The Keep It Simple Podcast has been around for five years! Today, Gavin and Tom reflect on the past five years of podcasting and being advocates for simple forms of church (house church, organic church, micro church).
Tag Archives: Christ
120: Chill!
Why do Christians worry? What are we anxious about? What are we trying so very hard to achieve? Is our effort in vain? Are we worried for nothing? Listen as Gavin and Tom discuss our anxieties.
119: Does God Really Love Us? How Can We Know For Sure?
As Gavin reviews the recent Simple Church Conference, he brings up one of the topics: How Do We Know That God Really Loves Us? Tom and Gavin weigh in on this topic. Does God love us only when we obey Him? Is His love really unconditional? How do we know and experience His love?
110: Can Hierarchy Be Good for the Church?
A recent Wall Street Journal article* extolls the virtues of hierarchical structures in an increasingly networked society. Tom and Gavin examine this article in the context of church. Is hierarchy good or harmful when applied to ecclesiology? How much hierarchy is needed for a church to function? How much does it take to become toxic? How do we find the right balance?
*In Praise of Hierarchy, by Niall Ferguson https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-praise-of-hierarchy-1515175338
109: The State of the Simple Church
How is the Simple Church movement doing in North America? Is it growing? Is it healthy? What are its strengths? Its weaknesses? Where is it going? We don’t have all the answers, but Gavin and Tom lend their observations and opinions to these questions.
108: Discipleship Through Hospitality
Missionaries suggest that the North American Church – as we normally experience it – is not the friendliest place in which to disciple a new Christian from a culture different from our own. There are many barriers and obstacles that a cross-cultural disciple must overcome in order to grow in Christ within the American Church. How can we make that adjustment easier for someone from a different culture? Is the attractional church model effective in this case? Could the Simple Church do any better? Listen as Tom and Gavin discuss discipleship and hospitality in the church.
107: Interview With Jeff Fields Pt. 2
Today, Gavin interviews Jeff Fields, co-author – along with his brother Roger – of the book “Breaking the Hex: Life With God After the Cross Killed Religion.” While the title sounds complicated, the concept is simple. Living the Christian life is not nearly as hard as we try to make it. All our efforts to try to get God to love us are in vain. God already loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us on the cross. We merely need to rest in Him. Yet the simplicity of the Gospel is too foreign for many people who think that it is only through great effort that one attains approval by God. This is part two of a two-part series.
Did Jesus leave Heaven, come to this earth, live a perfect life, endure a horrible crucifixion and rise from the dead so that we could live a life of never-ending Christian obligations? (Really?)
Did I misunderstand how this works? (YES.) THAT is what this book is about. It turns out I was under a HEX and didn’t know it. And there is no freedom under the hex. –The Fields Brothers
To see Jeff’s and Roger’s Book, go here:
106: Interview With Jeff Fields Pt. 1
Today, Gavin interviews Jeff Fields, co-author – along with his brother Roger – of the book “Breaking the Hex: Life With God After the Cross Killed Religion.” While the title sounds complicated, the concept is simple. Living the Christian life is not nearly as hard as we try to make it. All our efforts to try to get God to love us are in vain. God already loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us on the cross. We merely need to rest in Him. Yet the simplicity of the Gospel is too foreign for many people who think that it is only through great effort that one attains approval by God. This is part one of a two-part series.
Did Jesus leave Heaven, come to this earth, live a perfect life, endure a horrible crucifixion and rise from the dead so that we could live a life of never-ending Christian obligations? (Really?)
Did I misunderstand how this works? (YES.) THAT is what this book is about. It turns out I was under a HEX and didn’t know it. And there is no freedom under the hex. –The Fields Brothers
To see Jeff’s and Roger’s Book, go here:
105: How Many Churches Can You Be Part Of?
As we wrap up 2017, we note the fact that we have been podcasting for FOUR YEARS! Wow! Tom and Gavin discuss the recent 2017 Simple Church Conference from October in Wilmore, Kentucky. Gavin’s number one take-away from that weekend was the concept of “being a part of two churches.” This is a concept first described by Curtis Sergeant as part of the Zume´Training. We’ve provided a link to his video below.
Download or listen to “A Simple Church Christmas, Vol. 2.” Click here:
104: Expel the Brother! Pt 2
In the gospels, we read story after story about Jesus spending time with sinners. He ate with them. He spent time in their homes. He hung out with them. Jesus wasn’t afraid to be around sinners. He showed love to them. Yet, in Paul’s epistle to the Corinthians, he tells the church not to associate with a brother who is sinning. He even goes so far as to demand that the Corinthian Church excommunicate a sinning brother. Are the actions of Paul and Jesus in contradiction? Do we deal with sinners the same way we deal with brothers and sisters in Christ who are sinning? What’s the difference? How do we know? Listen as Gavin and Tom discuss this complicated topic. This is part two of a two part episode.
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Tom and Gavin: Thanks for finding and sharing the video from Chan. He really does get it! Another brother who…