The length comes from the statistical analysis that is the basis for the whole book. The first says instructions on church order and pastoral responsibilities is the message of the letter. With insights based on case studies of 400 American churches, Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger prove the disciple-making process is often too complex. And churches with multiple campuses are absolutely not following the example of the church in Acts. It feels like this is the evangelical answer to Jim Collins "Good to Great". Conclusion. The result is a church that is truly multiplied by the members, not just the leaders. If I don’t do my job, I don’t get paid. p.189 "If it is unclear how a ministry addition will move people through the simple process, do not launch it." Of course, the words "programs" and "process" have the whiff of pragmatism and thus can alarm those of us who see an over-reliance on man's methods as detrimental to the truth growth of the church. “Does it fall within the domain of prescription for the first-person subject to analyze the relationship of similitude of the second-person object to a period of solar illumination occurring during a season between a solstice and the autumnal equinox?” In the linguistic sense of referential meaning, that sentence is poetry. From Google’s uncluttered homepage to the clean design of Apple products, simple ideas are changing the world. Appealing to Apple Computer’s simplistic approach, Rainer and Geiger share that “simple” is not only “in,” they also show that this approach is effective. They call this a “ministry process” (91). I also believe they gave no attention to other issues that I think have damaged the church, such as an increased focus on music and decreased emphasis on expository preaching. Discipleship, church leadership, and preparing for the end times are other themes. This is a great book! Be the first to ask a question about Simple Church. The Book of Ephesians is a beautiful revelation of the Church and the spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus. Further, church growth is not a matter of adopting some 4 step process or formula. This site is all about helping leaders like you break attendance barriers and move your church forward. I’d love to hear from other church leaders on this one. From the publisher: The simple revolution is here. No bells or whistles required. . A British missionary in south-east Asia, Simon is passionate about growing churches, raising leaders and building teams. They are honest about the challenges facing a church during a move towards simplicity. Focus. The problem is that the church is not a business and I have no interest in seeing it run like one or do something on the basis of what someone's research project says. I understand I am not the primary audience for this book...for indeed, it is a book founded upon research and numbers and stats and all the things that make me twinge a bit on the inside, wondering if we are seeking to replace the work of God's own Spirit with our man-made methods and stratagems. Lots of interesting data and lots of personal stories from two guys who really seem to understand the simple message Jesus brought -. Through some supernatural events, God convinced him to obey and carry out the Lord’s plan. At one point I was out every night of the week with home groups, drama groups, prayer meetings, men’s breakfasts, outreach groups, worship practice, leaders meeting, youth meetings and so on and so on…. I wish the book had been written in such a way to make that more clear though, as I'm fearful that some will take this book at face value and make it the be-all, end-all of having a healthy church. I see the benefit of getting rid o. This book I have most certainly not come to a firm conclusion on as of yet. p.60 "To maximize everyone's energy you must recruit according to the simple process, offer accountability for the implementation of the process, implement the same process in each ministry department, and unite people around the simple process. This book is one of the current church-as-business genre, where strategies for growth are posited as ways to build the church. If there is complexity in the book, the complexity serves to make a life of vision simple in the end. Thank you for honoring our request. Now in paperback, multi-awarded #1 national bestseller Simple Church guides Christians back to the simpl. Churches with a clear disciple-making process are vibrant and growing. Eric has authored or co-authored several books including the bestselling church leadership book, Simple Churc h. Eric is married to Kaye, and they have two daughters: Eden and Evie. Simple Church examines each idea, clearly showing why it is time to simplify. Christian growth is not just an assembly line that you push people through. The bible is clear that disciples, not busyness are the goal. Frankly, I didn't really enjoy this. . The Church of Jesus Christ is now the spiritual body of believers who represent Christ on earth. However, the entire philosophy is geared around getting people from Sunday attendance, to the “major ministry” (usually small groups), and that leads to sanctification. In my opinion this book has replaced ‘The Purpose Driven Church’ by Rick Warren (read my review). The big idea is to come up with a discipleship process for, Simple church as a fairly lengthy book about a simple process for the church. It is not that Rainer and Geiger have come up with something new, but rather, they have pinpointed a methodology that has consistently produced positive results in churches. The Good. But as a book written to the vast majority of Western evangelical churches that do tend to rely on an over-abundance of programs as a benchmark of a church's healthiness, I suppose this book could serve as an appropriate wake-up call. The length comes from the statistical analysis that is the basis for the whole book. God clearly wants us With insights based on case studies of 400 American churches, Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger prove the disciple-making process is often too complex. Whatever the next few steps are (small groups, service teams, whatever) the idea is to encourage deeper and deeper commitment to Christ. Perhaps the primary problem with the Simple Church movement, and the house church movement in general, is that they see the book of Acts as a model for the church, which it was never intended to be. Christian growth is not just an assembly line that you push people through. Part of me really does not like this book, and I struggle to know if that's my own contrary nature or not. Welcome back. I wouldn't argue growth is a helpful indicator of health, but it's certainly not the only indicator, and all growth isn't good growth. Has some good things to think about, but this book is too rigid and obsessed with man made methods. Really?) With research from various churches Rainer and Geiger propose that growing churches are churches that are simplistic rather than complex. Has some good things to think about, but this book is too rigid and obsessed with man made methods. Second, because I love the idea of synthesis, I did want to share the entire book with very few words—one hundred and eleven to be exact. 2013 Apr 14 - sample church financial statement | St. Catherine of Siena Church Income Statement - Summary With Budgets More information Find this Pin and more on Christmas List by Ryan Steinke . A better explanation of what a ministry process is, and a succinct summary of the entire book’s thesis, can be found in chapter three. Do we need another stat-filled book offering churches another way to organize themselves in order to maximize their effectiveness, reach more people, heighten fellowship, stir excitement, encourage evangelism, and all the rest? At the beginning of the book It is stated that this philosophy is not doctrinal by nature, that is, it does not directly influence doctrine. As pastors and church leaders we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking busyness = effectiveness but this is not necessarily the case. This book is written primarily to church pastors and leaders, to those who are seeking to understand how to structure their church and set up a. that for your church to be healthy, it needs to be specifically and consciously organized around a simple process that moves people further and further along their walk with God. It is Luke’s sequel to the Gospel of Luke. The book is centered around these four points: When a person comes into the church as a newcomer/guest, they should be able to figure out where the entry point into the church family is. Christian and secular authors. Some churches in other areas of the world are not so blessed, and maybe it is to their benefit. Simple church as a fairly lengthy book about a simple process for the church. Now in paperback, multi-awarded #1 national bestseller Simple Church guides Christians back to the simple gospel-sharing methods of Jesus. A Summary of the Contents of Each Bible Book contains summaries for the Old and New Testament. 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