Hi sonofone,
When Jesus Christ lived on earth, the way they learned the Scriptures was to go to the Temple or a synagogue, where the scrolls of the Laws, the Prophets and the writings (the OT Scriptures) were kept. Jesus Christ and the Apostles and all Jews followed this custom. Now when Christ began His ministry and started teaching in the Temple and synagogues, well you know they eventually killed Him, because of what He was teaching. Now the Apostles carried on this same teaching and did it go any better for them?
Paul -
Acts 9:29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.
Acts 21:31 And as they were seeking to kill him, the news came to the chiliarch of the cohort, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
Stephen -
Act 7:58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
James -
Act 12:2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword;
Act 12:3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
John was the only apostle who escaped a violent death. The belief of the early Christian writers and history verifies that all the rest of apostles did face martyrdom.
There are a few Scriptures that show that the Apostles didn't only go to the synagogues or Temple.
Acts 12:12 And thinking about it, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose last name was Mark; where many had gathered together to pray.
Acts 16:13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
I do not believe that Paul's letters to different churches were to the synagogues, but to the different groups of Believers in different cities. As in the following Paul is addressing one of these groups. There is no mentions of meeting in a synagogue, but "assemble
as a church," which could have been anywhere.
I Cor. 11:17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
v. 18 For, in the first place, when you assemble
as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it,
v. 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.
v. 20 When you meet together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.
So now we, just like the Apostles, start out in the church. While we are deceived we believe we are in His church, but when our eyes are opened we see it for what it really is, the Synagogue of Satan.
We have to understand the difference between 'going to church' and assembling together with like mind Believers. Of course we want to seek out the Believers and share in learning the Truth. I think God has provided that here at Bibletruths.
As Paul was addressing problems in I Cor. 11 that they were having, maybe that is a reason we do not have the assembling in person. Because God does not want us to be distracted by the physical, that we are still susceptible to.
Through the ages He no doubt provided different ways for those of like mind to fellowship. But now it seems like this is what He has given us - the fellowship on the internet.
That was more then I intended to say, but I hope it helps
mercy, peace and love
Kat