Why Simple Church? A continuation.
If you already read Why Simple Church, you likely understand the many reasons for holding churches in homes rather than institutions. But specifically for North America, there are several other reasons that a house church can provide unhindered ministry potential. As described by Neil Cole of Church Planting Movements,
“Simple Church is lowering the bar on what it means to “do church” and raising the bar on what it means to “go and make disciples.”
Cole continues to describe the distraction that churches have become, albeit well-intentioned.
“In the west we have elevated how we do church to such a status that in most cases it takes a professional and often a professional team to pull it off each week.”
Simple Church simplifies the religious rat-race and makes it possible for every Christian to be part of a New Testament house church missionary team. Some benefits enjoyed by Simple Churches are:
- Working wherever and whenever God invites Simple Church to join Him in His Kingdom work (John 5:16-20).
- Lay-led missionary teams. In other words, no one is paid to start simple churches. Each location is started by lay people (a CORE4 missionary team) who are willing to leave their comfort zone in order to reach unreached people.
- Meeting in homes. A home environment helps side-step a number of items. For example, a home setting bypasses the “consumer values” that naturally arise in public settings (conventional churches, rented store fronts, cafes, etc.).
- Each Simple Church is coached by someone who is also actively part of a different CORE4 team. This provides coaches with integrity and authenticity. It is not fair or smart to ask a coach to coach something he or she has never done.
