“Most Christians are attending church less often and most local churches are engaging the Great Commission too seldom. That’s not by accident.”

The Oikos Movement

 

  • No one besides Jesus has the capability to change the world. No one else is either famous enough or influential enough. That’s why God never asked you or me to change the world. He does, however, want to use us to change our world. Our little piece of the world-pie, so to speak. It’s the only place we all have the kind of fame and influence required to make an eternal impact in people’s lives.

    Picture your life as taking place in a theater, one that’s filled with all of the people in your life. Some are sitting in the balcony. Others in the mezzanine. Still others are sitting down in the orchestra section. To some degree, they may all be able to see the way you behave or listen to what you say, but it’s those eight to fifteen people in the front row who have the best seats in the house to do both. The Greeks called that inner circle of “extended family” our oikos. When you ask someone, “What is the primary reason you decided to give your life to Christ?” the answer is typically not a what, but a who. Their answer will revolve around someone in their oikos 95% of the time. So, it’s obviously a big deal.

    The oikos principle is certainly not an evangelism program. It’s not an event. It’s not a church emphasis. Actually, oikos is like a worldview, a set of lenses through which we can more simply and efficiently align our lives with the Great Commission.

    The more familiar you become with the oikos principle, the more you’ll discover that oikos (a Greek word) is embedded in the New Testament. Effectively leveraging the oikos principle can provide you with a heightened sense of purpose and fulfillment, and give you confidence to make an impact for God’s Kingdom in your world!

  • Americans’ commitment to a local church continues to decline. In 2021, it dropped to 47%, below 50% for the first time in the 80 years Gallup teams have been tracking church membership. Additionally, of those who were attending church regularly before the COVID pandemic, 33% have simply stopped.

    Refocusing the Church is our mission. The Oikos Movement is an ongoing conversation between a group of pastors, church leaders, and Jesus followers, who recognize that the spiritual transformation of our communities will never happen if we’re focused on church buildings, professional clergy, and weekend services. To be clear, buildings, clergy, and weekend gatherings can certainly be used effectively to build Christ’s Church. But the numbers don’t lie. The Evangelical Church is growing much faster in regions of the world where there are virtually no dedicated church buildings, professional clergy, or public weekend church services.

    The Oikos Movement is a Christian think tank, championing the most organic way for the Gospel to spread, virally, from person to person, and the most natural way for a local church to bridge the worlds of evangelism and discipleship. We’re already working with other pastors and business leaders, providing them effective and affordable training tools and resources that have brought both focus and fuel to their personal lives and a new dynamic to the local churches they attend.

    The Oikos Movement is an encouragement to believers who want to make a greater impact for God’s Kingdom. By embedding the oikos principle into their DNA, it becomes virtually impossible for a local church to remain inward-focused.

  • The oikos principle is already alive and well in every local church, including yours. It’s the reason that 95% of the people who already attend already attend. Our job has never been to introduce the principle to a church, but to significantly accelerate its efficiency through clarity and intentionality. So, the centerpiece of many of our trainings and resources is a simple five-step process we call The Oikos Challenge.

    If you feel as if your job is to witness to everyone, you probably won’t witness to anyone. (Which is why most believers don’t.) Being intentional about the eight to fifteen people sitting in your front row brings a much clearer focus to our efforts to change our worlds for Christ.

    Step 1: Simply make a list. Recognize how God is already managing circumstances to connect us with certain people on a regular basis, then write their names down. It’s only a dream, until you write it down. Then it becomes a goal.

    Step 2: Pray every day that God would make Himself known to each person on your list. Ask God how you can be available to them as an instrument of truth and grace.

    Step 3: Invest in those relationships. Look for ways to spend time with your oikos. Being available and present allows you to be used by God in your relationships.

    Step 4: Invite the people on your list to experience environments in which the body of Christ is engaged in faith-filled conversations. This could be a church service, a social event, or even a private get-together. Keep your eyes open for the opportunities God presents.

    Step 5: This step could be simply understood as “going to church.” Never forget that your own personal growth makes you more available to God to fulfill your personal mission. The better we know who God is, the better we can effectively represent Him in our daily lives.

    On the one hand, sharing the love of Christ with anyone anytime is every believer’s responsibility, regardless of who is or isn’t inside an oikos. On the other hand, without at least two people’s permission, no meaningful conversation ever takes place. Cold evangelism (that is, sharing Christ with someone you haven’t previously known) can provide very powerful encounters, but successful experiences are rare because it is unnatural for people to grant that kind of permission on the spot. Which is why, after healing the demon-possessed man, Jesus told him to “go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19) The Greek word translated “your own people” is oikos.

    The tactics that Jesus taught were simple—get saved and go home.

    You can read more about the oikos principle and The Oikos Challenge in any of the books available on our resources page.

So, who’s in your front row?

What people are saying about the Oikos Movement.

  • Bert Downs, Former President, Western Seminary, Portland, OR

    “The oikos approach to congregational mission didn’t just change the vocabulary of our churches. It reawakened their mission heart and revitalized their mission practice. When introduced to this concept, the most prevalent response of church members was, ‘We can do this.’ And they did!”

  • Jeremy McGarity, Lead Pastor, Skyline Church, San Diego CA

    “I’ve used the oikos principle and I’ve experienced its effectiveness, from starting a young adult ministry, to planting a new church and watching it become a multi-site church, with this sole biblical philosophy. It’s not a gimmick or a game. It simply produces results because it is founded in Scripture and is THE most effective way to reach the lost. Oikos training is the single biggest reason we have seen exponential growth in our church plant.”

  • Erik Thoennes, Professor and Chair of Theology, Biola University

    “This is biblical, practical, clear, and tremendously helpful. Effective ministry is actually simple and doable for every devoted believer.“

  • Charles Arn, Professor, Wesley Seminary; President, Church Growth International

    “The oikos principle provides invigorating new insights for anyone who wants to see the message of Christ effectively spread through their community.”

  • Bob Barnes, Lead Pastor, Gateway Church, Washougal, WA

    “This has the potential to encourage countless believers to effectively reach more people with the Gospel.”

  • Bill Staffieri, Senior Pastor, Beachpoint Church, Fountain Valley CA

    “Six Easters ago we had about 500 people show up. This last Easter we had over three times that, and I can't tell you how many conversations were the result of people saying, ‘I brought him (or her) off my 8 to 15 list.’ Our worldview is changing and we feel it.”

The Oikos Movement’s Officers and Board of Directors

TOM MERCER President, Executive Director

Tom has been in pastoral ministry for almost 50 years. For 38 of those years, he served as the Senior Pastor and primary teacher at the High Desert Church in Southern California. During that time, the church grew from 125 to over 14,000 regular attenders, from one campus to four. 

For the past decade, Tom has also been an ambassador for the oikos principle around the world, frequently speaking at conferences, churches, university classrooms, and denominational gatherings, challenging church leaders to become more efficient through simplification.

Tom received his formal education at Biola University and Talbot Seminary. He is the author of three books, 8 to 15—The World is Smaller Than You Think, Not My Church, and Diary of a World Changer. Tom and his wife, Sheryl, have been married for 42 years. They have three married children and eleven grandchildren.

GEORGE BEARDSLEY Secretary

George has served at the High Desert Church in Southern California for over 30 years, presently as an Executive Pastor. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Transformation Ministries, a national network of over 200 churches. In his role with Transformation Ministries, George helps local churches build healthy cultures that encourage believers to impact their worlds for Christ.

George graduated from Biola University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. He also received a Master of Christian Ministry Degree from the International School of Theology. He and Cassie, his wife of 34 years, have three married daughters and have been blessed with five grandchildren.

SUE LADD Treasurer

Sue grew up as a missionary kid in Manila, the Philippines. She met and married her husband Jim while at Evangel University. She has a Master’s Degree in Accounting and owns and operates Ladd Business Services, providing bookkeeping and tax preparation help for businesses, non-profits, and business owners. She and Jim lead Evergreen Christian Community in Olympia, Washington, where they have served since January 2011. They have five children and five grandchildren. 

JOHN DIX

John Dix has been the Lead Pastor at Grace Church in Glendora, California since 2011. The son of missionaries, John grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; a Master of Theology Degree from Dallas Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology. John leads short-term mission trips to various locations around the world. He is passionate about equipping people with truth, knowledge, and boldness, with the primary goal of encouraging them to lead others to Christ.

John and his wife Carolee have four children and one grandchild. 

AARON KOELSCH

Aaron Koelsch is the CEO and Founder of Koelsch Communities. Combining a lifelong history in the senior living industry, a vision for unified operations, and a passion for service, Aaron and his teams have developed and built over 36 senior housing communities in eight states, including independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Today, Aaron leads Koelsch Communities in continual growth, with numerous senior housing communities currently in development and under construction with an emerging focus on multi-family markets. He has received numerous awards and accolades for Koelsch Communities quality of service.

Aaron graduated from Walla Walla University in Washington with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. He and his wife Judy live in Olympia, Washington, where they enjoy their four children and grandson.

JIM LADD

Jim was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Before his call to ministry, he worked as a professional Sports Writer and air traffic controller. After attending Evangel University, Jim served as a youth pastor, church planter, denominational Leader, and as the Lead Pastor for four churches. He has been the Lead Pastor at Evergreen Christian Community in Olympia, WA since 2011. Evergreen is an intergenerational community of over 2,000 believers with a focus on bringing measurable community transformation through more and better followers of Jesus, living on mission in their oikos every day.  

Jim and his wife Sue have five children, three granddaughters, and two grandsons.

JEREMY McGARITY

Jeremy McGarity is the Lead Pastor for Skyline Church in San Diego, California. Skyline is a multisite church with campuses in Lakeside, California; Rancho San Diego, California; Raytown, Missouri; and Tempe, Arizona. After a ten-year minor-league baseball career, he was called to Christian ministry and has been serving in church leadership for over 24 years.

Jeremy holds a Bachelor of Biblical Exposition Degree from San Diego Christian University, two Master’s Degrees from Haggard Graduate School of Theology at Azusa Pacific University, a Master of Religion Degree, with an emphasis in Theology and Ethics, a Master of Divinity Degree, and Doctor of Church Growth and Multiplication Degree from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in Los Angeles, California.

He and his wife, Janie, have three sons. He is enthusiastic about competing at anything sports related and loves San Diego Padres baseball.

DREW MERCER

Drew Mercer has been operating businesses in healthcare IT for the past 15 years. Most of Drew’s career in healthcare has been focused on growing and optimizing software solutions for hospitals and physician group practices. In 2018, Drew co-founded PayGround, a payment platform that serves as healthcare’s digital wallet. Drew currently leads as PayGround’s CEO, overseeing the company’s expansion across both provider and consumer markets. Prior to his role at PayGround, Drew served in multiple leadership roles at GE Healthcare, DaVita, and Experian Health. 

Drew holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Biola University in La Mirada, California, and a Master of Business Administration Degree in Finance from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

Drew’s favorite roles are at Mercer HQ in Chandler, Arizona, as husband to his wife, Teagan, and dad to his kids Ace, Andie, Auggie, and Al. In his spare time, you will find him coaching his kids’ sports teams and planning their next family vacation.

Contact us.

hello@oikosmovement.com
(760) 245—2415

The Oikos Movement, 6562 Caliente Rd. Suite 101-3014, Oak Hills, CA 92344