Most of my life I have enjoyed satire. Satire will often seek to approve of or accept as normal ideas that the satirist is actually seeking to attack. Such is the case in this goofy song that applies attractional, hierarchical, personality driven, pulpit centered, church growth, clergy/laity ideas to simple/house/organic church ministry.
Simple Church Alliance @ 7-11 Camp – July 7-12 I wanted to let folks know that we have a reserved a spot at 7/11 Camp this summer for Simple Church Alliance! 7/11 Camp, in my opinion, is one of the best run camps for boys and girls ages 7-11 in the region. Guy has attended for two summer sessions. He really enjoyed his experiences. This year we are looking forward to Emma joining him. The camp is modeled after Kanakuk camps and is filled with adventure and small group Bible discussions. Having run camps for 11 years with FCA, I’m most impressed with the attention to detail and the high standard and training that is required of the camp counselors. This year, if we have enough from the various simple churches, I will also attend… Read More »711 Summer Camp for Boys and Girls
JANUARY 9th will be our next meeting and we will be looking at the function of the SHEPHERD in the New Testament church. Come and network with others leading or desiring to lead simple churches in 2013! We hope you can join us!
Why do you gather with your simple church family? I think this question is very important for all believers—especially those of us in simple church—to consider. How we answer this question reveals our motives and sets our expectations when gathering with our brothers and sisters. Do you come together to be fed? Do you come together to receive? Do you come together so you can be heard? Do you come together so you can check your box? Do you come together to put others in their place? Do you come together to air your complaints? Do you come together to be entertained? Do you come together so others will know you are a believer? Do you come together so you won’t have to “come together” with/at ______ ? I was speaking with a… Read More »Why Do You Gather With Your Simple Church Family?
Please join us to view The Star of Bethlehem on Sunday December 23rd, 10a-12p. Please RSVP to mtmlex@yahoo.com and See details below. Hello, my name is Mark Mackey, I’m part of the Simple Church network (Out West), and I would like to share with you a video presentation that is awe-inspiring. In our family, this DVD(the Star of Bethlehem) has become somewhat of a tradition to view a couple of times per year. With all of the distractions of commercialism, and pressure “to do” whatever makes Christmas a “happy holiday”, don’t you get the feeling there’s just something not right about it all? What if you could roll back the clock, rewind the sky, reverse time itself to and witness what the Magi observed over 2,000 years ago? Would that help you regain some perspective… Read More »Star of Bethlehem Presentation – Dec. 23rd
This Christmas we thought that we would host a different kind of “Celebration!” Join us on Wednesday December 19 from 6-8PM in the Atrium at First Alliance (2201 Old Higbee Mill Road) for a fun time of fellowship, finger foods, baby dedications, Christmas carols, encouragement, and fun vintage family photos! That’s right we are going to have a special place set up for you and your family to get that memorable family picture and Chloe Olliges will be on hand to photograph all who would like to take part! So bring your funky Christmas sweater and come ready to laugh, sing, and celebrate the birth of our Savior with others from simple church communities across the region! FOOD: We would like to ask each simple church (or family if you are not presently involved in… Read More »Christmas Celebration Dec. 19
As long as there are folks who are trying to migrate into simple church from traditional church backgrounds, this question will be around. For this post I would like to stick to some practical tips on how you can creatively involve your children in simple church gatherings.
Do you ever feel paralyzed when a friend or acquaintance shares a personal struggle with you? Do you find yourself feeling unsure of how to respond to hurts and wounds that are exposed in your simple church community? I wanted to point out a free online course, Soul Care 101, for anyone desiring to invest some time in becoming a better listener, counselor, and friend to those in our lives who share struggles with us. Dr. Larry Crabb says that “Soul Care” is something that every Christian needs to be able to give. Personally, I see “soul care” as another way of thinking about discipleship. While I have not finished this course, I continue to find the lectures helpful and extremely practical and relevant to simple church ministry. Check out the video below to hear… Read More »Free Online “Soul Care” Class with Dr. Larry Crabb
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?
By Nate Smith: It would be so much easier not to be in a simple church. It is simple because we meet in an apartment. It is not simple because it does not allow one another to stay where they are in their walk with Jesus….