What’s happening in the local church? American church statistics have reported [via Goodmanson]:

• In America, 3500 – 4000 churches close their doors each year
• Half of all churches last year did not add one new member through conversion growth
• Churches lose an estimated 2,765,000 people each year to nominalism and secularism

While we all have our theories about the situation, pastors and church leaders are looking for solutions to being about healthy, vibrant congregations – ones that escape the graveyard of “my church closed” memories.

In essence, Simple Church, is about returning the local church to the vision and mission of Jesus Christ. Helping the local church leadership put “first things first” is the substance of this book. Its desire is to help you design a simple, understandable church road map from introduction to Christ through reproducing disciple of Jesus Christ. Each service, program and event offered should help people move along this journey.

Rainer and Geiger have put together potent research to demonstrate local churches that thrive follow four steps:

Step 1: They design a simple process to make disciples (Clarity)

Taking you through the process, Tom and Eric want you to design a simple ministry process for your church on paper – a process that actually develops disciples of Jesus Christ, as you understand it.

What makes this book – and this step – so valuable is that it begins with your understandings of the Gospel Process. The authors do not force their concepts on you. They provide examples and tools to walk you through the design process. I found myself scribbling ideas on the front and back cover (and in the margins of the pages) as I read. 

Part of this process is mutual discussion with church leadership, creating both the process and ownership of the process when finally launched.

Step 2: They place their key programs along the process (Movement)

In this step, you are encouraged to take your existing programs and plug them into the newly created process. This will accomplish two things: (1) It will show you what you are already doing that accomplishes the vision and mission – and now harnessing them strategically; and (2) It will show you where you are spending valuable resources – time, people, energy – in areas that don’t necessarily help you accomplish your vision and mission for Christ.

Helping you place these programs in their correct consecutive order – according to your priorities – brings movement towards deeper commitment to the cause of Christ in your people.

Step 3: They unite all their ministries around the process (Alignment)

Once you have the programs in consecutive order, it is time to get all of them using the same process within their individual ministries. In other words, what the adults do as their ministry process should be replicated on an age appropriate level in the college, teen, and children’s ministries. This would also hold true for ANY ministry you have in place throughout the entire church, according to Rainer and Geiger.

Step 4: They begin to eliminate things that are outside their process (Focus)

Ultimately, as you work through this process, you will discover that some of the programs and ministries you have replicate or even rob ministry potential from your vision and mission. The truly hard aspect of this process comes when “sacred cows” have to be slaughtered for the benefit of the health and vitality of the great commandment and great commission of Jesus Christ.

Obviously, wisdom and understanding must exude from the church leadership through this aspect of the process. And while not everyone will be happy with the changes, the congregation, as a whole, will experience greater health, see new people won to Jesus and grow members into the image and passion of Jesus.

Simple Church is a valuable read … one you should have on your Christmas list. It brings us back to the essence of why we do what we do and how we are actually accomplishing that vision and mission.

Write me at PastorMatt@EaglesInLeadership.org if I can be helpful to you and your church.