In ancient times people took time with each other to share ideas and to talk about daily matters.

Many thousands of years ago, people who found that they were created by a Divine Source, regularly took time to talk about that Supreme Being and to show their thankfulness by bringing offerings.

A chosen people having their temple to gather

The people who loved God wanted to have a dwelling for Him and a place where they could come together to show their faithfulness to that Eternal Majesty.

That Highest Host of hosts let mankind know that He as their Maker wants the sole recognition and exclusive service. That God of gods does not like it that people would bow down to other beings, be them people, animals or plants or even graven images. He asked man not to serve them or such things because He Alone is God.

No matter how many of these so-called gods are named and worshipped, man should know that they don’t add up to anything but a tall story. People in ancient times like today had to know that there is only one God the Father, that everything comes from Him, and that He wants us to live for Him.

“’You shall not worship them or serve them; for I {Jehovah}, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,” (De 5:9 NAS95)

“5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” (1Co 8:5-6 NAS95)

Sacrifices have long been part of Jewish — and human — history. The Bible records that Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve, brought sacrifices to Jehovah their God. Also Noah sacrificed animals and birds to the Divine Creator.

We even come to read about a special offer God would have asked Abraham. At the Binding of Isaac, Abraham brought a ram as a burnt offering in place of his son.

During the 40 years of wandering in the desert (1313–1273 BCE), sacrifices were a mainstay of the Mishkan or tabernacle, a tent for gathering, that accompanied the Jews during their journeys. Such gatherings were considered an essential part of life to honour Jehovah God.

Sacrifices continued to be brought once the Jews arrived in the Land of Israel, first in the Mishkan (which stood in Gilgal for 14 years, until 1259 BCE), then in the Tabernacle at Shiloh (for the 369 years of its existence — 1259–891 BCE), and then in the First and Second Holy Temples in Jerusalem (which stood for 410 and 420 years respectively—833–423 BCE; 353 BCE–69 CE).

By the years having people loving God and wanting to study His Word there was given an opportunity to meet in special constructed buildings to study the Torah and to have places for prayer and for discussions.

The Nazarene rebbe Jeshua, today better known as Jesus Christ, preached on several occasions also in such houses of study or temples.

Jesus and his disciples were regular visitors of the synagogue and after Jesus his death his followers still wanted to come together in those places. But, because, after some time, also non-Jews joined that group of followers of Christ, then known as the Jewish sect "The Way", objection was made by the Jews who did not want their temples defiled by goyim.

Coming together to share the faith

Because Jesus had always spoken of the importance of getting together and spending time together, talking about and studying the Word of God, meditating upon it, and praying together, the disciples of the apostles also were aware of such importance.

Gathering places outside the temple

At first the apostles kept going to the temple for discussions and for the sabbath service. They were aware that their fellow Jewish brethren did not like it so much that for them heathen people would enter their holy or 'set apart' place.

For that reason, not being welcome any more in the temple or in the synagogue, the Jews who believed that Jeshua (Jesus) was the promised Messiah, sought for another way to share their faith publicly.

When the weather was not bad, outdoors there were enough places to get people together. Fields, mountains, parks, gardens and squares were used to have meetings.

Indoor gatherings

In families there were also talks between the house owner and his slaves or workers, so that there grew an interest also to meet in those private houses. But public houses, like inns were also used.

Groups - communities or Ecclesiae

There started to exist small and larger groups, which were referred to as ecclesiae (Ekklesia = ecclesia - plural ecclesiae). Those little groups grew to bigger units and often from them started new groups and as such the church community started to grow.

Also today we commonly refer to our members collectively as an ‘ecclesia’, this in accordance with the first Christians or early church.

"The church" spoken of in the Scriptures was not a special building for their worship, it is a term used to describe the whole group of people separated to God.

The singular form "Ecclesia" comes from the New Testament Greek word "Ekklesia" usually translated as ‘church’ in English Bibles.

The English word "congregation" is a good translation of it: a group of people gathered together for a special purpose. Because the "congregation in the wilderness" consisted of God's people, all their laws had a spiritual purpose, and were to be taught and maintained by His representatives. God chose the tribe of Levi out of their twelve tribes to fulfil this role.

Over the years in many countries, a church has come to refer more to a building rather than the people. Since the building in which we meet has no relevance to our salvation (Acts 7:48-50), we call ourselves an ‘ecclesia’, that is, a people called out to serve God. As the Bible states in Ephesians 2:18-22, God’s building is His people.

“48 Even though the Most High does not reside in a place made by human hands,just as the prophet says: 49 ‘“The heaven is My throne, and the earth is a footstool for My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me, ”says YHWH, “or what resting place is there for Me?50 Did not My hand make everything?”’”” (Ac 7:48-50 mhm)

“18 Because by means of him we Jew and non-Jew are being gathered together in one Pneuma to approach the Father. 19 So, in reality you non-Jews are no longer strangers and aliens. You are fellow citizens with the Saints and members of the Household of The God. 20 You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as ‘the chief cornerstone’.21 In him all the building jointed together is growing into a holy Temple for YHWH. 22 In Him all of you also are being built up together into a holy residence where The God dwells spiritually.” (Eph 2:18-22 mhm)

Ecclesia meeting in a building

As a group of believers in the Only One True God, today Christadelphians or brothers and sisters in Christ, still come together in the same tradition as the first ecclesiae.

Therefore you might find them coming together in public as well as private places. As such there are Housechurches in the Christadelphian community, but also bigger units which have their own meeting place built, which they may call Christadelphian Hall, Meeting Hall, Prayer Hall, Kingdom Hall and in a few countries also called "Christadelphian Church".