Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples

This book, which I first read several years ago, provided excellent insights on "nuts and bolts" actions. The updated version smoothes over rough spots and is more "user friendly."

This is a book I struggled with. Overall, I love the general idea of the book: simplifying the ministry of the church to more effectively disciple people in their Christian walks. But there were a few elements which gave me pause:First, the emphasis upon research data. They touch on the fact that a healthy church is not about numbers, but about people living as God called them, but that acknowledgement is buried beneath chapter and chapters which point towards the size or numerical growth of a church as an indicator of whether or not it was healthy. I love research data, but there were also times when their research indicated that there were a decent amount of churches which did not meet their definition of "simple" yet were still thriving. This latter reality did not seem to be addressed. I would have appreciated at least a chapter or (minimally) a few pages discussing why this might "work." But most troubling, the emphasis upon data instead of an emphasis upon what a healthy spirituality looks like.Second, there is minimal scriptural support for the principles expressed in the book. This is the most troubling to me. While scripture is quoted and referenced (in some chapters more sparingly than others), upon a closer examination frequently the scripture doesn't actually support or advocate the point. It is used illustratively or to support a peripheral point supporting the main thesis of the chapter. All this adds up to a "sense" of scriptural support, but without there really being too much solid, scriptural exegesis supporting the points of the book. The research data supports it, but the scriptural support is weak (in this, I'm referring to what is communicated in the book; Rainer and Geiger are smart guys, and I'm sure they have more scriptural support than they actually communicated in the book).Third, I was sorely disappointed by the lack of an articulation of any sort of ecclesiology in the book. I think this flows from the first two problems mentioned above. Better scriptural support would have led them to summarize scripture in a theological manner, which would have led to at least a minimal articulation (a single chapter, at least) outlining primary biblical elements of a church. For what this book was arguing. With the subtitle "Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples" a failure to adequately point towards some biblical foundations for discipleship for a church (even if these would be general values) is a pretty huge oversight. This book is, at best, a book focusing on leadership principles for leading a religious organization. But the leadership principles advocated are more commercially based than scripturally founded.Lastly, the writers refer to themselves as "nerds" and the book as a "nerdy" book. As a "nerd" myself, I found the simplistic writing style of the book insulting and ultimately detrimental to the book's argument. The simplicity glossed over elements which needed a deeper treatment. I suspect the simple writing style was an attempt for the execution of the argument to match the title, but as a pastor who wanted to really dig his teeth into this idea, I was left with more questions than answers.The reason I really wrestle with recommending this book, and why (in the end) I gave it four stars instead of three, is that overall the book does advocate some good principles which actually have some scriptural merit. Unfortunately I think the book over-values its research data (an entirely different cultural and social problem in the West), and that undercuts how a leader should be truly evaluating his/her church: through eyes and values shaped by scriptures. Rainer and Geiger do not deny the latter (they actually advocate it in the postscript), but their practice in the book elevates data points over scriptural exegesis.Can it be a helpful book? Yes...but it need to be balanced with other books that do proper exegetical and ecclesiological book. This book would probably best be used after studying books that do the proper scriptural and theological work, because then the ideas contained in Simple Church could be critiqued and analyzed in light of the scriptural and exegetical work that has already been explored.

"Simple Church" gently but firmly explains the short-comings of contemporary church models while also providing an excellent process for constructive, productive change. My church is using its principles to form a disciple-making DNA.Observations from "Simple Church":This is not a book that promotes a system or methodology. It does provide an outstanding re-introduction to principles that the American church has forgotten or misplaced. It asks and answers to two essential questions. 1. "For what purpose does the church exist?" To make disciples of Jesus Christ. 2. "How best is that accomplished?" By simply and primarily focusing on that such that any competing, distracting structures or values either adapt or get set aside.Until about 7 years ago when a light came on, I had promoted, participated and led in a typical American church culture for 35 years. This church culture is overly complex, consisting of disconnected, competing statements and programs that hinder, or even prevent, the making of disciples. Their models are designed to populate programs with as many people as can be attracted to "do church" and pay the bills. If a disciple happens emerge from their programs and activities here and there along the way, well, the job must be getting done. Thus it could be concluded that change is not necessary. But the making of a disciple as described by Jesus Himself should not be the occasional byproduct, but the core value and heartbeat, of all that any church does. At the end of the change to a simpler process, more disciples will be produced with less effort, time, and resources than is now expended for much lesser results. "Simple Church" shines a light hope and reason on all of this.To embrace the philosophy of ministry that simple is better and more effective takes more than mere vision. It requires the courage to walk into it and stay in it. As revealed by the authors, simple does not mean simplistic. Change from complexity to simplicity is hard. It initially requires as much unlearning as it does learning. Few will take this on, choosing to stay with the familiar... with what they know how to do. To honestly and objectively evaluate the results of those familiar efforts is rare and threatening. The means and intentions for such evaluations are not in place and thus the beat goes on uninterrupted and unaltered.The status quo will be necessarily exposed, upset, and likely disassembled in the move to simplicity. People already aboard who came to "do church" within their corner of personal interest or need will find this shift uncomfortable or threatening and may move on. New people looking for that same environment will not come aboard. A church has to be so confident and invested in their disciple-making vision and process to be okay with that.Staying simple is also hard, if not harder. As organisms grow, by default they trend toward complexity. Courage and focus to maintain the simple vision and process is ongoing.Obviously, I highly recommend "Simple Church".

I used it as a textbook.

So many problems that I have tried to seek answers for are in this little but profoundly eye opening book. As a seminary student, I had to create a strategy for a Chris and all I could think of was amassing program after program while lacking vision, process, and simplicity. The Gospel is simple, then why can’t church be? This book helped me and I will recommend it to any pastor currently stuck in a heavy rotation of liturgy and church planning that seems to be going nowhere.

Are Church recommends us to read it as Leader, looks like a good book

This is an excellent resource and is thought-provoking for any leader who is desiring to examine their ministry and church and how effective they are. This book does not come off as pushy but provides encouraging thoughts for studies done with churches.

I was recommended this book on Tuesday, I had finished reading it within a matter of days. There is much to think through, but I am convinced that developing a simple process will help to achieve a ministry that wins, disciples and equips people to follow Christ.

Lots of good examples. Path forward clear.

Always love a read where it lives up to its title. This book is very informative, very practical and I dare say very real to where the average church is at.