Over the past sixty years, the Protestant church in China has grown exponentially. Most of this increase in numbers has taken place in what are often called “house churches,” which take their name from the practice of meeting in believers’ homes. Even today, when many of these congregations meet in large buildings, they are often called “house churches.”Therefore, there is a debate going on about whether it is better to meet in smaller groups in the homes of believers, or to join together as a large group in a larger venue. In the West, also, a growing house church movement has begun to challenge the traditional church-based model of doing church, and millions are meeting in homes instead.