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A “Radical” New Teaching Method Discovered?

Wired magazine has posted an article that examines how Sergio Juárez Correa in Mexico has been experimenting with a “radical new teaching method” that is having an amazing impact on his students.  As the western church continues to cling to many of the same ideas about education and discipleship found in modern academia, I think that we, the Church, would do well to rethink our ideas about learning as Sergio.  In fact, I think that the ideas about learning he “discovered” are really not new at all, but very much a return to the methods that Jesus used to make disciples in the New Testament.  The author summarizes Sergio’s ideas about learning this way: Knowledge isn’t a commodity that’s delivered from teacher to student but something that emerges from the students’ own curiosity-fueled exploration. Teachers provide… Read More »A “Radical” New Teaching Method Discovered?

Why Not One Another Each Other?

Why Not One Another Each Other? – a simple way of thinking about how to spend time with your simple church family!  As I meet with people transitioning to simple church one of the more common questions I get is “What are we supposed to do when we meet together?”  This question is understandable as “what we do at church” each week is usually determined by the church staff and that, for the most part, has not veered to far from the Opening Prayer-Opening Song-Announcements-More Songs-Special Song-Sermon-Offering-Closing Song-Closing Prayer format–regardless if you attend a small church or a mega church.  Of course you could try this in simple church, but most have found that to be…well awkward.  So why not “one another each other?” Below is a list of the “one-another” and “each other” passages found… Read More »Why Not One Another Each Other?

Discipleship Tool: Life Transformation Groups

How do I make a disciple?  Make no mistake, there is no formula or ten step process for making disciples.   However, when Jesus told the disciples to “go and make disciples of all the nations,” I have a strong feeling they knew how to do what he was talking about.  After all, they had been discipled by Jesus and observed first-hand “the way” Jesus turned them into one of His disciples!  I have posted briefly some of the discipleship principles we see Jesus live out, a full message on the subject, and the crazy “Turtleman Video” illustration here. But how can we put these principles into action?  How might we practically start making disciples… who can also make disciples?  I can’t reiterate enough that there is no formula for it.  However, as I have pondered the… Read More »Discipleship Tool: Life Transformation Groups

Meeting Ideas (Part 1)

I wanted to share some abbreviated notes from Frank Viola’s book Finding Organic Church.  Perhaps it may encourage you as we “learn how to meet” together in our simple churches.  Please note that, to my knowledge, the Frank Viola that wrote this book is not the same Frank Viola that played for the Mets and signed the ball above. Chapter 15:  Learning How To Meet : Meeting Content 1) Sing Together – without instruments, without a song leader or a music leader, learn lots of new songs together. 2) Share Together – Viola suggests the following “share together” exercises for the first six months (it could vary in time depending on the number in your group.) Exercise 1: Life Story.  Each person share their life story including their testimony of how they came to faith… Read More »Meeting Ideas (Part 1)