anikisan,

I agree with you about "House Churches" but for a different reason. They are usually not accountable to the elders of a church but become their own authority. But at the same time "institutional" churches need to be simple and not over-structured. Basically, you need elders, deacons church constitution, and no need for hierarchy. Obviously, I'm not being exhaustive but as it regards offices in the church that is all that is needed (elders & deacons). The Pastor would be elder qualified.

Jimmy,

I think I get where you're going but I'm not understanding why you put quotes around "institutional?" The church IS an institution. The fact that we have not functioned as such has created a vacuum that the state fills.

A church, no matter the size is only accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ. The institutional structure and dark, endless repetitiveness of the liturgy and creeds is what is wrong with the churches of the reformation. Even a small, home church, can task a good Godly man to lead them in worship, as long as they do not lose sight of Jesus and the Bible.

BrotherMike:

What do you mean by:

"A church, no matter the size is only accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ"

Do you believe that God uses "means" to carry this out? For example, the Bible says the church is overseen by elders and deacons which necessitates that this accountability has, by it's very nature, an institutional structure. Do you disagree with that?