I was trying to think what I have read, recently, that has been ultra-inspiring on the topic of simple/house/organic church. Since nothing came immediately to mind…
I decided to ask YOU!
What have you read, whether book or blog post, that has been particularly meaningful, very helpful, paradigm-shifting, or just plain good on this topic?
Comments
10 responses to “Please Write This Blog Post For Me”
Hi Roger,
Just before I read your post and request for material, I read a post from Chris Duffett here in the UK. He’s president of the UK Baptist Union but happens to live quite close to me (15 minutes in the car).
I met him some time ago before he became the BU president and we’ve met unplanned and somewhat randomly since – 2 minutes here, 5 minutes there.
His blog is always interesting and usually fun too, and I know he’s in India right now. He writes today about a church planting movement. It’s not quite the standard organic model – make disciples that make disciples – but it’s really quite close.
Better to read it in his own words so visit
http://duffett.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/remote-village-community-gather-to-hear-good-news/
Near the top of his site is a link to the previous post. I strongly recommend reading the two previous days and returning soon to see what comes next.
I hope you and all your readers enjoy this as much as I did 🙂
This is where it is. Contemporary church, with hip music and a positive message? Simple church, with no fan fare? Organic church, with no additives? House church, with food & friends? Jesus? Yes. Period.
Just a couple quotes – from well u will know Mike
“Jesus didnt leave us with a system he left us with his Spirit.He gave us his Spirit as a guide instead of a map.” Wayne Jacobsen
Christ is not a passive Savior sitting in some cosmic comfy chair. Our God is dynamic;He is a creative force, the ultimate visionary, always on the move, and if we want to know Him and be with Him, we will have to follow Him wherever he is going next.Pete Greig
After reading this i was reminded what Jesus sayed to the disciples – take up your cross and “Follow” me, Jesus doesnt wait on us, and then jump on board.
Yikes, always dangerous to invite dis ol Moose to write or talk! Anyway, best book for me of all those out there: Neil Cole’s “Organic Church”, I like the content as well as the heart and tact he displays there. I’ve “blogged” a bit at my own site that is also “ministry headquarters” for my wife and I. I’m going to visit that UK site cited here too. For now, here are a few things from my personal journal lately on the topic; keep in mind I’m just a simple old “Moose” }:-.
Sunday in almost every church in America –
How sad that we finish worship, wonderful worship, by talking about finances, buildings & programs? Or maybe begin there? 🙁
We can do that kind of worship without all that other stuff. THIS is a major problem with the church in the west, and why simple, organic “house church” may just be the next reformation?
Intimate discipleship has been and always will be at the heart of the church, and it doesn’t require buildings, programs or budgets . . . or professional clergy for that matter.
Traditional western churches that embrace this new reformation will be the incubators for change, and coincidentally they will see their churches transformed away from buildings, programs & budgets toward organic (Body Life) disciple-making fellowships that are part of larger missional communities. They will take the risk of losing all that they hold dear in order to see Christ’s Church become a reality once again. Yes, there is a tremendous amount of inertia to overcome, but our God will move mountains for His Son’s Church. One of the first questions we must all ask ourselves is, “Who or what am I worshipping?!” Then, “Am I willing to lose my life (and the life of my church) to find true LIFE in Christ Jesus and His Church?!”
May we rediscover the simple, yet rich fellowship of the church Jesus started, and the “priesthood of all believers”.
da Moose’s Celtic morning prayers condensed into a short, poetic one:
LORD God, make my love steadfast and true,
Eternally draw my heart toward you.
Then unto others send me I pray,
To humbly and meekly show them Your Way.
Good stuff Chris! I have a young woman, former Sunday schooler, who currently lives and works for IJM in Kolkata. She is aware of and has visited remote villages there where this is occurring. Another former Young Life leader of ours was recently in Nepal (her family home) where similar “house church” and village fellowships are happening. And finally, I have a young friend (Malaysian) who travels as an apostle, evangelist helping establish simple, small churches in homes in Indonesia, and he also works with another such pastor in India. This IS the stuff of Christ’s Church in those places, and of course all over the continent of Africa, even the midst of turmoil . . . Sounds like the house churches of China, and those led to a veritable explosion of Christianity and His Body across that country!
Accepting Help
As I was reading my devotions this week I read in “The Message”, Matt 10:40-42 “We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent Me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”
This is one of the hardest things for me to do, accepting someone’s help, as I read this I can see where I may be robbing someone of their blessings by not letting them help me? Everyone needs to learn to give a cup of cold water, am I accepting it? Am I robbing myself? If I am not accepting the messenger of God because I think I can do it all myself. Just my food for thought for the week, lots of opportunities this week, need to be open for whatever God brings my way. Helping or being helped all the same if it’s His good, pleasing, perfect will for my life. How about yours?
Hi Roger.
This a first time for me. I thank you for offering to hear our thoughts. I think that is one of the aspects of simple church I like. We don’t have to have all the answers ourselves. Listening to the Holy Spirit in others is so very enriching.
I think the most impactful book that got me started on a journey of exploration was ‘Open Church’ by James Rutz. And the journey hasn’t ended!!
I love giving people permission to explore something new or follow something God is wanting to do. I love the story of Jackie Pullinger, rejected by the missionary institutions but obeying God’s call on her life.
Geoff.
Dear brother Simson, Peace!
For the first time I´m writing you, and I´m doing it spontaneously and with pleasure.
I´ve read your ” Follow-up letter Simson: our Dear America 2″ and the previous letter, concerning the presidential election in the US.
I need to tell you that I´ve really enjoyed your message.
I´m Brazilian and live in Niterói, a city in the neiborhood of Rio de Janeiro.
After many years of disgusting experiences in the “church-as-we-know-it” and even in small Christian groups, we are now gathering with some brothers with similar experiences. All of us are deeply interested in living as real disciples, wiping out all man made religious procedures.
I and my wife are already in our sixties and we met Jesus a long time ago, when we were still youg people. Both of us have served the the Lord as preachers ( my wife has also a prophetic ministry).
Last Friday, we took your Follow up Letter to our meeting and we took almost all the time sharing your message and making remarks about it. All of us were really edified.
God bless your life and your ministry !
Un Jesus love,
Regino and Daisy Frota
Hey Roger
I love this post idea. The most stirring thing I’ve heard as of late has been the message on Kingdom Finance that Wolfgang Simson referenced in his second letter he sent out after the election.
That, and I’ve really enjoyed Mike Kim’s musings on discipleship and the nature of it. You can catch that here: http://www.mikeandleslie.org/2012/11/discipleship-thoughts-part-3-discipleship-is-always-happening-whether-we-know-it-or-even-want-it/
Hope that helps!
Does this site count? – http://www.multiplymovement.com. It is focussed on discipleship but I think the ideas shared are directly related and transferable.
The recent simulcast was brilliant.
Andrew