The American church world breaks down into 3 main groups.

1. Traditional church.

2. Emerging church.

3. House church.

The American church world breaks down into 3 main groups.

1. Traditional church.

Sometimes called "legacy churches", this is church as we know it, with Sunday 11 a.m. "worship services", Sunday School classes and is building based, pastor-led, program-driven, etc. This church has been around forever and the feeling of those attending is this is what we have and know and love… and we are determined to make the best out of it! "Bloom where you are planted" and so on. The vast majority of church goers in this country fall into this category.

2. Emerging church.

3. House church.

The cornerstone of this movement is not looking forward for a new type of church experience but looking backward to the First Century. Emphasis is on the apostolic, New Testament type church that Paul and his co-workers planted: Thus you find them meeting in homes (Rom 16:5,1 Cor 16:19), eating a meal together (sometimes called a love-feast; Jude 12, 1 Cor 11) and assembling with each person contributing to the gathering with spiritual gifts for the edification of the church (1 Cor 12-14). The bulk of this group seems to be families but I am not certain enough on that to make a big point of it.

Comments welcome and appreciated!!