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Posts that include videos related to simple church. A great place to start if you are seeking to learn more!

What Is A Disciple And How Do We Make Them? (Part 2)

Recently,  I took the opportunity when speaking at First Alliance Church and the Simple Church Fall Celebration to answer two crucial questions that any follower of Jesus would do well to answer. The questions, which I addressed previously here, are:  1)What is a Disciple? 2)How do we make disciples? You can listen to the message entitled The Dirty D Word: D#$%@!&*%@! in your browser here: In the message I define a disciple as someone who loves Jesus, hears Jesus, and follows Jesus.  I then explain how making disciples primarily about connecting others to Jesus and His family such that they… Read More »What Is A Disciple And How Do We Make Them? (Part 2)

Centered Set Thinking (Video)

How do you deal with other people who do not share your convictions about spiritual matters?  The following video is probably one of the most helpful teaching tools I’ve come across for addressing this issue.  In simple church, it is imperative that we do not become a “bounded” circle.  If we do so, we will become ingrown and die.  What would it look like in your life/simple church if you were to adopt “centered set thinking?”

Our Role and God’s Role

Can you cause a person to grow spiritually?  When it comes to disciple making, what is our responsibility?  At a recent Greenhouse Training event hosted by CMA Resources, we examined the following text from Mark 4: 26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon… Read More »Our Role and God’s Role

A.B. Simpson and Simple Church?

I recently attended an introductory meeting for new workers with the Christian and Missionary Alliance.  The more I continue to learn about A.B. Simpson the more I’m convinced that he would be all about simple church if he were with us today.  The Alliance originated because of Simpson’s conviction that “Jesus Only” was all we needed.  He broke away from the traditional established church of his day because of the extra biblical mandates that had excluded Italians he led to Christ from worship.  He realized that the “noble people” in the pews were interested in a “conventional parish for respectable… Read More »A.B. Simpson and Simple Church?

Divided? (Video)

Have you ever received an email about a someone’s favorite cause and includes the line, “If you really love Jesus then send this on to 10 people.”  Such emails drive me nuts!  I love Jesus and I happily trash those emails. With that being said, I realize that the message in the video below could come across in a similar fashion.  It could end up sounding to some like I am trying to say, “If you love Jesus then you will not send your kids to youth group, Sunday School, etc.”  To be clear, this is not my intent.  In… Read More »Divided? (Video)

The Difference Between A Missional Community and A Simple Church

In the last few years I have been exposed to all types of new terms related to churches and small groups.  One such term is “missional community.”  There seems to be a push in the western church to think of small group ministry not as bible studies, fellowship groups, “life” groups, etc. but as missional communities.  As I have read literature and spoken with those involved in the missional community movement, I have wondered what the difference is between a missional community and a simple church.  It seems that a simple church should be a missional community.  However it also… Read More »The Difference Between A Missional Community and A Simple Church

A Roaring Lion

I had a great opportunity today to speak to 100 or so basketball campers at Asbury University. Even more, this afternoon I have had the privilege of speaking with the parents of sixteen campers and share with them that their child responded to the Gospel message.  Certainly we cannot know exactly what God is doing in the hearts and minds of these sixteen young men and women, but I have to believe that it pleases God anytime someone says “Yes!” to Jesus with child-like faith in front of their peers!  Will you join me in praying for these campers and… Read More »A Roaring Lion

Simple Church Alliance Video

This is the short video that I put together for last weeks Sunday Service at First Alliance.  Hopefully someday soon we’ll be able to put together something more in-depth, but for now I think that this does give a good peek into what a simple church gathering can look like.   [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nmTPykfGIM]  

APEST

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. – Ephesians 4:11-13 In the passage, Paul is writing to all believers (not just the church leaders) and states that Christ has gifted His body with people equipped to function in different roles.  Alan Hirsch, author of The… Read More »APEST