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2017 Year End Letter

Friends, Several years ago I had the picture in my mind of a harbor filled with families working to load up their belongings and family members into a multitude of sailboats. They each were getting in position to leave. They were not coming back. Each boat was filled with their family and friends and they were setting out on an incredible journey–a journey that no doubt would be filled with hardship and adventure, challenges and exploration of the unknown. Boats were loaded and friends and family were in place as they raised the sails. There was a slight breeze that began to blow. However, they knew that a powerful wind was coming and when it did, they would be ready to move. Call this a “vision.” Call it a thought or picture. Call it crazy.… Read More »2017 Year End Letter

Stories From The Harvest

By Kaleb and Kate Phillips God has been doing work, and the enemy has been on the attack. I wish I could describe and explain all of the ways that God has orchestrated events in our lives and ministry over the past several weeks and months, but honestly, I’m still pretty overwhelmed. We have been, and are still, facing a lot of darkness. Sometimes it feels like we’re completely in the dark. Sometimes it feels more like drowning. Literally, we have been facing such heavy spiritual attacks that we are experiencing physical symptoms. Last night in our house church our family was feeling good, ready, excited. Then, several people walked in and the atmosphere completely changed, there was a heaviness, a burden, a darkness. Our energy was gone, our focus was broken. We prayed through… Read More »Stories From The Harvest

Christmas Gathering Dec. 17

This year, we will return to downtown Lexington for a network wide Christmas celebration! Join us for an evening of fellowship and worship through Christmas songs and carols! In addition, we will join with friends from Bridges International! Bridges is a ministry to international students and families in the area.  Many international students come to the US with a desire to meet Americans and learn about Christianity but unfortunately never enter the home of a Christian while here.  Bridges International hopes seeks to give opportunities for Christians to build relationships with those visiting our universities.  We hope that this evening will be an excellent way for us to show hospitality to and share our faith and lives with many of those from around the world living here in our backyard.  Perhaps you will begin a friendship that… Read More »Christmas Gathering Dec. 17

Free Music: A Simple Church Christmas Vol. 2

I wanted to pass along this free download to A Simple Church Christmas Vol. 2! Every year we invite simple church communities and their friends to come together and celebrate Christ’s birth. In addition to enjoying fellowship and food, we have enjoyed sharing the story of Christmas through song. Several years ago we released volume one of these recordings and now I have for you volume two featuring recordings from our past two Christmas Celebrations! As we get ready for Christmas and our this year’s Simple Church Christmas Celebration on December 17th I wanted to edit and make these available!  We hope you enjoy them and these recordings become a wonderful soundtrack to your Christmas season!  We hope you can join us when we come together again on December 17! To Listen or Download 1. Click… Read More »Free Music: A Simple Church Christmas Vol. 2

A Story of Real Multiplication In Tampa, Florida

Below is a link to a podcast that features the story of Lee Wood.  I met Lee last year when in Tampa meeting with other simple church leaders involved with the Zume Project.  He considered my song “Mega House Church” a genius work of art, so of course we hit it off! Lee’s story will encourage anyone who has lost faith in the church in the US or who has a hard time imagining how His church and Kingdom can expand without the buildings, budgets, programs and professional Christians we have grown accustomed to.  Lee is a genuinely humble guy, as you will hear.  His tears are real.  His story is real.  The multiplication he is talking about is real. Often times we hear talk about “multiplication” of disciples and churches, but when we dig… Read More »A Story of Real Multiplication In Tampa, Florida

Francis Chan – Rethinking Church (Video)

I’d like to thank my friend Brian for sharing this short video of Francis Chan “rethinking church.”  Francis Chan left his mega church about the same time we started down the simple church road and . observing his journey from mega church to multiplying house or simple churches has been encouraging!  Due to his prominent voice in the American church, he is also helping others who share his convictions find courage to explore church outside the box. In this video, he gives is a great 10 minute explanation of simple church and what we are trying to encourage here!  In recent posts we have discussed evaluating our churches.  Does your church family look like this?  What changes would have to be made in your life to help your church family function more like what Francis… Read More »Francis Chan – Rethinking Church (Video)

“Church At The Place” Testimony

The following is a story from Kaleb and Kate’s most recent update. Their group started calling their simple church “Church At The Place.”  You can read the entire newsletter, hear about some amazing things God is up to, as well as know how to pray for and support their simple church’s outreach to local young adults and youth here.  You can also see videos of recent baptisms on Kaleb’s Facebook page here.  ————- JP is a young man who has come to our Wednesday night simple church several times over the past two years, but last month he showed up after being invited every Wednesday by one of our young believers. God had already been working in JP’s life when he showed up that night. We had a big crowd of young people and JP was kind… Read More »“Church At The Place” Testimony

Evaluating Your Simple Church (Part 2)

In my last post, I discussed the importance of evaluating your simple church.  Today, I would like to suggest a guideline to help simple or house churches evaluate their communities.  Once again, the attitude and heart behind any evaluation is the most important part.  If not done with humility, love, and a desire to become all that Jesus desires for your community to be, attempts at evaluation can easily slide into a discouraging time where harsh judgment and legalistic remedies prevail.  Nonetheless, just as it would be important for a couple to communicate about ways they can improve their marriage and family, the same is true for the people who are the simple church. We can evaluate our simple church by examining the Church in the New Testament.  A passage that paints a picture of… Read More »Evaluating Your Simple Church (Part 2)

Changes for Monthly Leadership Training This Summer

Friends, As many of you know, we will approach “training” differently this summer.  Rather than the usual “3rd wednesday of the month” evenings at the Bank, I am encouraging simple church leaders to utilize the Zume Training tool over the next several weeks. My prayer is that several Zume training groups may emerge and meet in homes over the course of the summer.  Therefore, there will be no training this month, in June or July at the bank.  We will resume in August at the bank.  (We will host other summer network opportunites as posted here). How Do I Participate? New? If you are new to simple church and are interested in becoming a more effective disciple-maker or in how to participate in a simple church, then please contact me.  I will be leading a Zume group and we will start soon.… Read More »Changes for Monthly Leadership Training This Summer

Pancake Sundays

Pancake Sundays I saw this commercial for HomeGoods just now and I thought it would be great to share! Two of the most common questions I get are, “How can we get started with simple church?” and “How are children involved in simple church?” I thought the commercial illustrates potential answers to both!