Note #1: I posted this article in my first week on Substack, and almost NO ONE got it! I don’t want you to miss it, so I’m posting it again! Enjoy.
Note #2: If you want to join a premium cohort of co-laborers launching missional simple churches, join my Premium Cohort. And get FREE access to my Simple Bible Notes web pp and the 24/7 Virtual Disciple-Making Coach. Find out more by CLICKING HERE.
You have heard the old saying – “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
That is highly relevant when discussing launching a house church, a simple church, or a discipling community. As overwhelming as it might seem to start a church in your home or other neutral location, it’s just about baby steps and significant relationships. Our Best Story can walk alongside you on your journey, providing tools and pathways that simplify your efforts.
👇We’ve put together a PDF tool to help you visualize the Pathway to a Simple Church
Stepping Stones to a Simple Church
We outline five stepping stones to building a faith family from scratch with the people in the places where you live, work, and play.
Everyday Spiritual Conversations
Meeting with a Seeker Group
Launching an X-Group
Hosting a Discipling Community
and Growing Into a Simple Church
See the Simple Church Pathway Here
Step 1: Start a Simple Church with Spiritual Conversations
WE DO NOT PROMOTE STARTING SIMPLE CHURCHES WITH PEOPLE IN SUNDAY CHURCHES! Start simple churches with those not already plugged into a Sunday church. Find them in the mission field where you live, work and play.
We embrace the Jesus pattern of disciple-making that we read about in the gospels. Jesus modeled a clear pathway to inviting people into spiritual community and shared mission. It began with conversations that led to an invitation to follow Him. And that’s how our journey to launching a simple church begins.
We often say that to make disciples, one must first be a disciple. And a disciple, by definition, embraces the philosophy, behavior, and practices of his/her teacher.
Are you having conversations in the places where you live, work, and play that invite people to grow together in faith communities?
It’s as simple as that. To take the first steps to start a simple church, you have to begin having conversations that move from casual to spiritual. Click here to read an article to help you along that practice.
Step 2: Start a Simple Church with a Seeker Group
At Our Best Story, we define a Seeker Group as an intentionally gathered group of curious Jesus seekers meeting to explore big questions of life and faith and build relationships. This is usually a group of 3 or 4 people of the same sex discussing significant life issues. It has a short life cycle, and if it goes well, it will quickly turn into the step 3 X-group.
The goal of the seeker group is to explore further how interested one’s co-workers, friends, neighbors, or acquaintances are in diving deep into knowing God and sharing in a common mission together. Once the leader recognizes that the group wants to take the next step, they invite them into a more formal and regular meeting to share scripture, prayer, and accountability.
The Seeker Group is a great intentional space where the potential disciple-maker can begin to ask more profound questions and share stories of their faith journey to see if the seeker leans in and wants to know more.
Step 3: Start a Simple Church with an X-group
The next bite of the elephant of starting a simple church is formalizing an X-group. There is intentionality in the name X-group that we will train you for, but for now, know that this is the next step of growth toward a simple church. An X-group meets intentionally and regularly, consists of 3-5 same-gender disciples, and engages in spiritual conversations and growth together.
We have several tools to utilize at this phase, including the 21-Day Challenge and the Gospel sharing icons. We will coach you on those when the time is right.
As this group begins to experience transformation together, they often desire to include their spouses and families in the journey, and this is when things get REALLY exciting. This phase of growth is when disciples usually accept Christ and get baptized. As they ask about including their family, it is time to move to the next phase.
Step 4: Start a Simple Church with a Discipling Community
Now it’s time to go co-ed and family-centric!
This process phase is when a group of disciple-making families agrees to go all-in on a co-mission together! It’s a group of families meeting intentionally and regularly to pursue a relationship with God, a relationship with one another, and a shared mission – TOGETHER!
These families begin to experience the same transformation as the X-group as they experience their faith journey together. We describe the discipling group as a transformative community. Click here to read more about what a transformative community looks like.
We coach specific tools for developing a discipling community. For a sneak peek, check out our document on facilitating a three-thirds group.
Step 5: Start a Simple Church by Practicing the 12 Behaviors of a Biblical Church
You are almost there once you reach the discipling community stage – but not quite.
We believe the New Testament, particularly the book of Acts, lays out several characteristics that define the practices of a church. These can be added one at a time to a discipling community until they are all practiced. Once these twelve behaviors are regularly embedded into the discipling community, the group can self-identify as a church.
Fellowship
Passionate Prayer
Worshiping Together
Shared Communion
Baptizing New Believers
Engaging in Scripture Together
Abundant Seed Sowing (Gospel Sharing)
Giving and Sharing Financially with Others
Accountable to Appointed and Identified Leaders
Expecting and Praying for Signs and Wonders
In the model we see in the book of Acts, we do not define a church by a building, a style of meeting, a legal status, or any other characteristic other than a faith family that practices these 12 behaviors and is accountable to some form of leadership or spiritual oversight. We also believe that the abundant seed sowing that takes place in public settings with the members of this simple church will lead to the multiplication of new disciples and new simple churches. Curtis Sergeant, from metacamp.org, says it this way:
It is a blessing to know Jesus,
It is a great blessing to help someone else know Jesus,
It is a greater blessing to live in a community of people who know Jesus,
And it is the greatest blessing to help start new community of people who know Jesus.
As we begin with the end in mind, we must commit to multiplying disciples and new simple churches.
To start the journey, get in touch with us today with the button below!
I want to start a simple church in my community. Please help me!