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I have heard so much lately whether in bookstores, blogs, or in conversation regarding ways to do church. (Or the should I say the programs or atmosphere of services.) We question and discuss and write about ways we can enhance and put into action plans that will touch people’s lives, especially those who do not know the wonderful Savior. And I read how house churches in China are shaking that country, many who are uneducated (some who are), but regardless it is another Book of Acts all over again.

We here in the West, or for that matter north, south or east need a revelation on what twelve men had that they could shake the known world and rattle the most powerful empire at the time. They lived with passion, power, and presence. It backed-up and validated the message they were bringing. They had no problem with the issue of death for a Savior that lived in them every second, because they had already died to what they wanted and what they thought. He was their thoughts, and He was what they wanted. My question is, do you have a problem dying for Him if that is what He would want? That in itself is a sobering question.

Dear Rich,

Greetings, dear brother! Our church sends their greetings to you. We always remember you in our prayers.

A while back you mentioned that multiplication was not a core value in all that we do. Would you, please, expand upon that thought for us in Ukraine?

I sense that there are many brothers who want multiplication or reproduction, but believe it is just an impossible dream. Perhaps it is happening in China, but “this is Ukraine”.

Love in Christ,
Nicolay

P.S. Based on your last email, I would agree that we do not have a movement here. Many people are doing good things, but many of those things promote addition and not reproduction.

As my mind surveys the stories found in the Bible, I can not help but see that our God is a God who leads us to places requiring significant change and the associated risk.  Abraham, leaving his country; Noah, building the ark; Moses, reluctantly accepting the call; Caleb and Joshua, saying we can not but God can; Esther, risking her life and luxury; Jonathan, standing with David against his father and King; Jesus, the ultimate revolutionary; and Paul, into the desert.  Our God is a revolutionary and He calls us to join Him as revolutionaries who are willing to seek significant change.

 Authentic restoration of the church(es) from their current plight in both America and the Slavic nations will require significant change.  No tweaking of existing systems will be sufficient.  Our current systems are perfect for the results we are getting: DECLINE.

 The changes that I am referring to are not new changes, but a return to the apostolic patterns found in the New Testament and a return to follow the life and words of the Head of the Church – Jesus Christ.  There are principles and concepts from the early church, which should lead us into the future.  These concepts and principles are the same for all who wish for and work for restoration.  They are cross-cultural and apply to both America and Ukraine.  They are also counter Christendom.  We will not be able to maintain the hallmarks of Christendom.  There will need to be some deconstruction to take place before we can see restoration.  We need to break our dependence on buildings and professional leadership.  We will need to release baptism and the Lord’s Supper to God’s people.  We will need to seek release from the institutionalism of the church.

Sooner or later some, most, or all of the  members of a simple church will become dissatisfied with the gathering.

“It’s not worshipful enough.”  “We seem to be in a rut.”  “The needs of my children aren’t being met.”  “We are not reaching out.”  “We need to be more open with each other and closer.”  “We don’t seem to be going anywhere.”

Sometimes, just verbalizing the longings or dissatisfactions are enough to catalyze the church to move in some new directions or make new commitments.  The beauty of simple church is that we can change course nearly instantaneously.  We want to reach out more?  Let’s plan something for next week!  We want to focus more on the children?  Let’s do it today!

What is Simple Church?

There are many definitions for simple church, our preferred term for what is sometimes called house church. One of the best comes from the Dawn North America Web site (it is also found on the House2House Web site). Rather then reinvent the wheel, I list their definition below.

• By "simple church," we mean a way of doing and being church that is so simple that any believer would respond by saying, "I could do that!"
• By "simple church," we mean the kind of church that is described in the New Testament. Not constrained by structure but by the needs of the extended family (oikos) and a desire to extend the kingdom of God.
• By "simple church," we mean a church that listens to God, follows His leading and obeys His commands.
• By "simple church," we mean spiritual parents raising spiritual sons and daughters to establish their own families (oikos).

J.D. Payne has done a study of house and simple churches, specifically those that he calls “missional house churches.”  Many interesting tidbits are found in this study.  For example…
Payne identifies four types of people who are typically involved in house churches.  I think looking at these categories of people can be very informative and provoke some excellent conversations about our own simple/house churches.

(also known as The Christian Bubble or The Holy Huddle)

For those unfamiliar with the term, the Christian Ghetto is a slang term used by many Christians to describe much of popular, mainstream Christianity. As the word ghetto would imply, Christians have isolated themselves from the world, and have created a distinct Christian culture, with its own language (Christianese), its own music, its own clothing, etc. The Christian Ghetto results from a mentality that sees any exposure to the non-Christian world as defiling. But perhaps most of the Christians stuck in the Christian Ghetto are there unintentionally - they simply spend too much time with Christians, and take in only Christian music, television and media.

 

To view this video in English you may go to the following website.

//www.cpmtr.org/