Going To Church in the First Century: An Eyewitness Narrative of Early Christian Worship and Community Life

What was it really like to attend a Christian gathering in the first century?

In this vivid narrative, Robert Banks reconstructs a house-church meeting in Rome through the eyes of an outsider, offering readers an immersive and historically grounded glimpse into early Christian worship and community life.

Set in mid-first-century Rome, the story follows Publius as he attends a gathering hosted by Aquila and Prisca. Through shared meals, prayer, discussion, singing, Scripture reading, and mutual care, readers witness the simplicity, warmth, and spiritual vitality of early Christian fellowship.

Drawing from biblical, literary, and archaeological sources, Banks combines careful scholarship with storytelling to illuminate:

- How early Christians worshiped in homes

- The role of meals, prayer, and spiritual gifts

- Community decision-making and pastoral care

- Fellowship across social and economic divisions

- The contrast between ancient gatherings and modern church practice

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

- Christians exploring authentic community life

- Small groups and church discussion settings

- Students of early Christianity

- Readers interested in historical faith narratives

Accessible yet deeply thoughtful, Going to Church in the First Century offers a fresh perspective on what church once was-and invites readers to reflect on what it might still become.

Robert J. Banks is an Australian Christian thinker, writer, and practitioner. He is a biblical scholar, practical theologian, and cultural critic, as well as an educator and church planter.