Why I Attend The Simple Church in Shreveport/Bossier

Recently, I was asked why would someone who knows some of the “deeper aspects” of the Spirit attend The Simple Church?

This person quickly added that he was not looking to make a change in his church attendance, but just wanted to know my thoughts. I assumed that he was implying (or at least I inferred) he was not  asking a rhetorical question, but asking ME a PERSONAL question: "Why do YOU attend the Simple Church?"

The way I heard the question was more like "Why would anyone who has any depth attend the Simple Church?" In fairness,  I have great admiration for this person so don't assume I think of him like the church-lady, but there are others who have asked me the same thing ... and they were/are a bit "churchy."

Apparently, he assumes that someone who is aware of  "deeper things of the Spirit" wouldn't get anything out of attending "seeker-friendly" church. Of course just because I KNOW stuff and have been introduced to deeper aspects of the Spirit, such as the gifts of the Spirit and more intense worship, doesn’t mean that I have applied what I have learned.

Like many other Christians, I know a lot but I wasn't really DOING anything.  I’m kind of tired of the most recent fads. As I see it, the SC has not done it like  other church plants. What we have done may not be the best way or the only way, but  something  seems right...for now, but we have to always be on the edge. Never complacent.

There are lots of churches which are socially conscious but Biblically immature. Some people see the Simple Church as immature or shallow because it unashamedly and strategically seeks out those of US in the margins. I say “US” because I am one of those people in the margins, even though I have been very active church for years. I am no better than anyone. In fact, I am quite worse because I have been a phony. I have attended church, but I have not dealt with my addictions, habits, hang-ups and pain of my past. I glossed over them.

As I think about why I attend the Simple Church, these are some of my reasons (in no particular order):

1. If I had been in the traditional church, I would have been rejected and abandoned because of my particular life struggles.
2. We don’t spend money on maintaining a building that isn’t used five days of the week, but we make room for as many as possible to attend by meeting wherever we can get in as many people as possible.
3. Volunteers are appreciated and SHOWN gratitude.
4. My friends at the Simple Church have encouraged my personal recovery with depression and addiction, without giving me “churchy” trite answers to complicated questions/issues. No one has taken me  by the hand and told me what to do, but I have not been  rejected  to fend for myself either.
5. The focus is on OTHERS, those who are most over-looked by many churches.
6. You don’t have to know who the most popular Christian musician is to attend. In fact, you don't even have to know ANY Christian songs.
7. I have been in many churches where there was plenty of speaking in tongues , great worship and in-depth teaching, but no one DID anything outside of the classroom or building.
8. You don’t have to know the words of hymns to attend.
9. You don’t have to dress up to attend.
10. You can be a drunk, addicted, dirty, stripper, gay, homeless, Black, Asian, inter-racially married, rich or poor and it  doesn’t matter.
11. Personally, and my extended family, have been helped financially to attend recovery and seminary.
12. I have been challenged to go to on foreign missions to Rwanda, Mexico and South America, and no I have a greater  passion to go to India, Indonesia, China and beyond.
13. Because it’s not about me. Yes, I miss some of the more focused worship that I have experienced in some churches, but there have been very special times of worship and communion with the Simple Church.
14. Because I was one of seventy people who had the courage to step out in faith and be part of this experiment…to do something different.
15. Loyalty, honesty, freedom.

I see lots of church plants popping up all over Shreveport/Bossier. That’s exciting because they are meeting a need. Many people would not be interested in attending a mega-church like the Simple Church, but it meets a need. It appears to me that most of the folks who attend have never been to church, haven’t been in years or have been burned OUT or burned FROM the Church.

I don’t like everything about the SC. There are things I wish were different. For example, I wish there was more “intimacy.” I wish some of the pastors or staff would  attend “events” and “programs” that I want them to attend, but others IN the church have done what some of the pastors/staff could not do. Isn't that the ways it's supposed to be?

I wish there was more “down time” to hang out with friends in the church, but I know my tendency is to “camp out” with those I know and overlook getting to know people in the margins (like me)?

There are lots of other reasons I attend the Simple Church, but mainly it’s because I love God and love people. The Simple Church could do better in loving God and loving people, but so could I.

I want to love God and people more so  the reason I attend is just that…simple.  



Thanks for reading my post, I would appreciate reading any comments you might want to make. If there is anything I can do for you personally or professionally, you can contact me at perkins@perkinsfirm.com .

Thanks.