“When the solution is simple, God is answering.”

albert einstein

What is simple church?

When I read the new testament I see simple Church.  When I look at mission work all over the globe, Mozambique, China, and India... I see simple Church.  I see a Church without man-made barriers.  I see a Church that can’t exist without the holy spirit.  I see disciples being multiplied.  I see God’s light being taken into dark places.  I see Jesus being the head of the body.  I see a simple Church.

 

Simple church is a re-definition of “church” in the western traditional context.  Asking the question “what is Church”, then stripping it down to the bare necessities.

 

Neil Cole calls it “organic church”, and he explains it like this...

Instead of putting on a show and expecting everyone to come to us, the Organic Church takes the Kingdom to places where there are lost people and lives the Kingdom life among them and doesn’t shy away from the gospel of the Kingdom. The lives that are drawn to Christ through that experience become the new church in that environment.

 

Simple Church is discipleship driven.  It is thru these relationships that lives are set free, and families and communities are transformed for Christ.  And it is thru disciples, that more disciples are made, and churches are multiplied.

 

Simple Churches can meet anywhere.  Some meet in homes. Some in restaurants.  Some in bars.  Some in city parks.  Some under trees.  Some at work.  But all meet together in the name of Jesus.  Most gatherings have less than 20 people.

 

Robert Fitts explains gatherings well in his book “The Church in The House”...

No frills.  No Ceremony. No rituals.  No symbolism.  It is simply a time for the people of God to come together with Jesus in the midst.  They talk.  They sing.  They pray.  They eat a meal together.  They take the holy communion together and study the Bible.  They share what God is doing in their lives.  They intercede for people and for all kinds of needs all over the world. They minister one to another through the gifts God has given each one.  They love one another and seek to encourage and build each other up in their faith.

 

What simple church is not.

1.Simple Church is not a smaller version of the traditional sunday service.  It’s something different.

2.Simple Church is not “better than” traditional church.  It’s just another expression of Church.

3.Simple Church is not inward focused.  Groups are born “pregnant”, looking for ways to reach the lost and give birth to new disciples.

4.Simple Church is not always the same thing as “house church”.  House churches tend to have a reputation of being filled with disgruntled Christians that sit around and talk bad about the “institutional church”.  Simple Church is not about this at all.  Simple Churches are not limited to just meeting in homes, they can meet anywhere.

5.Simple Church is not “perfect”.  People are messy, and if “we are the Church”, then the Church will reflect this.

6.Simple Church is not an easier way of doing church.  By spending more time focusing on less people, it can be more difficult.

7.Simple Church is not a program.  Life “is the program”.  Simple Churches do not create programs to bring lost people to church.  Instead they go where lost people already are, and they connect with them there.

 

 

I know that this is just a brief summary of Simple Church, and not everything is talked about here.  But it needs to start somewhere, and honestly I don’t know everything about Simple Church.  I’m not claiming to be an expert... just a guy who has been called in this direction, and is willing to go.  As I learn, explore, and live, I hope it shows others that God is real, and that he still speaks to us today!

(One last thing about Simple/Organic Church... I’m really sick of labels and models, but if I was to just say Church, most people would have a different picture in their mind of what I’m talking about here.  So I’m using the label Simple Church, even though I don’t really like it.  I just like that it’s something that every follower can do, and it doesn’t require all the hoops the traditional Church makes people jump through.  I really want my faith to be more simplistic, and I’m hoping this direction helps.)

If you’re interested in learning more about the Organic Movement, some good books to check out...

Organic Church, Niel Cole

Revolution, George Barna

Church Without Walls, Jim Petersen

The Church In the House, Robert Fitts

New Testament, Bible