Customer Reviews

Simply Church

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4 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was a good start for people looking into how to do house churches. It is an interesting look at church forms and methods in light of the New Testament. It is printed in a large font size however, giving the book added size for unknown reasons. It also was not as thorough as some other books on the topic of ekklesia. Would definitely purchase again.

This book is a wonderful, but simple resource about how church life should be! Very scripturally based.

Simply Church is a wonderful intro to the exciting world awaiting us as we take a new step forward in faith and worship.

A someone who has transitioned from a more traditionally structured church into a small network of Simple Churches, I have found Tony & Heather's material very helpful and constructive. It helped me gain perspective on something I already sensed the Lord speaking to me about, and the simple but profound presentation in this book makes it very accessible for many people.

Different paradigms are always fascinating. I suggest reading this and considering how any of your current beliefs about church can be "re-thought".

Tony & Felicity Dale have written a great book that slowly and gradually uncovers the house church movement phenomena. We highly recommend this little book which you can read in one day and then give it away to others. This book gives scriptural background and covers the simple church as it expands around the world.

Jeff Gilbertson

Paul sees a church that is SPIRITUALLY IMMATURE and which is tossed to and fro due to the cunning craftiness of men.

He teaches us that the primary focus for ministry in the church, as designed by God is the church's SPIRITUAL MATURITY, to prevent such manipulation. (Eph 4:11-14)

Jesus warns us that there will be those who will teach for doctrines the commandments of men.

(Mt 15:9)

In other words, they will take what are actually the commandments of men and DEMAND that God's people believe them to be the commandments of God.

The inference here from Jesus is twofold.

A) There will be people who will be fooled into believing that they are submitting to the commandments of God when the truth is they are submitting to the commandments of men.

B) The reason people will be FOOLED is because they put their TRUST in men who claim to represent God.

Anyone who has studied church history knows that church principalities and powers have tossed God's people to and fro for centuries. Even to the point of mass murder, in order to keep them under man's control. (See Foxe's book of Martyrs, or Torch of the Testimony by J.W. Kennedy, or The Pilgrim Church by Edmund H. Broadbent).

Do we dare to acknowledge what history so clearly shows us?

That it is the very ministry of the church itself that have been the cunning and crafty ones tossing God's people to and fro DEMANDING to be seen as the representatives of God.

But why would ministry do this to God's people?

The answer is just too simple.

Power, control, money, prestige, respect, honor, carriers, legacies etc etc.

All of these things are the weaknesses of fallen Adam.

And history very clearly shows us that it is exactly all of these things which have been the weaknesses of Christian ministry throughout time.

For 3.5 years Jesus taught the sheep how to identify compromise in their shepherds.

The first Apostolic ministry kept themselves clean from such compromise.

Unfortunately, that state of purity in ministry would never be seen again, except in tiny minute flickers throughout time.

Its high time the church dares to look behind the curtain and finally see the little men back there pulling the levers!

When that day comes, perhaps the ministerial standard for success will return to what God intended, (the body coming to the measure of stature of the fullness of Christ)

Until then, it will remain as it has been frozen for centuries, (revenue and head-count for the current power players)

PROVE ALL THINGS! (1Th 5:21)

CURSED BE THE MAN WHO TRUSTS IN MAN AND MAKES FLESH HIS ARM (Jer 17:5)

THE FOOL BELIEVES EVERY WORD! (Prov 14:15)

The authors of this book are aiming for a target audience which is ready to shower them with acclaim and amens. This audience is for prepared and anticipating this message. The discerning will see this as the fatal flaw in the authors assumptions.

The idea (planting home based churches) these authors have is a good thing which has a definite place. It is not however, nor should it be the only way to spread the Good News.

The danger are that the authors assumes that:

1) Their theories are absolutely correct and necessary as they present them.

and

2) That the existing church structure is absolutely un-serviceable.

Alienation of support in the Church, for an otherwise commendable set of ideas which could have a wonderful and significant impact on Christianity, is the result of these absolutes. Just because you wrote a book about it (and you're quite convinced you're right) isn't going to make a pastor dismantle the church he is shepherding, sell the pieces and start home based, leaderless and nomadic churches. He wouldn't be a good steward if he did.

A dangerous patterns develops in this book. A pattern which allowed the Catholic church to begin the Inquisition. A pattern that had Islam blowing up the Twin Towers. A pattern that I believe allowed Judas Iscariot to sell out Jesus (and his own soul) for thirty pieces of silver.

These patterns are: Absolutes concerning men's ideas of God's will and desires.