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discipleship

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

Support Simple Church Alliance

Friends, I cannot thank you enough for supporting our family and the ministry of simple church.  A gift to Simple Church Alliance allows me to serve in the role I do and it has enabled me to navigate a very tumultuous time for our family these past two years as we have been in and out of the hospital with Wylie. Thanks to all who have supported us in this special way.  We are eternally grateful. The past year has been a challenging but wonderful year and we could not be more grateful to still be here after ten years of offering support, mentorship, and encouragement to those seeking to follow Christ “outside the box!”  In many ways,  2022 will begin a new chapter for Simple Church Alliance!  We would be honored for you to partner… Read More »Support Simple Church Alliance

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 His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations,” I believe they understood what He meant. After all, they had been discipled by Jesus and had observed firsthand the way He made them His disciples. When it comes to making disciples, we can look to how Jesus discipled the apostles and how they replicated His methods as they discipled others. I addressed seven key principles here, but the first overarching principle I see in disciple-making is this: we seek to help others learn to depend on Jesus—not us—above all. Neil Cole helped me see a tangible context for applying Jesus’ way of discipleship today. Life Transformation Groups (LTGs) are simple, reproducible,… Read More »Discipleship Tool: Life Transformation Groups

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 can love Jesus, hear Jesus, and follow Jesus.  I share how Jesus, when he gave the Great Commission, did not ask his disciples to do something that He had not modeled for them.  Thus connecting… Read More »What Is A Disciple And How Do We Make Them? (Part 2)

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…

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

Movement to Monument

This is the video we watched during our Sunday morning network gathering.  Neil raises many of the issues we have addressed over the last 6 months in a clear and concise manor.  I would encourage every simple church to take time to watch and discuss the points addressed in this video.  I have typed out the 10 steps for going from a “movement to a monument” that are identified in the video as they were a little hard to read on the slides.  They are as follows: 1.  From Biblical Priorities to Non-Biblical Priorities – valuing methods and traditions sacred as scripture 2. From Leadership to Management – the people expect to be managed and those that led now simply manage the people they have. 3. From Volunteers to Employees – increased staff creates pressure… Read More »Movement to Monument

Men and Simple Church

I would like to make a short observation based on my experiences thus far…Men are excited about Simple Church. I have long felt that the modern church has a tendency to be primarily attractive to women for a host of reasons ( I will not get into these reasons here for the sake of time.  However, I do believe that the book Wild at Heart addresses this point quite well).  Dr. Albert Mohler, whose blog I enjoy reading regularly, once commented that “the Church at large is bereft of men who will lead: take initiative, seek out problems, and do their best to fix them.”  But why is this?  Certainly, sin and Satan deserve some credit. I also believe that us church folk rarely ask men to lead in real tangible ways.  Sure we have… Read More »Men and Simple Church