By their very nature, house churches are designed for spontaneous growth. Each begins with the purpose of reproducing itself. Each begins person by person, home by home, drawing people into an intimate community of fellowship focused on discovering God. Worldwide, house churches are growing as a way of “doing evangelism and church.”

Eight years ago, worship began in a most unlikely location: in front of the Guadalajara, Mexico, central market, a bustling place with 3,000 vendors.

Wayne and Sandy DeYoung, who were new missionaries with Christian Reformed World Missions, began holding services in an attempt to build relationships and interest in the gospel. Little did they expect how relationships begun there would grow into small house-church groups throughout the city.

One evening the DeYoungs met Julio and Mary Moreno. The Morenos had spent 20 years on the streets, begging, borrowing, and stealing to support alcohol addictions. After the last of their eight children was removed from their care, the Morenos decided to enter a Christian rehabilitation center. Three months later they arrived at the Wednesday-night service as new Christians and recovering alcoholics.

“Marily talked to people while she sold vegetables in the farmers’ market.”

Wayne’s relationship with the Morenos grew over the next year, and the DeYoungs began holding worship services in the Moreno home. At first it was just family in attendance. Then others joined. Soon the group was big enough to begin another house church. As that house church grew, it in turn led to the establishment of new ones.

Marily joined one of the new house churches. She had become a Christian several years earlier, but had not been welcomed by several churches. At the house church she found a home. She started bringing her sons, then her husband. All were gripped by the messages they heard. Last June, the whole family was baptized.

Marily and Santos began sharing their faith with others. Marily talked to people while she sold vegetables in the farmers’ market; Santos discussed his faith with customers on his water-bottle delivery route. Soon several of their friends had become Christians and started meeting in their homes.

“[House churches] all start differently,” says Wayne. “There is almost nothing set as a model. The Holy Spirit does his work in many different ways. It could be as simple as a coffee break with the ladies in the neighborhood for the start.”