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Learning to Say “No” in Order to Focus
Simple Church begins by showing how the culture is embracing simplicity in business, fashion, style, and graphics (8-12). Rainer makes it clear that his challenge to the church to simplify does not come from a desire to mirror the culture. Neither does it come from solely pragmatic reasons (15-16). Rainer and Geiger believe that the model for simplification is found in Jesus’ ministry himself and the picture of the early church.

The authors use Jesus’ cleansing of the temple as an example of simplification in action (18-19). But is this truly what Jesus was doing? Was Jesus intending to rid the temple of the “clutter” that had taken the people’s eyes off God? Perhaps. But the New Testament record describes the temple cleansing as more revolutionary than that. His action was a prophetic sign of judgment upon a corrupt temple system. The “clutter” of trade in the temple was only the symptom of a much deeper problem. In seeking to use Jesus’ temple cleansing as an example of revolutionary simplification, the authors stretch the biblical support for their case. But the temple cleansing does raise a question that Simple Church never addresses. Could the clutter and congestion seen in today’s multitude of programs be a symptom of a larger problem? Could cleaning out the clutter be treating a symptom and not the root problem?

Though Simple Church never delves into the complexities of the church’s woes today, readers can benefit greatly from the emphasis on reducing programs. It is easy for a pastor whose world revolves around the church to think that everyone in his church has ample time for any church activity. This is not the case. Rainer and Geiger are right to critique the church calendar that is filled with events that expect attendance from the entire church (42). The authors are also right to encourage pastors to look at attendance numbers across the board, not just in terms of individual ministries (46-47). When pastors follow this advice, the emphasis on growing numerically shifts to the growth of people in discipleship throughout the church. This reinterpretation of “the numbers” is needed in today’s church if church leaders are to set aside their fascination a numerical growth that often excludes measurement of spiritual maturity.

The authors define “focus” as the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process (203). The authors include the biblical story of Hezekiah breaking the bronze snake from Moses’ time because it had become a distraction. Actually, the snake was becoming an idol, which is precisely what happens for some good-intentioned believers who cling to a program as if it could provide salvation. While the authors focus on the distraction and ineffectiveness of certain traditions, the story they quote from would again have us find a deeper, underlying problem – idolatry.

The authors encourage church leaders to eliminate programs and events that do not contribute to the mission of discipleship (204). The way to maintain this lack of clutter is by avoiding the propensity to constantly add programs (210). This emphasis on keeping focus is very helpful.

Conclusion
Simple Church offers much-needed advice to church leaders today. The advice is sound, practical, and biblically sustainable. Pastors would do well to clearly articulate the vision that God has given them for their church, to implement a specific process for moving people through the different levels of discipleship, and reduce the clutter and congestion of programs that are not contributing to the church’s purpose.

written by Trevin Wax  © 2007 Kingdom People blog

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