[For the sake of full disclosure, I have a selfish motive regarding this subject, I am involved in missions work traveling to Asia from time to time. My wife and I plan to do this in a greater capacity as soon as possible, therefore we are seeking more funding than we presently receive.]
Now with that out of the way, I want to share with you some of my observations regarding missions, money and simple church. (When I speak of simple church, that also includes organic and house churches in varying degrees) ].
One of the factors that convinced us to be more simple in our way of being the Church is that we do not have to raise funds to pay for buildings, big shots, programs, staff or parking lots. What a freedom to be relieved of these burdens. Of course most of our local mission to make disciples takes very little money at all; the cost of a cup of coffee, a meal, or just doing life together. The funds that are now available to us are certainly greater than before and we can be a blessing and help those who are normally forgotten, and left out of typical “church budgets.” Our income that is available in our simple churches and networks can do great things with just a handful of folks who give sacrificially, cheerfully and generously. (see the article: “Assessing The State Of Simple Churches In The USA Regarding Releasing Resources Toward Finishing The Great Commission” by Steve Lyzenga for a thorough look at this subject). So what do we do with our money now? We certainly have needs that arise within our simple church or network that needs attention. I am making the assumption that you are already making sure that no one in your simple church lacks and that you are following the pattern we see in Acts when a need arises. Mission also includes taking the gospel to all nations (people groups), and some of these groups still have no access to the gospel. How do we fund these efforts to reach the nations?
Here are a few questions to ask yourselves as you seek the Lord’s leading in these areas:
In your simple/organic church how are you doing missions?
- What about those who are connected with folks in the church who have not yet become believers but have material needs, how are you meeting those needs?
- Are you seeking the Lord regarding how you can now use the funds you have to minister to those in the “household of faith” so that none among you lack?
- What about the unreached, or out of reach nations? There are over 6000 nations (ethnic or people groups) who are out of reach and have no opportunity to hear about the gospel of the Kingdom. (For more information and statistics about unreached people groups go to: http://www.joshuaproject.net )
- Since we no longer have up to 90% of our budgets going to serve ourselves, are we supporting apostolic servants of the Lord who have been called to these unreached groups?
- Are we sending financial support to those who are training others who live near these people groups to reach them?
- Are we funding apostolic leaders and teams to go into an area to make disciples of a few new believers in an unreached area that will train them to be disciple makers seeing churches planted among their own people?
- Who is better equipped to go and make a handful of disciples in an unreached area and prepare these disciples to go and make disciples seeing churches planted? I believe it is those who are now function as part of a simple, organic church are prepared for this hour to reach the most difficult nations (people groups) around us. Are you seeking the Lord as to how He would have you do this?
- Is your network ready to prepare a team to go to these unreached areas and send them with the proper funding, prayer and training?
- Are you part of a regional network that can link together in order to accomplish more than one single simple church could? If not, are you willing to be a part of one and if there is not one to be the catalyst to start one?
- If you are already sending teams to the unreached nations and/or serving the needy in your community, are you willing to share your story with others?
I challenge all who are involved in simple, organic churches and networks to seek the Lord regarding what you should be doing regarding taking the gospel of the Kingdom to the unreached nations as well as to those in need around you. Remember, Jesus said: “This gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations (people groups), and then the end will come.” Matt 24:14. Let’s remember that the purpose of the church is not for our needs, what we can get out it, but to reach out and serve the lost and fallen world around us. We exist for others, not for ourselves.
I would love to hear about what you are doing or plan to do as well as how you are processing some of these questions so that we can learn from your experience. One way you can do this is to go to www.house2harvest.com and then click on the “Relationship Room” link and sign up to be a part of a network of folks who are simple church folks interested in doing mission and tell your story. Or you could just send me an email and tell me your story (dondavis@house2harvest.org ) I have a feeling that more is going on than we know.
….oh, and by the way, regarding my selfish motives – if you want to partner with my wife and I or want to know more about what we are doing let me know and I would love to share with you what we are doing and what our needs are. Send me an email at dondavis@house2harvest.org or you can comment here.
September 5, 2011 at 5:54 pm
In my 5 years on Missions in the Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador, we have had 1 group of about 30 that could be qualified as a simple church group actually come and work with us. We have had on the other hand, many small or simple groups partner with us financially. On the whole, most of our support comes from “institutional” churches who have caught the vision of what we do here. Great Topic… hope others will contribute.
September 5, 2011 at 6:03 pm
Thanks Miguel! So far most of our support also comes from the “institutional” side of the church or individuals who are part of those churches. These are partners who have been with us for many years. As we work to increase that support we are hoping it will also include those in simple, organic church. The difficulty is how to do this in a simple, organic way!
October 3, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Our housechurch gave 2500 dollars to a family going to Sochi Russia, for them to start a housechurch and a business that could employ locals. It is simply amazing how much money small groups can save because they don’t have to build buildings, pay Pastors or support other institutional maintenence.
October 15, 2011 at 11:33 am
Nice blog
I think you would like mine too.
Been relational housechurching and planting for 30 years now.
My blog is about Jesus, church and life in general
http://notesfromthebridge.wordpress.com
Christopher “Captain” Kirk
April 19, 2013 at 8:23 pm
Reblogged this on O LADO ESCURO DA LUA.
April 19, 2013 at 8:27 pm
Thanks for the re-blog.
April 19, 2013 at 8:30 pm
Faço a minha parte no mundo. Bom final de semana…
April 20, 2013 at 5:52 am
HI Don,
Nice blog and I agree with what you have said.
When I was in a house church in Colorado we sought to follow some simple ideas like you have listed above. I am relatively new to “relational church” having started in about 1999, but my husband Keith has been doing house/relational church since the 1970s some time.
I think you miss or maybe do not feel comfortable addressing, one other issue. The biggest issue we find is individuals and small groups who think they are now not required to give at all, or even as we have seen in many of the house church type groups and on Facebook the idea that giving is not even biblical or a demonizing of folks who are actually involved in missions. I have been ripped to shreds for “thinking I am so superior I had to go save someone else”. Which of course is very seldom a missionaries reason for leaving home family and country.
Don, you may know Keith and I are in Germany and to be honest we have struggled. a group of about 100 folks in America, U.K. and Germany made commitments to us when we came and only about 10 kept them. That has left us in a very very bad situation. Germans (the largest economy in Europe) seem to think as missionaries we should be supported from outside Germany and others in U.K. and America seem to think Germany should be able to support us. We are stuck in the middle and for several years now have been very limited by finances. If we dared to speak of finances on one of the Organic/simple/relational groups on FB we would be totally trashed and accused of “running a scam for money” a phrase used by one prominent “house church network” group member who admits she has never been out of the U.S. or been a participant in a house church.
At the moment we are totally hampered by finances, not having the resources to meet monthly expenses or run a car. We are in a catch 22 where we can not express or views and we can not go forward due to the lack of resources.
April 20, 2013 at 6:55 am
BTW Don, I forgot to say, we are not the only ones dealing with this. We have friends all over the world in the same or similar situations.
April 20, 2013 at 7:43 am
I certainly understand and relate to the struggle. There is still a bit of reaction to anything that resembles what folks came out of (issues of money). Hopefully we will heal.
April 20, 2013 at 8:24 am
Don, its a bit hard for people to heal when they will not even hear the truth.