Simple church conference
We were involved in a sort-of-conference about 'Simple Church' at the weekend. About 20 of us gathered to learn from some Americans who are setting up such networks in Spain.
On Friday evening we experienced a Simple Church gathering, then on Saturday morning we talked about it, what it meant and what we had learned.
The encouraging thing is that we are already doing it. The thing to think about is how we strengthen networks with others doing similar things.
The key thing that defines simple church is the lack of hierarchy - no employees, no buildings, no overheads, shared leadership, just really simple. Gather and let everyone bring something according to who they are (according to their gifts would be a more conventional way of putting this).
Can such a lack of structure emerge from a traditional church? I doubt it, there is too much de-programming to go through first. The traditional evangelical reason for doing things is always for growth and evangelism. Simple church is not like that, it has to be an expression of those who are part of it. It's not a 'good idea', an evangelism tool, or even a new structure, it's simple, it's real, it's me and it's you trying to follow Jesus together as best we can.
On Friday evening we experienced a Simple Church gathering, then on Saturday morning we talked about it, what it meant and what we had learned.
The encouraging thing is that we are already doing it. The thing to think about is how we strengthen networks with others doing similar things.
The key thing that defines simple church is the lack of hierarchy - no employees, no buildings, no overheads, shared leadership, just really simple. Gather and let everyone bring something according to who they are (according to their gifts would be a more conventional way of putting this).
Can such a lack of structure emerge from a traditional church? I doubt it, there is too much de-programming to go through first. The traditional evangelical reason for doing things is always for growth and evangelism. Simple church is not like that, it has to be an expression of those who are part of it. It's not a 'good idea', an evangelism tool, or even a new structure, it's simple, it's real, it's me and it's you trying to follow Jesus together as best we can.
posted by Peter and Heather King at 2:43 pm
3 Comments:
Just back-tracked a few posts on my frst visit and wonder if you've ever read the last few verses of Isaiah. Pretty good description of something there that seems close enough to hell for me. Peace, my friend.........
I think the point was (if I discern correctly to which post you refer) that people, by their actions or inaction, demonstrate that they don't really believe in hell. Yes, there are various references in the Bible that appear to talk about hell (that others have deconstructed and contextualised), but if we really believed all that stuff wouldn't it affect how we live?
Hi Peter, not sure if we've communicated before. We're over in Bath and on the same 'simple church' journey as yourselves. I'd like to hear some more of your story maybe we could talk on the phone sometime?
Our day to day story is at www.alexandercampbell.blogspot.com and I also run the www.simplechurch.co.uk site as part of the research I'm doing. tel 0845 166 1073
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