52 Churches In 52 Weeks

If you could visit a different church each Sunday for one full year... Where would you go? Who would you see? What would happen to your faith? After a string of bad first dates and no church to call home, Dave Boice chronicles his yearlong spiritual journey in search for something more. What started as a simple endeavor to find a hometown church turned into a thrilling spiritual adventure that is sidesplittingly witty and deeply emotional. From the streets of Manhattan to the beaches of Orange County, Boice explores numerous denominations including Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Quaker, Greek Orthodox, Christian Science, and other churches. From 20,000-seat megachurches to being the lone congregant at a Scientology service, no building was too big (or as a visit to "The World's Smallest Church can attest) too small. He danced with Pentecostals in Arkansas, immersed himself in prayer with monks that make beer in Massachusetts, and headbanged at a church known for heavy metal music in Ohio. You'll hear sermons from some of Christianity's most widespread preachers (Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes), most intellectual (Tim Keller and Os Guinness), most emergent (Nadia Bolz-Weber and Jay Bakker), to even the most curious (Todd Burpo from Heaven is For Real). Boice's unique undertaking and honest reflection reveals startling epiphanies and insights that will engage both believers and skeptics. 52 Churches in 52 Weeks is a must-read for anyone who wrestles with faith in the 21st century.

Suffering the loss of her father and grandmother, and dealing with the ending of a relationship left the author tired, bereft, disappointed, emotionally drained, and feeling like God had forgotten her. She wondered what she could do to heal from this holy triumvirate of personal pain. She decided that spirituality would be the context from which she would make her journey back to herself. If she felt like God had forgotten her, then she would look for him everywhere and in the eyes of everyone she met. She made a commitment to visit a different place of worship every week for a year, whether that place of worship reflected her religious tradition or not. In total, she visited sixty-one churches, temples, mosques, synagogues, and gathering places in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and South Africa. My 52 Weeks of Worship is the story of one womans courageous journey. Read and seewill her journey lead her to deep, dark places in her soul or help her find peace and acceptance?

They say there’s no such thing as a perfect church. Well, one author decided to test that theory out for himself. Peter DeHaan spent an entire year roaming from one church to another, visiting 52 different Christian congregations. In the process he learned what makes these places of worship unique, what makes newcomers feel like they belong, and what cringe-worthy shenanigans are guaranteed to keep visitors from ever coming back. In his travels, Peter learned about different denominations and worship styles as well as what happens when imperfect humans gather together in the name of a perfect God. What he discovered was occasionally funny, always interesting, and at times absurd. So absurd that he wrote a book about his experiences. 52 Churches is part religious exposé, part travel memoir, and 100% authentic. Peter refuses to hold back his punches. You’ll cringe when this Christian author is singled out by a fire-and-brimstone preacher, unnecessarily determined to save his soul out of hell. You’ll find yourself thankful that you weren’t in Peter’s shoes when the pastor told his congregation to greet one another with a holy kiss. You’ll read about Christian practices that are far different from your own, and in the process gain a deeper understanding of believers from all walks of life and denominational backgrounds: Protestant mainline, evangelical, and charismatic, Roman Catholic, and more. If you’re a pastor trying to engage newcomers, a seasoned church member looking for some chuckles, or a spiritual lurker curious about what goes on beneath the steeples of America’s churches today, this book was written for you. Read 52 Churches now for an insightful, unforgettable read about the strange and mysterious believers who meet together behind closed doors each and every Sunday.

If you want to know your church’s weaknesses and strengths, you must look at it through the eyes of a visitor. That’s exactly what Peter DeHaan does as he shares an insider’s perspective on dozens of churches. What can we learn from the churches that line our cities and small towns, even if we never step foot inside? Christian churches around the world are immensely varied in their size, interpretation of the Bible, and worship style, but there is one thing that unites them all: their belief in Jesus. In More Than 52 Churches, the sequel to 52 Churches, you’ll team up with Peter DeHaan as he travels to another twenty-four Christian congregations to observe, learn, and grow. Although this book is a sequel, it can be read as a standalone. As each church experience unfolds, you’ll discover greater diversity and new insights from a wide range of worship services and personal encounters with other believers. In More Than 52 Churches, you’ll discover: - How to celebrate the amazing diversity of the local church and her worship styles - Different ways that church visitors experience your church and why that’s important - How churches effectively minister to their congregations - The vital importance of church fellowship and personal connection - Insights to help you better connect with visitors Ideal for members or church leaders, you’ll get a unique perspective and broader understanding of church denominations, sizes, and worship styles. The book will help believers understand that a one-size-fits-all congregation will never adequately represent all churches. Instead, every church should embrace their strengths and identify their weaknesses so that they can better serve the world around them. With insightful commentary and a unique perspective into church communities, you’ll catch a greater vision for how we can appreciate every kind of church, even when it doesn’t look like the church we call home. You might even discover how you can make your church an even better one—just by experiencing it as a visitor does. Get More Than 52 Churches and discover how you can reimagine your church today.

What would you learn if you visited 52 churches? How might that experience change the way you treated visitors at your church? But you don’t need to go to a boatload of churches to find out. Church-reform advocate Peter DeHaan, PhD already has. The 52 Churches Workbook is the perfect tool to gain valuable insights without the pain and hassle of going to a different church every Sunday for an entire year. Merely thinking about making your church better isn’t enough. It’s time to act. With over 200 thought-provoking questions to propel you and your church forward, you’ll discover: - How to greet visitors well. - The importance of making a good first impression and a parting memory. - The way one person can make the difference between success and failure. - Best practices from churches that treat visitors well, along with what to avoid. - Why a website is critical and shouldn’t resemble a dating profile. The 52 Churches Workbook is the perfect companion for 52 Churches, but it also works great as a standalone book for those who haven’t yet read 52 Churches. Don’t go another Sunday without this essential resource. Perfect for leaders and members. Get The 52 Churches Workbook and take the first step to becoming a church that matters.

ECPA BESTSELLER • FINALIST FOR THE CHRISTIAN BOOK AWARD® • Build your Bible IQ and Christian worldview in just fifteen minutes a day! Over the course of a year, Core 52 will help you master the 52 most important passages in the Bible. “You will gain the tools you need for living the life God has called you to.”—Kyle Idleman, pastor and author of Not a Fan “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”—1 Timothy 4:8 Most of us want to know the Bible better, but few reach our goal, often because we’re too busy or we don’t know where to start. Core 52 removes both barriers, offering a common-sense solution that fits into our busy lives. Respected Bible professor and teaching pastor Mark E. Moore developed this proven process from thirty-five years of helping people grow deeper in God’s Word. Each week features a brief essay, memory verse, Bible story, trajectory verses, and practical ways to put what you’ve learned into practice. An optional “Overachiever Challenge” offers the chance to memorize the top 100 Bible verses by year’s end. This simple approach allows you to become familiar with the big ideas of the Bible in less time and with less effort than other reading plans. In one year, you can master the core of the Bible—focusing on topics from God’s will to worry, happiness to holiness, and leadership to love. These fifty-two core passages are lenses through which you can read the rest of the Bible with clarity and confidence.

Visit fifty-two churches in a year? No way! Peter DeHaan and his wife did just that. They spent a year visiting a different Christian church every Sunday: Protestant mainline, evangelical, and charismatic; Roman Catholic too. He visited a congregation just like yours. Count on it. You’ll laugh. You’ll cringe. You’ll cry. Church-reform proponent Peter DeHaan is a strong advocate of forming meaningful Christian community. And he shares his discerning journey of discovery to inspire ministers, members, and attendees to build personal connections that matter. This isn’t a church-shopping romp or a mean-spirited critique. Peter doesn’t rip at today’s church. Instead he offers a gift of encouragement, hope, and insight to all of Jesus’s followers. Plus, he shares astute observations and makes spot-on suggestions. Then build on the narrative of 52 Churches with the thought-provoking follow up: The 52 Churches Workbook. In it, consider 200 challenging questions to grow your faith. Ideal for group discussion or individual introspection. But that’s not all. Read more church encounters in More Than 52 Churches. Followed by The More Than 52 Churches Workbook. More experiences and more reflective considerations. Read the 52 Churches Boxset for education, read it for entertainment, and read it for the vision gained only from visiting a diverse array of churches. These books are ideal for ministry leaders, members, and spiritual seekers. Get your copy of the 52 Churches Boxset to begin your own exploration of religious practices!

Many of us live at a pace that is impossible to keep. Unrelenting busyness might feel necessary, but it can lead to chronic stress and burnout that hinders our love for God and others. Instead of adding more to our long to-do list, counselors Eliza Huie and Esther Smith guide readers in how to think biblically about their whole life. They give Christians a framework for biblical self-care that will help them live for Christ by stewarding the spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical aspects of life. The Whole Life: 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care outlines a balanced life of stewardship, offering practical strategies for Christians to grow in honoring God and caring for others. The authors focus on six key areas: faith, health, purpose, community, work, and rest. Each chapter addresses a specific topic and guides readers in thinking biblically about their whole life. Breaking down the misconceptions that self-care is not biblical, The Whole Life reveals that caring for yourself doesn’t mean you are being selfish or lazy. Instead, it’s a way of stewarding every part of your life for God’s glory and the good of others. Contrary to what our culture might lead us to believe, exhaustion and burnout are not unavoidable pitfalls of a faithful Christian life. Instead, they are warning signs that we need to turn to God for daily help. This book will reorient readers to the core value of resting their heart, mind, and strength in Christ.