How does Simple Church measure "success"?
Simple Church missionaries accept God's invitation to join Him in His missionary work whenever and wherever they are invited. John 5:19.
In other words, Simple Church is where your every-day life is the mission trip.
Success is humbly, honestly, and boldly following God's invitation to join Him wherever and whenever He invites you.
Is there a way to order the webinar and Phase ONE Training materials? I am not able to download them?
Yes, to order these materials click here.
How do I use the new Webinar Video to find a CORE4 missionary team?
- Pray about, and make a list of the people who God would have you invite over to your home to watch the webinar video presentation on a Saturday evening.
- Set a date, invite the people on your list, and watch the webinar. Depending on people's schedule you may have to show the webinar several times. (Or download the webinar as a high-resolution file to play directly on your computer)
- At the end of the webinar showing, state your conviction to move forward and become a Simple Church missionary. (This process does NOT take a vote to see what the majority think.) Simply state your conviction and intention to move forward.
- Invite people to think and pray about this possibility because you are looking for a CORE4 missionary team.
- Invite the people to come back the next week (same time, same place) to start Phase One training.
- Assume that those who come back are ready to move forward with you.
- Occasionally people face some opposition. If you do, ask them to call Milton (USA and Europe) or Graham (Australia/New Zealand). Once they better understand the network, they are usually quite supportive and want to know how they can get involved. And you are able to stay focused on the missionary work.
As you listen to people's responses and comments, it will become evident who has caught the missionary vision of Simple Church. Work with those who did catch the vision and press forward in Jesus' name.
When the CORE4 has completed Phase One training, contact the network and we will coach the CORE4 team through Phase Two training as you get ready to launch.
What is Simple Church?
Simple Church was started by missionary minded lay-people and continues as a grass-roots lay-led movement. It is a very old new idea that empowers the priesthood of all believers to do all the work of disciple making. Matthew 28.
Simple Church is front-line missionary work focused on reaching unchurched and secular people with the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus. Revelation 14.
Simple Church is missionally designed to train an epidemic of CORE4 front-line missionaries.
Simple Church is built on trusting relationships. It has been said the lower the level of trust the more policies are needed, and the higher the level of trust the fewer policies are needed.
Simple Church is intentional about keeping its infrastructure very simple. But simple is not simplistic. Simple asks questions like: What are the bare essentials? How much of this is really necessary to share the Everlasting Gospel? What hinders a grass-root lay-led movement.
Simple Church is bottom-up, as compared to top-down. Mahatma Gandhi understood this leadership principle when he said, "There goes my people. I must follow them, for I am their leader."
Simple Church missionaries accepts God's invitation to join Him in His Kingdom work whenever and wherever He extends His invitations, while leadership scurries to keep up with what God is doing on the front-lines. This is a very different perspective then institutional leadership.
Simple Church is similar to Adventist Frontier Missions. But Simple Church is different. Simple Church typically focuses on western cultures that were once Christian countries but have again turned secular.
It seems that many house churches are lone-rangers. What are the blessings of being part of this global network?
CORE4 missionaries are highly trusted. Simple Church believes that God has invited you to join Him in His missionary work. This means that CORE4 teams are not micromanaged but are empowered.
CORE4 missionaries are trusted with 100% of their local offerings for front-line missionary work in their local context.
CORE4 missionaries enjoy both the responsibilities and privileges of doing all the work of disciple making.
CORE4 missionaries have access to a number of excellent resources that would typically cost several thousands of dollars to buy or have access too. These resources have been made available for free of charge to CORE4 missionary teams.
CORE4 missionaries have a place to belong when facing any kind of local opposition.
CORE4 missionaries have a place to belong that is recognized and supported by the General Conference and North America Division.
What is the CORE4 missionary team?
(2) Co-leaders provide spiritual leadership and general oversight, for both adults and children.
(1) Host Coordinator arranges logistics: house location, food/meals, and creates an all around warm and friendly atmosphere.
(1) Details Coordinator serves as assistant treasurer, clerk, and takes care of secretarial items. This person also works with the Simple Church treasurer that serves your country.
But I have done my best to find a CORE4 missionary team and have not been able to. What do I do now?
You can still move forward. In Matthew 10 Jesus send out His missionaries in teams of two - a CORE2 missionary team. Two is the minimum.
There are some situations where it is impossible to find a CORE4 team. In these cases a CORE2 or a CORE3 are able to start a new simple church.
There are advantages and disadvantages to starting with a CORE2 or CORE3 team. The big advantage is you can still move forward and will build your COR4 team out of the harvest. This is what overseas missionaries have done for years. With God's help all things are possible.
The primary disadvantage is the loneliness CORE2 and CORE4 teams experience in their missionary work.
Why was Simple Church birthed?
"Simple Church is lowering the bar on what it means to "do church" and raising the bar on what it means to "go and make disciples."
"In the west we have elevated how we do church to such a status that in most cases it takes a professional and often a professional team to pull it off each week."
Simple Church simplifies the religious rat-race and makes it possible for every Christian to be part of a New Testament house church missionary team.
Can I start a Simple Church and still attend my regular church?
Simple Church prioritizes relationships with secular, and unchurched people. And these relationships take time, lots of time.
Foundational to missionary work is that they "go" and leave their comfort zones for the specific purpose of reach unreached people.
It use to be that a missionary would "go" overseas, learn a new language, eat new food, wear different clothes, and immerse themselves in a new culture. Everything around them constantly reminded them, "I am a missionary". It was physically impossible for the missionary to keep ones foot involved in their regular/conventional church and put their other foot in the mission field. They had to choose between the two. This was a blessing in disguise.
For simple church missionaries, it can be tempting to try to stay involved with ones existing church and "add" simple church missionary work. This complicates life and ignores the priority of becoming a front-line missionary and the priority of making more time to spend with unreached people.
This is why simple church is intentional about simplifying the "religious rat race" so that missionaries have more time (not less) to spend with secular and unchurched people.
What are some hallmarks of this Simple Church Global Network?
Working wherever and whenever God invites Simple Church to join Him in His Kingdom work, John 5:16-20.
Lay-led missionary teams. In other words, no one is paid to start simple churches. Each location is started by lay people (a CORE4 missionary team) who are willing to leave their comfort zone in order to reach unreached people.
Meeting in homes. A home environment helps side-step a number of items. For example, a home setting by-passes the "consumer values" that naturally arise in public settings (conventional churches, rented store fronts, cafes, etc.).
What does the Simple Church Network do?
Empowers the priesthood of all believers to do all the work of disciple making.
Provides a structural umbrella of support where Simple Church CORE4 missionaries can connect with other CORE4 missionary work as they share the Everlasting Gospel.
Maintains accountability within and between CORE4 teams.
Educates local conferences, missions, and church administrators regarding this Simple Church paradigm.
Is Simple Church limited to a certain part of the world?
No. Simple Church is able to train CORE4 missionaries no matter where they live in the world. A CORE4 missionary team will need an internet connection.
"Christ sought to teach the disciples the truth that in God's Kingdom there are no territorial lines, no caste, no aristocracy; that they must go to all the nations, bearing to them the message of a Saviour's love." Desire of the Ages, p 20.
Are there "poor" reasons for wanting to plant a church?
Unfortunately there are many. Only a few will be listed, but there will be common denominators that can be identified. Some of these reasons include:
I don't like our pastor.
I don't like the music in our church.
I'm having some theological questions.
I don't like traveling so far to church.
I don't want to be accountable.
I want to keep my tithe; and even.
I just want to worship God.
This represents self-centered religious consumerism.
Good reasons to plant a simple church? To reach unreached people with the Everlasting Gospel. Simple Church is front-line missionary work.
Do I need to buy a Serendipity Bible for Simple Church?
The Serendipity Bible for groups is an excellent resource to have. But it is not necessary to lead a Simple Church. Free leader's guides are being designed specifically for Simple Church. These leader's guides are unique. Each set of questions was written for and pilot tested in Simple Churches where secular and/or unchurched people are interacting with Scripture and with each other. Only then are these study guides made available for others to download and use.
What makes this network different from other house church networks?
Simple Church is a global network.
Simple Churches are linked to each other.
Simple Church home-grows its coaching leadership. A simple church coaching leader is someone who is:
- Actively part of a CORE4 missionary team,
- Reaching secular and unchurched people,
- Seeing baptismal fruit from their missionary work,
- And enjoy helping other CORE4 teams start new Simple Churches.
In other words, simple church does not "departmentalize" leadership. Coaches and leadership are those who are currently and actively doing front-line CORE4 missionary work. This high level of integrity among coaching leadership brings a high level of authenticity as privilege and responsibility go hand-in-hand.
As more house church networks and fellowships develop, how does a person understand the differences between them?
Many churches, conferences, and denominations are starting to use the popular “house church” lingo, but they do not all fully embrace the Biblical theology of “church.” The results are cosmetic adjustments that limit the lay power of a grass-roots movement.
10 Questions you Need to Ask will help you identify the spoken and in many cases, the unspoken core values of a house church network or fellowship.
What books should I read?
Revolution by George Barna is a must read for anyone interested in house churches. He articulates the reasons why 20 million (between 2000-2005) left local typical churches in their search for God.
The American Church in Crisis: Groundbreaking Research Based on a National Database of over 200,000 Churches by David T. Olson, 2008, provides you with some of the most recent research on the spiritual and religious trends of North America.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, will help one understand a number of the dynamics of the global network. This is not a house church book, but it address tipping point factors, what are often called movements.
Missional House Churches by J.D. Payne, 2007, chronicles a research study on house churches found in North America. Of all the books I've read, this book gives irrefutable statistical evidence as to why house churches cannot be ignored.
unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons is sobering.
The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community, and Small Groups by Joseph R. Myers explains a paradigm shift and what it means to "belong" in today's world. This book is very challenging, especially in how a church relates to the question of belonging.
Revolution in the Church by Russell Burrill is a short and easy read that prepares the way for the coming Revolution. Or call Andrews University Bookstore, 269 471-8303.
Evangelism , by Ellen White. This book is recommended by Dr. Cho, pastor of the world's largest church in Seoul, Korea.
Recovering an Adventist Approach to the Life and Mission of the Local Church by Russell C. Burrill. This book is now out of print so the PDF download is the only option. Burrill carefully chronicles the development of early Adventism through the 21st century and uncovers issues that contribute to current conditions.
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God (workbook, ISBN: 1415858381) by Henry T. Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, and Claude V. King, provides a breath of fresh air. For those who have grown up with a highly intellectual approach to spirituality, this book leads one to experience a relationship with God. Get a head start as this book is part of the Simple Church training.
Milton Adam's doctoral dissertation is a free download. The first page of the dissertation includes the 2010 Excellence in DMin Research Award presented by Andrews University.
How big did a New Testament house church get?
On average, 10—35 people.
What are the more convincing reasons to plant house churches? There are four:
1) The average church in the United States will spend as much as 64 percent of its budget on staff salaries. Additionally, it will spend as much as 30 percent of its offerings on maintaining its buildings. Researchers say that churches spend between 82 - 96 percent of their financial resources on maintaining themselves. This does not include the millions that are spent on building bigger buildings. In 2001 “the total cost of Christian outreach worldwide averages $330,000 for each newly baptized person. The cost per baptism in the United States tops $1.5 million.”
2) Smaller churches are typically more effective in growing than larger churches. Since house churches multiply before getting "big" they continually capitalize on this growth dynamic.
3) The younger the age of a church the more effective it is in reaching people. When a house church multiplies, it essentially resets its time clock as it starts over.
4) People are no longer depending upon professionalized priests and clergy to tell them how to find God. They are taking this as their personal responsibility.
“The new Revolution differs in that its primary impetus is not salvation among the unrepentant but the personal renewal and recommitment of believers. The dominant catalyst is people’s desperation for a genuine relationship with God. The renewal of that relationship spurs believers to participate in spreading the gospel. Rather than relying on a relative handful of inspired preachers to promote a national revival, the emerging Revolution is truly a grassroots explosion of commitment to God that will refine the Church and result in a natural and widespread immersion in outreach.”
When did formal church buildings begin to replace home churches?
History tells us that Constantine's contributions to Christianity were many, including the following:
- Changing the informal home to formal church building.
- Changing the seventh day Sabbath to first day Sunday worship.
- Changing the lay-ledership to professionalized priests and clergy.
Wolfgang Simpson, in this video, says we should "come back to the Book . . . come back to original Christianity".
Simple Church takes the Bible seriously and is going back to this early expression of Christianity: lay-leadership, in homes, and on the seventh-day Sabbath.
Hal Holbrook, in his documentary The 7th Day Sabbath chronicles the the history of Sabbath and how traditions, politics, and persecution has attempted to stamp out the Biblical Sabbath.
Watch Part 1 -- Presentation Outline
Watch
Part 2 -- Presentation Outline
Watch Part 3 -- Presentation Outline
Watch Part 4 -- Presentation Outline
Watch Part 5 -- Presentation Outline
Is Cell Church different than house church?
Yes, Cell Church still follows the basic Constantine format - weekend celebration worship services which usually take place in a public setting plus a pastor/staff who plans and coordinates the worship service. The cell groups meet during the week as do most small groups.
Additionally, the purpose of the cell group is to serve the goals and growth of the larger church.
Is this movement primarily young people?
No. Researchers note that the house church movement crosses all generational lines. That means there are as many older people as middle aged and young people who are leaving the typical church to gather in house churches.
Are Simple Churches (house churches) the same as the book called Simple Church?
No. The book, Simple Church by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger is an excellent book that talks about simplifying the typical/average church. It is NOT talking about Simple Church House Churches, which is an altogether different paradigm. It can be confusing because both use the same term—Simple Church. Names for house churches include: Organic Church, Greenhouse, Simple Church, Mini Church, and House Church.
Is Simple Church a “new” idea?
House churches were the norm in the New Testament, as believers shared the Gospel of Christ in a secular culture similar to what is now seen in North America. We have come full circle. Today we again live in a secular western culture. House church may be new to us, but it is a very old “new” idea.
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