No Place Left Movement
This article is written to help you think beyond one church plant and picture networks of churches…
When the apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome after many years of fruitful church planting work he declares;
‘My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,
“Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand”
In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.
But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you’ -Romans 15:20-23
How is it that Paul can say, ‘I have finished my work in these regions?’
Some versions of this scripture say; ‘But now there is No Place Left for me to work in these regions…’ -Romans 15:23
Paul said he had ‘fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum’ – Romans 15:19
How is it possible that there was No Place Left to work in such vast regions?
Paul did not plant single isolated churches, but networks of multiplying churches that filled entire regions with the gospel…
Galatia’s Network of Churches
On their first journey, Paul and Barnabas plant churches in
- Pisidian Antioch
- Iconium
- Lystra
- Derbe
At Iconium, a ‘great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers’ (Acts 14:1-2)
In Lystra, a man lame from birth was healed when ‘Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And he jumped up and began to walk around.”‘ (Acts 14:10-12)
At Derbe, they ‘preached the gospel…and made many disciples’ (Acts 14:21)
‘After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthen the disciples. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust’ (Acts 14:21-23)
Notice how Paul links Lystra, Iconium and Antioch together with Derbe
Paul then writes a letter addressed to the Galatians; ‘All the brothers and sisters here [in Syria] join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia’ –(Galatians 1:2). He is addressing all of the churches in the region in one go, as a network of churches
On Paul’s second missionary journey, he and Silas returned to Galatia, ‘So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers’ (Acts 16:5)
Rome’s Network of House Churches
In Romans 16, the apostle Paul lists the names of 28 individuals that are part of Rome’s network of churches. Some think there are at least 5 house churches mentioned in this list;
- Priscilla & Aquila – the church that meets in their home (Romans 16:5)
- Aristobulus – greet all the believers from the household of Aristobulus (Romans 16:10)
- Narcissus – greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus (Romans 16:11)
- Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas & the brothers and sisters who meet with them (Romans 16:14)
- Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas & all the believers who meet with them (Romans 16:15)
In Philippians 4:21-22 after Paul has spent some time in Rome preaching the gospel from his own rented house, he writes to the Philippians, ‘Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send greetings espeacially those belonging to Caesars household’
So we see another church emerging right at the very highest place in Rome’s society; in Caesars household…
Priscilla and Aquila’s House Churches
IN ROME
The list of house churches in Rome begins with the church that meets at Priscilla and Aquila’s
‘Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my coworkers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home’ -Romans 16:3-5
Why does it mention that all the Gentile churches are grateful for them?
IN CORINTH
In Acts 18:1-3, we see how the apostle Paul first met Aquila and Priscilla when he arrived in the city of Corinth. They had first left Italy when Claudius Caesar had deported all Jews from Rome. Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tent-makers just as he was.
It’s possible that Aquila and Priscilla could have opened their home for the church to gather in Corinth, but either way they contributed to the new church in that city by providing the apostle Paul both a place to live and a place to work as he launched a disciple making movement in that city that met from house to house…
IN EPHESUS
In Acts 18:18-19 & 24-28 the apostle Paul heads back to Syria and takes Priscilla and Aquila with him. They stop off at Ephesus on route. Aquila and Priscilla end up staying there whilst Paul travels on. Whilst living in Ephesus the couple meet Apollos preaching boldly in the synagogue. They took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately. Apollos then goes on to Corinth and proved to be of great benefit there to those who had believed in Jesus, refuting the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate.
When writing back to the Church in Corinth from Ephesus, Paul says;
‘The churches here in the province of Asia send greetings in the Lord, as do Aquila and Priscilla and all the others who gather in their home for church meetings’ -1 Corinthians 16:19
Notice 2 things from this. Firstly, Paul refers to a network of churches in Asia, not just the one in Ephesus (we will look at this later). Secondly, the church in Ephesus gathers in the home of Aquila and Priscilla for church meetings
There are 16 years between Paul meeting Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth and him writing the letter to the Romans which addresses them as a couple who all the Gentile Churches are thankful for
And we can see why; God used Aquila and Priscilla to open up their house for the work in Corinth (Greece), Ephesus (Turkey) and Rome (Italy). We can see how this contributed greatly towards the formation of a network of ‘Gentile Churches’
Corinth’s Network of House Churches
There were possibly at least 7 Corinthian House Churches…we’ve already mentioned Aquila and Priscilla;
- Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2)
- Phoebe. Phoebe is described as a ‘deacon’ or ‘patron of the church in Cenchrea’ (Romans 16:1-2). Cenchrea is only 7 miles from Corinth
- Titus Justus (Acts 18:7)
- Crispus’ Household (Acts 18:7, 1 Corinthians 1:14)
- Stephanas’ Household (1 Corinthians 1:16, 16:15)
- Chloe’s People (1 Corinthians 1:11-17)
- Gaius (1 Corinthians 1:14, Romans 16:23) ‘Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church’
Ephesus: The Epicenter of the Asian Network of Churches
In Asia, the New Testament mentions churches in
- Ephesus
- Smyrna
- Pergamum
- Thyatira
- Sardis
- Philadelphia
- Laodicea
- Colossae
- Hierapolis
It’s possible that the 7 Churches the apostle John wrote to in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2-3) were started during the time the apostle Paul and his team set up a regional base at the Hall of Tyrannus
As a result of Paul’s preaching and church planting ministry during his time in Ephesus; ‘All the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord’ (Acts 19:10)
It is thought that the church in Colossae was started by one of Paul’s apprentices; Epaphras (Colossians 1:7) and met in the home of Philemon (see Philemon 2)
The Cyprus & Crete Networks
On their first journey, Paul and Barnabas set sail for the island of Cyprus, accompanied by John Mark as their assistant. In the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally reaching Paphos (Acts 13:5-6)
Later, Barnabas took John Mark with him and they headed back to Cyprus (Acts 15:39)
Later one of Paul’s protege’s Titus, was left on the island of Crete so that he could ‘complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you’ (Titus 1:5)
So we see from beginning to end, the apostle Paul and others planted churches from town to town across a region and linked them together in networks. These networks also connected to form movements across entire continents
Have you considered forming a network of churches?
What are some of the advantages of planting from a network?
House churches most likely have to be networks and share gifting and perhaps gather from time to tim in larger groups. We have become so accustomed to large congregations in buildings set apart for that purpose that we have largely forgotten the modelling Layed down for us throughout acts.