SimpleChurch Journal aka House Church Blog

Christianity Mushrooms Outside the Walls of Institutional Church

John mentioned to me an article about a book by James Rutz called "Mega Shift."  Here are some excerpts:

What is the fastest-growing religion on Earth?

Most news reports suggest it is Islam.

But a new book makes a compelling case it is a new, or, perhaps, old form of biblically inspired evangelical Christianity that is sweeping through places like China, Africa, India and Southeast Asia.

In "Megashift," author Jim Rutz coins a new phrase to define this fast-growing segment of the population. He calls them "core apostolics" – or "the new saints who are at the heart of the mushrooming kingdom of God."

Rutz makes the point that Christianity is overlooked as the fastest-growing faith in the world because most surveys look at the traditional Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church while ignoring Christian believers who have no part of either.

He says there are 707 million "switched-on disciples" who fit into this new category and that this "church" is exploding in growth.

"The growing core of Christianity crosses theological lines and includes 707 million born-again people who are increasing by 8 percent a year," he says.

Wolfgang Simson

I'm hanging out with Wolfgang Simson this week in Long Beach.  Actually, he's sharing and I'm listening.  In case you're not familiar with him, he wrote Houses That Change the World.

He's a very forthright speaking German.  He doesn't mince words, and he has some very strong opinions about church structure.  These are not exact quotes, but probably close enough:

The root cause of everything going wrong is disobedience to the revealed will of God...

This is where the church has gone wrong (building disobedient structures) and this is why the church is now, in essence, in captivity in Babylon...

God has given a pattern for the church... a blueprint... not a model but principles and guidelines that are to be built with.  The church is built out of organic material: living stones, precious individuals, not mass produced bricks (man-made structures) that can be copied and easily reproduced. Because the church has broken these rules, God has placed it in captivity.

Most people, at some level, know that there's something wrong with church.  But they live schizophrenic lives because they don't do anything about it.

It's necessary to break covenant with the false systems, and die to self, in order to enter the promised land of what church is meant to be.  The leaving process requires a spiritual de-toxification to get the old out of our system.  This will put you into a wilderness season... a desert, seemingly alone and without direction, until you begin to allow God to show you His pattern and blueprint for church and kingdom living...

God is restoring HIS pattern for HIS church so that the Holy Spirit can come and REMAIN (as when the temple and tabernacle were built according to HIS pattern).

That's just a start... More to come.

Why Non-Institututional Church Is So Needed

"Significant increase in out-of-church Christianity."  Barna

This was sent to my by Andy Zoppelt, some of which was printed in Charisma:

A nationwide survey conducted by the USA based Barna Research Group indicates that the number of unchurched adults in America continues to grow by nearly a million people annually. Interestingly, many of these unchurched people are spiritually active. One out of every five reads the Bible in a typical week; six out of ten pray to God each week; and nearly one million unchurched adults tithe their income - that is, donate at least 10% of their annual household revenue to non-profit entities...

Having studied church attendance patterns for more than twenty years, researcher George Barna suggests that the consistent resistance to church life in recent years is indicative of a historic shift in the nation's spiritual vision. "A large and growing number of Americans who avoid congregational contact are not rejecting Christianity as much as they are shifting how they interact with God and people in a strategic effort to have a more fulfilling spiritual life. This suggests that we are on the precipice of a new era of spiritual experience and expression."

Barna expects the percentage of adults who are unchurched to grow during the coming decade. "However, the emergence of a national body of spiritual leaders who are assisting unchurched people in their quest for spiritual depth through means and relationships that are outside the usual institutional vehicles is significant. We anticipate substantial growth in the number of people who are not connected to a congregational church but who are committed to God and to their faith."

One more confirmation of this... We received some unasked for help from a local Christian radio station on the upcoming House Church Conference.  This broadcaster, who personally attends a traditional church, told us why he wanted to help out. He said that the vision of their radio station is to connect people with God, AND to connect people into fellowship with other believers.  Through their ministry, they have become intensely aware that there is a growing segment of Christians who have been to church for years and yet are no longer finding satisfaction being connected to a typical congregation, AND there is a large segment of younger people who are spiritually seeking but have absolutely no interest in stepping through the doors of any type of organized church.  This broadcaster felt that the simple/house church movement was a significant alternative that could assist them (the radio station) in their vision of effectively connecting people into fellowship.

Participatory Gatherings

Some comments on a recent post inspired me to think about participatory gatherings... how difficult they are, yet how essential they are.

These comments brought up the issue of spiritual gifts.

John writes: "It's tragic that so many shun spiritual gifts or simply fail to embrace them...."  St. Valdez comments: "the people who are pew sitters, seat fillers, class attenders and not much else...they... don't seem to care or give a second thought to how they might be gifted and how they could use that giftedness...  We have been trained (if we grew up or went to church even a little) to think that being a Christian is a spectator's sport and that our 'reasonable act of service or worship' is showing up and watching or listening."

The transformation to simple/organic/house church, for me, centers on this very issue of every person is a minister, every person has essential spiritual gifts for the Body to be healthy, and thus it is essential that we gather in a way that truly makes room for every person to participate.  Let me say it again, it is important that we gather in a way that makes room for every person.

This is challenging.  It, first of all, requires a type of facilitation that is servant-based, others-focused, and truly interested in seeing every spiritual gift employed.  This means "leading" from the background, guiding without being seen, shepherding without anyone noticing.  It requires people who truly are comfortable keeping the spotlight off of themselves, sharing only as God leads, and inviting others (especially the quieter ones) to bring what God has given them.

In one of our gatherings, almost every time we are together, someone will turn to Gabe and say, "Bro, what do you have to share."  We have learned that Gabe will often remain quiet while others jump in and share their hearts and insight.  Yet when Gabe finally speaks (usually only after being asked) he brings a depth and perspective that no one else has touched on.

Ahhh, but there are so many challenges to participatory gatherings.  What about those who use this format to dominate the gathering?  What about those who, without realizing it, simply talk and talk and talk leaving little room for the whole Body to participate.  This is not easy.  Everyone present has to learn to take responsibility for keeping the premise in place: everyone matters, everyone shares, everyone has gifts.

BUT, here's the payoff.  True, participatory, whole-Body gatherings automatically develops and encourages the spiritual gifts of every Believer.  It just happens!  The format itself promotes this healthy flourishing of life.  The participatory format itself is biblical, powerful, and empowering.  It's difficult to do, but worth the effort!

Thank God I no longer stand in a pulpit in front of face-forward pew-sitters and preach to them that they are all ministers who should employ their spiritual gifts.  Yet I was modelling the exact opposite.  These poor folk, whom I was asking to employ their gifts, were also asked to come in, sit down, and pay attention to one or two others display only their gifts for one or two hours.  What sense does that make?  How can we blame people for being "pew sitters" when that is exactly where we asked them to place their behinds?

I no longer, ever, never have to "exhort" people to use their gifts.  The participatory gatherings I take part in releases the Body to do what it will naturally do if given the opportunity... express life from every member!  People just "get it."  They really are the church.  They really are the Body of Christ.  The Body of Christ is, in the participatory setting, purposefully looking toward every person to share in the full expression of Christ in our midst.  Everyone there knows it; everyone there feels it; everyone there begins to simply do it.  It is so awesome (even when messy)!!!

It's Not About the Form

Andrew wrote this as a comment to an earlier post.  I love comments that shake us up and keep forcing us to THINK and RE-THINK.  It is our western mindset that keeps wanting to take what God is doing and form a box around it.  The result is never life in the Spirit.

Andrew's comment:

We have an obsession for form. We find some new truth and we quickly create a form. In the past 41 years I have experienced every form possible, all of which is designed to replace the life and power of God. Today it is the house church form. Everyone is seeking some aspect of the New Testament to restore the church.

The Charismatic movement sought to restore the power. The discipleship movement sought to restore accountability to one another.  The restoration movement sought to restore the 5 fold ministry. The Jesus movement sought to restore community and people living together and having all things common. Though all of these have there place in the NT, they do not come from life. All of these are from the knowledge of right and wrong (good and evil), correct and incorrect theology. We are stuck in the higher information mode and losing the life mode.

If there is a method in the NT church, it would be one based on life: humility, brokenness, love and faith.

Paul didn’t build house churches; he built the church in the city. He built a Jesus movement. He built unity. He built leadership and fellowship.

All of what I see today is only the American form of religion using different forms and arrogantly believing they are on the NT cutting edge. Go to a house church convention, it is no different than the institutional conventions. They have their big names, their book sellers, their graduates, their icons. Do you think they would let you through in your 2 cents? Do they recognize other leaders besides their little click of convention speakers? Every movement I have participated in the past 41 years and 30 years of that as a pastor and 6 years as a house church elder, has only shown me the same pattern. Clergy on one side and laity on the other.

We need unity (church in the city), we need leadership coming together (not conventions), we need the recognition of one another and we need to drop our names so we can meet in His name. We have named our organizations, and that is all they are… our organizations. Then we ask God to bless our 501c3, corporation.

Wake up Laodicea, shake your grave clothes and meet in humility calling on God to make us one. Let’s stop looking at what we are doing and let’s come together and hear what the “Unknowns” are saying; those who are not writhing books and are not a part of the spiritual elite.

I print this despite the fact that we are working hard on a "house church conference."  Fortunately, not all "speakers", whether in institutional conferences or house church conferences, are looking to sell books or be in "the click."  In fact, the very, very first thing I noticed when attending the House 2 House conference in Dallas two years ago was how UNLIKE these people were compared to christianese conferences I have been to before-- lack of pretense, no one trying to put themselves forward as "the spokesperson," etc.  Nevertheless, the danger is always there and Andrew's challenges are worthwhile.  We are, and must always be, a Jesus movement.  Period.