The Book Your Church Doesn T Want You To Read

An enlightening anthology by world-renowned theologians, historians and researchers that exposes and challenges misrepresentations and age-old beliefs. With an introduction by ABC Radio Talk Show Host Bill Jenkins.

Jake Colsen, an overworked and disillusioned pastor, happens into a stranger who bears an uncanny resemblance (in manner) to the apostle John. A number of encounters with John as well as a family crisis lead Jake to a new understanding of what his life should be like: one filled with faith bolstered by a steady, close relationship with the God of the universe. Facing his own disappointment with Christianity, Jake must forsake the habits that have made his faith rote and rediscover the love that captured his heart when he first believed. Compelling and intensely personal, So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anything relates a man's rebirth from performance-based Christianity to a loving friendship with Christ that affects all he does, thinks, and says. As John tells Jake, "There is nothing the Father desires for you more than that you fall squarely in the lap of his love and never move from that place for the rest of your life."

Stop lying - the Bible doesn't teach that! The reason I wrote this book is because I am tired of the many lies, false and manipulative teachings that continue to be disseminated within our churches, especially in small local churches. With that said I present to you not what I believe but what the Bible says and teaches. Who am I? I am no one. I am simply an individual who grew up in the Catholic Church, at the age of 17 converted to Pentecost and through the years I have been a Sunday school teacher, a Preacher, a youth Pastor, a Deacon, an Elder of the church, a musician and I even was the unofficial Pastor of a small church who had difficulties with a rogue Pastor. By this, I mean to say that I have seen a lot, done a lot and experienced much and I am not surprised by the lies, deceits, and false teachings many present to the body of Christ. If you are here looking to find a scathing contemptuous “tell-all” book about the church and God’s people – you will not find it here. What I will present to you is a few insightful truths about what many teach from the pulpit compared to what I have found to be in the Bible. I will speak about how ignorance is used to keep God's people in bondage, like slaves, and why knowledge can set you free if you allow it. Again, let me make myself clear – as clear as I can possibly be: I am a Bible thumping, God fearing, Holy Roller – I believe the word of God and I only challenge the teachings of those who would seek to pervert it for their own personal gain or ego. If you are truly interested in what I have to say, in what I want to share – please, read on.Because God has an order to things and many are taking advantage of good honest sincere people who want to, need to and whole heartedly believe in God.

Let's face it. Church isn't working. We hear sermons about the abundant life Jesus promised, but how many of us are actually living it? How many of our churches are thriving? How many people in our congregations are experiencing God's blessings? Maybe it's time to call it quits. Quit church? Well, not exactly. Drawing from his experience coaching hundreds of churches toward true growth, Chris Sonksen calls on us to quit our casual, cultural commitment to church as we know it. No more half-hearted attempts to win the favor of God and other people by doing the right thing. No more doing things out of a sense of duty. Instead, Sonksen reveals the spiritual habits that release the blessings of God, both on each individual and on the church. He explains why we struggle to put these practices into action and gives practical solutions to move us forward into health, growth, and maturity.

This is a book for pacesetters -- church leaders who desire to help their churches break free of the things that turn them in on themselves. It is a masterly mix of biblical principle, objective analysis, and personal experience.

God designed us to build our lives around a local church. Bestselling Joshua Harris reveals how and why to fall in love with, and stay committed to, the church.

As many--young people especially--leave the traditional church in droves, they often still long for a genuine Christian community in which to practice their faith and share their spiritual journeys with others. They want to be faithful but struggle to find a place where they flourish. Whether they've already left the church behind or are merely considering it, readers will find here both heartfelt encouragement and practical steps for finding or creating a community of faith that honors God and offers rest, love, and communion with other believers. Author Kelly Bean broadens our definition of church to include many alternative forms of Christian community. With true stories of those who have given up on church and what they're doing now, this book is also helpful for pastors and churchgoers to help them understand why people leave the church--and what might be done to help them stay.

Christianity Today Book Award winner Golden Canon Leadership Book Award winner Feeling caught between the traditional church and the emerging church? Discover a third way: deep church. C. S. Lewis used the phrase "deep church" to describe the body of believers committed to mere Christianity. Unfortunately church in our postmodern era has been marked by a certain shallowness. Emerging authors, fed up with contemporary pragmatism, have offered alternative visions for twenty-first-century Christianity. Traditionalist churches have reacted negatively, at times defensively. Jim Belcher knows what it's like to be part of both of these worlds. In the 1990s he was among the pioneers of what was then called Gen X ministry, hanging out with creative innovators like Rob Bell, Mark Oestreicher and Mark Driscoll. But he also has maintained ties to traditionalist circles, planting a church in the Presbyterian Church of America. In Deep Church, Belcher brings the best insights of all sides to forge a third way between emerging and traditional. In a fair and evenhanded way, Belcher explores the proposals of such emerging church leaders as Tony Jones, Brian McLaren and Doug Pagitt. He offers measured appreciation and affirmation as well as balanced critique. Moving beyond reaction, Belcher provides constructive models from his own church planting experience and paints a picture of what this alternate, deep church looks like--a missional church committed to both tradition and culture, valuing innovation in worship, arts and community but also creeds and confessions. If you've felt stuck between two extremes, you can find a home here. Plumb the depths of Christianity in a way that neither rejects our postmodern context nor capitulates to it. Instead of veering to the left or the right, go between the extremes--and go deep.