Unchurching

Unchurching

Author: Richard Jacobson

Publisher:

Published: 2016-07-12

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9780692749951

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Millions of believers are currently leaving the organized church, without giving up their faith. Sadly, many are only defining themselves by what they don't do, as Christians who simply "don't go to church." It's time for these believers to catch a vision for genuine spiritual community, outside the walls of organized Christianity, a way of being the church without going to church. Unchurching: Christianity Without Churchianity will challenge everything you thought you knew about church. Unchurching boldly examines whether organized churches are even biblical. It thoroughly deconstructs the idea of special church buildings, paid pastors, weekly sermons, mandatory tithes and offerings, gender inequality in church leadership, and much more. Unchurching is intended to empower believers who are done with organized church but aren't ready to abandon their faith. It will give non-churchgoing Christians a vision for genuine spiritual community that simply functions like an extended spiritual family. And it will equip them with the language to finally articulate that vision to others. Here's what others are saying about Unchurching: "Lots of books that invite Christians to follow Jesus outside of the four walls of churchianity are filled with harsh judgment and criticism of how others 'do church.' But not this book! Unchurching by Richard Jacobson is full of love and grace. There is no judgment, condemnation, or guilt-casting of any kind. Beginning with the Trinity of God, Jacobson presents a grand vision of what the church can be and how we can truly have community as followers of Jesus. Read this book and be encouraged to take the next step of your journey!" Jeremy Myers, author and blogger at RedeemingGod.com "Unchurching: Christianity without Churchianity validates and empowers the rapidly growing number of people who are in the transition between traditional church and an informal community of disciples meeting outside the four walls of the church building. Richard Jacobson has been on both sides of this shift and is uniquely qualified to write about it-which he does well, with insight, humility, and scholarship. I especially valued his comments on the freedom that women have to do and be everything God is calling them to. Highly recommended." Felicity Dale: author, An Army of Ordinary People; co-author, Small is Big "Unchurching presents us with a picture of a church that is all about one person-Jesus. As I read this book I felt my pulse quicken and my heart leap for joy because everything Richard writes about is centered on, around, and in relation to the One who would rather die than live without us. Anyone who loves Jesus and who longs to take hold of Him in a gathering where He is the focal point will delight in this book. It's truly amazing what happens when we get out of the way and allow Jesus to take center stage. This book shows us what that can look like, if we are willing to let go of our traditions and embrace the living, breathing Christ who longs to share His life with us throughout eternity, starting right now!" Keith Giles, author of This Is My Body: Ekklesia As God Intended; author of Jesus Untangled


Spiritual, but not Religious

Spiritual, but not Religious

Author: Robert C. Fuller

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2001-12-20

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 0199839581

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Nearly 40% of all Americans have no connection with organized religion. Yet many of these people, even though they might never step inside a house of worship, live profoundly spiritual lives. But what is the nature and value of unchurched spirituality in America? Is it a recent phenomenon, a New Age fad that will soon fade, or a long-standing and essential aspect of the American experience? In Spiritual But Not Religious, Robert Fuller offers fascinating answers to these questions. He shows that alternative spiritual practices have a long and rich history in America, dating back to the colonial period, when church membership rarely exceeded 17% and interest in astrology, numerology, magic, and witchcraft ran high. Fuller traces such unchurched traditions into the mid-nineteenth century, when Americans responded enthusiastically to new philosophies such as Swedenborgianism, Transcendentalism, and mesmerism, right up to the current interest in meditation, channeling, divination, and a host of other unconventional spiritual practices. Throughout, Fuller argues that far from the flighty and narcissistic dilettantes they are often made out to be, unchurched spiritual seekers embrace a mature and dynamic set of basic beliefs. They focus on inner sources of spirituality and on this world rather than the afterlife; they believe in the accessibility of God and in the mind's untapped powers; they see a fundamental unity between science and religion and an equality between genders and races; and they are more willing to test their beliefs and change them when they prove untenable. Timely, sweeping in its scope, and informed by a clear historical understanding, Spiritual But Not Religious offers fresh perspective on the growing numbers of Americans who find their spirituality outside the church.


Leaving Church

Leaving Church

Author: Barbara Brown Taylor

Publisher: Canterbury Press

Published: 2013-01-25

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1848253575

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Tells how a renowned preacher left her ministry to rediscover the authentic heart of her faith. A moving reflection on keeping faith amidst the relentless demands of modern life.


Churchless

Churchless

Author: George Barna

Publisher: Tyndale House

Published: 2014-09-19

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 1414395981

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Churchless people are all around us: among our closest loved ones, at our workplaces, in our neighborhoods. And more and more, they are becoming the norm: The number of churchless adults in the US has grown by nearly one-third in the past decade. Yet the startling truth is that many of these people claim they are looking for a genuine, powerful encounter with God—but they just don’t find it in church. What are they (or we) missing? How can we better reach out to them? What can we say or do that would inspire them to want to join a community of faith? Containing groundbreaking new research from the Barna Group, and edited by bestselling authors George Barna (Revolution) and David Kinnaman (You Lost Me), Churchless reveals the results of a five-year study based on interviews with thousands of churchless men and women. Looking past the surface of church attendance to deeper spiritual realities, Churchless will help us understand those who choose not to be part of a church, build trust-based relationships with them, and be empowered to successfully invite them to engage.


Deep and Wide

Deep and Wide

Author: Andy Stanley

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2016-02-09

Total Pages: 400

ISBN-13: 031052749X

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Create a church unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategy for creating churches unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Now available in an expanded edition, this trusted resource has sold over 250,000 copies. In it, Andy Stanley explains: His strategy for preaching and programming to both mature believers and cynical unbelievers North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts Three essential ingredients for creating irresistible environments How to tackle the challenge of transitioning a local congregation If your team is more concerned with who you are reaching than who you are keeping, the expanded edition of Deep and Wide will be more than a book you read; it will be a resource you come back to over and over! New bonus content includes a study guide, church staff helps, and an interview with Andy on the most frequently asked questions about Deep and Wide.


Adventures in Fishing for Men

Adventures in Fishing for Men

Author: Jeremy Myers

Publisher: Redeeming Press

Published: 2018-06-05

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13: 1939992125

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Does evangelism and witnessing make you uncomfortable? If so, you’re about to be set free … or maybe you’ll become even more uncomfortable. Using irony, satire, and humor, Jeremy Myers writes Adventures in Fishing for Men as an allegorical story about a man’s quest to become a world-famous fisherman—without ever catching any fish. As an allegory about evangelism, this book is not about fishing, but about fishing for men. While a few of the stories are from the author’s own life, all of the stories portray the general Christian approach to evangelism. As you read Adventures in Fishing for Men, you will see yourself in many of the stories, and will either be set free from some of the strange methods of modern evangelistic practices, or you will become upset at how your cherished traditions are being portrayed. But these were the two ways people responded to the parables of Jesus as well. The nameless fisherman of this book serves as a mirror to all who read of his adventures, shining a light on how far Christianity has strayed from the example set by Jesus. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! lism


So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore

So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore

Author: Wayne Jacobsen

Publisher: Windblown Media

Published: 2008-09-02

Total Pages: 154

ISBN-13: 1935170015

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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."


Primal Fire

Primal Fire

Author: Neil Cole

Publisher: Tyndale Momentum

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 1414385501

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Examines what the five core spiritual gifts of Jesus--apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers--mean and how they can be used to ignite the church's full potential.


The Prodigal Church

The Prodigal Church

Author: Jared C. Wilson

Publisher: Crossway

Published: 2015-04-16

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1433544644

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Pastors want to reach the lost with the good news of Jesus. However, we've too often assumed this requires loud music, flashy lights, and skinny jeans. In this gentle manifesto, Jared Wilson—a pastor who knows what it's like to serve in a large attractional church—challenges pastors to reconsider their priorities when it comes to how they "do church" and reach people in their communities. Writing with the grace and kindness of a trusted friend, Wilson encourages pastors to reexamine the Bible's teaching, not simply return to a traditional model for tradition's sake. He then sets forth an alternative to both the attractional and the traditional models: an explicitly biblical approach that is gospel focused, grace based, and fruit oriented.


Beyond Church

Beyond Church

Author: Steve Simms

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2015-10-22

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 9781518744563

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Have you ever wanted something more from your faith? More than religion? More than church? One lost and forgotten biblical word, "ekklesia," holds the key to a more vibrant and life-changing Christianity. --Modern English language Bibles quote Jesus as saying, "I will build My church." However, the earliest Bibles have Jesus saying, "I will build my ekklesia." For hundreds of years, this Bible word-switch has misdirected the way the body of Christ meets for worship. --So what does ekklesia mean? Ekklesia was the name of the city council in ancient Greek city-states. It was a democratic, interactive, participatory body of equal citizens sharing their concerns and needs with one another. --In the Western world, traditional church is in decline. Religious categories now include millions who are "Dones" (done with church) and "Nones" (have no church affiliation). --Perhaps it is time for more than church. Steve Simms invites you to go "beyond church" and experience ekklesia, HEAVEN's CITY COUNCIL, not as a theological concept, but as a practical and living reality.