What is a Simple Church?

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, our Foursquare denomination has seen thousands of churches birthed through the planting of simple churches.

Here's a great description of what simple church means: It is a way of doing and being church that is so simple that almost any believer will respond by saying, "I could do that!"

It’s More Than A Change of Location!

Simple church is more than a change of where people have church meetings. It is part of a response to God’s call to re-examine everything about “church” in light of Scripture and is the kind of church described in the New Testament.

Many of our values are shared by traditional church models, so how is Simple Church different?

• In terms of meetings, the traditional church tends to focus much of its energy and effort on the large gatherings. Simple churches focus less on large gatherings and programs in general, and are more informal and spontaneous.

• Community is pursued deliberately in every way possible in a simple church. Effort is given almost exclusively to building relationships, rather than events, meetings, programs, etc.

• Leadership is a shared responsibility, and ministry itself, both in the gatherings and in the community, is viewed as the responsibility and privilege of every member of the simple church.

• Participation by each and every member is encouraged in gatherings and all expressions of ministry.

• Personal care for one another takes place not just through the lead pastors, but also through the members of the group.

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.

Read more about Foursquare's stance on Simple Churches.

Want more info on Simple Churches?

Church at It's Simplest

Simple Church Leader

Simple Church Explosion

Simply Coaching Training Manual