“Simple Church” Part 4 - Simply Linear?

At our leadership group meeting last night, we talked about the process described in the book Simple Church and how Rainer and Geiger seem to assume a linear process: you begin at “Loving God” (in the worship service) then move to “Loving Others” (in small groups) then move to “Serving Others” in ministry.  I suggested that while the discipleship process may begin for a lot of people in worship and then moving on to small groups and then service, for others, the process could begin at other points.  For example, we had unchurched people help out in VBS last week (”serving others”) and as a result, they experienced some of the joys of being connected in a small group of other adult volunteers (”loving others”) and my hope is that the experience would encourage them to attend worship (”loving God”).  And in fact, a couple of folks who helped out at VBS last week told me that they will attend our worship service in the coming Sundays.  The movement we experienced this past week is exactly the REVERSE of what Rainer and Geiger describes, but I do not think that it is less valid.

So perhaps instead of simply a linear process, we might envision a CIRCULAR process whereby people can enter at any point, but they will be encouraged to move to the NEXT point and the NEXT.  This process might be less “simple” but perhaps more true to reality.

Ground Rules for Civil Discussion

At our first “Simple Church” leadership group discussion meeting, I distributed this list of “ground rules” to set some emotional boundaries and procedural parameters for our discussion.  This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but I offer it in the hopes that it might help other groups faced with the task of a potentially contentious discussion.  If you have other “rules” to add, please feel free to share them!

Show RESPECT. Each person will have an opportunity to speak. Please do not interrupt until that person is finished.

Be HONEST. Honestly verbalize your personal views and feelings, no matter how “unorthodox” you think it may be.

STAY ON THE TOPIC. There will be times when it will be tempting to go off on a tangent! If an “off topic” is very important to you, write it down for discussion at a later time.

Be IN TOUCH with yourself. If the ideas being discussed are making you really uncomfortable and anxious, ask yourself: “Why am I having the feelings and reactions that I’m having now?” “What could be the cause of these feelings?”

Use “I” statements. Say: “I think . . .” “I feel . . .” “I wonder . . .” “I am uncomfortable . . .” “If I hear you correctly . . .”

Seek first to UNDERSTAND others before trying to be UNDERSTOOD. Ask questions that help people define and clarify what they are trying to say.

Focus on the merit of the IDEAS presented and not on the PERSON presenting the ideas.

“Simple Church” Part 3 - Simply Easy?

I’m coming to realize that the one thing that really attracted me to the notion of a simple church is the one thing that I’ve got to be aware of.  So many of us live lives that are so hectic, cluttered, complex, we long for a life or of a time where things are uncomplicated — “simple” as it were.  But there are things in life that are complex and some of the most important things in life can be hard.  To just go for “simple” — in life or in church — may just be a way for us to avoid the challenge, the effort and the hard work that are needed to do and accomplish things that are truly worthwhile.  In other words, in our consumeristic culture, it is too easy to equate “simple” with “easy” and “effortless.”

I’m glad that Rainer and Geiger issued the warning that a simple church design is not easy.  They say, “Ministry will never by easy.  It is messy and difficult because people are messy and difficult.  A simple process is not easy to implement or maintain.  Leadership in the local church is extremely challenging.  Leading a local church is neither easy nor simple, but the church strategy does not need to be complicated.  The ministry design can and should be simple” (Simple Church, p. 16).

I need to remind myself and our leadership group that becoming a simpler church does not mean that our life in community together will be less demanding, requiring less effort.  What it does mean is that we can simplify the process by which a follower of Jesus can grow more mature in the faith, which will equip us to challenge our priorities and idols that turn our focus away from God and make our lives so hectic, cluttered, complex and complicated in the first place.

“Simple Church” Part 2 - Simply Irresistible?

One of the reasons I am using the book Simple Church as a spring board for our church leadership to begin discerning our vision and mission is that I really resonated with many of the ideas that Rainer and Geiger presented. Many times, church can seem to be too “cluttered” with competing ministries, committee meetings and endless activities that drain the life and enthusiasm out of the “active members” to the point that they drop out. Church programs can take on a life of its own to the point that people are made to serve the program rather than the other way around. This point was driven home to me by a church member who said that, for him, “church was a place of work; it was no longer fun.” I took that to mean that church was no longer a place where he experienced or witnessed life change in a way that drew him closer to Christ.

As I had more conversations with various people in the church explaining the premise of Simple Church, I found that most could readily relate to the idea that church for us had become too complicated, too cluttered, and too unfocused without a clear vision. I was not surprised by this. The glowing reviews of the book at amazon.com show the extent to which this book is resonating with many church leaders and pastors. When I approached twelve church leaders about reading Simple Church and discussing and perhaps implementing its ideas, most of them eagerly agreed to be a part of the group. In the midst of our complicated lives, I was banking that the notion of a “simple church” would be simply irresistible.

I was wrong.

“Simple Church” Part 1 - Simply Fundamentalist?

As I’ve mentioned in an earlier post at the Farmville Baptist blog, I’ve recruited twelve church leaders to read and discuss a book by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger called Simple Church. I’m hoping to use the book as a springboard to help us discern God’s vision and mission for our church. Well, this past Sunday morning, one hour before our 11 a.m. morning worship service, I had a stimulating conversation with one of those leaders about the book. She hated it. She hated the fact that the book advocated doing away with ministries and programs. At least that’s what stuck with her as she read it.  Furthermore, she said: “I went online and did a little more research about Thom Rainer, and he’s a fundamentalist!” What’s more, she was concerned that I was taking the church in a fundamentalist direction through my leadership style. Now, if that doesn’t get the attention of a moderate Baptist pastor, nothing will!

I hope to unpack more of that conversation in later posts, but for this post, I want to make one simple point: simplistic labeling of others is not only confined to conservatives or fundamentalists. We moderates do it too.