A few days ago i mentioned this book and really had not planned to blog about it so quickly!
Over the past year iv had so many conversations about ‘the church’ that the last thing i thought i needed or wanted was a book about it. Some of these conversations have been with people who have all but given up on church.
Author Joshua Harris says “If you’ve written off the church, I dare you to read this book.”
I have not written off the Church but i have to admit that some of you, who have spoken to me directly or commented here, have discouraged me. I have listened to and also taken part in conversations that have attacked the church. Some perhaps, legitimate but some being just immature and petty.
I had almost believed the lie that 2 guys having a drink together and occasionally mentioning Jesus was “Church.” ‘Where 2 or 3 are gathered’ & ‘We are the Church’ and bla bla bla………..
“In the bestseller The Shack, the Jesus character explains that he doesn’t like religion and he doesn’t create institutions. The church we see is only a man-made system. The church I came to build, Jesus tells us, is ‘all about relationships and simply sharing your life.”
For the record, thats not entirely true! It may be closer to truth than some of the hogwash in that book but thats a whole other story…….
Currently, many of the most influential authors, speakers and “evangelical figures” are trying to re-model what ‘the Church’ should look like and sadly a lot of it is just the antidote to our disillusionment. The description in The Shack is sugar coated just enough to grip those of us with the smallest of complaints about Church!
Dan Kimball says “Jesus loves the church. Yes, the church is imperfect, and we have made mistakes. But if we love Jesus, then we will love what Jesus loves. This book moves us to a thrilling portrait and future of what the church that Jesus loves and builds can look like and the hope we can bring to the world.”
One of the main topics that will keep arising here over the next year will ‘hopefully’ be The Church, as we lead a small group and stumble closer to rediscovering The Church.
What do you think about The Church?
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