Leader's Insight: No Simple Church Solutions

Several weeks ago, I attended a conference based on the book Simple Church by Eric Geiger and Thom Rainer (Broadman and Holman, 2006). More than 400 ministry leaders from around my state packed the room, diligently taking notes. Their anticipation as the day began was palpable.

Then, last week, I was talking to several other pastors who were extolling the virtues of the Simple Church philosophy. Again, these leaders were passionately enthusiastic about this new book.

And just today, I was having lunch with a friend and fellow ministry leader who asked me excitedly, “Have you read the book Simple Church? It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. I’m making our pastor read it.”

Clearly, the Simple Church concept has struck a nerve.

Indeed, I have read the book, and wrote a favorable review of it for Leadership. I love how it challenges churches that suffer from what the authors call “ministry schizophrenia.” Simple Church calls all church leaders to articulate a clear process for spiritual growth, and to streamline all ministries and programs in keeping with that process. While I read and review many books that do not make it to my “recommended” list, Simple Church is one that has earned my recommendation.

But I also have concerns about the book. Actually, it’s not really the book that concerns me; it’s the response of the many pastors and ministry leaders who are reading the book.

Simple Church is a great, easy-to-understand concept that many churches need to hear. But the process of implementing it is not all that simple. My fear is that the difficulty of the process will get lost on readers who are looking for a quick fix for their ministry.

For example, one of the tenets of the Simple Church approach is “focus.” According to the authors, this means “saying no to nearly everything” in an attempt to pare down the number of programs to those that are truly effective for the church’s discipleship process.

My concern is that some leaders will simplify this tenet to merely chopping or eliminating programs. But it’s one thing to chop a bunch of programs in an effort to simplify. It is another thing entirely–and far more difficult–to create a culture where simplicity is the prevailing mindset. Creating a culture is never simple. It takes months and years of cultivation, protection, and constant care.

The philosophy is simple. The process is not.

As I sat in the conference, I saw pastors eager for something they could take home with them and implement NOW. The speaker made it clear that this is a difficult process, but I those warnings seemed lost on many in attendance.

One pastor sitting at my table told me he had spent the last ten years building the credibility and winning the “chips” it will take to implement a Simple Church approach in his 100-year-old congregation. I wonder whether he is the exception or the rule. Few pastors will take ten years to build such a cache before cashing it in.

And how many 100-year-old congregations will go for such a severe paring of their beloved institutions?

My other fear is that Simple Church will simply become The Next Big Thing; the next template that has pastors rushing to the bookstore, reading in a hurry, and reacting to implement without really counting the cost or doing the work that will make the changes stick.

Not very long ago, it was the seeker-driven model that had pastors scrambling to add live drama and Plexiglas pulpits to their Sunday worship. But as one who attended such a church, I can tell you that dramas, topical sermons, and well-produced music did not compensate for a lack of evangelistic compassion in its people.

More recently, the focus has been on becoming Purpose Driven, which I heard referred to as “the Intel chip of the church for the next century.” Scores of churches now have five alliterative purposes, along with classes numbered 101 to 401. But these alone do not make a congregation understand or embrace the discipleship process. Laying down the bases doesn’t teach a person how to play the game of baseball.

Years ago, I knew of a famous, wizened theology professor who asked a pastor, “What are you going to do when seeker-sensitive doesn’t work anymore?” The pastor looked at him, incredulous. He couldn’t imagine effective ministry before the seeker movement, and couldn’t imagine a time and culture in which it might become less effective. Yet there are those who now feel that seeker orientation and even purpose-driven have outlived their usefulness.

Please hear what I am not saying. I am not bashing Simple Church, Purpose Driven, or seeker sensitivity. The latter two for sure have had an indelible impact on the church and on a lost and hurting world. Maybe Simple Church will have similar impact.

I am saying that it is far too easy for ministry leaders to look for the next quick fix, instead of doing the arduous work of praying, casting vision, building consensus, and developing an organizational culture that moves consistently toward that God-given vision. For this work, there is no substitute, and no simple solution.

Angie Ward is a leadership coach, church leader, and ministry spouse living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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