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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 Forgotten Ways, thinks all the roles identified in Ephesians 4 will need to be in play for a real multiplication movement of God to occur in our day.  Alan suggests that while each of us… Read More »APEST

Stages In The Simple Church Journey (Thurman)

1. Letting go of old paradigms of church life. This stage is described in a variety of ways from “taking the red pill,” to frustration with old wineskins to discovering what the Bible teaches about church life to…

Guest Blog: Simple Giving by Matt Wheeler

by Matt Wheeler How does the Bible inform our views on giving? God owns everything and everything that we have comes from him (1 Chron. 29:11-12): “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.” We see examples of giving as a personal expression of worship (even before any laws were given to Israel concerning giving).   Abel (Gen. 4) and Abraham (Gen. 14) are two examples.  Then, when the law was given to the Israelites, God, in his grace certainly included giving in the regulations for a… Read More »Guest Blog: Simple Giving by Matt Wheeler

A Mother’s Day Prayer

Heavenly Father, on a day like Mother’s Day there are so many different emotions that we bring to you. Some of us bring emotions of deep gratitude and joy for the mothers you have blessed us with, mothers who have   loved us, cared for us, walked with us and taught us how to live well.   We praise you for such love shown to us through our moms and we pray for all those who are moms, that you would give them:   strength where they are weak, wisdom where they are unsure, patience with the many demands placed upon them, faith in your care for them and their families, and love—deep love—for those whom you have given them to nurture.   Others of us bring emotions of sadness and pain. Some of us… Read More »A Mother’s Day Prayer

Go

“As the Father has sent me so I am sending you.” John 20:21 Currently, the Lord is reminding me to live sent.  The Father sent Jesus to the World.  He sent the Holy Spirit to us.  Jesus sent out the 12 and the 70.  Now he sends us to go and make disciples.  I am amazed at how easily I have strayed from this truth, especially since the heart of Simple Church is this: We all are priests sent into the world to make disciples. “Church” emerges organically when and where disciples are multiplied. I know and understand this, yet an intense pull inside me tries to set up shop and then tries to get outsiders to come in.  I saw this happen often when working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  We would go… Read More »Go

Obey

One post to share some of the exciting things that the Lord is teaching me related to the Exponential Conference was getting too long!  So, hence the first in a series… ————— “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15 The Great Commission calls us to “teach them to obey all that I have commanded you…”  Allow me to pose a question that was recently addressed to me: Do you know all that Jesus commanded?  If you are like me, you can probably come up several commands, but may not have a full grasp on “all” that He has commanded.  This past week I invited our simple church community to begin an investigation into the commands of Jesus.  If we are to make disciples (baptizing believers and helping them to obey… Read More »Obey

“Exponential Conference” Day 3 Notes

Bible Study: Rick Warren “God doesn’t bless a program.  He blesses people.” (speaking about Christians attacking on another) “I can’t figure out my own motivation half the time so how could I possibly know yours.” “Don’t accuse and don’t ever defend yourself.” Billy Graham: “If you wrestle with a pig both will get muddy, but only one will like it.” “Leaders absorb the pain.  Wimps fight back and retaliate.” “The two most important words I can tell you for your ministry:  Study Jesus”   1 John 2:15-17 Bible says, “God so loved the world” and “don’t love the world.”  Which is it?  The former “world” refers to “people” and the latter to “value systems”  Our BIG problem:  We do the exact opposite.  Love the value system and don’t love the people!   Lust of Flesh… Read More »“Exponential Conference” Day 3 Notes

“Exponential Conference” Day 2 Blog

  Main Session 2 (Neil Cole)  “Exponential growth starts small but builds to rapid momentum in time.” (Neil Cole) “Movements are most vulnerable in the beginning.  Why? The seduction of addition. 2. Corrupted DNA and 3. Leadership dependency issues” “We have to enter in and challenge the structures that are ungodly” Note: You can hear some of the lessons today shared this great video: 10 Easy Steps to Move from a Movement to a Monument http://vimeo.com/21223502 (Rob Wagner) I really enjoyed much of what Rob had to share.  He talked about the “three lenses” that they are seeing the church through:  Church Growth, Incarnational Ministry, and Multiplicative Church Planting.  He felt that where these three lenses converge is where the sweet spot (my word not his) of the church is.  He spent much of his… Read More »“Exponential Conference” Day 2 Blog

“Exponential Conference” Live Blog (Day 1)

Well sort of a live blog… I’m going to attempt to post insights I gather from the conference below. I’m not completely sure if this will work so hang with me. 11:24AM – heading out from hotel.  Looking forward to the day and all the the Lord is going to teach us.  Marylin Walker just arrived and we got our entire crew together now!  A couple of websites to take note of on the conference and on Exponential in general: http://www.exponential.org http://www.exponentialconference.org 8:54PM – Well the whole “live blog” thing really didn’t work very well.  Couldn’t figure out how to update blog effectively via iphone.  If you have any ideas please pass them along.  Meanwhile, let me recap some of my notes from the day…. Main Session 1: “All our ecclesiological eggs are in one… Read More »“Exponential Conference” Live Blog (Day 1)

Birth Pains

By Karla Duerson There has been that moment every time.  He has to come out.  She has to come out.  This has been what I’ve been wanting.  Right?  Pregnant women know about the time to which I am referring.  The time when you realize that the baby has to come out—one way or another! Truthfully, when I reached the middle to end of my last trimester of pregnancy I was ready to hold my baby in my arms, not around my waist.  I delighted in carrying my Guy, Emma, Kendall and Beau within me, but I also cherished the thought of setting each little one down once and awhile.  Then it would hit!  I can almost feel the butterflies just thinking about it!  This baby is not going to stay in me forever.  My hopes… Read More »Birth Pains