The Spirit of Simple Church -

Two poems that seem to speak to the spirit of being simple church:  "A House by the Side of the Road" and "I Stand at the Door"

http://www.ipoet.com/ARCHIVE/original/Foss/House.html

http://newengland.cbmc.com/WeeklyDevotional/Devo_Archive/60.aspx

I hope you can see that whether living alone or raising a family, regardless of our life situation or circumstances, we can be what these verses speak to and yearn for.  Yes, it will look different for each of us through the seasons of life, but the spirit will be the same.  Christ's Spirit of love, grace and mercy imparting the HOPE of God to all we encounter along the road.

Resources for the journey:

• the Bible; beginning with the gospels, then moving forward and backward in Jesus' story

Then, in no particular order:

• The Imitation of Christ (Thomas 'a Kempis, I personally prefer the Tylenda version with forward by Cuneen)
• Devotional Classics from Renovare for wisdom from the saints who've gone on before us
• a recent little treasure I came across, Sacred Intersections by Steve Adams
• finally, the wealth of witness out there in books, blogs and even "bogs", relying on the Holy Spirit to guide, test and speak as you surrender all to God; Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

Of course, sooner or later we must put down all the books, 'cept the One, and "Go" as Christ commissioned us to. It may be to wife, family and friends, Or, to the ends of the earth and everywhere in between as seasons change and life unfolds. God will be faithful in going with us, but we will only see by "the lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path" one step at a time.

epilogue: by all means, keep going to your respective churches and fellowships, but recognize that they (including all the buildings, programs, budgets and paid leaders) are not the Church. You Are! You are Christ's Body, the living, breathing manifestation of His Presence on earth! So GO into all the world and preach the Gospel, and if necessary use words. But first and foremost, be the living, breathing love, grace, mercy & HOPE of God in His Son.

Amen.