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Oct 25, 2010

Cherie rated it:

Have you ever wanted to have a sit down conversation with one of Jesus' disciples? Chances are....none of us will get that opportunity this side of eternity. But, through this book and in this message, you will take an unexpected journey and discover truths about the body of Christ and your walk of faith that will change the way you live.

You will not want to miss out on this opportunity to hear answers to some of your most desperate questions about "the church." Should you More...

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Oct 25, 2010

Shannon rated it:

Interesting book about how church can interfere with our relationship with Jesus. Thought-provoking read that I would recommend to anyone. My only problem with it was that initially it seemed to blame all our spiritual problems on the organized church, which takes no responsibility on ourselves. Otherwise, had good insight into what churches often do wrong.

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Apr 11, 2009

Tyler rated it:

Liking this rec from Nate. I'm in Chapter 4 or 5 right now (tough to keep track on an audiobook) Definitely a great source for some ongoing conversation, thought, and ongoing discussion about the often power-hungry, spiritual guilt wielding "institution" of the church vs. the purpose that God intended. So far I've really liked and been encouraged by the emphasis the author is placing on a thriving, authentic, organic love relationship w/ Jesus that also results in community. It's so ea More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Sep 29, 2011

Sue rated it:

This is an incredibly powerful book - and is available free as an e-book as well as being buyable in printed form. It gently looks at why so many Christians are discouraged, or fed up with structured church life, but without in any way criticising the Church as such.

Jake, the main character, relates a series of conversations with an unusual person called John who appears in his life now and again. As he comes to terms with what John is saying, he experiences many struggles in his More...

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Dec 07, 2008

Mark rated it:

Challenges the reader to think about the way we practice religion. Are we just following tradition, and missing out on what God has in mind for us? Or, are we developing a relationship with the Father and letting him guide our actions? Told in the form of a novel, it has propelled me in a new direction in my spiritual journey.

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Aug 09, 2011

Amy added it

Very great book. I love how it's still a fictional story, therefore easy to get engrossed and follow it 'till the end. Like the Shack, I followed the story and with almost each chapter, was strongly reminded or learned for the first time, a human tendency we tend to have that we NEED to be reminded of to STOP IT.

Great book if.you have never set foot in a church, or if you go to a church now or if you decided a long time ago you no longer want to attend a church. I think you'll find healing More...

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Aug 02, 2011

Dee added it

I really liked this book. I haven't reviewed it before because I really couldn't think how to say what I felt about this book. I think it will connect with people on different levels, depending on your own relationships with church, your church, the people you attend church with, and how involved you are in the running of the church. The story is told in a unique way, and, once again, I like the fact that the book doesn't say, "this is the answer," but you are forced to come to your More...

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Jan 12, 2009

Ned rated it:

OK, so you don't want to go to church anymore, don't expect this book to replace several thousand years of church teaching and make you guilt free. This is a book written by two former pastors who were upset with the "institutionalization" of the modern church, and they have a point. Problem is they use the vehicle of a disgrunteled pastor and the mysterious Apostle John, 2000 years after his most likely death to make thier point.

I would love to discuss the points made abou More...

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Jul 31, 2011

Lee added it

Loved this book! Jake, a frustrated associate pastor, meets John who, through a series of impromptu meetings over a period of 4 years, turns Jake's views of the church and his relationship with God completely upside down. John challenges Jake's disappointment with his walk with the Father and his feelings of maintaining the status quo of church life. Through several conversations, Jake begins to see that much of his experience of organized church life is spent arranging and manipulating the mach More...

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Jun 12, 2010

Lola4 rated it:

What do I think about this book? I don't know. This book contained the Christ-focus I felt The Shack sorely lacked and it did not push the Universalist beliefs that made me so uncomfortable with the Shack. How now shall you live? I still don't know what is the answer, but I do know for sure that the teachings of my denominational church are not the answer. I needed to read this book now, since I have spent a dreadfully painful two-years wrestling with doubts about the big business that is More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Apr 11, 2010

Delia rated it:

Meet Jake Colsen, Associate Pastor. He has it all. A good job with more than adequate salary, a loving wife, two children, and plenty of respect and prestige.

But then he meets John and his world turns upside down. Could this stranger be the Apostle John, still alive, still spreading the gospel?

Over the next four years, through a series of conversations with John, Jake goes on a personal odyssey that makes him rethink everything he thought he knew about God and the churc More...

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Sep 09, 2009

Joe rated it:

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Jun 10, 2009

Faith rated it:

Wonderful message about making sure you don't place God inside of a box...we often think that God only meets us in one place, church, and only on Sunday's...we get caught up in religiousity and become legalistic in our churches...God isn't like that...He's simple and has a simple message...we make things WAY to complicated...he called us to love one another, encourage one another and to be passionate about the one who gave us life...we need to be different and set apart...we need to be joyful... More...

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Oct 17, 2008

Barbara rated it:

I have actually read this book twice. The second time was even better. I find that now I go to church for Bible studies because I want to see the people I like best and that's where they tend to be! But I also find that living as a Christian every day is exciting, challenging and so much more fulflling than I thought. I may read this book every 6 months, just because it seems to give me insight each time.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 25, 2010

Jenn rated it:

Got this book based on good Amazon reviews. It drew me in but then it became increasingly annoying. This is the second fiction book I've read about a disillusioned Christian who's getting advice from a mysterious character who seems to know everything. I'd strongly prefer an honest memoir about the authors' real life experiences. This is just really bad fiction. Not believable. Weird. Boring.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 09, 2009

Nicholas rated it:

Ignore the opening mystery of Jesus' disciple living in modern times, which is clumsily introduced and concluded. ignore this, and you have a readable and challenging book about being part of the Church. This is a series of conversations, with a little story added to keep up the interest level. Some will consider this book a dangerous thesis against organised religion, and for an experience of Christianity only on an individual level - separated from churches. And perhaps it is. But perhap More...

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Aug 12, 2011

Bill rated it:

I asked a mate who had left the institutional church to join a house church to recommend a book on the topic, and this was it. It's a cool book -- a crystal clear message, but via a story, so it's very easy to read. Things I found encouraging -- A. Life is about loving & trusting Jesus every moment, not attending church; B. Don't let the demands of the institution squeeze the life out of you. It's a balanced and generous book. On the other hand, I'm not going to quit my job as a pastor any time More...

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Apr 05, 2011

Pillblooms rated it:

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Oct 26, 2010

Sheila rated it:

A very thought provoking read, which I recommend for anyone who has ever questioned their feelings about attending church, questioned what they were getting out of attending church, or who has felt any guilty feelings about their attendance (or lack of attendance) at a church.

As this book tells it, church is not a place you attend, a building you go to on Sundays to sing and pray. YOU are the church. As the author quotes says in the appendix at the end, "The idea that those who More...

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Jan 15, 2011

Shiloh rated it:

This book came highly recommended by a couple of people. One of the authors had helped to write The Shack and I could see simialarities. It was written as a story, which I wasn't expecting, but very effective. There were a couple comments that I felt were not Biblical (as in the Shack), such as "We can't love what we fear." Considering how much the Bible talks about the fear of God being integral to our walk with Him, perhaps even more emphasized than the love of God, I felt this c More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 14, 2010

Christine rated it:

This was one of those books that I wasn't sure what was wrong with it until I nearly finished it, mainly because it's written as a journey & you're not quite sure of the final destination 'til the end... There's a bit of wheat among the tares, but overall it has the potential to do much harm - encouraging frustrated people to just leave 'the institution of church' (which is to blame for pretty much everything) & just love & be loved by God. & love others. It's not particularly well written & More...

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Feb 09, 2009

Amy rated it:

This is such a great book! I think its a great read for every believer. Its such an eye opener on your relationship with our father. Its been such a experience for me to realize that having a relationship with my lord is the first priority and how it is so freeing to know he loves me and he wants to have a relationship with me. A lot of us go throught the motions of being "believers because of what we do for the church and how we commit to church but we are sometimes left feeling so empty More...

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Oct 25, 2010

Benjamin rated it:

I will not even begin to attempt a summary of what I am learning from this book, at the moment. One thing I will say is that I am reading it for my third time since I heard about it a month ago.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 25, 2010

Tammy rated it:

I don't accept this book as doctrinely or theologically sound, but it does give "church-goers" something to think about. Very intriguing book.

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Sep 26, 2011

Matt rated it:

Jacobsen and Coleman share some great thoughts about church which challenge much particularly in the institutional model. They chose to present this in a light narrative form very similar Brian McLaren's 'A New Kind of Christian' trilogy. However while I connected with much of the book's message, I felt it's execution was a little grating. The characters are so cliched that they seem totally unrealistic. Thankfully the main thrust of the book is the message and not the setting/characters that it More...

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Oct 25, 2010

Jan rated it:

I love this book. If you want to take a look at your relationship with God and learn to trust him this is a fabulous book.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 25, 2010

Laura rated it:

This book explains my personal views of Christianity to a "tee". I loved every page of it and recommend it to everyone.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 15, 2008

Todd rated it:

organic spirituality.....answers the question..."why is institutional religion so dry?"

shouldn't it be more simple? :)

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 11, 2010

Judy rated it:

Having been raised in a legalistic home, this book opened my eyes to the Father's love and gentleness towards us. It also spurred me to rethink many long held beliefs in regards to organized religion and why religious programs don't work. Traditions and fallacies are challenged in the context of fiction. This is an excellent book for anyone seeking real answers about who God really is and is tired of the pat, "scripted" answers so often given by church leaders.

The book cont More...

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Jan 03, 2010

Fred rated it:

The dialogues between the two main characters question the traditional organization of church congregations and their business-as-usual approach to Christianity. These dialogues are thought provoking. The incident reported in Jake's congregation should not affect our attitude about the entire body of Christ. We are to show respect for the body of Christ and cover it, even for a multitude of sins. The book is narrowly focused and could be misleading if not kept in perspective of such broad issues More...

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