21st-century church: A fellowship of the heart

Church has taken many forms over the last two thousand years, including house churches in the decades after Jesus’ ascension; Christian meetings in the catacombs in Rome; towering European churches that took hundreds of years to build; megachurches—particularly in South Korea, Brazil, and the United States; and services held online during the pandemic.

Online church has met the needs of millions the last few years. But further into the 21st century, what will church look like? Also, could the questions of where to meet, what kind of building to have, and whether to meet in person or online be secondary to the more fundamental question of what will church feel like in our hearts? 

The last chapter of Paul’s monumental epistle to the Romans is made up mostly of warm, personal greetings—to Priscilla and Aquila, who “risked their necks” for Paul (16:4, English Standard Version); to Mary, who “has worked very hard among you” (16:6, New Revised Standard Version); to Rufus and his mother; to Nereus and his sister; and so on. Paul’s, and his coworkers’, affection for and interest in these various members of the Christian community at Rome show what church can be at its best—a rich, welcoming fellowship of the heart. But beyond admirable human friendliness, that fellowship was based on an inclusive theology that sees God’s salvation as embracing everyone because God as Spirit testifies that we are all children of God.