They meet ONLY in homes for Fellowship Meetings on the first day of the Week, and are strongly opposed to church buildings, contending that Jesus did not authorize any buildings in which to hold services for the New Testament Christian Church. They refer to church buildings as false churches. They take literally:
Acts 7:48, 17:24 – God dwells not in temples made with hands ; and
1 Corinthians 6:19 –the body is the temple of the living God,

The account of the first passover night (Exodus 12), is also cited in support of the requirement to hold meetings in private homes in small groups for fellowship. Friends are warned that only those inside the household were protected from the death angel in Egypt.

Four New Testament scriptures record greetings to believers that met in a house: Phil 1:2, Col 4:15, 1 Cor 16:19, Romans 16:5.

See also: Sabbath, Sunday, Lord’s Day

An often used slogan indicates the emphasis placed on their methods: The ministers without a home, and the church in the home.

There are no restrictions regarding the type buildings used for their Gospel Meeting services (for recruitment purposes), or annual Special Meetings or Conventions, which may include various rooms, halls, auditoriums and even church buildings.

They do not believe the church should own property. Rather, their members own the private property where they meet in homes, tents, buildings and shed, all of which are made with hands.

Worker Quote: There are 2 vital points of doctrine that Jesus taught: the New Testament Church, that the world doesn’t believe: the church in the home. Jesus taught that and every time, I believe, you read about a church meeting, it was in the home of God’s dear children. The church in the home was one of the vital doctrines that Jesus taught and the world has never received it. They believe the church should be in a building where you go out of your home into the house of God that they have built, and worship and serve God there. The Lord taught: in your homes — not only on Sunday morning, Wednesday evening but every day in your homes; worship and serve the living God. What a marvellous benefit. No expenses like the world with their buildings, but gathering quietly day by day to worship God. (Dale Spencer, Williams Conv., Western Australia, 2004)

Worker Quote: We make no secret of the fact that we are deliberately and purposely teaching men and women the world over how to do without the hireling ministry and the public buildings and to worship God in spirit and truth as those early Christians did in homes consecrated to God, as recorded in the New Testament…We glory in this fact that God has opened our eyes and made clear to our minds that we can worship Him in spirit and in truth without priest, parson, or church buildings…We should all make ourselves familiar with the scriptures that refer to the church in the home and only in the home. (Overseer Jack Carroll, Arizona Conv. Oct 6, 1951)

Worker Quote: There is no mention of any scheme to erect buildings to worship in. The 3 buildings God is interested in were Noah’s Ark, the tabernacle and the temple in Old Testament days, and since the resurrection, our bodies. Today our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Jews never had a synagogue until they returned from the Babylonian captivity. They copied from the Babylonians. (John Porterfield, April 10, 1955, Lewiston, ID)

Worker Quote: The church in the home and the preacher without a home are vital. We cannot depart from either of them. I have rejoiced ten thousand times in the wonderful wisdom of God in connection with the gathering together of His people on the first day of the week. What a terrible calamity it would be if we as the servants of God had to be continually occupied with building synagogues….It is very wonderful that God has so planned it that instead of amassing substance, His people can meet together and His work be carried on without the very things other religious people of the world claim to be absolutely essential to worship and serve Him…there is absolutely no record in the New Testament of the early Christians investing a dollar in real estate, and yet today billions of dollars are invested in every country in the world, so-called Christians, for what they claim to be the worship and service of God. (Jack Carroll)