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Have you left the church in search of Jesus?
Studies show that one in four young adults claim no formal religious ... read full description
Studies show that one in four young adults claim no formal religious ... read full description
reviews
Jul 30, 2011
Will
rated it: 
Michael Spencer is dead, and I deeply resent that. He made this provocative and important statement, then inconsideratly was removed from the dialogue! NO FAIR!
It's a wondeful thing to find in Christian people that they are fundamentally at home in the denomination in which they were raised. Michael shows throughout his writing that he was thoroughly, deeply, fundamentally Baptist. God bless him! All my life it has been a great joy to find people as thoroughly committed to their More...
It's a wondeful thing to find in Christian people that they are fundamentally at home in the denomination in which they were raised. Michael shows throughout his writing that he was thoroughly, deeply, fundamentally Baptist. God bless him! All my life it has been a great joy to find people as thoroughly committed to their More...
Jul 22, 2011
Amanda
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If I could give this book 6 stars, I would. It had that kind of impact on me. Prior to about a week ago, I had never heard of Michael Spencer or the "Internet Monk" website. (How did I miss that?!) This book came at the recommendation of a friend of mine who is a former pastor(for many of the same reasons Michael Spencer listed). I left "the church" almost three years ago, and haven't been able to get back into it. I have had heart-to-heart discussions and full blown argument
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Apr 05, 2011
Alissagraham
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Mere Churchianity is a book for those who have left the church “to find Jesus.”
Now, Michael Spencer does have a lot of good points. But sadly, for every “YES” that I wrote in the margin, there was a equal, if not greater number of “I think he has this wrong here.”
Growing up in somewhat of a “church culture,” I did relate to many of his examples: the youth group massacring Dairy Queen, studying the bible with little interest in seeing how it pointed to the gospel, th More...
Jan 26, 2011
Spencer was an Evangelical Christian who challenged the establishment.
"If you have your Bible handy, look something up for me. Review the stories of the leading heroes in Scripture, and tell me which ones weren't screwed up. Don't the seriously flawed people - such as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and Hosea - outnumber the 'good Christians' by about ten to one? And isn't it true that the closer we look at a biblical character, the more likely it will be that we'll see a whole na More...
"If you have your Bible handy, look something up for me. Review the stories of the leading heroes in Scripture, and tell me which ones weren't screwed up. Don't the seriously flawed people - such as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and Hosea - outnumber the 'good Christians' by about ten to one? And isn't it true that the closer we look at a biblical character, the more likely it will be that we'll see a whole na More...
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Jan 20, 2011
Zack
rated it: 
Nothing new, but still an important reminder for Christians (if read carefully)
Summary
Michael Spencer’s book, Mere Churchianity, is a much needed plea for Christians not to find their identity in their church membership or attendance, but in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Spencer begins the book with a story of a young woman who worked at Dairy Queen. Spencer took a youth group into the Dairy Queen one night and created chaos for the workers there by the way t More...
Summary
Michael Spencer’s book, Mere Churchianity, is a much needed plea for Christians not to find their identity in their church membership or attendance, but in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Spencer begins the book with a story of a young woman who worked at Dairy Queen. Spencer took a youth group into the Dairy Queen one night and created chaos for the workers there by the way t More...
Dec 14, 2010
Jennifer
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Been to church, sang the songs, got a few dozen t-shirts. Unfortunately, that's what Christianity has been reduced to in much of America. We get up on Sunday morning, dress in our Sunday best, or if we're in a seeker-friendly church, we'll put on our best pair of jeans and polo, and spend two hours looking perfect. But we're not perfect, and neither is the person sitting behind us, our cell group leader, nor our pastor.
This is a book I wish existed a few years ago. I went to a f More...
This is a book I wish existed a few years ago. I went to a f More...
Jul 28, 2011
Brian
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While this book is not necessarily written for the person who is happy in their local church, it has some value and insight on where and what is wrong with mainstream "Christianity" in America.
Among the more insightful points in the book is "I don't need this community to try to replace Jesus or to promise to dispense Jesus like a product. . . . I don't need a contrived experience, but a fellowship and a family"(45). However, the means by which he suggests the disaffected ac More...
Among the more insightful points in the book is "I don't need this community to try to replace Jesus or to promise to dispense Jesus like a product. . . . I don't need a contrived experience, but a fellowship and a family"(45). However, the means by which he suggests the disaffected ac More...
Jul 06, 2010
Julie
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I loved this book. I don't think I am the target audience, but I believe imonk has a lot to teach evangelicals about focusing way too much on elections, culture war, how to grow the church and how to have a better quality of life. He describes how many Christians are going through "the spiritual buffet line in the contemporary church" thinking this is "the path to a genuine experience of God, as if God had agreed in advance to endorse whatever is done to make churches more success
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Jan 05, 2011
logankstewart
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I had never heard of the Internet Monk prior to receiving this book, nor had I heard of Michael Spencer, the name he went by outside the blogosphere. No, I chose this book for two reasons: One, the title, Mere Churchianity, was clever and Two, I was interested in this so-called "Jesus-Shaped Spirituality." So the book arrived, I discovered it was published posthumously, and I dove in to see what this was all about.
To say I was immediately hooked would be misleading, thoug More...
To say I was immediately hooked would be misleading, thoug More...
Apr 03, 2011
Andrew
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In Mere Churchianity, Michael shared a story about a letter he received from an atheist. The atheist was a worker at Dairy Queen. She wrote to Michael, who was the youth minister, and she told him that his youth group wasn’t very nice to the workers at Dairy Queen. His youth group made a mess with a saltshaker and left it to be cleaned by someone else. She didn’t like Christians but could you blame her for the way that the “youth group” acted. The youth group had a chance to influence non-believ
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Jan 07, 2011
Kristen
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As the Internet Monk, Michael Spencer encouraged thousands through his blog, before he died of cancer last April. His one and only book, Mere Churchianity, is a fitting legacy.
Like his blog, Mere Churchianity is provocative and appeals to those disillusioned by the institutional church. It serves to start a conversation about what following Jesus looks like, and the ways the church is leading us astray and thwarting us in our attempts to live like Christ.
I found the boo More...
Like his blog, Mere Churchianity is provocative and appeals to those disillusioned by the institutional church. It serves to start a conversation about what following Jesus looks like, and the ways the church is leading us astray and thwarting us in our attempts to live like Christ.
I found the boo More...
Dec 28, 2010
David
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Michael Spencer blogged for many years as the Internet Monk, a blog I only discovered a couple of years ago, but immediately added to my daily reading list. Sadly, during the writing of this, his only book, he was diagnosed with cancer and he died in April, 2010. Thankfully he has left us this final work, which is an amazing must-read for American Christians.
Michael writes honestly about the many problems with American Evangelicalism, all of which basically boil down to churches tha More...
Michael writes honestly about the many problems with American Evangelicalism, all of which basically boil down to churches tha More...
Jun 28, 2010
Kristi
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Reading Mere Churchianity was refreshing on many levels. First, it was great to "hear" the familiar voice of the Internet Monk once again. Second, it was challenging to believers (including myself) who neglect to truly make Jesus the center of their faith, and exposing those errors that happen in the world of churchianity. Third, it was encouraging and comforting on a personal level. I have struggled with churches but remained a part of them. I also have often been surrounded by bel
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Jan 16, 2011
Adam
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Short review: Good book. Many books have spoken about church leavers but Spencer does it quite well. I wish that he has spent more time talking about how to find your way back to God, but that is part of his book, that it cannot be prescribed.
I unintentionally read it which Eugene Peterson's Practice Resurrection. I highly recommend doing that. Peterson's books primarily says you cannot grow without the church. Spencer says that the church often gets in the road of actually spir More...
I unintentionally read it which Eugene Peterson's Practice Resurrection. I highly recommend doing that. Peterson's books primarily says you cannot grow without the church. Spencer says that the church often gets in the road of actually spir More...
Jul 27, 2010
Lynn
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Overall I feel this is a very good book. Many people will agree with him and some may not agree with him , that is the individuals rights. I have to admit that most of the church’s today have changed from what they use to be like years ago, and this books gives an interesting insight to that problem
Full review can be found here
Readers Favorite
Full review can be found here
Readers Favorite
Jan 26, 2011
Rick
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Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk, has been a prolific blogger for some time. This is his only book. Michael died in April of 2010. His voice is passionate and articulate. He values honesty, and speaks candidly about the shortcomings he sees in the Church. I can resonate with many of his observations, but I come up with different conclusions. It might be that I am a thick-headed dolt or a self-righteous hypocrite. Or it might be that for whatever reason I have found the Church to be a community
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Dec 12, 2010
Stuart
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Every Christian should own this book. Every church should have a dozen copies in their library. This is an extremely important book that will only get better as it's read over and over again. It has now made my short list of books I must reread every few years. We miss you, Michael Spencer. Thank you for this amazing legacy.
Jul 13, 2010
Ally
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Fantastic book, lived up to what I expected. Every Christian should read this book and all of Michael's essays and posts archived at the Internet Monk - whether you agree with him on all points or not, you cannot help but be changed by the honesty of his message.
Mar 22, 2011
Chris
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AMAZING book! This book has forever changed me. Because of it, I am in the process of rethinking my whole philosophy of ministry. Church leaders need to read this book!
Dec 26, 2011
Hippie
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I enjoyed most of the book, but the ending fell rather flat. Finished the book feeling disappointed.
Jul 30, 2010
Bob
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Amazing book. It is a breath of fresh air for one like myself who has been breathing the stale air of "church" for a long time, and often wonders why I continue to do so. Michael not only gives voice to the discontent of many, but offers hope as well. His is a voice that will be missed.
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Oct 19, 2010
Candy
rated it:
It has taken me a long time to read this book, but it's not because it was boring. I have been highlighting, going back and re-reading passages, and learning many things about Christianity and that I am not insane to feel the way I do. I loved this book and it is a great resource for anyone who wants a true relationship with Jesus.
Sep 20, 2010
Jeremy
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Good book by a man I admire, though I don't think I was really in the target audience.
Jan 18, 2011
Molly
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One of the best books that I have read on the modern church and some of the issues "we" face. Must read for anyone who has thought about pulling a "cut and run" ;)
Jan 15, 2012
Thom
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This is an amazing book. It's too bad that it isn't getting any press because this is a book that every church-goer and pastor needs to read.
Mar 02, 2011
Charissa
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My full review can be found on my blog at: http://www.thesquirrelfactor.com/2011/03...
Apr 11, 2011
"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
