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Teachings

Posts linking to teachings from the simple church alliance or other encouraging sources.

It Takes Courage

This is Part 2 of a series of posts sharing lessons I have learned over the past 15 years of exploring simple/house/organic church with my family and friends. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it It Takes Courage In the first post, I shared part of the story of how we got started. Prior to 2010, the Lord had begun opening my eyes to how the Church could be different. A church planting class at Southern Theological Seminary introduced me to church planting movements around the world. This was eye-opening for me. I had always had… Read More »It Takes Courage

Why Simple Church? Here are 10 Reasons…

Q. Why Simple Church? A. The state of church attendance in our country as a whole is not positive.  While some positive signs of increased interest in church attendance have emerged in the younger population since COVID, the overall trajectory does not look good.  Why would simple church be any different? Here are a few reasons we think simple church (and similar communities) can help connect a disinterested world to Jesus and his family in the days to come: Stronger Relationships – Smaller gatherings foster deeper, more authentic connections compared to larger, more anonymous settings. Accessible and Flexible – Simple churches often meet in homes or informal spaces, making them less intimidating, easier to join.  Also, they can adjust when and where they gather week to week to accommodate the needs of the group. Low-Pressure… Read More »Why Simple Church? Here are 10 Reasons…

Francis Chan – God’s Beloved

I saw this podcast making the rounds on social media and had a few friends mention it to me before I finally had a chance to listen. I’ve written here before about how I’ve felt a connection to Francis Chan and his journey with house church as it was about a year after we started Simple Church Alliance that he left his megachurch to eventually begin house churches in California. What’s so wild to me is that while the conversation is promoted as primarily about house church (he does discuss the story of moving to a house church approach in this conversation), the content ends up landing right where I’ve found myself. I’ve written and spoken at length about how, since our daughter Wylie’s birth, God has been taking me on an adventure of discovering… Read More »Francis Chan – God’s Beloved

Moving from Solitude to Community to Ministry

“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… Read More »Moving from Solitude to Community to Ministry

Thy Kingdom Come: Living in Light of Heaven’s Reality

Introduction: A Future Hope That Shapes Our Present When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say the words, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” But have we ever stopped to consider what that truly means? How does our understanding of God’s kingdom shape the way we live today? For many of us, the concept of a kingdom can feel foreign. We live in a democratic society where the idea of a king is often associated with oppression. But Jesus is a different kind of King—one who is loving, all-knowing, and self-sacrificing. He lays down His life for His people and promises to be personally present with us always. The Nature of God’s Kingdom 1. An Upside-Down Kingdom God’s kingdom is unlike any earthly rule. It operates on… Read More »Thy Kingdom Come: Living in Light of Heaven’s Reality

More Law Than Love?

Is it possible that I could be unintentionally presenting God more as law than love, and if so, could I be a stumbling block to to others hearing and receiving the Good News?

Back 2 Basics (Part 2) – Keep it Simple Podcast #129

What practically are the basics when it comes to functioning as simple church? How do we let Jesus truly be the leader of the church and our times together as a church family? In part two, Tom and Gavin discuss the practical implications associated with experiencing the church family as people following King Jesus together!  Help the algorithms like this podcast by liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing this episode on platform of your choice.  Thanks!   YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/4akPPQ4ypNE Also available in audio only: Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/show/6hIJbIDV340lDCXSAa1l10?si=03923399655a4de7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keep-it-simple-a-simple-church-podcast/id767718695?i=1000556808547 Visit the podcasts website: www.keepitsimplepodcast.com More information on simple church here: www.SimpleChurchAlliance.com

Back 2 Basics (Part 1) – Keep It Simple Podcast #128

What do we mean when we talk about house church, organic church, or simple church?  I’m really excited to share these next two episodes with everyone as Tom and I discuss this foundational question!  Today, a lot of folks mean a lot of different things when they talk about “church” and specifically house church.  In fact, my understanding of church and the role the local house church plays within the Kingdom of God has changed over my 10+ year house church expedition.  In this two part series Tom and I will go “back to the basics” of what it exactly we are learning regarding simple church.   I hope these videos help you in your journey!  If so, please like and subscribe to us on YouTube, Spotify, ApplePodcast, etc and leave questions and comments on… Read More »Back 2 Basics (Part 1) – Keep It Simple Podcast #128

Invitation to Rest (by Karla Duerson)

It started like the sunrise–warm, gentle, faithful, quiet and full of beauty. You know how God works: He strings along a message like a strand of pearls–unmistakable and full of grace and glory. I think it began with rereading The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry in which John Mark Cromer encourages the reader to slow to the pace of Jesus. He poses a question, “What has happened to the personal quiet time?” He wonders if the QT was abandoned as a legalistic relic of the late 1990s. “Let’s bring it back.” He concludes. I felt a nudge in my heart like the brightening horizon. I confided in my sister that I needed to bring back the quiet time. I knew it would be a helpful way to start the day. I heard God’s invitation. I was… Read More »Invitation to Rest (by Karla Duerson)

Discovery Bible Study in Simple Church

From my experience, a major obstacle standing in the way of many Christians engaging in discipleship, leading Bible Study, or helping start a simple church is the perception that they are an unqualified Bible scholar.  While deepening knowledge and understanding of Scripture is to be desired, the lie that we are not qualified is major tool of the enemy in keeping Christians from helping friends and family understand God’s Word and grow in their faith. However, for centuries missionaries have  helped new believers in places where no such qualified teachers exists to quickly and simply learn and teach others the Bible through Discover Bible Study (DBS).  DBS can empower any believer, regardless of Bible knowledge, to grow as a disciple and help others to do likewise as they trust the Holy Spirit to be the… Read More »Discovery Bible Study in Simple Church