We often read Hebrews 10:25 exclusivley in the context of the full church gathered in worship on Sunday (and it does speak to that), but there is a larger (and smaller) context of gathering that is rooted in the DNA of the early church that is hyper-local (neighborhood based). In the book of Acts, Luke tells us that "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" (Acts 2.46). Both the temple courts (the large gathering) and the home (the small gathering) were places of ministry, encouragement, and love.

In 21st century culture, our homes tend to be places where immediate family members seal themselves off from the world around them. Even our home architectural shift in the last century illustrates this move. As Christians, our homes are as vital a place of ministry as the church building (maybe even more so). Sharing a meal together is the center of one of our most sacred actions (Holy Communion) and is, in a small and localized way, enacted every time we sit and fellowship at a table with our neighbors. Take time this week to plan a meal, open your home, and invite others to share a meal with you sometime in the coming weeks. You'll be tapping into the roots of our faith where you'll find the beautiful intersection of love of God and love of neighbor.

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Tomorrow on the Daily Connection: Who Is My Neighbor?

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC