#4 - why does the church have a couch in it?

Romans 16:3ff
 

³ Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches.
⁵ Greet also the church that meets in their home.
Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
⁶ Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.
⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me.
⁸ Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord...

Have you ever noticed how almost all of Paul’s letters end with personal greetings? Sometimes it is a general greeting to the “church” or the “brethren,” but often it is very personal, including a list of names. This list in Romans is the most extensive, and if you can get past the inability to pronounce any of the names, it is easy to see how much Paul loves each and every one of these people. He doesn’t just say “Greet Andronicus…,” (surely his nickname was Andy), he includes a very descriptive phrase that shines light on how well he knows each of them and how well he thinks of them.

Paul had a close connection with each of these members of the church in Rome and my guess is that each of these people also knew and loved each other. One clue to that is the fact that at this point in Church history, the churches were meeting in homes. (v. 5). There is something about meeting together with brothers and sisters in Christ in your home that builds closeness and develops love.  

This is one of the reasons that Candeo Church values Connection Groups. Meeting together regularly with other believers in our living rooms helps us go deeper in those relationships. There is just something about sitting together on a couch that is different than seeing someone at church on Sunday. Inviting someone into your home essentially invites them into the heart of your life. It opens up the door for real conversation and real love. And then, like Paul, we begin to truly know our brothers and sisters, not just by name, but who they truly are.

Lord, may we be people who desire to open our homes and our hearts to others. May we not be content with surface level relationships. Let us desire and make the effort to connect with our fellow believers, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and seek to bring others into our homes. Thank you for the example of Paul and the church in Rome. Help me go deeper with those in my connection group so that I truly know them and truly love them. Thank you for your constant love that fills me up and enables me to love others. Amen.