Simple Church Reflections????

You who follow my blog may have noticed that the title of my blog doesn't always match what I write, at least not always. That's because when I started writing I was still detoxing from previous misconceptions about what life in Jesus and his family is all about (and I am not done, of course). 

I know the last few posts have been rather disjointed, a reflection of how our lives have been of late. Today, though, I am going to try to be more coherent :-) And I am also actually going to "reflect on church at its simplest"!

Although I’m not a “purist” when it comes to simple/organic church, I often find myself reflecting on how church structures—and the thinking behind them—can either help or hinder people’s relationship with God.

Personally, I prefer to think of God’s family in the simplest of terms, much like Wayne Jacobsen describes in his writings. However, I often find myself in traditional church settings, and rather than judging them, I try to ask honest questions and offer observations.

Here are some patterns I’ve noticed—especially common in traditional church contexts—that can hinder living a real life in Jesus. These aren’t exclusive to traditional churches; I’ve seen them in house churches, too. I’m not saying they can’t be overcome. I’m just asking: if we truly want to see God’s Kingdom come, why do we tolerate them?

---

Hindrances to Life in Jesus

• Letting leaders hear God for us instead of learning to hear his voice ourselves. Since hearing God is central to a growing relationship with him, this is a major barrier and not just in traditional churches.

• Coming to buildings or events instead of coming to Jesus. The focus often shifts from relationship to location. Listen to the vocabulary of most brick and mortar churches and you will hear language of "place and program" not people, gatherings, relationships, etc. 

• Thinking “you come” rather than “as we go.” I am not referring to being missional in some trendy sense. I am talking about naturally expressing the Father’s love wherever we are, led by the Spirit. 

• Lack of life-on-life connection centered around the Word and the Spirit. Living life-on-life is essential to true discipleship. Any structure that makes life-on-life harder or less visible should be ruthlessly evaluated and reconsidered.

• An information-focused approach to the Christian life instead of one based on love and obedient response. We’re called to live obediently in response to our being deeply loved, not in light of the information that we know.

• Obstacles to practicing the “one anothers” due to a focus on meetings, buildings, and events. This one speaks for itself, I think.

• Reducing the Christian life to events and schedules. This tendency is subtle and deeply ingrained—but it distorts what following Jesus really means. Being Jesus' disciple involves living life with him in the company of others 24/7.

• Programmed, cookie-cutter approaches to transformation (think "discipleship classes, etc.). Transformation occurs in the context of  genuine, consistent relationships with God and others not by means of programmed classes and events.

• The Pressure to hide our pain. We recognize that this pressure is very real and frequently a part of traditional church life. But when leaders and congregants feel they must appear to have it all together, there’s little space for inviting others into our struggles. Yes, transparent leaders help—but true safety comes from living life-on-life with trusted others in the Father’s loving presence. And yes, this can be very simple.

---

These are just some simple reflections. Nothing new or profound. But I felt prompted to share them this week. My hope is that you can hear in these words a longing for God’s people to live freely and simply in His love, unbound by church forms that get in the way. Whatever your context, may you discover just how beautifully simple this life with Him can be.

Simply reflecting...

Tom, one of Abba's children