Though religious life beyond traditional walls is too decentralized to track precisely, some indicators suggest a rising trend:
• About half of the nation's observant Christians participate in small group ministries that meet either at church or in parishioners' residences, according to Gallup Poll research.
• Over the past year, followers of "Conversations with God" author Neale Donald Walsch have launched 162 home-based "Humanity's Team" gatherings nationwide.
• Organizers of the Alpha Course, an introduction to Christianity, are currently recruiting hosts to offer an environment "less threatening" than the institutional churches.