In 2020, the organization changed its name to Dwell Community Church. A secondary usage of the word Xenos denotes "one who provides hospitality." According to church literature, the primary use of the name Xenos in the New Testament denotes sojourners in a foreign land, a biblical description of Christians whose ultimate home is in heaven. In 1982, the church adopted the name Xenos Christian Fellowship, with Xenos meaning "stranger" or "alien" in ancient Greek. The church was originally called Fish House Fellowship when founded in 1970. The church has faced allegations of abuse and control of its members.
The church has been described by some as a cult, a label Dwell rejects. As of February 2009, Dwell has approximately 5,000 members and 300 home churches. Dwell also holds weekly multi-house church gatherings called central teachings. These small groups typically contain 15 to 60 members. Unlike traditional churches, Dwell is centered on home church activities rather than traditional Sunday morning services. Xenos Christian Fellowship, Fish Christian FellowshipÄwell Community Church, formerly Xenos Christian Fellowship, is a non-traditional, non-denominational, institutional cell church system.