You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.
I urge you, brothers, 1to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. 1 Corinthians 16:15 (TNIV)
Greetings in Christ! Here’s today’s language lesson, oikos. It’s a Greek word pronounced “oi,” as in the word in the commercials depicting “how Australians say ‘hello,’” and “kos,” as in “rhymes with ‘cost” without the ‘t’.” The words means “household.” Another way of looking at “oikos” is “extended family.” A group of 30-70 people that gather to celebrate and commiserate in the midst of the highs and lows of life.
Growing up as a child in the Willamette Valley, my entire maternal extended family all lived within sixty miles of our grandparents home in Salem. Easy driving distance. This meant that every birthday, holiday, anniversary, and sorrow entailed piling at least forty people, young and old, into a not so big house. But, we did it! The family stretched and shrank, depending on who brought what friends, fiancés, neighbors, or which one of my grandparent’s employees showed up. The boundaries of the family were fairly porous and all were welcome.
This is the sort of grouping Paul is mentioning when he writes about “households.” Although it sometimes appears as if everywhere Paul traveled a community of faith called “the Church” magically appeared, the reality was something different. The clear progression of the early Christian movement in both the book of Acts and the writings of Paul is that he followed the instruction of Christ in Luke 10: when he went into a new community, he looked for a person of peace, entered into the hospitality of their household, and that’s where he lived while in that community (cf. Acts 16:14-15).
Within those households there were immediate family members (spouse, children, parents), and extended family members (aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, in-laws), there were also others. These included those who worked within the household, neighbors who lived on the “fringe” of the household, and, depending on the size and scope of the household, potentially many others.
For some time now, Cheri, Will, Kaia, and I have been trying to put into practice this basic missional concept of “household of faith.” For instance, several times this summer we’ve shared brunches after church which involved our families and a few leaders from the congregation. That’s something I suspect many of us do on a fairly regular basis, that is, gather with those we know well. But, we’ve taken it a few extra steps, by including invitations to newcomers to worship at our church, neighbors with whom we come in contact, and even, in at least one case, a person I met on the street one day.
The gatherings are lively and great fun. We begin and end with prayer, just like those gatherings at my grandparents house so many years ago. The food is rich and varied and preparation is made light by everyone bringing something to share. Conversations are far reaching. Quiet folks are given the opportunity to go off in a corner with one or two others, and the extroverts tend to revel in the size of the gathering. It truly is great fun!
As you go through these summer months, will you please prayerfully consider developing your own oikos? Your own household of faith? Maybe gathering with some close friends next Sunday and, this time, make sure you invite a few who are on the fringes of those relationships…the neighbor you’ve greeted, but never actually engaged in a conversation. If you want coaching on how to make it happen, just ask me!
As for the meal, make it simple and let everyone bring something. This means everyone has the ability to contribute and food allergies are also taken care of at the same time. Whatever you do, have fun with it! And…pray for Christ’s guidance and blessing as you invite others into your oikos…household of faith. If God worked through such households of faith in the time of Paul to increase the body of Christ, then surely God will be at work through such gatherings today.
In the meantime, I’ll be praying for you. Let me know how it goes!
