Leadership Journal

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?

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