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The term ‘organic church’ is often misunderstood as a description of: A way to do church, i.e. a house church A non-institutional expression of church A church system without hierarchical leadership A free-flowing, Spirit-led gathering An expression of church that has no form or organization to it All of this misses the point and causes…

In one of his last letters Dietrich Bonhoeffer described his thoughts on “religionless Christianity” and a “non religious interpretation of biblical concepts.” Bonhoeffer was concerned that church people in Germany were content to simply wear a thin “garment” of Christianity. One biographer wrote about Bonhoeffer’s meaning of religionless Christianity: In this process, religion itself, considered…

From the book Simple/House Church Revolution. Comfy Christianity Shane Claiborne writes: “Being a Christian is about choosing Jesus and deciding to do something incredibly daring with your life.” In my former life as a pastor, I was a dispenser of comfortable Christianity. I took on the job of creating a “conducive environment” for worship. What…

Reprinted from a post dated 3/9/06 Highlight: "In other words, just attempting to come out from under 'hierarchical, unbiblical church structures' does not get to the root of the issue.  It's growing out of our unhealthy dependencies so that, as whole people, we can contribute generously to our spiritual communities and world from a place…

(Re-posted from 11/27/07) Highlight: "The Body of Christ needs nothing more than to become its fullest and most complete expression of every part.  Good leadership facilitates and serves that end." In our needed quest to re-define leadership from hierarchy to true servanthood, we have created a leadership vacuum.  This is understandable.  We are so afraid…

Jesus came and turned everything upside down.  Especially for the religious people. If we have been a believer for over a year–we have likely become religious people and part of the religious system.  It is like a gravitational pull. We must be turned upside down in order to release the work that Jesus came to…

I am not one for Christian movies as they too often have two-dimensional characters and trite plot lines. In several ways, War Room (top box office sales last weekend) is guilty of this. But rather than focus on its short comings I thought I would mention what I did like. The heart of the movie’s…

Comfort zones are just, well, comfortable. No matter where we are in our journey we tend to seek predictability and routine over the wild ride of following the real Jesus. The pull toward institutionalism and religion is a continual gravitational force that draws all of us away from the risky and unfettered lifestyle of an…

Two of my favorite people, Tony and Felicity Dale, are guest speaking at the Simple Church Conference later this month in Kentucky. The conference, hosted by the Simple Church Alliance, has this description: You are not alone! This year our heart is to encourage you with stories of what God is doing across our country and the world…

“Movement” is probably an over-used word today, but I’m going to use it anyway. One of the biggest faith movements in all of history is underway today. It’s the spiritual undercurrent that is slowly but inexorably rising because of Simple Jesus Followers. It is this steady growth of such followers that I call a movement.…