What is the simple church movement?

Answer

The defining characteristic of the simple church movement is its focus on house churches. A simple church may also prioritize lay leaders, a familial atmosphere, and the multiplication of additional house churches.

A “simple church” can gather in any location. It may or may not have formally trained leaders, structured liturgies, programs, or organizational frameworks. Typically, a simple church consists of a small group of no more than 20-25 individuals. The term “simple church” is often used interchangeably with other terms such as house church, organic church, essential church, primitive church, relational church, and micro-church. All these terms share a common rejection of larger churches structured along denominational lines, physical church buildings, and formal worship services. Simple churches prioritize fostering relationships within the small group and engaging in missionary outreach.

One of the main challenges with the simple church or house church movement is that some congregations view the book of Acts as a guide for church practices and organization. However, the book of Acts serves as a historical account of the early church rather than a mandate for church structure. Acts provides descriptions rather than prescriptions; it narrates the actions and expansion of the early church without necessarily prescribing universal church procedures. While a church today is free to model itself after the house churches in Acts, there is no biblical requirement to do so.

Christ is the head of the church and holds ultimate authority over it (Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 1:18). The books of 1 Timothy and Titus delineate church governance and establish two positions – elders and deacons. Some proponents of the simple church movement oppose any form of leadership hierarchy within the church, thereby rejecting God’s ordained structure for the local church.

Many advocates of theSimple Church Movement sees an implied principle of participation in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 29–31: “When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. . . . Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. . . . For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.” Such individual participation in the gathering suggests a small group.

A few things seem to be overlooked within some churches in the Simple Church Movement. Limiting churches to a few families or a small number of people is not mandated in the Bible. We know from Acts 2:47 that the church grew daily. Others in the Simple Church Movement understand this and seek to reproduce house churches within a network.

In addition, some critics are concerned about doctrinal purity and accountability in the Simple Church Movement. The Holy Spirit is ultimately the one responsible for ensuring purity within the worldwide church body. God can certainly work both within a formal religious structure and in the midst of believers gathering in someone’s home. As with all things, Christian love is the rule to follow. Those who are not against us are for us «For he that is not against us is on our part. », (Mark 9:40), and whether we worship in large cathedrals or small home gatherings, the important thing is the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world, the upholding of the Word of God as the rule for faith and practice, and the love we have for one another.