Value #4: Simple not Complicated

Simple doesn't mean easy.  

Keeping things simple demands at least these two things:  

1.  A clear, compelling vision that defines your decisions and direction.

2.  A dogged determination to say "No" to anything that would detour and distract you.

You might think that it would be easier to keep things simple in a smaller church but it isn't. In some respects it may be more difficult because of the sense of urgency to reach people and grow ministry. So, we may be tempted to start ministries before there is a clear purpose or a called leader; we may be tempted to keep a purposeless program because there's someone who has been doing "that thing" for awhile. We may be tempted to try and be someone that we are not intended to be because of the unrealistic expectations we've placed on ourselves or we may try to some new and improved thing because we feel as though are losing the comparison game.

Simple isn't easy, but my hunch and hope is that if we can create a culture of simple, and people taste the fruit of simple, that staying simple will be easier.