The organic church, also known as the simple church or house church, is a way of “doing church” that emphasizes relational discipleship in small gatherings, rather than highly structured programs or events. The term “organic” refers to this approach being centered around spiritual life and growth happening naturally within community, not dependent on rigid forms or programs.
At its core, the organic church sees church not as an event, place or institution, but as the people of God community centered around Jesus. The focus is on building healthy relationships and living out the Christian life together in a natural, family-like setting. Meetings take place in homes, coffee shops, parks or other casual gathering places, with participative, interactive teaching and worship as well as sharing life together.
The organic church movement has emerged in recent decades as both a return to New Testament church roots as well as an innovative response to shortcomings in the traditional church model. Proponents believe the organic approach better fosters real discipleship, active participation by every member, care for one another, utilization of diverse gifts, and flexibility to follow the Spirit’s leading. Critics argue that small house churches lack resources, oversight, and theological depth provided by larger established churches.
There are several key characteristics that tend to define the organic church:
Participative gatherings: Church gatherings are interactive, participative and relationship focused. There is no passive “audience” listening to a professional pastor; rather, every member contributes. Meetings can involve shared teaching, prayer, worship, testimony, confession, communal meal, or whatever activities the church members decide under the Spirit’s guidance.
House meetings: Organic churches typically meet in homes, coffee shops, or parks rather than dedicated church buildings. Meetings are small enough to facilitate relationship building (often less than 20 people). The church is seen as the people, not the location.
Shared leadership: Leadership is dispersed among the believers, according to the gifts and callings of each person. There is no professional or seminary-trained pastor. The church functions as a body with every part contributing.
Multiplicity of gatherings: Rather than a single congregation, organic churches multiply new gatherings and groups to disciple new believers. Church growth happens through reproduction rather than growing one centralized church.
Networks of churches: Individual organic church groups are often connected together in networks for accountability, resource sharing, joint activities, and missional cooperation. Conferences can also bring various groups together for celebration and teaching.
Informal structure: Organic churches have minimal organizational structure, which allows flexibility to follow the Spirit’s leading. There is no complex hierarchy, just simple patterns rooted in relational discipleship and loving accountability.
Focus on living out the Christian life: Organic churches emphasize actively living out faith in Jesus in all areas of life together. The goal is life transformation, not just doctrinal information. Churches gather not only for teaching and worship, but also for practically sharing life and serving together.
The organic church movement has foundations in several streams, including:
House churches in Church history: Throughout history, Christians have often met in homes due to persecution or simplicity of practice. Organic churches aim to recapture the relational model of the New Testament church.
Simple church: Authors such as Wolfgang Simson have advocated for removing unhelpful “extra-biblical” elements of church practice to return to simple, relational ways of being the church. This includes eliminating church buildings, sermons, and rigid programs.
Missional church: Missiologists have noted that overly institutional churches have difficulty with agile outreach. Organic models mobilize every Christian for mission in their local contexts through the flexibility of house gatherings.
Church movements in Asia, Africa, Latin America: Rapid church multiplication has occurred through networks of decentralized house churches, such as in China or India. Organic models aim to harness similar principles.
Postmodern sensitivity: The organic church resonates with postmodern culture in valuing authentic community, participative gatherings, and decentralized leadership. It removes some “sacred cow” elements of modern churches.
Church life dynamics: Some Christians have left institutional churches due to lacking community or meaningful ministry involvement in pew-oriented services. House churches offer more participative gatherings and mutual ministry.
Frustration with “attractional” church: The seeker-driven model with performances and events to attract non-Christians has left some Christians desiring a more inwardly focused church family.
Response to changing society: As Western culture becomes increasingly secular and anti-institutional, some see the need for more agile, informal and relational church forms that can multiply rapidly.
Recovery of missional living: Many Christians have reduced the Gospel only to doctrinal beliefs. Organic churches aim to return to the missional calling for all believers to incarnate the Gospel in every area of life.
Move of the Spirit: Some advocates see the contemporary organic church phenomenon as a genuine work of the Holy Spirit to renew the church in increased authenticity, involvement, and power for accomplishing God’s purposes today.
While specific practices differ between organic church groups, we can summarize some common characteristics:
Simple, participative gatherings
– Interactive, multi-voiced gatherings, not one-way preaching events.
– Gatherings facilitate loving relationship between members.
– Every member contributes, according to their gifts.
– Meetings often include shared meal times.
– Discussions of how to live out the Gospel in daily life.
Spirit-led openness
– Following the leading of the Holy Spirit over set programs.
– Flexibility in activities and structure as the church learns to walk in the Spirit’s guidance together.
– Learning to listen to and obey God in community, not just as individuals.
Relational discipleship
– Low leader/laity dichotomy. Leadership dispersed according to the Holy Spirit’s gifting.
– Personal mentorship and growth through life-on-life relationships, not just classes/preaching.
– Accountability to live out the Gospel in all areas of life within committed community.
– Unity and shared life are outcomes of relational discipleship.
Reproducing new churches
– Focus on spreading the Gospel through multiplying new church bodies.
– Model must be easily reproducible.
– Daughter churches as normative way that congregations multiply.
– Planting new churches in networks, not building mega-church.
Ministry in homes and everyday life
– Church centers on building healthy household units.
– Members share life together outside church gatherings.
– Serving each other’s needs in the church body.
– Ministry happens through natural life relationships, not just church programs.
Active missional outreach
– Ordinary members live out the Gospel in their local contexts.
– Low barrier for non-Christians to encounter church in homes and daily activities.
– Service and evangelism directed to spiritual/physical needs in communities.
While the organic church movement has grown substantially in recent decades, it remains small compared to traditional churches. Estimates suggest up to 5 million people (or around 1-2% globally) are involved in house churches or simple churches. Geographically, organic churches have taken root most actively in China, India, Iran, North America, UK, France, Germany, and parts of Africa and Latin America.
The catalytic growth of organic churches in locations like China and India suggests the model has significant potential for multiplication. If current growth trends continue, some project it becoming a major global force by 2050 and fundamentally changing the Christian landscape.
At the same time, organic churches still face many challenges, including:
– Lack of formal pastor training can open door for doctrinal deviations or errors.
– Isolated groups can become ingrown without outside connections and accountability.
– Meeting in homes limits options for larger gatherings, conferences, worship events, etc.
– Sustaining organic church networks over multiple generations presents uniqueness issues compared to institutional churches.
– Clarity about leadership and decision-making can be a challenge if all are participating but none clearly leading.
– Visibility in communities can be limited compared to having dedicated church buildings.
– Full range of ministries (counseling, benevolence, classes, etc) usually found in larger churches may be lacking in small house churches.
– Reproducing rapidly requires not just conversion growth but deep spiritual maturity and discipleship.
The future impact of the organic church movement remains to be seen. If the model proves effective for making mature, reproducing disciples who live out the Gospel in everyday life, it could radically reshape Christianity in the 21st century. Or the model’s current energy may wane over time without profoundly changing the overall ecclesial landscape.
Much likely depends on how well organic churches address weaknesses like ingrown relationships, doctrinal deviations, generational leadership transitions, visibility in communities, and range of ministries offered. Additionally, navigating complex legal and social barriers to house churches and church planting continues to challenge the movement in many nations.
Regardless of its long-term impact, the organic church conversation seems to be prompting helpful self-reflection in the broader church about a few key issues:
– Rethinking the meaning of “church” beyond a place, event or institution.
– Asking how well traditional church structures actually produce obedient disciples of Jesus.
– Considering what elements of contemporary church practice are cultural add-ons vs. essential biblical foundations.
– Recovering the calling and ability for every Christian to powerfully minister according to their gifts, not just watch a few lead.
– Learning to walk together in radical dependence on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in everyday community, not just theoretical doctrines about His power and presence.
– Finding models of church life flexible and reproducible enough to spread Jesus’ message to all peoples in our complex world.
The church in every age faces the challenge of re-conforming itself to Christ’s purposes. For groups of Christians seeking to live as authentic community, embody the way of Jesus in their culture, make maturing disciples, and catalyze new churches, the organic model offers an appealing path forward by returning to basic biblical patterns and priorities. While not a cure-all, the organic church conversation highlights the need for constant reformation to align how Christians “do church” with the New Testament vision of Christ’s body in each generation and context.