Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples

by Thom S. Rainer, Eric Geiger, Sam Rainer

Many of the church leaders we talk to are seeking an escape from the not-so-simple life. // "Relax. This book is not about another church model. If you are a church leader, you have been exposed to plenty of models, and most of them are on your shelf. Or worse, you have blended a bunch of models into one schizophrenic plan. If that is the case, neither you nor the people in your church are really sure what your church is all about. We see it all the time. // But go ahead, let down your guard. No new program is going to be pushed here. There will be nothing new to add to your calendar. If anything, you will be encouraged to eliminate some things, to streamline. This book will help you design a simple process of discipleship in your church. It will help you implement the model you have chosen. It will help you simplify."

Genres: Leadership, Church, Christian, Nonfiction, Discipleship, Christianity, Theology

Audio CD

First published May 31, 2006

About the author

Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers and Executive Director of Revitalize Network. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he received his degree in business administration. He received both the master of divinity and the Ph.D. degrees from Southern Seminary.

Dr. Rainer has served as pastor of four churches. He is the former president of Rainer
Group consulting. He served for twelve years as dean at Southern Seminary and for thirteen years as the president and CEO of LifeWay Çhristian Resources.

Dr. Rainer has authored or co-authored 33 books. Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and eleven grandchildren.

Reviews

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I appreciate the concept of the book, it is self-defeating in its length. The heart of the message of Simple Church is to clarify, move, align, and focus on what discipleship at your church looks like. This book could have been a pamphlet.

I read the whole first chapter. I skipped a few sentences in the 2nd chapter. I skipped paragraphs in the 3rd. And I only read bold headlines for the rest of the book.

It was dry and exhaustive. Most of the sentences were written (I guess) in a way to drive home the "simple" idea as they were repetitive and short. Choppy. Hard to follow. Repetitive. And short.

Beyond that criticism, the purpose of the book is beneficial. Many busy churches aren't growing because of divided interests, resources, and help. (Think 20% of the people do 80% of the work.) So to that end, Simple Church is a helpful resource for a pastoral staff looking to rethink how they grow disciples in a clear and purposeful way while giving them encouragement to cut unnecessary programs.

I would not recommend reading this book. I would recommend borrowing it from someone and skimming the section headings of each chapter.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do we need another stat-filled book offering churches another way to organize themselves in order to maximize their effectiveness, reach more people, heighten fellowship, stir excitement, encourage evangelism, and all the rest? It would be nice if we had no use for such works; but the fact is, we do. Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger have collaborated to bring to us a work that is by no means earth-shattering, yet is somehow hitting a note that many of us miss. I’m not a big fan of the Church Growth Movement, but I like what Rainer, head of Lifeway Christian Resources, sets before us in the pages of this work.

In Simple Church, Rainer and Geiger show us the results of a study performed on several churches, examining the differences between vibrant and declining congregations. The authors point out four major things that growing and vibrant churches have in common, all of which lead to the churches being simple churches. The four aspects are clarity, movement, alignment, and focus. Each of these words relates to a church’s vision. Is that vision clear and simply understandable? Is that vision a process through which members move to reach maturity? Is that vision aligned throughout the church so that it is the same for each ministry? Is the church focused enough on that vision that they will do away with superfluous activities, even if those activities are generally OK things?

On the positive side, I found myself challenged to think about the church I am serving to consider how we might simplify our ministries. I was encouraged to work with the staff to clarify our vision, to develop the discipleship process, to get others on-board with the plan, and to eliminate things that are not part of who we want to be. The authors make a sweet and strong case for churches not wasting their time and energy on things that are unnecessary for the growth of the Kingdom of God.

Contrary to what I expected from the book’s title and from what I had previously heard, Simple Church is not merely a book about cutting away unnecessary programs. The authors call on pastors and church leaders to know how they will help believers to move from their first contact with the church to deep discipleship. This concept is more than a scheduling issue; it is a focus issue. A church’s leadership must know both what a disciple looks like and how they intend to help people progress toward that point.

At the same time, I would have liked for two strong sections to have been added to this book. The first and most important section that I would have liked to have seen would have been a more theological section in which Rainer and Geiger show the simple church life in a church that is more doctrinally rather than pragmatically centered. What does the simple church concept look like in a theologically rich and deep church? Would it look different than it would in a more seeker-driven congregation? Honestly, most of the things that the authors mention only make sense when considering a very program-heavy congregation.

Secondly, and perhaps surprisingly considering my first critique, I also would have liked to have seen a more nuts and bolts approach to implementing a simple church model. I know that the authors gave us a few examples of simple churches and spelled out the concept well. At the same time, many pastors are sitting in messy circumstances. How does one go about developing the vision, clarifying it, getting others to buy in, and implementing it in such a way as to not lose anything that we are called to do or be in the process?

Overall, I am very glad to have read Simple Church. Rainer and Geiger challenged me to think deeply about communication and structure in our local congregation. Hopefully the good questions that I am asking will lead to positive discussions with others and eventually positive growth in God’s church. I would recommend this work to others who need to think more deeply on their church’s vision and structure, especially if such a one has not been communicating to his people what the church is about or how to take the next step in the discipleship process.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with caution. This book will not just be another church leader or methodology book, it will challenge you to reconsider how and what you do at churches period. The challenge in this book: are you making a busy group of people or disciples of Jesus? The bible is clear that disciples, not busyness are the goal. Great read, great for leadership discussion.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blech! Yuck! I did NOT like this book. I am reading it because our pastor experienced an epiphany as a result of reading it and has made a lot of changes in our church, running rough-shod over existing structure and programming. This book is one of the current church-as-business genre, where strategies for growth are posited as ways to build the church. But where is God in all of this? If we were really living the way He wants us to, and trusting in Him for results, we'd see far more things happening than if we make plans based on man's wisdom.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reaches the right conclusions (mostly) but instead of getting there from a biblical/exegetical basis, they do so on the basis of extensive research. This is interesting as a secondary source but I'd suggest starting with "The Trellis and the Vine" first. Frankly, I didn't really enjoy this. I'd rather be motivated to follow a discipleship pattern from Scripture than research. It feels like this is the evangelical answer to Jim Collins "Good to Great". The problem is that the church is not a business and I have no interest in seeing it run like one or do something on the basis of what someone's research project says. Further, church growth is not a matter of adopting some 4 step process or formula. If the goal is to align church processes with biblical principles, they wouldn't say clarity, movement, alignment or focus. The Bible does have things to say to the church and to individual Christians but growth and fruit is not ours to manufacture. Interesting book in seeing contrasts, interesting perhaps as "idea fodder" but plagued with many faulty premises it seems to me.

[Ben K · Rating 1 out of 5]

The subtitle for this book is “Returning to God’s process for making disciples.” God’s process according to these authors is an approach drawn from modern business practices, whose benchmark for success and vitality is church growth. It follows the “simple revolution” started by some of the world’s most successful businesses, yet astonishingly the authors still call it counter-cultural (p.15). Scripture is only used to prooftext assertions.

It’s also very poorly written. What could have been a 50 page booklet is bloated through overly long and extraneous illustrations, statistical graphs and numbers, and glib writing that continually circles back to make the same point again and again.

There are some helpful ideas about defining a clear purpose for a church and aligning its ministries to that purpose to achieve effectiveness, but its conception of discipleship as a process with discrete steps mechanizes the endeavor. Following this approach will turn your church into a factory where disciples are made on a conveyor belt. It may bring in new people, but it will likely frustrate seasoned church members who have gone through the whole process and still long to go deeper.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rainer and Geiger conducted a study on church health... this is their book about that study. The sum of the study: less is more when it comes to church programs. There are some good nuggets in here, but the book as a whole is weakened by the lack of theological insight Rainer and Geiger bring to the table. For them health and growth are synonymous. I wouldn't argue growth is a helpful indicator of health, but it's certainly not the only indicator, and all growth isn't good growth.

[Tyler Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really thankful for the overall thrust of this book and for the statistical research that backed the findings. Churches will best serve their people and their community when there is a clear vision of discipleship, when that vision is a process that moves people toward maturity, when all programs serve the vision not vice versa, and when clutter/complexity/congestion are eliminated. This is a *simple* yet difficult insight to implement, yet I have seen it bear fruit.

A few shortcomings: First, I think the movement section give off a vibe of "arrival" that can be frustrating. One church uses the language of moving people from the foyer to the living room to the kitchen. But does the Christian life just get the kitchen and stop? Second, in a chapter devoted to examples of churches that went simple, not a single church example was a small church or a church plant. If over half of US churches are under 65 people, this demographic should be included. How does a small church devote itself to a simple model of disciple making. Third, I wonder about the comments about hiring staff that are not the most gifted, but the most committed to the vision. I think there's lots of wisdom behind this. But I wonder if this can lead to some counterproductive tribalism. (Our church does it the right way and we only hire people who 'get it.') I also wonder if this would be true for a senior pastor. Or does this man need re-discover a simple vision to lead people to?

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book revolutionized my view of church ministry! Loved it! A must for every pastor!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book about streamlining the ministries of the local church. A book about keeping the main thing the main thing, reaching people with the gospel and discipling others to grow in their relationship with Christ. Encouraging church leadership to have a clear process and vision and keeping everything done in accordance with that vision.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is sound, and certainly one that all church leaders (clergy and laypeople alike) need to hear . . . that for your church to be healthy, it needs to be specifically and consciously organized around a simple process that moves people further and further along their walk with God.

Support for the premise is, again and again, shown in the empirical results of the authors' research. While the results aren't always as immediately persuasive as the text implies, simple, process-oriented churches seem to be more vibrant than complex, program-oriented churches.

The book seems to me a challenge. A challenge to my church to look at every program accumulated though years and decades of ministry and ask some hard questions: Why are we doing it? Is it effective? Are the results significant enough to justify the time, money, and effort? Does it compete with and thereby undermine other ministries of the church? Etc. Etc. Etc.

The premise, the proof, and the challenge add up to a worthwhile read. And the read will, undoubtedly, lead to many worthwhile discussions in the near future. Hopefully, all this will benefit the Kingdom of God.

Footnote: I almost dropped my rating to one star because of one sentence in their Postscript chapter. While generally praising John Wesley for his methodical, process-oriented ministry, the authors dared dis' my hero, claiming that George Whitefield "preached a more biblically accurate message." Boo! Hiss! Harrumph, harrumph. But, instead of starting a cross-denominational stare-down, I chose to ignore the error.

[Tony Villatoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. 

A helpful book on how to craft and communicate your church’s vision. For pastors and church leaders needing to simplify their ministry process at their local churches. Not another church model book, rather details on vision clarity, movement, alignment, and focus. Love the simple ministry process applicable to any church model that is willing to put it through the funnel that the authors promote.





“Without a point of crisis, it is difficult to change.” -33


Movement is horizontal… look at the numbers to analyze the movement of people through the process. -34

We have learned that the announcements given during the worship services can tell a lot about the church. They typically are a good indication of the priorities of the church. -54

Each announcement is about movement to the next step. 55

Clarity -> Movement -> Alignment -> Focus - 57

In 1 Corinthians 3, believers are called God’s children (v1), God’s field (v9), and God’s building (v9)… [they] grow in process. 59-60

A simple church is a congregation designed arid a straight-forward and strategic process that moves pope through the stages of spiritual growth. -60

A simple church is designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth. The leadership and the church are clear about the process (clarity) and are committed to executing it. The process flows logically (movement) and is implemented in each area of the church (alignment). The church abandons everything that is not in the process (focus). -68

Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people, -70

Clarity and simplicity go hand in hand. -70

The how is clear. The process (the how) is discussed, taught, and illustrated. -70

Understanding always precede commitment. -71

If leaders are not clear, the people will not grasp the ministry process. If leaders have a difficult time discussing and teaching the ministry process, it lacks clarity. And if the process lacks clarity, the process is not simple. -71

Movement is the sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment. -72

Movement is about the handoffs. Movement is what happens in between the programs. Movement is about how someone is handed off from one level of commitment to a greater level of commitment. -73

Sadly, most churches… instead of caring about the handoffs, they are preoccupied with the programs. -73

All programs must be placed in sequential order along the ministry process. This is what creates movement in a ministry process. -74

Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. Alignment to the process means that all ministry departments submit and attach themselves to the same overarching process. -74

The ministries not only embrace the simple process, but they are engaged in it. -75

Without alignment, the church can be a multitude of sub-ministries. -75

In a church that lacks alignment, it does not feel like one body. -75

Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process. Focus most often means saying “no.” Focus requires saying “yes” to the best and “no” to everything else. -76

While movement is the most difficult simple church element to understand, focus is the most difficult element to implement. -76

Focus is the element that gives power and energy to clarity, movement, and alignment. -77

Without focus, the church becomes cluttered despite its process. Without focus the process is unrecognizable because so many other programs and events surround it. Without focus, the process is buried somewhere underneath a myriad of special events and activities. -77

A lack of focus leads to scattering. -77

Clarity is the ability of the process too be communicated and understood by the people. -111

“We have a clearly defined process for moving a person from salvation to spiritual maturity to significant ministry.” -112

Without definition, people are uncertain about how the church is making disciples. Without definition, people are clueless about how the church is designed to bring people toward spiritual maturity. Without definition, there is room for ambiguity. -113

Where there is ambiguity, there is often confusion. - 113

Determine what kind of disciples you wish to produce in your church. -115

Describe your purpose as a process. -115

Decide how each weekly program is part of the process. -115

“We have a visual illustration of our process.” -116

Vision is always visual. -118

A vision illustration increases clarity. -119

The illustration should be reflective of your process. -120

The illustration should show progression. -120

The illustration should help simplify. -120

If you have to explain a lot of symbols an hidden meanings in your illustration, it is too complicated. -120

“We have a system to measure how people progress through the process.” -122

If you do not measure the process, people will think it does not matter. -122

Learn to view your numbers horizontally and not vertically. -123

Measure attendance at each level/stage in your process. -123

For the simple process to become woven into the identity of the church, it must be discussed. Frequently. Not just during the launch. Clarity is not realized without consistency. -125

The discussion must begin with the leadership of the church. -125

The process must be discussed among the leaders consistently. -125

“We frequently discuss our process as a leadership team.” -126

View everything through the lens of your simple process. -127

Surface the process in meetings. -128

By using your ministry process language frequently, you will establish a new vocabulary at your church. -128

Test the leaders on it. -128

Brainstorm new ways to communicate the process. -128

“Our church members have a clear understanding of our process.” -129

Articulate the process corporately. -131

Share stories of how [the process] is working. -131

Share the process interpersonally. -131

Live the process personally. -132

Movement is the sequential steps in the process that causes people to move to a greater areas of commitment. -139

“We have placed our programs along our strategic process.” -140

Simple church leaders… view programs as tools to place people on the pathway of God’s morphing. -140

Begin with your clearly defined process. -141

Choose one program for each phase of your process. -142

Multiple programs for each phase of the process divides attention and energy. -142

Design each program for a specific aspect of the process. - 142

Place the programs in sequential order. -142

“Our programs are sequential, based on our process.” -142

Sequence produces movement. -145

Order the sequence of your programs to reflect your process. -145

The sequence matters because you want people to move through the simple ministry process. -146

Designate a clear entry point to your process. -146

When a process lacks a clear beginning, it is definitely not simple. -146

Identify the next levels of programming. -147

Strategic and sequential programming is vital, but that can all be done on paper. It does not involve real people. The challenge is moving people through the process. The challenge is making it happen. -147

“We are intentional about moving people from one program to another.” -148

Simple church leaders are designers. They design opportunities for people to b transformed. Complex church leaders are programmers. Programmers focus on one program at a time. Designers focus on the movement between programs. -149

Create short term steps… The steps should not be new programs. They should be shorter opportunities that expose people to an aspect of the process that they have not yet experienced. -150

Capitalize on relationships… Relationships bridge the process. -151

Since relationships are so vital, set up relational connections between the programs. -151

Relationships, not information, bridge the process. -152

Consider the “Now What?”… Do not let the present program be the end. Seek to move people farther along. -153

Connect people to Groups… If people only come to a service, they can drop out without anyone knowing. When people move to a group, they are known. -154

When people move to a group, they stick. They stay. -154

Strategic programming, sequential programming, and intentional movement are essential prescriptions for removing congestion in the body of Christ. -154

Clear next step… “After someone becomes a believer, the next step for them in the spiritual transformation process is clear.” -155

New believers are often the most vocal missionaries a church has. -155

“We have a class or a group to move people into the life of the church.” -158

Simple church leaders use their new member training to teach their process and ask for commitment. -159

Teach the simple process. -159

The new members class can serve as a filter for ministry philosophy at your church. -160

Ask for commitment to the process. -160

Your new member training is the opportunity to invite new people to join you on the journey. -160

In the Gospel of Luke, three distinct phases emerge: calling, building, and sending. These three phases are sequential and are designed to move the disciples toward greater levels of commitment. -161

In Luke 5, Jesus calls the disciples to Himself… In Luke 6, Jesus cemented their calling. -161

In Luke 7, He posed them to critical teaching… In Luke 8, He allowed them to observe Him on the front lines of ministry. -161

In Luke 9, Jesus sent out his disciples to do ministry together… Later in Luke 9, Jesus invited the disciples to participate in the feeding of the five thousand. -161

Jesus called, built, and sent His disciples. -162

Without the miracle of unity, churches divide and ministry suffers. -167

Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. -168

It is not enough to unite the church around the same what (purpose), but they also must be aligned on the same how (process). -168

Without alignment, complexity is assured. -169

If you want to maximize everyone’s energy, you must recruit on the process, offer accountability, implement the same process everywhere, unite leaders around the process, and ensure that new ministries fit. -169

The right players are vital. Without the right leaders, the church will never be aligned. People follow leadership, and if leadership is not moving in the same direction, then people are scattered. -169

Sometimes the best players are not the right players. -169

They must be committed not only to ministry but also to how your church does ministry. -170

“We recruit and hire leaders who are committed to the process.” -170

While theological alignment is critical, so is philosophical alignment. -174

Your simple ministry process is part of your ministry philosophy. -174

First, recruit on process. Second, offer accountability to leadership. -174

Max Depree: “Movements suffer when leaders are unwilling to hold the group accountable.” -175

“Our staff/leaders are held accountable for how the church process is implemented in their respective areas.” -175

Recruit based on the simple process. Offer accountability for the implementation of the process. Implement the same process everywhere. -178

A church that is committed to alignment implements the same process everywhere. -179

“While the styles and methods vary in different ministry departments (such as children and youth), the process is the same.” -180

To promote alignment, they have fully integrated the same process into every major department in the church. -181

First, understanding is increased. -181

Alignment is redundant in a good way. - 181

Second, unity is promoted. -181

Third, families experience the same process. -182

Recruit and offer accountability based on your process. Implement in each ministry department. And unite people around the simple process. -182

“Our process is the unifying factor that keeps all our leaders focused.” -184

Unity is much deeper than uniformity. -185

Remind people of the process. -186

Highlight contributions to the process. -186

Walk around and remind people they are part of the whole. -187

If they do not fit, you simply do not allow them to begin. -188

“Before we begin a new ministry, we ensure that it fits within our process.” -188

Ministries are different than programs. -189

Ministry expansions are new ministries that are geared toward a specific age group or life stage. -189

Ministry additions are new ministries that fulfill a specific function within the simple process. -190

Stay focused on your simple process. Say no to everything else. -200

Saying no is difficult. -200

Saying no must be done with God’s wisdom and timing. You must remember that you are dealing with people who have feelings. -200

Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process. -203

“We seek to eliminate programs that do not fit in our process, even if they are good.” -205

Elimination is a matter of being a faithful steward. -207

Be a wise steward of time. -208

If elimination does not occur, people spend hours of time attending programs that are nonessential to your church’s ministry process. -208

People in your church only have a certain amount of discretionary time, and they cannot afford to attend an abundance of weekly programs. If they are constantly invited and challenged to attend these non-essential programs, they miss the essential ones that are designed specifically to move them along the process of transformation. -208

Be a wise steward of money. -208

As programs are eliminated, so are line items in your budget. And this elimination means more resources for your essential programs. -209

Eliminate non-essential programs and then limit adding new ones. -210

“We use our existing weekly programs for special emphases/initiatives instead of adding new programs. -210”

While the comparison churches are program-centered, the vibrant churches are process-centered. -212

Simple church leaders seem to meet the need through an existing program while complex church leaders add another program. -212

There is no new program, just a new focus. -213

Less programs mean more focus on the programs offered. Les programs means more excellence. Les programs mea more energy for each program. .. more money allocated to each program… more people coming to the ones that are offered… more attention from the people in your church. -214

New options are necessary, and new options are not new programs. -214

Are you asking people to come to more programs or are you giving new options? -215

Eliminate, limit adding programs, and reduce special events. -215

“We limit the number of conference and special events that we do as a church.” -216

Events are finished after the building is locked. -216

In some situations, combining the special event with an existing program is more effective… They are planned together. -219

Combining the event with an existing program also brings attention to the essential program. -219

The traditional “dinner on the grounds” is a prime example of stacking a special event on top of an essential program. -219

Christmas services are being combined with the weekend worship services to maximize the potential of the holiday season. -219

Youth events are being combined with the entry-level program in youth ministry.,, New students are more likely to return because they have been exposed to the weekly program. -219

There must be a “now what?” At the end of each event. A “now what?” Means people are able to plug into an essential program at the conclusion of the event. -220

Are you are eliminating, reducing, and limiting additional programs, you must continually bring attention to the simple ministry process. Therefore, you. Must be sure your process is easily communicated and understood. -220

If key leaders do not grasp the process in the midst of change, division is certain. -221

As you eliminate and reduce special events, you will need to be constantly communicating the simple ministry process. -221

It is vital that your process be easy to communicate. -221

“Our process is easy to communicate.” -221

People are incapable of focusing in something they do not understand. -223

People should be able to nod their heads when they hear it. -223

“We have made our process simple to understand.” -223

Making your process understandable requires simple language and brevity. -223

Choose simple language. -224

Carefully select the words and phrases. -224

Be brief. -224

We are on information overload… Brochures and written documentation about your process must be short, assuming you want people to read it. -225

Eliminate. Reduce. Limit additions. All will lead to greater focus. In the midst of the refocusing, your process must be communicated and understood. -225

You must first design a simple ministry process for your church — on paper. -236

Use this step to create an environment receptive to change. -236

Begin with a blank sheet of paper. -236

Allow God to breathe into you what a disciple at your church should look like. -237

The more blanks you have the longer the process will be. -237

You are simply discussing what discipleship looks like. - 237

Now it is time to discuss how it happens. -237

After choosing a few key aspects of discipleship, place them in sequential order. -237

Talk about how spiritual transformation takes place. Share how spiritual growth has happened in your life and the lives of others you know. -237

There must be a starting point and a next step. The first step in the process should be the first level of commitment. -237

After you have designed a process on paper, it is time to implant it. -238

Choose one churchwide program for each phase of your simple process. -238

When you tweak a program, you are tweaking tradition. -239

The first program us the entry point into your process. The following programs should require greater levels of commitment. -239

Align each ministry around the same process. -239

The more you involve other leaders in the design of the simple process, the easier it will be to unite them around it. -239

In time, it is important that you eliminate programs and events that do not fit. -240

[James Hogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book I have most certainly not come to a firm conclusion on as of yet. But I decided to write a small smattering of my thoughts nonetheless, as I just finished it yesterday and so I figured it fitting to at least write of my first impressions. Part of me really does not like this book, and I struggle to know if that's my own contrary nature or not. This book is written primarily to church pastors and leaders, to those who are seeking to understand how to structure their church and set up a process that will more easily enable the church to fulfill God's mission on this earth. I understand I am not the primary audience for this book...for indeed, it is a book founded upon research and numbers and stats and all the things that make me twinge a bit on the inside, wondering if we are seeking to replace the work of God's own Spirit with our man-made methods and stratagems. This book definitely hit my buttons, and not in a good way. To someone who was greatly impacted by Murray's Revival and Revivalism, reading a book about how to streamline your church in order to be vibrant and growing...well...it sets off a few alarm bells here and there, to be true. But then I think about the fact that we do live in a physical world and that the visible church does need organizational structure and that isn't a bad thing. And it's proper and good to be somewhat intentional in organizing and executing the activities of the church. Of course, the words "programs" and "process" have the whiff of pragmatism and thus can alarm those of us who see an over-reliance on man's methods as detrimental to the truth growth of the church. But I do believe there is a place for planning and organizing so perhaps it is my own fault (as someone who is not a church leader) for thinking ill of thinking critically about how our local church is organized. I still am a bit dubious about some of the research methods (apparently the definition of a vibrant church is one that has increased its membership numbers. Really?) but some of the takeaways make a lot of sense. There is no doubt many churches today have overly complex program schedules and are far too bowing to the perceived needs of church members instead of seeking to fulfill the command of Christ to make disciples of all the nations. If this book causes churches to reconsider ill-conceived church programs and an almost frantic culture of busyness, I suppose that is not a bad thing. I definitely feel the book is light on actual "how-to" steps...but that is acknowledged by the authors and is probably a good thing. Local churches should not be cookie-cutter models of a "mother" church, but should seek to glorify God in the local context in which they find themselves. I still am somewhat wary of the "conveyor belt" mentality that is conveyed. A believer needs to progress from Step A to Step B to Step C...just like metro stops on the tube, yes? Of course, we are called to grow as believers, to mature and to become more like Christ. But to think that a believer needs to be handed from one program to the next in a kind of maturation master plan...well that strikes me as a bit simplistic and trite. As you can tell, I have many thoughts on this book, and while I'm aware I have my own biases, I still was a bit disturbed by the takeaway that changing a church's process would "solve all the problems". That in and of itself is a trite takeaway, as I'm sure the authors would contend, but I still contend that reading and using this book as a church improvement guidebook won't do anything in and of itself. Also as I'm sure the authors would agree! But as a book written to the vast majority of Western evangelical churches that do tend to rely on an over-abundance of programs as a benchmark of a church's healthiness, I suppose this book could serve as an appropriate wake-up call. I myself long for churches where the Word is preached in season and out of season, where prayer is unceasing and ever-rising, and where believers are encouraged and constantly growing more like Christ, and in which an unbeliever would walk into and say, "surely, God is here." I believe the authors of this book would agree with that, and at the end of the day, I suppose this book is more about setting up a framework and structure in which these things take place. If that is its purpose, then well done. I wish the book had been written in such a way to make that more clear though, as I'm fearful that some will take this book at face value and make it the be-all, end-all of having a healthy church. Move people through the process and all is well! Well. Maybe. Man looks at the external, God looks at the heart. I pray that all of us would have soft hearts and humble spirits, longing to glorify God in our local churches. We in the West are truly privileged that we have the luxury of engaging in such debates about church structure and organizational schemes. Some churches in other areas of the world are not so blessed, and maybe it is to their benefit. I pray that we would seek to worship God with our whole lives, loving those around us as we seek to live at peace with all men.

[Justin Dela Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger
Edition: 2011
Web:


Part 1: Simple Revolution


Chapter 1: The Simple Revolution Has Begun


This book will help you design a simple process of discipleship in your church.

Learning from other business sectors and brands about simplicity

Simplicity in scripture

To have a simple church, you must design a simple discipleship process. This process must be clear. It must move people toward maturity. It must be integrated fully into your church, and you must get rid of the clutter around it.

Chapter 2: The Simple (and Not-So-Simple) Church in Action


Comparison of two different churches // simple and complex


Chapter 3: Simple Church: An Extreme Makeover


Spiritual growth is a process. Thus, it would make sense for church leaders to design their churches around the process of spiritual growth.

In 1 Corinthians 3, believers are called God's children (v.1), God's field (v.9), and God's building (v.9).

Here is the definition for a simple church: A simple church is a congregation designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth.

Expanded definition:
A simple church is designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth. The leadership and the church are clear about the process (clarity) and are committed to executing it. The process flows logically (movement) and is implemented in each area of the church (alignment). The church abandons everything that is not in the process (focus).

The flow is simple: Clarity > Movement > Alignment > Focus

Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by people.

Movement is the sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment.

Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process.

Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process.

Chapter 4: Three Simple Stories


Examples of three churches


Part 2: Becoming a Simple Church


The lines that are *italics are the statements asked to vibrant churches and comparison churches in the research study - each church was asked to state their level of agreement with the statement.

Chapter 5: Clarity: Starting with a Ministry Blueprint


1: Define


Defining your ministry process is extremely important.

*We have a clearly defined process for moving a person from salvation to spiritual maturity to significant ministry.

People are more likely to progress through the process if they know it. A clearly defined process encourages people to progress through it because they know the expectation.

2: Illustrate


According to our research, illustrating your process is vital. If you want your church members to see your simple process clearly, you must illustrate it.

* We have a visual illustration of our process.
3: Measure


Measuring your process is critical. Measuring helps bring clarity.

*We have a system to measure how people progress through the process.

4: Discuss


Create an ongoing conversation about it in different mediums

*We frequently discuss our process as a leadership team.

5: Increase Understanding


*Our church members have a clear understanding of our process.

When we are tired of talking about it, people will just be in the first stages of understanding.

It is not enough only to talk about the vision or ministry process from the pulpit. The simple process must be shared at dinner tables and meetings. When people see that it is not just a "sermon thing," it means more.

Chapter 6: Movement: Removing Congestion


1: Strategic Programming


Intentionally placing programs to work in conjunction with their ministry process.

*We have placed our programs along our strategic process.

They view programs as tools to place people in the pathway of God's morphing.

2: Sequential Programming


*Our programs are sequential, based on our process.

Order the sequence of your programs to reflect your process.

Designate a clear entry point to your process.

Identify the next levels of programming.

3: Intentional Movement


*We are intentional about moving people from one program to another.

Create short term steps (like short term groups)

Capitalize on relationships

4: Clear Next Step


New believers must be nurtured toward spiritual growth

Offering a clear next step for new believers is essential.

*After someone becomes a believer, the next step for them in the spiritual transformation process is clear.

5: New Members Class


Orientation

*We have a class or group to move new people into the life of the church


Chapter 7: Alignment: Maximizing the Energy of Everyone


Example of the "Miracle" 1980 USA Olympic Hockey Team

1: Recruit on the Process


*We recruit and hire leaders who are committed to our process.

Add people to the team who are committed to your process.

2: Offer Accountability


Without accountability, people naturally drift away from the declared ministry process.

Max Dupree once stated, "Movements suffer when leaders are unwilling to hold the group accountable."

Church leaders must avoid the two extremes of micromanagement and neglect. Micromanagement stifles creativity and hampers shared leadership. Neglect fosters complacency and leads to a fragmented team. The balance is good leadership.

*Our staff/leaders are held accountable for how the church process is implemented in their respective areas.

3: Implement the Same Process Everywhere


*While the styles and methods vary in different ministry departments (such as children and youth), the process is the same.


4: Unite around the Process


*Our process is the unifying factor that keeps all our leaders focused.

5: New Ministry Alignment


*Before we begin a new ministry, we ensure that it fits within our process.



Chapter 8: Focus: Saying No to Almost Everything


Stay focused on your simple process. Say no to everything else.

1: Eliminate


*We seek to eliminate programs that do not fit in our process, even if they are good.

2: Limit Adding


*We use our existing weekly programs for spiritual emphasis/initiatives instead of adding new programs

Simple church leaders funnel special emphases through the existing programs in the process.

Add more options, not more programs. A new option is just an expansion of your present programming.

3: Reduce Special Events


*We limit the number of conferences and special events we do as a church.

4: Easily Communicated


*Our process is easy to communicate.

5: Simple to Understand


*We have made our process simple for people to understand.

Choose simple language. Be brief.


Chapter 9: Becoming Simple


Step 1: Design a simple process (Clarity)

Step 2: Place your key programs along the process (Movement)

Step 3: Unite all ministries around the process (Alignment)

Step 4: Being to eliminate things outside the process (Focus)


The Postscript (or what we have learned)


Churches drift.
Two common drifts in churches.
Churches drift toward complexity.
Churches drift off mission.

View discipleship as the whole process.
Discipleship is not about information. It is about transformation. The end result of discipleship is not knowledge but obedience.

Mission must be deeply embedded in your process.
If your discipleship process sounds like, "Come to our church, get connected, and help us do church better," you need to repent of too shallow a vision for discipleship.

Simple churches offer less at the church building thus creating opportunities for missional living.

Hmmmm. Perhaps our church people do not know lost people because our churches have kept people at the church building, thereby nullifying their opportunities to deeply engage in relationships with lost people.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The gist of the Process Design Survey results has been assimilated in such a way that Rainer and Geiger were able to deduce the element common in every healthy church. They call this a “ministry process” (91). This process is what the weight of the book is centered around. A better explanation of what a ministry process is, and a succinct summary of the entire book’s thesis, can be found in chapter three.
A simple church is designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people though the stages of spiritual growth. The leadership and the church are clear about the process (clarity) and are committed to executing it. The process flows logically (movement) and is implemented in each area of the church (alignment). The church abandons everything that is not in the process (focus). (67-68)
Following this statement is Rainer and Geiger’s explanation of clarity, movement, alignment, and focus. These four terms are likely the most memorable elements of the book, and shape the thinking of church leaders who endeavor to implement Simple Church.
Clarity is the ability of such a ministry process to actually be understood and talked about by the people. Movement speaks to the ordered steps taken within the ministry process that causes church members to be more committed. Alignment is achieved when all of the staff and ministries work together to accomplish one purpose. Focus is choosing to “say no to almost everything” (197) that is not contained within the ministry process.
Critical Evaluation
The questions that Simple Church leaves one to consider are many, because essentially, the book turns over the tables of programming in many of today’s churches. The book gives away plenty of insights, and for this reviewer, there were five major acumens that stood out. First, the book describes a three-part strategy for working through the simple ministry paradigm: Start with purpose. Develop the ministry process. Determine appropriate programs. A biblical church’s purpose is usually the same, but can be tempered to reflect the community in which they are located. Out of this core purpose (or unified purposes) is where the process is developed. It must allow any person who enters the church to clearly understand a possible path on which to walk toward the goal (usually spiritual maturity as a disciple). Then a church may bolster the path with programming that directly connects to the spiritual needs of the person as they walk the path toward the goal. It is difficult for churches to realize the importance of meeting these spiritual needs before felt needs (a note that was left out of this book), but it is essential to creating a vibrant, healthy ministry that is fulfilling the Great Commission to the best of it’s ability.
Another insight is found in the advice to create short-term steps along such a process. It is helpful to remember that the steps should not be new programs. They should be short-term opportunities that expose people to an aspect of the process that they have not yet experienced.
A third insight is related to unity—one of the topics that a New Testament writer, Paul, commonly addressed in his letters to various churches. Rainer and Geiger point out that “Unity is much deeper than uniformity” (185), meaning that it is much healthier for a church to celebrate and maintain it’s natural diversity in generations and life stages. This section warns pastoral leaders not to target specific people to fill one church. The simple process will promote unity, but it must provide for diversity.
In addition, the book suggests offering focused classes through the small group or Sunday school structure rather than creating distinct programs (212). With such a focused ministry, it is difficult to know the next step God would have one take. For instance, if a church were to begin a new ministry process defined by clarity, movement alignment, and focus, how does a discipleship ministry fit into—rather than overlap—the weekly serving teams (182)? This can produce a large scheduling and staffing problem because ministries like parking lot or greeting teams would be hard pressed to find time to integrate meaningful discipleship into their Sunday morning routine in a larger, busy church setting.
A fifth insight that Rainer and Geiger offer is to add options, not programs (214). If a person feels like they must attend all events that the church has to offer, then they will burn out quite rapidly. However, if a church can offer options that still move a person along an aligned path toward a goal, then the church is likely more healthy and balanced because they are able to do less, better. The authors offer the example of a nice restaurant’s menu with a select variety of few choices versus the lower quality McDonalds menu with something for everybody. A church ought not serve up fast food ministry.
In digging further into the application of Simple Church, there is limited guidance as to what does one do with ministries that no longer fit the church’s new ministry process (188). For instance, an executive or senior pastor must ask how programs that are purely fellowship-oriented fit. Is it possible to add elements to such events that encourage or accomplish next steps in the ministry process? It would benefit pastors who are green at thinking such simple strategies for Rainer and Geiger to have included—or release an addendum—with stories of churches who have successfully implemented the Simple Church methodology.
Also, the larger churches that accommodate conference style events—either because they are large enough or have an adequate facility to do so—may find it difficult to renege on past commitments to host concerts or seminars that are dearly loved by their community (218). The method of funneling events into existing programs makes a tremendous amount of good sense to the success of the new church process; however, there may be instances where it is not particularly taxing upon such a process to allow popular events that provide spiritual nourishment and benefit the community.
Conclusion
The ideas presented in Simple Church (though six years old) are revolutionary; yet, they are very basic. The authors openly state that the book contains no new programming, calendar ideas, or ready-to-implement models. In fact, they state that pastors will likely be encouraged to cut some of those things out of their church if they already exist in multitude. What is found in Simple Church is a very basic model similar to the early church in the second chapter of Acts.
Though based primarily on research, Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger present an ancient idea for church programming that happens to closely illustrate biblical principles for a healthy local church. Reading Simple Church is an important step for those interested in producing an official ministry process that is relevant for a church’s local setting.

[Ryan Rench · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this around the same time as DEEP WORK and ESSENTIALISM and a few other "simplify"-themed books, and it's an area I still need to work on. Our church is fairly simple, but not necessarily aligned, mostly because I don't have a big "hook" to hang everything on.

I am not entirely convinced that's bad, either.

I think it was in the book THE IMPERFECT PASTOR that Zack Eswine was asked by the pulpit committee what his vision for the church would be if he became pastor. He basically said, "I don't know. I have ideas, but I know that pastoring means those ideas can sometimes be set aside by the greater rhythm and needs of how the ministry."

I buy the premise that simpler is better, and we have worked on that. And I like the ideas about aligning and getting everyone going the same way. So far, though, I have been weak at accomplishing this, but overall, I believe people are still being helped. The book is a helpful kick in the seat of the pants to be INTENTIONAL about what we're doing, and that is always valuable.

[Elizabeth Balster · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is annoyingly repetitive. A booklet would have done the trick.

Ironically, the process and ideas described here seem overly simplistic. Efficiency and efficacy aren’t synonymous with “simplicity,” as defined as doing the least amount possible. Clarity, alignment, and focus are obviously necessary in any effective organization, but complex organizations are quite capable of manifesting these qualities while offering a wide variety of services that reach a broad audience. A chapter or two on effective delegation would have been a good add.

[Melissa Riley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be a book about how to design a simple church. And it was…but about 10 times the length it needed to be for the helpful content it offered. There was so much repetition it became painfully clear that the authors were more interested in publishing a book than offering helpful advice.
Like another user recommended, if you’re interested in the topic, and you don’t have another book to read, borrow this from a friend and just read the section titles.

[Justin Hasenpflug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book with solid concepts. The book does draw out as the actual ideas in each chapter are not particularly complicated. As others have said the process described would be well communicated in a flow chart. For those who need to hear more examples, rational, and see the research behind it the book is a good resource. I would not recommend reading this book if you do not work in a church, or serve on a church board, but the authors would say the same.

[Matthew Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger’s book attempts to persuade the reader to contemplate church as “simple.” With the plethora of mission, vision, and strategic statements, the church leadership as well as the average parishioner can easily get lost in various messages in the church. Appealing to Apple Computer’s simplistic approach, Rainer and Geiger share that “simple” is not only “in,” they also show that this approach is effective. With research from various churches Rainer and Geiger propose that growing churches are churches that are simplistic rather than complex. Instead of doing all sorts of things ordinary, they show the reader that it is better to do fewer things well. In other words, less is better.

Rainer and Geiger propose that the church develop a simple statement that attempts to combine the mission, vision and strategic statement into on simplistic statement. This statement shall also include a key component of “process.” The key component of process is to help clearly show the church and leadership exactly where they are moving an individual in the realm of discipleship. The power of having one simple statement and keeping the church simple is that everyone will be on the same page. A simple statement should be able to be communicated to everyone in the church from the youth to the senior citizen. When everyone is speaking the same language and understands the simplistic identity and process of the church, everyone’s resources can be funneled into this statement. Therefore, instead of programs and people competing against each other, everyone has their own part in the simple identity/process statement.

Even though I tend to very much agree with Rainer and Geiger in their appeal for simplicity, I do so not for the sake of having a simple process but for the sake of keeping the Gospel in the position of having first importance (See 1 Corinthians 15:3). Their zeal for simplicity can be commended; however, I believe there are times where they have missed the essence of simplicity. For example read the following statement,

"The design of the church is centered on something. The programs and ministries revolve around something. They are just not plugged into the church calendar and brochure. Everything is designed around something. And that something is not a nebulous abstract concept. The design for discipleship in a simple church revolves around the process. A simple church is designed around a straightforward and strategic process. The process is straightforward. It is not confusing; it is easy to grasp. The leaders know it and the people understand it. The process is intentionally kept simple. It is not lengthened. It does not change every few months. The church sticks to the simple process…"

While this statement is very simple, I believe that a truly simple church is even simpler than a simple process. Observe my editing of the Rainer and Geiger’s paragraph below.

"The design of the church is centered on something. The programs and ministries revolve around something. They are just not plugged into the church calendar and brochure. Everything is designed around something. And that something is not a nebulous abstract concept. The design for discipleship in a simple church revolves around the 'Jesus.' A simple church is designed around a straightforward and strategic 'Gospel Message.' The 'Gospel' is straightforward. It is not confusing; it is easy to grasp. The leaders know it and the people understand it. The 'Gospel' is intentionally kept simple. It is not lengthened. It does not change every few months. The church sticks to the simple 'Gospel Message…'"

Rainer and Geiger define a simple church as, “a congregation designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth.” While I appreciate this I would like to also edit this by saying that a simple church is, “a congregation designed around the straightforward 'Gospel Message' and a process that moves people into the 'Gospel Message' for spiritual growth.”

While a simple unified process is healthy, I am convinced that if the simplistic church doesn’t have the Gospel as the central focus of this simplicity, that the church will inevitably end up dabbling in a Theology of Glory or Law-Based Sanctification which will in the end lead to complexity.

With my criticism stated, I reflected on my local church and came up with the following thoughts implementing my concerns as well as taking into consideration Rainer and Geiger’s appeal to move the congregation somewhere:

Question: What are we about at Sidney Lutheran Brethren Church?

Answer: The Gospel Message About Jesus Christ

Question: What is it that we want for people?

Answer: We want people to receive the Gospel.

Question: How do people receive the Gospel?

Answer: People receive the Gospel when they gather around the Word and Sacraments.

Question: What is it that we hope for when people gather and receive the Gospel?

Answer: We want people to grow into the Gospel and go because of the Gospel

Question: Why does Sidney Lutheran Brethren Church exist?

Answer: We exist so that people may gather together to receive the Gospel and grow into the Gospel which results in us going into all Nations with the message of the Gospel.

Simple Summary: The Gospel: Gathering ~ Receiving ~ Growing ~ Going

[Aďka Vajová · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5

The main idea is great. The Church thrives off of simplicity. We don’t need crazy performances, billion program fillers and yet this book would be way shorter if half of the sentences that were literally “church needs to be simple” would be deleted. And then the picture of Michael B. Jordan cutting up puma merchandise just doesn’t ring a bell in what they have tried to say.

[Michael Boutot · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the book had good and valid points, I feel it could have been much shorter as there was lots of repetition. I also believe they gave no attention to other issues that I think have damaged the church, such as an increased focus on music and decreased emphasis on expository preaching.

[Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I struggled with. Overall, I love the general idea of the book: simplifying the ministry of the church to more effectively disciple people in their Christian walks. But there were a few elements which gave me pause:

First, the emphasis upon research data. They touch on the fact that a healthy church is not about numbers, but about people living as God called them, but that acknowledgement is buried beneath chapter and chapters which point towards the size or numerical growth of a church as an indicator of whether or not it was healthy. I love research data, but there were also times when their research indicated that there were a decent amount of churches which did not meet their definition of "simple" yet were still thriving. This latter reality did not seem to be addressed. I would have appreciated at least a chapter or (minimally) a few pages discussing why this might "work." But most troubling, the emphasis upon data instead of an emphasis upon what a healthy spirituality looks like.

Second, there is minimal scriptural support for the principles expressed in the book. This is the most troubling to me. While scripture is quoted and referenced (in some chapters more sparingly than others), upon a closer examination frequently the scripture doesn't actually support or advocate the point. It is used illustratively or to support a peripheral point supporting the main thesis of the chapter. All this adds up to a "sense" of scriptural support, but without there really being too much solid, scriptural exegesis supporting the points of the book. The research data supports it, but the scriptural support is weak (in this, I'm referring to what is communicated in the book; Rainer and Geiger are smart guys, and I'm sure they have more scriptural support than they actually communicated in the book).

Third, I was sorely disappointed by the lack of an articulation of any sort of ecclesiology in the book. I think this flows from the first two problems mentioned above. Better scriptural support would have led them to summarize scripture in a theological manner, which would have led to at least a minimal articulation (a single chapter, at least) outlining primary biblical elements of a church. For what this book was arguing. With the subtitle "Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples" a failure to adequately point towards some biblical foundations for discipleship for a church (even if these would be general values) is a pretty huge oversight. This book is, at best, a book focusing on leadership principles for leading a religious organization. But the leadership principles advocated are more commercially based than scripturally founded.

Lastly, the writers refer to themselves as "nerds" and the book as a "nerdy" book. As a "nerd" myself, I found the simplistic writing style of the book insulting and ultimately detrimental to the book's argument. The simplicity glossed over elements which needed a deeper treatment. I suspect the simple writing style was an attempt for the execution of the argument to match the title, but as a pastor who wanted to really dig his teeth into this idea, I was left with more questions than answers.

The reason I really wrestle with recommending this book, and why (in the end) I gave it four stars instead of three, is that overall the book does advocate some good principles which actually have some scriptural merit. Unfortunately I think the book over-values its research data (an entirely different cultural and social problem in the West), and that undercuts how a leader should be truly evaluating his/her church: through eyes and values shaped by scriptures. Rainer and Geiger do not deny the latter (they actually advocate it in the postscript), but their practice in the book elevates data points over scriptural exegesis.

Can it be a helpful book? Yes...but it need to be balanced with other books that do proper exegetical and ecclesiological book. This book would probably best be used after studying books that do the proper scriptural and theological work, because then the ideas contained in Simple Church could be critiqued and analyzed in light of the scriptural and exegetical work that has already been explored.

[Aeromama · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining: 1/10
Transformational: 4/10

I gave this a 4 for transformation only because it so clearly brought into focus the pragmatic philosophy that has infected the modern Western church (since the turn between 19th and 20th centuries).

Part I: Simple Revolution
* A presentation of the scientific basis for the "success" of this book's model, using social experimentation in the form of a survey.
* Claim that the book is "not another church model."
* Statistical jargon serving to impress the equally pragmatic reader. At the end of the day, numerical growth is king. **This IS the basis for the whole book.**
* Emotional appeals through NYT Bestseller patterns (e.g. adding personable stories, asking directed personal questions) to build a sense of urgency and make the model and theory go down smoothly.

Part II: Becoming a Simple Church
1) Give worldly Americans what they already want in the flesh: consumer-based programming in homogenous age groups.
2) Americans come, because their carnal nature is stimulated.
3) Numerical growth occurs.
4) This gives Church leaders good feelings because it is "working," "easy to measure," and tidy.

The use of scripture to support the pragmatist basis is deductive and disappointing, especially the use of the 12 spies account in chapter 7 on Alignment, which left me with the sense that the "Simple Discipleship Process" is King and the people who don't get onboard should be left to wander and die in the wilderness.

The extensive use of large corporations as models for successful strategies is disturbing, revealing the heart of the book (what works in capitalism works in the church).

***

The upside is that I am working through my own American pragmatic tendencies and learning how to keep scripture and the commands of Jesus central. This book was certainly clarifying and educational for me in this way!

[Chris McLain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rainer and Geiger have conducted research on and put on paper what so many of us in ministry have known to be true for years: Most churches are trying to do far too much and are doing almost none of it well in the process. They advocate for simplicity for 250 pages. Honestly, I picked it up in the first few chapters, and certainly the second half of the book was superfluous in some ways. My biggest criticism of the work is it's repetitiveness. Simple, simple, simple, I get it.

But there is another tragedy in Simple Church, that the second volume is missing. They have done some pretty good research, and they have presented it very well, but they need to do a second project to determine how to best implement what they convince us of in this book. For the church planter, this is all they need to get started, but if you are serving in a "comparison church" as opposed to a "vibrant church," then you spend the entire book wondering "How am I going to do this? My people will never let me get away with cutting 50% or more of our programs out!"

The final chapter of the book, which is primarily concerned with implementation, is half the length of the others, and the actual description of what to do is only six pages long. I don't fault the authors too much for this, it is beyond the scope of the research project, but it leaves the reader unsatisfied, like a the budget of a movie got cut so they had to wrap it up early. What we now need is "Simple Church: Part Deux," which presents more research on how to simplify a church effectively, full of stories like this book. However, if my experience is any indication, nobody really knows what that process will look like.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could have been a fourth as long and still just as effective because the message is very simple; every church should give some thought to a clearly defined and Christ-centered process of discipleship. When a person comes into the church as a newcomer/guest, they should be able to figure out where the entry point into the church family is. At our church this first step is attending the worship service in order to "come and see" God at work. Whatever the next few steps are (small groups, service teams, whatever) the idea is to encourage deeper and deeper commitment to Christ. Whatever complicates or challenges this simple progression from being on the fringe to being a Christ-follow, well, should be eliminated.

The authors do a good job at showing how program-heavy churches don't usually grow: people get burned out, ministries within the church compete, and no one is on the same page philosophically. A simple and focused church, however, can offer more and more options (not programs) while still maintaining a really clear, accessible, and enjoyable process for growing in one's faith.

If you're involved in church leadership in any capacity, this book is worth the read.

[Annie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a difficult time deciding how to rate this book. I think the basic idea presented (focus your church's ministry on the process of spiritual growth and get rid of the stuff that doesn't fit that focus) is fantastic and could help most churches if properly understood and applied. However, the writing is at times painfully repetitive (you can tell it was cowritten by two preachers!), and the book would've been just as good at 50 or 75% the length.

More substantively, it bothered me that the authors seemed to be thinking exclusively of large churches. The ideas would be useful to a church of any size, so I wish they had given more thought to illustrations and applications appropriate to a smaller church. On top of this, as I read it struck me several times that the authors were viewing discipleship/sanctification/spiritual formation as an individualistic process. I would love to hear how someone with a more corporate/community perspective would interact with these concepts.

Finally, it's worth stating that anyone who automatically cringes at marketing and business leadership ideas being imposed onto the church would find much to cringe at. I personally can take the good with the bad there, but if that really irks you, you probably wouldn't enjoy this book.

[Rev. Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our church's Senior Pastor and our Elders are reading this book, so I thought I would read it also to add to my own knowledge about the ways in which a church can thrive by reducing complexities and simplifying the process of Discipleship. From the publisher: The simple revolution is here. From the design of Apple products to Google's uncluttered homepage, simple ideas are changing the world. Now in paperback, multi-awarded #1 national bestseller Simple Church guides Christians back to the simple gospel-sharing methods of Jesus. No bells or whistles required. With insights based on case studies of 400 American churches, Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger prove the disciple-making process is often too complex. Simple churches thrive by taking four ideas to heart: Clarity. Movement. Alignment. Focus. Simple Church examines each idea, clearly showing why it is time to simplify. This updated edition includes a new chapter with further insights the authors have gained through hundreds of conversations with church leaders since this landmark book's original release.

[Dion · Rating 3 out of 5]

the idea is simple enough, and there wasn't much profound here. But it's one of those books where you're just so glad that someone else is actually saying what you've always kinda thought.

The whole idea is that complex, cluttered churches are less effective (demonstrated through research) than simple churches.

The concept is so alluring, so exciting, that the church can be VERY effective while at the same time being VERY simple... but I found the actual application to be kind of deflating. They tell you the same thing all books about change tell you, "change is hard, but you gotta do it, pray about it."

The style of the book is really easy to read, simply written. Overall a refreshing and thought provoking read. I guess I wanted them to solve more of my problems for me. Probably just me being lazy.

[Micah Lugg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the book is not exegetically based, it does provide some extremely helpful observations on the success of disciple-making churches today.

The basic premise is that if you want to create a disciple-making culture in your church, then you need to simplify the process. If you do this, there is the potential, through the power of the Holy Spirit, for it to catch like wildfire. Most of the holdup in many churches in America stems from the complexity and isolation of the ministries within a church. Each ministry is busy doing its own thing, but few churches evaluate how they are making disciples, church-wide.

I highly recommend this book to all who are leading church ministries. It will challenge and stimulate leaders to make some painful observations about the current state of their church and some difficult decisions as to changes that need to be made.