Simple Discipleship

Are you looking for a great book to use in your discipleship of new believers?  If you are, then Robert J. Morgan’s latest release, “Simple”, is something I think you’ll enjoy.  Morgan is an accomplished author who has written a number of books including the “Then Sings My Soul” series which is focused on the stories behind the great hymns of the faith and also the well known “Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook” from Thomas Nelson publishers.

This little book was released prior to the “Simple Church” book that many in the blogosphere are writing about.  I didn’t want there to be any confusion.  Morgan actually never intended to publish this book but had written it as a tool for new converts in his own congregation in Nashville, Tennessee.  After it had circulated around the state’s churches there, he was asked to publish it in book form by several minister friends of his.

The premise of “Simple” is, well, simple!  Morgan takes a few of the key subjects new believers ask about and presents them in a friendly, easy to understand manner.  The book breaks down like this:

All easy to follow with the “ABCDE” organization of the chapters.  The book is great as a stand alone tool to put into the hands of new believers or newcomers to your church.  The way I’m using the book is as a supplement to our own membership class lessons.  We recently redefined our ministry process and are incorporating a new logo to identify the process of discipleship.  It’s key that I keep that logo and acronym at the forefront so I’m in the process of rewriting our entire new members class lessons.  As a part of the rewrite process, I’m including “Simple” in the new lessons.  For example, we begin our new members class with a lesson on the church so I have a brief lesson in my book about our church specifically and then will have them read the chapter on the church in “Simple” as a supplement.  As we go through our acronym for the ministry process, I will include the other four chapters at various points for discussion.  I plan to debut the new lesson format in the spring of 2007 and this book will be a key part of it.

I’m really pleased with the layout and ease of use this book affords.  The five areas covered in the book could be incorporated into any church ministry structure and it’s nice to be able to put something into the hands of a family that is considering your church.  It’s also a very affordable book too if you buy in bulk.  The publisher; Randall House publishing in Nashville, Tennessee, will sell you the books for under $5 each when you order a case of 24.  That’s the best buy on the ‘net.  All of the other internet retailers are selling the book for it’s list price of $7.99.  If you charge a small fee for your new member class materials, you can make up the little cost that you have for the books at the end.

This isn’t a church growth book although it will spiritually grow your new believers.  It’s not an evangelism book either although it could help spur someone to consider the Christian life.  What it does best is stay simple in discussing some topics that people are talking about and for that reason, I recommend “Simple” for your church as well!