December 1, 2009
By: Bill Shepson
In a bold and exciting move in keeping with the denomination’s rich history of ministry diversity and innovation, The Foursquare Church enacted an official resolution in October to endorse simple churches—also called house churches—and simple church networks in the United States. The decision was the culmination of a process that began in 2005 and marks a significant milestone in the movement’s policies and strategies to reach unchurched people in the nation.
Spearheaded by denominational leaders that included Rod Koop, missional facilitator for the National Church; Tom Wymore, national simple church coach; and Jim Scott, Northeast District supervisor; the resolution adopted by the board of directors provides full affirmation and support of simple churches as a valid and necessary way of advancing the kingdom of God.
“Whole fields of harvest open up to us in the U.S. like we’ve not seen before,” says Rod Koop, explaining how embracing the simple church model will impact evangelism. “Viewing our own nation like a mission field helps us find the keys to unlock ways to advance the gospel.
Noting that The Foursquare Church has always allowed for unconventional ways of doing and being the church, Rod elaborates: “The reality is, the people my wife, Teresa, and I are called to are not being reached by the traditional church. But something powerful happens when the traditional church recognizes this and blesses our efforts to reach our friends through establishing a simple church. This happens by viewing us as being sent, by Christ, to be the church in the community in which we live.”
In a recent study by The Barna Group, researchers found that 5 percent of churchgoers in the U.S. attend a house church (though that number varied from 4 percent to 33 percent, depending on how the term “simple church” was defined). Globally, Foursquare has seen thousands of churches birthed through the planting of simple churches. Registration of simple churches in the U.S.—which began in November following the board resolution—will allow statistics regarding Foursquare’s simple churches to be tracked beginning early in 2010.
What does this mean in practical terms? First, the applicable forms have been modified to allow registration for these churches to function in the same way as any other church. The denomination’s database, called Ezra, has been programmed for new reports. Additionally, financial and activity reports for house churches have been simplified; fields not pertaining to the simple church model have been removed. Two new fields have been added: (1) a section to describe discipleship activity; and (2) a section for stories of changed lives and community impact.
When it comes to the definition of simple church, Rod clarifies that the term is not synonymous with small groups, which are common in the traditional church’s ministry outreach structure. Simple church meetings, he explains, are the church—any larger gatherings are simply the networked churches gathered for a larger meeting. In traditional church structure, the larger gathering is typically the primary focal point.
He also notes that in the embracing of simple churches, Foursquare is endorsing healthy church communities, not fringe groups.
“We’re not talking about the doctrinally challenged emergent church fringe or the angry house-church mob,” he explains. “[This is about] amazing people finding ways to reach others. Many of our simple church pastors have deep roots in Foursquare. That’s why they are celebrating their inclusion into the family.”
Pastors of simple churches and simple church networks are fully credentialed Foursquare ministers, and each simple church operates under the authority of the district and divisional offices overseeing its locale. All simple churches report monthly on their missional activities.
Foursquare does not view simple churches as being in competition with, or a replacement of, traditional church models. Rather, they are another way of advancing God’s kingdom nationally and globally. The official resolution adopted by the board of directors reads:
“Be it resolved: By the board of directors of International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, a religious corporation, that we validate this simple church proposal while working out the details of implementation; and that we recognize and honor the move of the Lord in the growth of the simple church movement, embracing what the Spirit of the Lord is doing in the body of Christ with simple churches; and that as an organization we bless that movement and are committed to working together in partnership that will extend the kingdom of God.”
Find more information on Foursquare simple churches and simple church networks. Tom Wymore, national simple church coach, is also available for consultation to anyone wanting to know more about simple churches.
>> Read More about simple churches with our review of The House Church Book by Wolfgang Simson.
= =
By: Bill Shepson, a Foursquare credentialed minister and freelance writer in Los Angeles
Foursquare Headlines
Get Acrobat to View PDFs