Category: Uncategorized

  Some of the most difficult people to like are religious people with religious fronts. “Hallelujah, brother. God is good and I am blessed. Are you walking in his blessing today and everyday?” It’s not that I can’t love this guy or even appreciate his sincerity on some level, it’s just that I can’t touch…

It’s important that the church continue to dream and have visions of what we—the Bride—can become.  I don’t claim prophetic insight here, just a longing to see the church fulfill her destiny.  Note that these thoughts relate mostly to the church in the “West” where it has been long established but vitally in need of…

I wrote this in a recent post: “We don’t need evangelists, just Jesus-people who live and act in a way that brings about change, that lifts the hopeless, that cares for the tired, that releases the oppressed and that simply says—“this is Jesus at work.”  “Follow Him!” Someone challenged my statement, rightly so, that we…

We have now said, for years, that the church needs to get out of its walls and into the street.  The problem is: this is not enough. We have people leaving churches, changing church expressions, meeting in homes and workplaces, but the life of Jesus is still not seeping into the world, at least not…

Another form of “simple” church life is reflected by people who share life in community, within a community, to incarnate Jesus. It was great to see a USA Today article on these “new monastics:” They are new monastics, dedicated to helping the poor, sharing resources and caring for creation. Known as Castanea, meaning chestnut tree…

My son, Richard, has written a beautiful post over on his blog called “When My Soul Sings.”  He reminds us that a primal awe towards God must always and forever remain at the heart of all that we are and all that we do.  There is no other starting point for walking out a real,…

My favorite conference of the year is coming up, Labor Day Weekend, in Florida.  This year it’s entitled “Momentum: Basics and Beyond.” Here is a brief description: We have recruited keynote speakers who are on the front line of the global house church movement! Neil Cole, Frank Viola, and Wolfgang Simpson are pioneers who have…

Because some of you do not read my other ramblings where I have shared on our recent loss of our son, I wanted to just mention it and let you know you can read more here if you would like. I do want to say, in keeping with this blog’s topic (simple church), that our…

It’s been almost a year since I have been able to offer the online course called “Simple/House Church Revolution.”  But… now is the time and the course begins August 23. It’s fun (I think). It’s interactive with lots of opportunity to share and hear from others who are on a similar journey. It provides a…

I think there is a common misperception that simple/house churches do not have leaders, do not want leaders, and are, by definition, leaderless. I suppose there is truth to this if our definition of leadership involves position, hierarchy, and title along with roles that prescribe leadership to only a few people.  But I would like…