Busy, Busy...Hey, It's Christmas, Right?

Can "good" works still be just works?

Seems like the world speeds up in December, doesn't it? Decorating, shopping, parties, programs, family events on top of normal life flow...did I mention shopping? Ileen and I were discussing all that and more yesterday; how could we help someone that may be in need? Demonstrate to our children the spirit of Christmas? Get beyond ourselves?

Father really pressed into me the thought that it still needs to start with Him. That if we, as individuals, as families, as churches, start the Christmas season off with a laundry list of things to do...well, then that's exactly what we'll have. Christmas will evaporate into New Year's celebrations and we'll once again wonder where it went.

Ileen and I just celebrated our 25th anniversary by returning to many of the places that were special to us during our whirlwind dating relationship. The beach where we met, the cliffs where we married...some of the places we frequented. We inundated ourselves with memories while walking hand in hand, drawing closer to each other than we had in years. We focused...no, really, really focused...on each other. I enjoyed her smile, her laughter, her thoughts...And love that had grown comfortable, too comfortable, became vibrant again.

I think that our relationship with Father God can suffer a similar fate, especially to those that are "experienced" in their faith..."plugged in" and pillars of the christian community. There are lessons to research, programs to rehearse, events to plan...all on top of the normal family Christmas celebrations. Quoting from T. Austin-Sparks:

“Spirituality cannot be obtained in an hour of emergency, it is only proved then. Let us see to it that we are not resting on things, be they most devout; but rather learning to know the Lord.”

Perhaps hijacking the author's original intent...still, the thought is valid. Without a vibrant, current, living relationship with Father, all the "things" of Christmas become just that.

May we all focus...really, really focus...on our relationship with Father; walk hand in hand, remember, listen, draw close to Him, return to our "first love" (Rev 2:4)...and move through the Christmas season full of His joy, His warmth, His love...knowing that we are truly His hands and feet.
Merry Christmas!

Sanctioned by God

Have you noticed the increasing frequency with which advertisers seek to gain legitimacy by being the "Official _____ of Something"? The official camera of the Olympics, of the NFL, of Life; the official drink of NASCAR; the official candy bar of Wes Welker (Butterfingers)...on and on it goes. It must work or advertisers would have moved on by now. In fact, our society seems to search out endorsements more than ever. We check Yelp before we eat or Angie's List before we buy a service; we earn "certifications" from an ever-increasing number of boards. It's getting to the point where some folks have more letters trailing their name than they have name! Even our children are getting into the act. When I was young, baseball in the street was an everyday occurrence in neighborhoods across the land. "Car!"...Who didn't know that call and that it meant you needed to move to the side of the road so someone could pass. Sure, we played Little League ball, too, but that was only a couple times a week, counting practice...and that wasn't enough. But over the years, baseball, or any other sport played in the neighborhood streets, has just about disappeared...replaced by the Official Sport of Kids - Organized Activities.

As we have grown accustomed to endorsements, there seems to be a growing reluctance to do things that are unsanctioned. My wife works with a farm that rescues horses and teaches children farm and barn management in a faith-based atmosphere. Occasionally, they make requests for donations, usually building materials, to complete the various projects that are necessary on a farm. Although the program is not for profit, they have not jumped through all the hoops required to receive 501 c3 certification. Some donors are reluctant or refuse to donate without the certification; some citing tax purposes, other's citing a lack or trust (i.e., no "Seal of Approval").

I have found a similar response from some believers as it pertains to our Simple Church. Without a denominational affiliation, there seems to be a perception that our fellowship lacks a "Seal of Approval". Some liken it to a bible study...asking if we intend to attend a "real" church on Sunday mornings. I take no offense, really, because there's a certain part of me that understands exactly where they're coming from. The push-back comes both from the outside and from within myself as years of programming have their effect. But Father has reminded me that "For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them." (Matthew 18:20 NIV). Imagine that! Sanctioned by God! What higher "Seal of Approval" could we receive? Even more exciting is that we have that same sanctioning as we are lead by the Holy Spirit to do the things He has for us to do. Wait...what? I don't have to have the approval of the Men's Ministry at First Baptist to be a dad to the fatherless? I can just come in the name of Jesus and minister to inmates at the county lockup? Crazy!

As Ileen and I have moved along on our journey into Simple Church, we have realized that we have an amazing amount of freedom in Jesus. It is hard to actually wrap our heads around it sometimes; we find ourselves voluntarily returning to our "cell" as years of doing church the traditional way influence much of our thought processes about what's "right" or "wrong". Fortunately, the guilt we feel as we put church traditions behind us is more than replaced with joy and anticipation as we feel like we are truly on the "front lines"...receiving instructions directly from Father, being lead by his Spirit, engaging believers and the lost alike with more depth than we imagined possible.

How about that? Simple Church. An official church of God. Cool, huh?

We are the Church

My son's best friend spent the night at our house last night. They're both 12 and have been friends since they were 2. It was a joy to listen to them laugh and giggle as they watched angry ram videos on YouTube, shot each other with Nerf darts and played video games. Their friendship began as a result of a women's bible study more than ten years ago. Ileen and Heather became friends through that study. Early on in the relationship, Heather's husband was seriously injured in an automobile accident. If I recall correctly, I met Heather and Dave for the first time in the hospital room. Over the past ten years, the two families have strengthened and deepened the friendship in the usual ways; weekends away, holiday celebrations, get-togethers, kids events...pretty much normal Americana. We've also been there for each other through the storms of life...accidents, financial crisis and cancer. We know them and are known by them...We love and are loved.

So why do I share this with you? This story is not that unusual, right? Even in a go-go-go world, families still connect and develop deep friendships, don't they?

I submit to you that we, as people, are generally wired to desire to live our lives in community with others. And like everything else, this desire varies from person to person. Ileen is a "whole world" personality. She loves people...to know them. to hear their stories, to invest in them. There is not enough time, money or room in her Suburban!

"Can't we squeeze an extra person into the back?"

I, on the other hand, enjoy solitude. My preferred hobbies are fly fishing, woodworking and surfing...not exactly party games. Even so, I yearn for the same relationships Ileen does, if only on a smaller scale.

Our world has changed and with it, the ways we connect. We no longer grow up in the same neighborhood...and if we do, the neighbors move away. The way our lives are structured is different, too. Two income families, organized sports, music lessons, church, special interest activities...our time is governed by a calendar and a stopwatch as every moment of every day is allocated to a specific task. We're happy (and feel fortunate) to find time for a cup of coffee with the spouse. Even church, once a primary point of connecting with others, has become a scheduled to-do. Whether it's in our head or on our smart phones, life in these United States has become a whirlwind of activities and sometimes checking them off of our list is the only satisfaction we have when all is said and done.

How does all this relate to simple church? (You knew I was going to bring it back here, right?) Re-imagine your church experience...instead of sitting in a Sunday School classroom followed by a church pew for three hours on Sunday morning...what if you tried simple church? Instead of 3 hours of mostly listening and watching and a little bit of socializing, you had a half hour of socializing, followed by one and a half hours of worship, interactive study and prayer, followed by another hour sharing a community meal and the Lord's Supper. Can you see where this is going? People become more than names and faces when we hear their story, agonize with them in their heartbreak and rejoice in their triumphs. Ileen and I love Heather and Dave more than you can imagine because we were scared Heather might not make it...because they loved us even when we lost everything, including our home...because we have moved beyond the cursory pleasantries that are exchanged every day and in every setting by spending the time it took to do just that. "We" are the church...not the building...not Sunday mornings...not the pastor, choir and staff. Whether simple or institutional, the "church" is only a framework to provide structure for believers. a tool for our benefit. If and/or when that relationship becomes inverted and we are existing for the benefit of the institution, the time has come to re-evaluate.

Forever? What About Just a Really Long Time?

My Dad attended Calvary Baptist Church in Bellflower, California when he was a young boy. Over the years, his family moved, he joined the Navy, started his own family and eventually settled (lit is probably more like it...my Dad was/is part Gypsy) back in Southern California in the mid 1970's. We attended Calvary Baptist Church in Bellflower. And to his surprise, the lady that taught him in the 4th grade Sunday School class was now teaching my younger brother in the same 4th grade Sunday School class.

Ileen and I have been a part of several church start-ups...not necessarily the very beginning but early on when those that were active in the functioning of the church wore many hats. "All hands on deck" was the call and those that answered were given a wide variety of responsibilities and chores to take care of.

We've also attended churches where you learn the family's number before you know their name...You know..."We're the Smiths, the 7th family on the roll".

1 Corinthians 3:5-7 NLT
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

So why do I relate these three separate stories? As I was reading through 1 Corinthians this week, Paul called out the church in Corinth for being controlled by their sinful nature. In particular, he chides them for identifying themselves as "Followers of Paul" or "Followers of Apollos". It made me think. We church folk like to identify ourselves in such a way that it gains us status, don't we? Personally speaking, I have "casually" referenced my presence or participation in various ministries, especially the early days of now large and well known ministries, in hopes of getting a little ego boost...maybe an increase in status. I think there is just something about tenure or longevity that causes us to esteem those that have it. We assign value and prestige to Sunday School teachers that have been teaching the same class for 40 years, to families that have been there since the beginning and to those that are seemingly tireless in performing many and varied tasks within the church. Don't misunderstand...I am not inferring that there is something wrong with the doing or the being. But just as Paul pointed out that he was simply planting and Apollos watering, I think we need to evaluate our thoughts on both side of the equation. Are we assigning status to those that have served faithfully? Are we seeking status for our longevity? Our service?

The simple church structure can alleviate some of these issues and in a couple different ways. First, we meet under the headship of Jesus Christ. There is no pastor or figurehead to be placed on a pedestal, either by design or involuntarily. Secondly, the nature of simple church is intimate. Eventually, we all get to know each other, warts and all. It's hard to look up to (or down on) someone when you know and are known. Finally, there is a temporal nature to simple church. We intentionally meet to disciple and be discipled and to multiply. A core group of 20 today will not be a megachurch in five years...instead, we hope to have multiplied into 4, maybe 8, simple churches in that time. Planting and watering...planting and watering...and praying that Father will give the increase! That is the absolute beauty of the Simple Church...If God doesn't do it...it won't get done! He deserves all credit and glory which is ultimately what Paul was saying to the Corinthians. It's not important who does the work, what's important is that God makes the seeds grow.

Say What?!

Everyone remembers playing the children's game where information is whispered into one's ear and then passed from person to person...finally being regurgitated and usually bearing little or no resemblance to the original statement. Funny thing is, I still can experience that same phenomenon in my marriage...and, no, that is not a punchline to a joke. Ileen and I can have a conversation and all too often the next time it is revisited, it concerns a misunderstanding. Part of the problem is that I'm a guy...I get that. Another issue is the pace of life in the world today does not lend itself to true listening. But maybe even more fundamental is that we don't always "hear" what is said correctly...as in the intent or meaning is often lost in translation.

One of our major concerns regarding simple church is the accuracy of our theology. If no one has been to seminary, how will we know that we are accurately dividing the Word? But the more I have thought about this, the less concerned I have become. If the preacher stands in the pulpit and expounds upon a topic for 45 minutes in front of 100 or 1000 listeners; you can be sure that at the end of day there will be more than one version of the message being discussed over fried chicken. In fact, Jesus made statements that were not clearly understood by those who heard. Obviously, there will always be a problem with having everyone assimilate information that they hear 100% as it was intended.  So let's take hearing out of the equation, ok? Surely, if we read the bible together, we'll all come to the same conclusion, won't we? What's that? Ohh...that's why there are different denominations...huh!

And yet, we as believers are commanded to make disciples. Not go to seminary and then make disciples...just make disciples. But how? Institutional church has adopted the classroom approach: One teacher to many students...One pastor to many congregants. This works, to a certain degree...subject to the vagaries of what we hear and understand as we have already established. The discipling process can also be slowed by attendance habits, non-applicable sermon or lesson topics, even personnel changes.

I've said it before...it is my opinion that discipleship happens best in the context of a relationship. Jesus would often need to provide further explanation to the disciples in order for them to understand what He was saying. To assume that modern listeners hear and understand better now than then is too much to ask. Yet, I know that most members of institutional churches do not have direct access to the one bringing the message to gain further clarification. If we are commanded to make disciples and disciple-making is optimally done through relationships (and that is the example that Jesus provided), it makes sense to give that a try.

What excites me about simple church is that we have the opportunity to ask questions, discuss concerns, search the bible together to grasp precepts. And in this day of information overload, we have the option of hearing from many seminary-trained experts as they weigh in on topics via books, recorded messages, podcasts, blogs, etc. Even better? All of this learning is in the context of friendly, loving relationships rather than hard line denominational partisanship. We can "dare" to question the party line without concern of receiving a stern look and a pat answer in return. The simple church structure lends itself quite naturally to the discipleship process, especially when the believers are humbly submitting to the headship of Christ and fervently inviting Father's presence into their midst.

Why a Simple Church?

Simple. Defined by Merriam-Webster as an adjective

           : not hard to understand or do

           : having few parts; not complex or fancy

           : not special or unusual

Sounds easy enough. Yet we live in a society where bigger is usually considered better, where you “get what you pay for” and there are always upgrades available. And yet God, in His infinite wisdom, has often chosen the simple to confound the wise. From Ten Commandments, the Pharisees extrapolated 248 additional commandments and 365 prohibitions. From meeting in houses in the early days of the church, we went on to build some of the most beautiful structures ever seen.  Oh, we can make things complex, can’t we? But bigger is not always better and sometimes, more expensive just means it costs more.

Ileen and I have been called to a path less travelled. We hear Father directing us towards simple church. Also referred to as house church and organic church, the idea is to distill the church experience down to the basics. While I am of the opinion that there are some fundamental issues with today’s church in America, please, please don’t misunderstand me; I am not making a case for the simple church at the expense of the institutional church.  I just happen to think that perhaps going back to the beginning, as best we can, may result in the church life that I read of in the New Testament. Of course, since a lot of Paul’s writings were directed towards churches with issues, I may need to be careful what I wish for.

So, what are we wishing for? First and foremost, God.  Engaging with Him and being discipled like never before. Community. Being engaged with believers in loving community like never before. Obedience. Carrying out the primary commands to love God and love others like never before.

Sounds great, right? But why simple church? Can’t we do all those things in an institutional church setting? Certainly, the answer has to be yes, it can be done…but is it the best way? Maybe “yes” for some and “not so much” for others.

I grew up a skinny kid…Six feet five inches tall before my sophomore year of high school was complete. I could eat anything I wanted and not put on weight. And did I eat! My poor parents…literally! I did my best to eat them out of the house. But then around 26 or 27 years old, my metabolism changed and I joined the ranks of the dieters and I’ve been a member ever since. Now that I’ve been dieting off and on for 25+ years, I know a few things about how to succeed at dieting. Things like keeping junk food out of the house, like committing to meet someone at the gym…you get the idea…little hacks that keep you accountable and committed.  But that’s just me. I have some friend’s that won’t waver a bit even if there’s ice cream in the house (Mmm, ice cream…but I digress) and would never miss a workout, no matter the weather.

So, what’s my point? For Ileen and I, the point is to position ourselves in the best possible place to hear “well done”.  Simple church seems to be that place. There is no preacher or Sunday school teacher to do our studying for us. There is no women’s ministry to handle benevolence. There is no financial committee to determine where the giving should go or how much. Instead, there’s just a small gathering of believers that desire to engage with Father, fellow believers and our community. And kind of like dieting, We want to remove any options that allow for inertia or the option to be part of the “80” in the “80/20” rule.  Simple church, at its very core, offers reliance on Father, demands accountability to each other, provides opportunity to truly know and love your brothers and sisters in Christ as well as exchange some of the time spent serving in the institutional church with getting to know those that you come in contact with in your daily life.

Certainly, there will be bumps in the road and maybe even some detours...but we are excited to know that Father has a purpose and a plan and is revealing it to us even now. So pray for us...that we won't run ahead of Him, that we'll follow closely behind, that we won't take our eyes off of our incomparable Jesus (I love describing Jesus as incomparable! Don't know why that is...but I do).

Your Brother and Sister in Christ, Jeff and Ileen

And so the Journey Begins...

I own my own business. I haven't always but for the past 5 years I've been self-employed. Owning your own business is a lot of things but predictable is not one of them. And I discovered something about myself...I like predictability. I like routine. There is something comforting in routine and sameness and I didn't expect that. 

“We are, all of us, creatures of habit, and when the seeming necessity for schooling ourselves in new ways ceases to exist, we fall naturally and easily into the manner and customs which long usage has implanted ineradicably within us.”― Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Beasts of Tarzan

In fact, if Mr. Burroughs is to be believed, the fall into those habits is natural and unable to be removed (that's what ineradicably means...impossible to root out). But routine and predictable become boring and stodgy and eventually unproductive. 

I am a Christian. I wasn't always but for the past 40+ years...I have been. And in those 40 years, I've seen the "seeming necessity for schooling" cease to exist and fell naturally into the rhythms and routines that are the norm in churches across the country today. And I've found myself comfortable. And bored. And unproductive. 

But God is not a creature of habit. In fact, 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares that in Christ, old things are passed away and a new life has begun. Recent events at church caused me to pause and re-evaluate. And it became clear that I had settled into routines and become unproductive. Perhaps more disturbing, I looked to assign the blame elsewhere. But Father pressed into my spirit that I was the shepherd of my family and that handing ourself over to the programs at the church did not relieve me of my obligations. What's more...I was missing out on the opportunity to hear from Him and share that with my wife and family. Let that sink in for a minute...Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, is willing to personally show me how to be a husband to my wife and a father to my children. And, for too long, I've preferred my comfort and routine to His presence. 

So after much prayer and angst, Ileen and I have reached the decision that now is the time to pursue a vision that Father has placed upon our heart and we will be leaving Foothills. We wanted to let you know this for several reasons. First and foremost, you have had an impact on us and our family and we love you dearly. Beyond that, we want to make sure that our reasons are not misunderstood or lumped into the current situation, although that has certainly been a catalyst for our decision.

What we thought it would be like...

I wish I could say that Ileen and I definitively have the answers that we are seeking.  We don’t. But God is leading and we must follow. He has lead us in the direction of simple church (also known as house or organic church) and we have been praying, researching, reading and even reviewing criticisms pertaining to the concept. We are challenged and intrigued…

·        By the notion that the church can be led by the Holy Spirit and Jesus is the “Senior Pastor”.

...and what it feels like now that we're standing on the brink!

·        Believers being equal and hearing from God corporately.

·        God gifting and equipping the church as He promises in Ephesians 4.

·        By the idea that leadership is not in charge but rather are facilitators, care-givers and “guard rails”.

·        Expressing the love and light of Jesus with each other in such a way that the world takes notice and desires to know Christ (John 13:35).

·        Abandoning programs and traditions in favor of “wherever He leads”. It is in John chapter 21 where Jesus tells the disciples to throw their nets out on the opposite side…It looked the same…really wasn't very different or radical…yet, because it was Jesus, there was more fish then imaginable.

There are so many more thoughts that escape me as I write but the overarching concern is to “participate” in Jesus’ church in such a way that it pleases Him by being about Him, in Him and through Him. To join Thomas in exclaiming “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)

Additionally, Ileen and I will pursue a vision that God has placed upon our heart. We call it “Worship without Walls” and we look to facilitate a regular, perhaps monthly, local gathering of believers in such a way that they are encouraged and refreshed and prepared to do whatever God has gifted and burdened them to do. We hope to break down the walls that separate believers and  circumvent the denominational divide by gathering people together and letting them get to know each other and surround the community we live in with the Father’s love…coming at the lost from all directions.

We are publishing this blog for a couple reasons...we want to chronicle the adventure and share the journey with those that will pray for and with us as we seek to be salt and light right where Father has us...and we hope that others will be inspired to join us. Not necessarily "us" us, rather the "us" that is a group of believers that not only desire more of our incomparable Savior, Jesus, but are willing to step out and away from comfortable arrangements and known entities and see what might happen when Father is given a free rein to lead and direct without the constraint of habits or traditions.

We strongly covet your prayers…we really don’t have a firm idea of where this is going; only that we won’t have peace until we follow this wherever He leads. Some have expressed an interest in learning more; we will use this blog to share as we go along. We will also post times/dates and locations as they become known. We hope and desire that this simply denotes a new chapter in our continuing relationships as friends and fellow sojourners in Christ. We hope you understand and encourage you to talk to us about any questions or concerns.

Your Brother and Sister in Christ…Jeff and Ileen