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“Direction” for 2014

For many of us who started simple church here in Central Kentucky, the idea of a “word” for the year is familiar; asking God to place a word on our heart that He wants to serve as a theme for the coming year. Many people have had interesting stories of how God has spoken to them through this practical exercise over the years. This morning as I was meeting with a friend, I believe that God showed me my word for 2014–Direct. This word flows into everything that He seems to be saying to me presently about simple church and in other personal matters. Essentially, I believe that God wants me to be more “direct” in giving DIRECTion. Hopefully, this email serves that end. In our training times over the past two months, we have… Read More »“Direction” for 2014

Keep It Simple Podcast Now Available!

Tom Lecompte and I have started a new free podcast.  It is live now on iTunes at the links below.  Our hope is that we can encourage those searching for life with Christ outside traditional church structures through this audio format.  We are starting with some of the basic questions and sharing our stories about the journey God has us on.  If you are an audio person, perhaps it will be a blessing to you as you work out what it means to follow Jesus and be apart of His family in our day.  Please email us any feedback or questions you would like addressed.  We will look to update the podcast ever couple of weeks. Tom Lecompte is a leader in the New Covenant House Church Network in Louisville, KY.  More on New Covenant… Read More »Keep It Simple Podcast Now Available!

Creative Simple Church Planting Training Recap

Each month we invite folks to come together to join in a discussion about issues relevant to simple church leadership.  This month, Uday Balasundaram facilated our time together.  Over the last several months, Uday and I realized that we share a similar passion for missional living, discipleship, and simple church–even though we use different words to describe it.  Uday did a wonderful job of challenging us all to think about how we, as believers, are called to “mix” with the world around us and to join God in the creative process of birthing new life in the culture in which we find ourselves. Here are some of my “take-a-ways” from our time together this week.  Feel free to share your take-a-ways below. 1.  Simple Churches will do well to identify the culture in which they… Read More »Creative Simple Church Planting Training Recap

“House Worship” Opportunities (Guest Blog)

House Worship Opportunities – A Guest Blog by Dana and Diego Vogel Hi family! I know we haven’t met very many of you yet, but my husband and I (Diego and Dana) would love to throw out an idea for you all. One thing we both really have hearts for is worship through music and prayer. We usually incorporate this into our own simple church gatherings, but we also have a desire to share an extended time with everyone dedicated to just prayer and worship. We’ve done this several times before with some of you, and it’s always so GOOD – an evening spent singing to God, praying over each other, encouraging each other through visions, prophecy, Scripture, art, etc., and ultimately just spending time with God and each other with no other agenda. A… Read More »“House Worship” Opportunities (Guest Blog)

6500 New Churches A Year Needed?

Note: Originally posted on March 10, 20011 – This post continues to be one of my most recommended posts to those wrestling with the “Why simple church?” question.     Several years ago, a good friend recommended this post at www.plantingchurches.org. Here is an excerpt: According to census data, the population of the US currently is roughly 300 million.  In 2050, they project that they the population will be 400 million.  While many surveys suggest that 40% of Americans attend a church service regularly, that number is largely inflated.  According to David T. Olson’s book, The American Church in Crisis, in 2005 the number was closer to 17.5%.  That seems more realistic to me.  Multiple studies have also suggested that about 4,000 churches close their doors annually.  So let’s play with those numbers a little.… Read More »6500 New Churches A Year Needed?

Imagine the Possibilities

What if… What if a church did not have to have a staff? What if a church did not have to have to own/rent a facility in which to meet? What if a church did not have to have a pulpit? What if a church did not have to have a sound system? What if a church did not have to have a youth minister? What if a church did not have to have an office? What if a church did not have to have a bulletin? What if a church did not have to have a stage? What if a church did not have to have a budget? What if a church did not have to have a payroll? What if a church did not have to have a nursery? What if a church… Read More »Imagine the Possibilities

What Are We Inviting People Into?

When you think about reaching out to others, what do you invite them into? I believe that what is needed in the body of Christ is believers who are willing to generously offer Jesus-centered friendships to others they meet.  Far too often, we encounter spiritually interested folks and we invite them to our “meeting,” our “church,” or encourage them to “get plugged in” to some ministry.  However, for many of us we simply do not know how to practically invite people into a relationship with Jesus.  Often this can be because we simply do not feel qualified or capable to help others connect with Jesus.  We feel that an expert would be better suited for such a task.  After all, we don’t want to mess up something as important as following Jesus! This need not… Read More »What Are We Inviting People Into?

My Friend Pete (Guest Blog By Tobin Jenkins)

I first met Pete in 2008 because of work. For the first few years, we became friends from a distance. Our offices sat parallel, but nothing else in our life was…so I thought. At the time, my wife and I did not have kids, but we wanted them. Pete was single and living the life of a bachelor. Occasionally on Monday mornings, we would laugh about what we did that weekend. For the most part, the stories could not be more different. I was happily married. Pete was happily not married. The very next year, my wife and I had our first son. Surprisingly, Pete became “Uncle Pete” and treated my son like true family. I specifically remember thinking, “for a guy that claims to never want kids, he sure is good with them.” Time… Read More »My Friend Pete (Guest Blog By Tobin Jenkins)

Embracing the City Church

City Church. I was recently reminded of just how important it is for those of us moving out of a traditional church setting (or even mindset) into a simple/organic type of church to embrace the “city church.”  Intellectually, most all believers would agree that even though we have numerous physical church locations in any given town that really there is only one church in any given city.  After all, this was the view of the believers in the New Testament—one church in a city that met in various locations.  While I have no doubt that for many of us this belief is held deep down, it seems that what we practically live out is not belief in a “city church” but belief in what I call the “my church/your church.” Reconnecting with the idea of… Read More »Embracing the City Church