| Accessories By Manufacturer | |
|
|
Email Newsletter
Get info on Sales, Events, New Products, and More!
|
|
|
|
|
| So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore | 
 enlarge | Authors: Jake Colsen, Wayne Jacobsen, Dave Coleman
Publisher: Windblown Media
Category: Book
List Price: $11.99
Buy New: $6.65
You Save: $5.34 (45%)
New (38) Used (7) from $6.42
Avg. Customer Rating:  70 reviews
Sales Rank: 797
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 191
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.6
ISBN: 0964729229
Dewey Decimal Number: 248
EAN: 9780964729223
ASIN: 0964729229
Publication Date: March 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: 100% Brand New! - Ships Today! Identical to Amazon's book in every way. Flawless! Not a cheap Remainder or Book Club Copy! *We recommend Expedited Shipping option for much faster mail delivery
|
| Customer Reviews:
 A Dramatic Fiction Title That Ministers To The Broken Hearted October 4, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
"So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore" brought me to tears and ultimately, healing. I am personally guilty of thinking I could build a relationship with God without any involvement from the church. In the past, I have placed my pastors and leaders on pedestals on which they didn't belong. This book reminded me that the church is made up of fallible human beings, myself included. We are fallible, but usable by God. I have discovered a new favorite author in Wayne Jacobsen who ministers to my heart.
What I needed. September 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Haven't read thte entire book yet, but the first 4 chapters brought me to a place I knew I was looking for and once had.
Had moved from my "hometown" and church 12 years ago and have been very discouraged with the results of my looking for another home church. This book, so far, has reminded me of who my first love is and how my focus has been skewed.
Beware! More bad reviews by the same Guy! September 27, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
The author gives an incredible challenge to all those attending church today. A message of authenticity, relationship and reconciliation inside and outside the physical walls of a church building. Jacobsen gives insights into the worldly beliefs we buy into that get in the way of real relationship with God and others.
This book gives hope to anyone following the Spirit of God and not man-made rules. Hope for discipling with the love of Christ versus trying to control and manipulate others with man made religious agendas and theology. As a long time elder of a local church, this book is not negative toward the local church; it is a book that casts a vision of what church could be like, if we follow Christ and not our own agendas!
Unfortunately, if you are a Christian who believes in an extremist view of reformed theology you will not like this book and probably not like any of the books by this publisher. If you are a top book reviewer with your own agenda of attempting to push extremist reformed theology onto all Christians (with no biblical support) then this book may anger you to the point that you would attempt to misrepresent its contents. This type of elitist attitude unfortunately can create the kind of division within the church body the author is warning against and, unfortunately, is false and misleading. Beware.
I doubt if any of us need any more humans telling us what we "must reject". However, if a controlling version of religion is what you are after, then please, heed the misleading advice, and ignore this book.
No doubt about it...5 stars!
 I love the Local Church September 18, 2008
24 out of 32 found this review helpful
On a positive note:
The author rightly raises red flags toward some of the legalism and Gnostic tendencies that some local churches exhibit. The desire to have church simplified and exhibit grace is definitely a good thing. He is correct in stating several times in the book that God will never love us any more or less based on our perfomance. Jesus' righteuosness imputed to us is what makes a sinner right before a Holy God.
Now for the Critique:
1) Poor Ecclesiology - Colsen builds a straw man argument from the get-go. It is clear from the book and his writing at the end of the book in his open letter to "fellow-believers" that he has a chip on his shoulder probably due to some bad experiences that he has had with whatever local church/s he has been a part of in the past. He rips on the whole idea of the local church. Yet over half the NT is addressed to specific local church congregations: Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Collossae, and Philippi, to name a few. All of these churches had governing bodies consisting of elders; deacons; and men and women using specific spiritual gifts so that these bodies had structure and organization (1 Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4). Instead of attacking the NT model for the Church he attacks a poor model of the abuses in a fictional local church. I think he would have better served the Church by examining the biblical parameters laid out for the Church and thus could have developed a Biblical Ecclesiology. He never does this. He simply takes a few elements that were exhibited in the NT Church and picks those that fit his personal preferences. It is true that many of the NT Churches met in homes: however, it wasn't exclusively in homes, and preaching was always an integral part of their worship gatherings. Let's see what the Scriptures have to say (oh how refreshing to have an authority based on God's revelation and NOT ON FICTION) PLEASE READ CAREFULLY -Acts 2:42-47, 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together (not a home) and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. The author of Hebrews commands that we do not forsake meeting together as a body of believers (not the hippie hitch-hike approach the book condones). Hebrews 10: 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some (Colsen's recommendation), but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
2) Poor Theology Proper & View of the Gospel - The only side of God that is dealt with in the book is His grace. It is not even closely balanced with our sin against the law and God's just demands that necessitated both Christ's atonement and propitiation for our sins. God's holiness is not dealt with at all. The book totally focuses on `ME" and is totally man-centered (Romans 3-5).
3) Poor View of Preaching - Some of Paul's last instructions to Timothy we need to take VERY SERIOUSLY when examining what Colsen proposes in his hippie like manner of gathering whenever and wherever the spirit leads us. Look at what SCRIPTURE SAYS: 2 Timothy 4:1-4, 1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. If you read 1 and 2 Timothy you will find a huge and heavy emphasis on studying the Scriptures diligently and the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. Jesus' own ministry was filled with the teaching and application of the Scriptures. I am deeply offended by Colsen's disdain for this clear mandate of the Apostle Paul to Timothy that is to be used throughout the ages for God's glory and the edification of the Church for whom our glorious Savior bled and died! People, who struggle with careful preaching from God's Word that is delivered in a gracious manner, don't have a problem with preaching...they have a problem with God's revelation! People always buck against preaching because it's too convicting. They would rather huddle with other sinners and give therapy to one another rather than be cut to the heart by God's Word.
4) Poor view of God's Word - it is correct that children shouldn't be scolded for not remembering verses as mentioned in the book. However, I am so glad that we give opportunities in our own Church body for Scripture memory because it gives our children absolutes to base their beliefs on. Kids learn by modeling, but they also need absolutes and authoritative truth to base their convictions and beliefs on. I'd like to hear Colsen's take on David's advice to young children from the Psalms: Psalm 119:9-11, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
I thank God for the godly men and women that taught me the Scriptures from my youth. It is these very Scriptures I learned as a youth that I am able to use now as an adult to keep me pure and to help me deal with the red flags I see in a book like Colsen's. Colson prefers a gathering where there is no dealing with guilt because of our sin before a holy God - instead where everything is flowers and strokes for felt needs. Colson would fit in well with the Bahai faith. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't doubt that most new age type groups would cherish this book! We as depraved sinners don't know what we need a lot of the time. That's why we need the authoritative Scriptures like we need bread and water daily. Because God knows we need to hear and be exposed to the truth about Him and ourselves daily (Psalm 1; Joshua 1:8).
I think overall that Colsen's book is dangerous because it attacks what Jesus died for -- The Church which consist of the many local churches since the ones established in the New Testament until Jesus comes back.
A gentle book with a REVOLUTIONARY message!!! September 12, 2008
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
I have to give credit to this book for igniting that spark that has led me out of the institutional church. When I first read it, I couldn't believe that there were Christians who would dare to think (much less talk) this way! It was so refreshing. The truths in the book resonated very deeply within me. My only gripe is that I don't really like the title. When talking about it, I feel like I need to explain that the book is not just about not wanting to go to church - that it has a lot to do with an authentic relationship with Christ. Having said that, the TRUTHS that emerge from this book are illuminating. I always suggest this book as a primer as it is very gentle given the REVOLUTIONARY nature of the message. Once you've read this, it's probably time to read some of Frank Viola's books, and the many books that talk about organic church.
|
|
|
Site by: Troy Peterson | |
