What do you think?
Rate this book
Broken but Beautiful: Why Church is Still Worth It
American church participation has plummeted in recent decades. Abuse scandals and hypocrisy hang in the air. Weekly, I talk to friends and neighbors who have left church, even as many still identify as Christians. I get what they’re saying. When I consider the pain that so many have experienced in church life, the body of Christ sure seems broken. It’s no wonder many don’t find church to be worth it. But maybe there’s more to the story.
As a child, my family experienced deep crisis. I felt alone and vulnerable. Into that void, the church stepped in. I discovered a family, a people that have my back and forever changed my life. Even now, I see tangible ways the church works for the common good. The church possesses a resilient beauty that continually pushes through the brokenness.
If we love Jesus, we have to eventually ask what Jesus loves. Surprising to me at times, Jesus loves the church, despite her brokenness. If we learn to see what Jesus sees, we’ll discover a powerful, often untapped means towards human flourishing. No other social group offers what the church offers. Yes, the church is broken, but there’s more. She’s beautiful.
As a child, my family experienced deep crisis. I felt alone and vulnerable. Into that void, the church stepped in. I discovered a family, a people that have my back and forever changed my life. Even now, I see tangible ways the church works for the common good. The church possesses a resilient beauty that continually pushes through the brokenness.
If we love Jesus, we have to eventually ask what Jesus loves. Surprising to me at times, Jesus loves the church, despite her brokenness. If we learn to see what Jesus sees, we’ll discover a powerful, often untapped means towards human flourishing. No other social group offers what the church offers. Yes, the church is broken, but there’s more. She’s beautiful.
184 pages, Paperback
Published November 6, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 2, 2026
Story of the church read! It was really good, and talked about how the church is broken but beautiful! I need to go back and read it when I dont have to worry about finding the answers to my assignments lol.
September 23, 2024
Lovely, personal book about how the church is so important, even if it is not always perfect. A must read.for for those of us tempted to give up on the church.
December 29, 2022
When Conway set out to write Broken but Beautiful, he could have hardly imagined how timely his publication would be as its release came during the 2020-2021 covid pandemic. As churches around the world ceased their in-person gatherings and watched cultural trends away from church attendance, Conway's apologetic for the church comes at just the right time.
There is much about the church to be angry at, ashamed of, and downright sickened by. Thus Conway's description: broken. Church-bashing and institution-toppling has become a popular sport in recent decades in Western civilization so this part of Conway's book is eerily familiar. While Broken but Beautiful stays away from church-bashing, the book does not shy away from calling out the sins of the church and the shortcomings of those who practice the Christian faith. But is all lost? Is the institution broken beyond repair?
It seems to me that these are all important questions in our day and time. Is church worth it? That's not a question we should rush to answr. Conway's book allows the reader to spend time and reflect on that question. Instead of providing a one-sided, bash session of the church, Conway sets out to remind the reader that despite its brokenness, it remains the beautiful bride of Christ.
Shying away from lofty theological points (though the book is rooted in careful study and research), Conway weaves personal testimonies about how the church became his mother following the loss of his birth mother. He tells story after story of the beauty of Christian relationships and the steadfastness of those bonds. They're not perfect, but they are good.
Broken but Beautiful is a personal testimony to how the church can operate when she is at her best. Of course, she is often at her worst, and Conway has no intention of ignoring that reality, but that must not dismiss her completely. The legacy of the church is similiar to those of movie and music stars who secretly were abusers and manipulators. What are we to do with Michael Jackson's music or Bill Cosby's television shows? It's not an easy question, but it is one that we continue to wrestle with.
There is a sense of folksy, Southern church culture behind much of Conway's story that is beautiful and endearing, but there were often times when I found myself wondering if he might be celebrating a time that is fleeting. My experience of church - while also good - is much different than Conway's. My experience, outside of the Bible Belt, shines differently. I don't think that invalidates anything that Broken but Beautiful shares, but I do think it is worth pondering of what that kind of church experience will look like as the world continues to become more secular.
There is much about the church to be angry at, ashamed of, and downright sickened by. Thus Conway's description: broken. Church-bashing and institution-toppling has become a popular sport in recent decades in Western civilization so this part of Conway's book is eerily familiar. While Broken but Beautiful stays away from church-bashing, the book does not shy away from calling out the sins of the church and the shortcomings of those who practice the Christian faith. But is all lost? Is the institution broken beyond repair?
It seems to me that these are all important questions in our day and time. Is church worth it? That's not a question we should rush to answr. Conway's book allows the reader to spend time and reflect on that question. Instead of providing a one-sided, bash session of the church, Conway sets out to remind the reader that despite its brokenness, it remains the beautiful bride of Christ.
Shying away from lofty theological points (though the book is rooted in careful study and research), Conway weaves personal testimonies about how the church became his mother following the loss of his birth mother. He tells story after story of the beauty of Christian relationships and the steadfastness of those bonds. They're not perfect, but they are good.
Broken but Beautiful is a personal testimony to how the church can operate when she is at her best. Of course, she is often at her worst, and Conway has no intention of ignoring that reality, but that must not dismiss her completely. The legacy of the church is similiar to those of movie and music stars who secretly were abusers and manipulators. What are we to do with Michael Jackson's music or Bill Cosby's television shows? It's not an easy question, but it is one that we continue to wrestle with.
There is a sense of folksy, Southern church culture behind much of Conway's story that is beautiful and endearing, but there were often times when I found myself wondering if he might be celebrating a time that is fleeting. My experience of church - while also good - is much different than Conway's. My experience, outside of the Bible Belt, shines differently. I don't think that invalidates anything that Broken but Beautiful shares, but I do think it is worth pondering of what that kind of church experience will look like as the world continues to become more secular.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews