14-26 with its distinctive pattern.