“By community, I don’t mean formal communities. I mean families, friends, parishes, twelve-step programs, prayer groups. Community is not an organization; community is a way of living: you gather around you people with whom you want to proclaim the truth that we are the beloved sons and daughters of God.” – Henri Nouwen
One unique aspect of our simple church is that we have two small children in our community with the rare genetic disorder—Trisomy 18. As we have learned to be parents to our daughter Wylie and witnessed God reveal Himself through her amazing life, we have continually been drawn to the writings of Henri Nouwen.
Nouwen, a Dutch Catholic priest, theologian, and writer, spent the later part of his life in a community for those with disabilities. In the first few years after our daughter was born, I wrestled with whether to continue serving as a full-time leader with Simple Church Alliance. Many of the lessons God was teaching me through her life challenged old ideas I had about my role in His work. I distinctly remember God making it clear that He wanted me to continue and that He was leading me toward a different path—one focused more on being than doing, on helping others discover the freedom they have in Christ rather than the weight of religious obligation.
Like all things under the sun, the lessons God wants me to learn are not new; they have been there all along. I’m grateful to a family in our community who shared this short article by Nouwen, which articulates foundational truths for all believers but feels especially poignant for this season of my life and work with Simple Church Alliance. In “Moving from Solitude to Community to Ministry,” Nouwen expresses in a simple yet profound way what I now see as core principles of “simple church.” I highly encourage everyone to take time to reflect on the ideas Nouwen shares. Pass it along to friends and those in your community. It beautifully expresses my heart for this “way of life” that I long to live and help others discover.
READ Moving From Solitude To Community To Ministry by Henri Nouwen
