Not a small group. Not a house church. A church.
A microchurch is a fully-functioning expression of the church — not a supplement to a larger church, not a Bible study, not a program. It is a community of believers who gather regularly, worship together, break bread, care for one another, and carry the mission of Jesus into their neighborhood.
The "micro" simply refers to size. These communities are intentionally small — typically 8 to 20 people — because size creates the conditions for the depth, participation, and accountability that larger gatherings struggle to produce.
"When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."1 Corinthians 14:26 (NRSV)
How it differs from a typical Sunday service
Typical Sunday church
- One voice teaches from a stage
- Congregation is largely passive
- Attendance is the primary metric
- Community happens informally, if at all
- Program-driven calendar
- Success = size
Microchurch
- Every person participates
- The Spirit speaks through the whole body
- Depth of relationship is the metric
- Community is the structure
- Spirit-led, not agenda-driven
- Success = transformation
Is this biblical?
The earliest churches gathered exactly this way. For the first three centuries, before church buildings existed, followers of Jesus met in homes, shared meals together, and gathered as communities where every believer contributed. This is the pattern of Acts 2, of 1 Corinthians 14, of Romans 16 with its greetings to "the church in their house."
Microchurch is not a modern innovation or a reaction to institutional disappointment — though it may serve people who feel that disappointment. It is a return to a form that the church practiced for centuries before it became an institution.
"And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people."Acts 2:46–47 (NRSV)
Common questions
Is microchurch for people who've been hurt by church?
It can be — and many people who find their way to microchurch come with wounds from institutional experiences. But microchurch is for anyone who wants to experience the full depth of Christian community: participation, accountability, genuine relationship, and room for the Spirit to move through every person present.
Do you have a pastor or formal leadership?
Yes — Poiema Temecula operates under the oversight of a pastor and within the Poiema Network. We believe accountability and relationship across a wider community make us stronger. Microchurch is not independent Christianity — it is deeply relational Christianity, which includes relationship with leaders who know and care for us.
What does a typical gathering look like?
We gather in someone's home, share a meal, open Scripture together, and make space for every person to contribute — a thought, a prayer, a question, something God has been showing them that week. There's no stage, no performance, no program to follow. Just people, the Spirit, and the Word.
How do I find out when you're meeting?
Reach out through our contact page and we'll be in touch with details about upcoming gatherings in Temecula.
Curious? Come to the table.
The best way to understand microchurch is to experience it. We'd love to have you.
Get in touch →