The following is part of an interview with David Havice, a good friend, and pastor of a traditional church who transitioned to a network of simple/organic churches. Felicity: What made you decide to transition your legacy church into a network of simple/organic churches? David: We were a small congregation in a town of multiple megachurches… Read More
Month: May 2012
My father, Peter English, was one of the kindest, gentlest men I’ve ever known. Peter English: 1919 – 2003 In World War 2, my father volunteered to serve in the British Army. His regiment was sent to Singapore, where he was captured by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore and  taken to Burma. He… Read More
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If I were a pastor…
Imagine the scenario. Â I’m the pastor of a traditional church that’s going fairly well. We’ve been running along at 150 members for several years now. I love the church and the people, but recently I’ve been challenged to think about simple/organic church and the impact it can have on missions. As I pray about it,… Read More
In the past week, I have come across two (small) denominations who are revising their views on church planting. Rather than planning on traditional church planting with the expense of buildings and trained staff, both denominations are looking at a simple/organic approach to missions. They are encouraging their existing churches to plant out daughter simple/organic… Read More
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An alternative to transitioning
Transitioning a legacy church to a network of simple/organic churches is not an easy route. There may be compelling reasons to take it, such as the fact that your church can no longer afford to keep its building. But if there are no compelling practical reasons, there are alternatives. Photo Credit: rburtzel (Creative Commons) It… Read More
It’s a sad fact, but one that you need to face up front. You will lose people. When you transition from a legacy church to a network of simple churches, not everyone will come with you. For many, the legacy church has been their whole life, and when you suggest a paradigm shift as major… Read More
The answer is: slowly! Photo credit: Balaji.B (Creative Commons) I know several legacy churches that have successfully made the transition to a network of simple/organic churches. When I’ve asked their leaders about the process, they have always told me that its been a lengthy one–a couple of years to complete. Usually they have taken about… Read More
If the Lord shows you that you are to make the transition from legacy to a network of simple/organic churches, there are a number of obstacles to overcome. (This post assumes you are in a position of church leadership.) Many people in your church do not share your vision for the transition. It’s not what… Read More
Transitioning from a legacy church to a network of simple/organic churches generally involves letting go of the building, and may result in the paid staff finding other means of income. Of course, many hybrid forms are also possible. Here are some of the reasons why a church might consider transitioning: Finances are tight; they’ve already… Read More
As the simple/organic movement becomes more mainstream, and the financial trends force more and more traditional churches to cut back economically, then many churches are asking the question: should we transition our legacy church into a network of simple/organic churches? Photo credit: Dan4th (Creative Commons) Every church needs to hear from the Lord about their… Read More