The New Testament out-lines what a gathering looks like and sadly many miss this. Either that or they are taught that the model of today is the true model.
Here is what I believe we find one looks like according to scripture;
Is it a Kingdom gathering if its in a large Cathedral or Mega Church setting?
No, not necessarily yet the Lord can still move within one.
Is it only in a house sitting?
No, not necessarily although because of persecution this is how they met in the New Testament. And I personally believe that in small groups, connected through out a town, city or even State can be far more productive and cost effective.
Does it have a pastor?
No, not in the manner for which most Churches operate today. The New Testament model shows a plurality of leaders (elders). But this by no means warrants that a group must not have a teacher or one who is matured as an elder who the Lord is using to disciple others into the elder’s role. (Acts 2:42-47) Much like what Jesus himself had taught them (Luke 9:1-6), (Matt 10:1-16)
Do they collect offering’s?
Yes, they should collect an offering to go into the StoreHouse of the Lord which can be used for many purposes with regard to those who gather together as well as fund missions from within the group. The storehouse can also assist the needs of those whom the Lord puts on the hearts of the group. This does not mean that the group needs to support a sole individual who wants to be their “Leader” which is a mark of many groups and Churches today. I am not saying that one who is called to ministry is not entitled to receive money to support them as there is a Biblical principle as well. That is a different story. I know of people who started a house group (Church) and then forces their bills upon the group in a manner for which the group is manipulated through guilt into supporting them. Paul set the high road about this subject and a diligent student will go study what I mean. The positive thing in regard to meeting in private homes is that no money is wasted on rent or mortgages.
Lessons from my personal study:
I’ve spent the better part of a decade and a half studying the Kingdom Model and I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Regretfully the good have been far in between. I attended groups that merely sit around and complain about the big Church and bring no Glory to the Lord and sadly they are generally are simply a smaller model of what they are complaining about.
I have witnessed some that morphed into a secluded group of believers who don’t evangelize and are totally scared of “Out-siders” coming in and contaminating their group. This is scary and cultish as they general end up with a single leader.
I have also witnessed a few that are onto something and this is generally found in persecuted nations but there are a few as well which are thinly spread out across America. These group are tapping into the Kingdom culture and the Lord is beginning to really move. Although, right now it may well be considered a remnant of sorts. I have heard from others and believe myself that in the coming months, especially here in America it will begin to swell in momentum as the “Mega-Churches” have been draining the Nations storehouse to support their personal kingdom agenda’s which require mega mortgages and salaried staff to keep the machine operating. The Spirit is opening the spiritual eyes of many. In these groups, we find that unlike the Mega type Church, these Kingdom gatherings have a plurality of leadership, taking turns teaching and all the gifts operating within the group.
When we tap into the scriptures we read how the early Church gathered from house to house, how the Apostles planted (discipled) teachers, evangelist, prophets and pastors (elders) and then moved onto the next home to reproduce. You can visibly see the “Gifts” of the Spirit operating in each group. Were they perfect? No, yet today we have their mistakes to learn from and with a greater understanding of the Pauline revelations he received through Holy Spirit. One can see where there was Unity, the Glory of the Lord was present. Unity comes when a group of people are of one-mind and who are seeking to glorify the Lord and not worried about who is the leader, how they are going to pay the mortgage, who is going to do this and do that. In fact, they were not worried about the government of the world or the culture around them because they all knew that they were commissioned to represent the Kingdom government of Jesus and to release the culture of the Kingdom, being an influence of grace & love rather than being influenced by greed and immorality.
We know from scripture that when they gathered it was centered around Jesus, often with songs, praise and worship along with teaching. (Col 3:16). More than likely, upon a deep study of the scriptures and what scholars state, their meeting consisted of worship, practice of Spiritual gifts, teaching, prayer, fellowship, the Lord’s supper and Baptism.
We know based on historical facts that most homes were in fact apartments for the most part consisting of one or two rooms there were however a few that may have owned a single home structure yet this was not the norm in that day. Of course, back then a whole family lived there and often even sons with their wives. A custom unlike what we in America are accustomed to although in recent years because of economic hardships it is be coming a not so uncommon practice here. So more than likely these groups were not larger than 15 to 20 persons which then would break off to form another group, yet they were still connected in one form or other.
Upon 
studying the house meeting structure of the New Testament, many are amazed at how fast Paul developed leaders. Of course, upon reading scripture we find than generally the person who opened their home were considered leaders and others blossomed around them.
Paul speaks of this in first Thessalonians 5:12-13, yet he does not attach “titles” to them. Again, we see that leadership pretty much developed organically.
Now, nowhere in the New Testament can one find a picture that closely resembles any of the fully developed systems at play in the main stream Church today. Back then “Church” government was not highly developed, and the local gatherings were a rather loosely knit group. These small gatherings did however exist side-by-side with other house groups. We can pretty much gather from the scriptures that these believers saw themselves as part of a greater city-wide family of believers. Ministry from these groups was fluid and dynamic. Members were encouraged to experience their spiritual gifts for the common good of the Body, and leaders operated as gifted men and women. This led to many opportunities for ordinary people to develop into leaders. (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10, 27-28)
I believe that even as we see more and more open verbal and legal attacks against the Church and Christians in America and abroad, if one is truly tuned into what the Spirit is speaking, they to shall find the Father calling the Bride to journey back in time to apply the values and ministry practices found in the New Testament. While house to house ministry might look different today, many of the same Biblical principles apply and will help us to not only begin to disciple others, who go on to disciple others, we will also see the body coming back into unity and with that the Glory of the Lord shall once again be seen across this nation and through-out the world. Even if it is a remnant that begins, the fire will spread even as did through the first century Church.
Again, I believe I have heard and learned through Holy Spirit in scripture as well as to what I have personally witnessed, this is what a Kingdom meeting does look like. Let us pray that the Bride awakens in this generation in this hour for His purpose.
I will be writing more on this topic in the coming months and welcome anyone else’s thoughts and insight as well.
~Dr. Russ Welch
Radical Disciples - A Remnant Revolution 