by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger

Many churches today have more in common with shopping malls than the communities described in the New Testament. While a number of factors contribute to the growing number of church cafés, rock-climbing walls, and bookstores, these trends reveal a philosophical and theological shift. That is, churches are concentrating less on nurturing spiritual formation and more on providing buffets of religious programming.

The strategies for church growth of the last two decades – including the seeker-sensitive, Purpose-Driven, and multi-campus models – are leaving indelible marks on modern Christendom. Despite some enormous and positive contributions by these movements, they have fueled the growing fascination with bigger, busier ministries. Yet, as Simple Church shows, cluttered ministry is exhausting and not necessarily more effective.

After studying 400 American churches, Rainer and Geiger interrupt the madness by highlighting a simple, biblical approach to local church ministry. Against the backdrop of church models that create busier Christians, this book calls “Christians to make a clear return to the simple gospel-sharing methods of Jesus.” Their research revealed that some of the most effective churches in America offer only targeted ministry programming.

After defining a simple church as “a congregation designed around a straight-forward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth” they offer four words that help simple churches remain more effective than busy churches.

While not perfect this book offers a much-needed call for churches to stop substituting ministry pollution for the basic work of making disciples.