Simplicity in the church

Yesterday a friend posted the following quote on Facebook:

We are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations, and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart. -A.W. TOZER-

First off, full disclosure—I love Tozer. The Pursuit of God is one of my “top 10”.  And this quote by him captures my attention as I’ve been wrestling for a few years with the highly programmed church life that I have been so used to being a part of and leading. When you examine many program-driven churches, the external effect may look healthy, and even vibrant, but when you get closer to the tree you tend to notice that there is much foliage but little or no fruit (like this episode from Jesus’ life—Matthew 11:12-14).

Another thing you tend to notice is a small, committed core of very worn-out people who are working really hard to make it all look so vibrant. They are good folks who love Jesus and love others but who have found themselves caught in a religious trap.

What if we all just took a deep breath and decided to say no to the kind of religion that replaces real relationship with “nervous activity”? What if those of us who are in leadership structured the organizational life of the church much more simply, and in such a way that each ministry, function, and administrative detail was focused towards a clear purpose instead of just because “that’s what churches are supposed to do”, or “we’ve always done it that way”? What if, once an inspired program had run its course, we were content to–or even happy to—end it before it took on a life of its own?

I plan to write more about simplifying church organization and keeping our lives and ministries focused. When programs, organizations, and institutional structures—as necessary and good as they can be—become the point, we’ve missed the point entirely.

And, by the way, as good as simplicity is, it is not the goal. We never simplify for the sake of simplicity alone; it is always so we can make more clear the purpose of God in our individual and corporate lives, and to free more resources so that those purposes can happen.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject.