House Church. Colossians 4:15. Buildings weren't essential to the early saints who gathered in fellowship. They opened their private homes to them. Where the apostles preached, God established local churches as places of safety, fellowship, worship, remembrance at the Lord’s Supper, teaching, and Gospel preaching. These were new churches, and they gathered there under the authority of His name by the Lord Jesus Christ. The "called out" believers are the church, not the building or the place where they meet. Recognizing that the church is like a living organism with many parts working together to serve the Lord is important. Where the saints gather in His name is where He is, regardless of the roof style or structure of the building they meet in.
There were house churches in or near Colosse. The church at Laodicea, which was not far away, met in the house of Nymphas (some versions say “Nympha”—feminine), and the church at Colosse met in the house of Philemon. We know there was interaction between the churches in Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. It may have been a woman who opened her home, and the saints gathered to worship and study the Word of the Lord. Each week, at a set time, they gathered like a small oasis of peace in an unrighteous world. There, the gifts God had given for building up the church had the chance to develop and were used to provide spiritual instruction, guided by the Spirit as He chose.
The use of homes as a gathering place for the Lord’s people still continues in many places today. The world is a very large place, and there are many factors to consider as God’s people seek to do the will of our Lord. God is not limited to buildings or venues. Believers need some space to meet in fellowship, obey the Lord, and learn from Him through the gifts He has given each individual. In some cities today, believers come separately and quietly because of serious opposition to Christianity. The size of each gathering may be limited, so multiple gatherings can happen not far from each other. There, they can meet in sweet fellowship and follow their blessed Lord's commands to stay firm in faith and worship. That is all that a New Testament church requires.
In the past, many of the Lord’s people in North America lived in rural areas separated by miles of open fields, and villages were few and far between. Those saved in an area would gather in a farmhouse and carry out the word of the Lord. In new work, as the saints are consolidated into a functioning assembly, often a house of one of them is the best place to teach the apostles’ doctrine, maintain the commitment to fellowship, break bread in remembrance of the Lord, and pray together.