3 Reasons why we converted to Simple Church (And how those reasons stack up 3 years later). Part2

2. The Chance to see Multiplication
This is very linked into the first reason I gave. I was brought up in the church heavily influenced by “Church Growth Theory”, it was constantly drummed into us by speakers and books that to see a nation come to Christ, addition was no good, what we needed was to see multiplication of souls and churches. Put simply Revival = Multiplication. As Western Christian's we were (and still are) constantly reminded about the incredible multiplication in non Western countries such as China or Korea and wondered how we could see it here. I had been around Normal Church long enough to realize that it had become so bureaucratic and complex that we would never see the multiplication that was needed. I was very driven by the motto, 'Continue to do what you are doing and get what you are already getting'. I became convinced if there was one possible way of seeing multiplication it was to see the church in New Zealand become more organic and simple so it could multiply rapidly.

So where are we at now 3 years in regards to seeing Multiplication? Well obviously I have not seen it, and obviously my understanding of what multiplication is has radically changed as I said in my first point. I am now uncomfortable with what I used to believe in regards to 'Church growth Theory'. Here is some of my thoughts on Simple Church and Multiplication. Theologically I am more interested in the multiplying of Christ's influence in each of our hearts and seeing the outworking of that through society then focusing on the multiplying of Christian get together s (which are good things but not the only thing).

Multiplication is spoken about a lot within the organic church yet the reality is that no multiplication has happened through the Simple Church Movement in the Western World (not that I am aware). Growth and positive signs are not multiplication and it is important to be honest about that. I have concerns that many of us are are turning ourselves into experts and telling others how to do it (here and overseas) when often we have struggled to run a simple church in our own home let alone plant new ones or see multiplication. People in the end will listen because of what we have done, not because of our knowledge. I cannot tell people how to run churches, plant churches or multiply churches unless I've done it. I have been reasonably competent in the first two of these, and have zero experience with the third (multiplication). Let's do it before we rush around telling others to do it.

When I first started out thinking about Simple Church / Multiplication, several sources including the Southern Baptist's and House 2 House were of the conviction that it was verging on the impossible for CCC's (Churched Culture Christian's) to reproduce themselves and reproduce churches that would bring about multiplication. At the time I disagreed with that assessment believing that with intensive retraining it was possible. 3 years on I believe I was wrong. CCC's with a change of mindset can totally embrace Simple Church absolutely, but I am no longer confidant that they can take it a stage further and see multiplication. My experience tells me this, and looking around the rest of the Western world hints at this point as well. Personally I believe we have to face up to some obvious realities. We live in Post Modern / Post Christian country. We are shaped, think and live in different ways from the past. It is exciting to see and celebrate what is happening in the developing world with mission, but it holds less relevance than perhaps we would like, to what we face in this nation (and the Western World). We can continue to say that we lack faith etc and that we are weak Christians compared to Christian's in persecuted countries etc, but this does not solve anything even if it is true (which I believe is a questionable theory). Instead of putting ourselves down, lets use the gifts and skills that we do have amongst the culture we are in now.

Read 3 reasons part1 here http://everyhomeachurch.blog.co.uk/?s=3+reasons+part1&sentence=AND&submit=Search