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A couple years ago we were introduced to the idea of the “simple church”. Sometimes called house churches, sometimes even just small groups, or home groups… but essentially it is an intentional community of believers.

I love that. I want that. Sometimes we try to force that. But it can’t be forced. It is the regular sharing of regular life with regular people in regular settings… every setting. Not just a planned time together around a study or a lesson or any structured thing. Those are not bad in and of themselves… but when the become the focus, you have lost the beauty of the simple church.

The power is in relationship. Knowing that you are not doing life alone. That you can share the cool stories, or the hard news or call up and ask for help, or offer it… community. And it works best when the members of the community are all nearby. That’s why it’s hard to make relationships often at a big church… just the distance factor. Lots of folks drive a long way for a “good church”.

So our small group is an awesome simple church. We all do community really well, and that’s just so cool. It’s great to be a part of that. I know that I (we are) am accepted and I love them the same way. We have some new friends who just moved to town and I look forward to including them in our simple church.

We did not start out that way, so I think there are many things we are still working through as far as our planned times together, but really, the coolest stuff does not happen from 7-8:30 on Tuesday nights (at least, not necessarily when WE plan for it to!) 🙂 … really, it happens in the parking lot after (yes, our driveway is more like a parking lot on Tuesday nights!) or before when we get there and just kinda catch up on stuff that we know is going on in each other’s lives… and even moreso on days other than Tuesdays when we do regular life regularly.

The church has gotten so set in the programs that we miss the greatness of the community. Of relationships. We don’t do it on purpose, but especially those of us involved in planning the events… it’s a lot of work, takes a lot of our focus, and is a GREAT thing. It is helpful to me! I love to go and think through stuff with a great speaker/teacher. I love to sing with great musicians who love God with all they are.

But the church is not a time, place or event. It is a living, breathing body… it is organic. It is relationships. It is community. And I am so thankful I am part of that.