A note from the Pastor’s Desk:

“Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.”

Colossians 4:15

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

Before the Apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Colossians, he turns his attention toward neighboring Laodicea, weaving a simple personal greeting into a vivid window on how the early church actually lived and gathered. Our study verse this week is more than just the Apostle’s closing remarks. It points to the early church as a gathering of people rather than a location or an organization. It highlights the risks of the home church in the 1st century and the importance of the relationships between believers in the local congregation and in the larger region. The nature of the early church provides lessons for modern churches today.

The New Testament word for “church” is “ekklesia,” meaning a called-out assembly or congregation of people. The word church, as used in the New Testament, never means a brick-and-mortar structure. For the first two centuries, disciples had no dedicated church buildings; the church met wherever people could gather, primarily in private homes. Examples in addition to this verse include 1 Corinthians 16:19 with Aquila and Prisca and Philemon 1:2 with Apphia, Archippus, and the church in Philemon’s house. In fact, it was very likely that in towns like Colossae and Laodicea, multiple home gatherings existed rather than one centralized congregation. Today, people say that they are going to church, indicating the building and location, but in the early days of the New Testament, the reference was always to the people, not a location. 

Hospitality was more than just a nicety in the early New Testament church; it was the backbone of its existence. The gospel writers emphasize the need for hospitality as a characteristic of disciples. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:13 that a gift of God is being “given to hospitality,” and Peter adds to this in 1 Peter 4:9, saying that the disciples should “use hospitality one to another without grudging.” Opening a home to host a local congregation came with a cost. It meant offering space, furniture, food, and wear-and-tear on personal property. More so, it presented a social and legal risk, as Christianity was an unauthorized movement in the Roman Empire. Hosting a gathering exposed Nymphas (and others) to public scrutiny, loss of reputation, or potential action from secular authorities. Hospitality in the early church wasn’t just inviting fellow disciples over for dinner; rather, it was opening your doors to an outlawed gathering. 

The early church thrived on deep personal connection, mutual care, and local accountability rather than institutional management. The tone of the Apostle’s letter, using words like “salute” and “greet,” shows genuine affection even between individuals who had never met in person. The Apostle wasn’t just sending formal theological treatises; he was sending individual greetings, mentioning people by name. This approach to writing emphasizes the relational nature of the church in the early days. Today, it is easy to treat the church as an institution, but in the early days it functioned more as a family than an organization. 

Our study verse leaves us with an important reminder: the church is the people, not the building. Furthermore, the focus is the local assembly. Connection and communication between other congregations is important; however, it is the local assembly that provides the day-in and day-out support to one another. 

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah