Forty Trends back to Simplicity

Rethinking the Nature and Function of Church

By Robert Fitts

1. From the sanctuaries to the streets. (Doing the works of Jesus wherever we find a need)

2. From Christianity to Christ. (Not a philosophy or a system, but Christ in you!)

3. From church houses to house churches. (Simplify to multiply)

4. From upward to outward growth. (Plan to have a church split! You’ll be blessed!)

5. From paid pastors to common, ordinary tentmakers. (Rejecting the clergy/laity system)

6. From a special priesthood to a priesthood of all believers (All are ministers & preachers)

7. From hierarchy to servant leaders. (The great ones are those who wash feet)

8. From weekly worship to constant worship. (Worship is more than singing. Rom. 12:1-2)

9. From bringing people to church to bringing church to people. (A life changing prayer) *

10. From symbolism to substance in the Lord's Supper (Take it often. Take it with a meal)

11. From denominations to Spirit-led networks (Identify with the whole Body of Christ)

12. From social respectability to salt and light. (Turn the world upside down. It needs it!)

13. From performance by professionals to I Cor. 14:26 meetings. (Everyone has something to share)

14. From program based to home based church.

15. From the seminary system to the apprentice system.. (Two Timothy Two Two)

16. From tenth to total in our giving. (When generosity is encouraged, reward is promised. Ck. it out!)

17. From selective submission to total submission. (To every authority, everywhere, all the time)

18. From titles to function. Call no man teacher, father, Rabbi. (What about "Paul, an apostle"?)

19. From independence to inter-dependence (Embrace the city-wide church)

20. From paper membership to Body membership (We ARE members one of another, already!)

21. From the wheel to the vine (Releasing teams to plant simple churches in homes all over town)

22. From organizational unity to spiritual unity. (There is only one step to unity - Rom. 14:1, 15:7)

23. From Safeway or Circle K to Safeway and Circle K. (Receive everything that God receives.)

24. From "Us and them" to just "Us" (Refuse to allow an "us and them" spirit in your midst)

25. From planned church to spontaneous church. (Recognize ekklesia when 2 or 3 gather in his name)

26. From bondage to freedom for women. (Acts 2:17-18, Gal. 3:26-28. Freeing God’s ministers )

27. From presbytery without the people to presbytery with the people involved. (Acts 15:22)

28. From arbitrary guidelines to biblical guidelines for appointing elders (I Tim. 3, Titus 1)

29. From "my pastor" to "my pastors." (MR. PASTOR, TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS!)

30. From raising up leaders to appointing servants. (The ground is flat in God’s kingdom)

31. From local vision to world vision. (Jesus last command: (All the world, every person, every nation)

32. From building my kingdom to building His kingdom. ("Come and let us help you fulfill your vision")

33. From wall-wide church to city-wide church. (They filled Jerusalem with their teaching)

34. From fear of stealing sheep to fear of possessing sheep. (Acts 20:28-31. One city-One flock)

35. From building-centered pastors, to people-centered pastors. (Acts 20:28-31. One city-One Body)

36. From using the word "church" to using the phrase "the Body of Christ." (Acts 19:32-41)

37. From restricted to unhindered fellowship. (I’m a member of every church in town.)

38. From overwhelming oversight to restful oversight.

39. From lecture Bible study to interactive Bible study. (The Body of Christ ministering to itself)

40. From dependence on programs to dependence on prayer. (the Acts 4:29-30 kind)

* "Father, give me a divine appointment with someone today who is hungry for God or in need. Give me sensitivity to know when that happens and grace to minister the love of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit."