Simple Church, part 2

More on the simple church . . .

A simlple church is different from a complext church in four areas: clairty, movement, alignment, focus.

Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people. Before the process can be clear to the church, it must first clear to the leaders. Is your process clear? (Do you have a process or does it "just happen"?)

Movement is defined by Rainer as "sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment. " Simple church leaders design a ministry process where the programs are placed as tools along the process. Does your church have a ministry process???

Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process.

Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process. Simple churches abandon all that is outside of the simple process because it threatens to steal attention and energy from what has been determined as necessary.

One of the points the writers make that struck a cord with me is how a church counts success. Most of us count things "vertical". In other words, we just cound the attendance of that activity and decide whether is was a "success" or not. Simple churches, who have a clear process of making disciples, count "horizontal". How do your count "horizontal"? You count those in assembly, those in small groups, and those who are active in ministry. If they have huge numbers in the assembly, but very few in small groups, then they are not being successful! If they grow in one area but not in another - they take a hard look at the process and figure out what is not working. I love that!

You know a good book by the amount you are highlighting. I know that I'm not doing this book justice, but I hope that I've wet your appetite enough to get a copy of this book and read it for yourself.