Do you know people who are leaving the church? Or are you one of this growing number of disillusioned people? Michael Spencer's book, Mere Churchianity, addresses this phenomenon. He says about his book –“I’m writing … to those who may still be associated with the church but no longer buy into much of what the church says. Not because they doubt the reality of God, but because they doubt that the church is really representing Jesus.”
This book is like reading Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz on steroids. Spencer hits the American church hard and fast. He doesn’t mince words.He names names and calls people and institutions out for the “devastating effect” their programs and rules have had on believers. Spencer loves Jesus, but sees and explains how the modern American church has left their first love, pushing “Jesus aside and replace[ing] His plain teachings with patriotism, nationalism, denominationalism, entertainment and their personal desires to live comfy in the culture.”
In his book Spencer has coined the word CHURCHIANITY which is church dependent religion. He urges believers to seek Jesus- shaped spirituality as opposed to church-shaped spirituality.
I don’t agree with everything Spencer writes. His focus on the gospels has limited his understanding of the New Covenant, which was instituted after Jesus ascended and taught about it in the rest of the New Testament. Michael also has a very hopeless viewpoint on the likely hood of a believer ever being victorious in this life on earth, which I believe shows a faulty idea of who we are in Christ.
Spencer has written a compelling book on why Christians are leaving the church, where the church has gone wrong and has given suggestions on what these people could do in place of the institutional church. He may support and applaud a person’s choice to leave the church but he is not encouraging giving up on Jesus.
He spends his last chapter on how to find Jesus- shaped spirituality despite the church and outside the church. Overall his book is thought provoking and potentially life changing for the reader. His commitment to knowing and following Jesus only, is a breath of fresh air. The author put an eloquent and precise voice to thoughts and doubts I have personally had while sitting in church. I would recommend this book.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
I heart this.
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