Book Review - Mere Churchianity

Mere Churchianity, by Michael Spencer (The Internet Monk) WaterBrook Press, 2010.

Do not read this book if you do not want to be challenged!!!  This book will challenge one’s traditional way of approaching and doing church.  Spencer does a great job of challenging the reader to analysis whether one is following the church or following Jesus.  He proves throughout the book that the two are not the same.  Spencer is very clear at the beginning of the book that his target audience is “those who have left the church or are leaving the church.”  I am not part of that target audience, but the book was very beneficial for me.  It opened my eyes to some of the mistakes that the church is making today.  It also reminded me that church is not about buildings, money, or large crowds, but about making disciples of Jesus.  Whether you are part of the target audience or not this book is a must read.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who is seeking to discover how to be a genuine follower of Jesus.

At first, I was afraid that Spencer was going to land-blast the church throughout the book.  After reading the first few chapters I knew he was not land-blasting the church, but land-blasting false organized Christianity.  He asks the question, “If I spent three years with Jesus, how would I feel about…?”  He concludes that much of what the church today feels is important, would not be the things that Jesus would feel is important.

Spencer encourages the reader to capture “Jesus-shaped spirituality.”  Which is his way of talking deeper about: (1) Jesus, (2) Having a genuine experience of God, and (3) Figuring out how a life gets transformed.  Spencer’s goal is to help point people into a real relationship with Jesus.  He continually states what is important is one’s understanding of who Jesus really is.

Mere Churchianity is a call not for people to return to church, but to become genuine followers of Christ.

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"

Book Review - Inside the Teenage Brain

As adults we have long forgotten what it was like to be a teenager.  We often have erased the memories of a rapid changing body and raging hormones.  Sheryl Feinstein in her book, Inside the Teenage Brain, does an excellent job of reminding us of the internal roller coaster that each person who passes through the teen years must endure. This is a must read for parents, school teachers, and anyone who works the teenagers.

Feinstein does an excellent job of presenting the facts of why teenagers behavior and think the way they do.  Her writing is supported with scientific research, however she does not lose the reader with a lot of jargon the reader cannot understand.

The first three chapters go into detail about the human brain and the phases of development.  Feinstein explains why teenagers act and think differently than adults.  Chapters 4 thru 11 covers the different topics and circumstances that teenagers and parents go thru.  After each topic, there is a section, What Should Parents Do, which gives the adult some ideas of how to interact with teenagers.  Feinstein does a great job of covering a variety of topics from dating to cell phones to dirty rooms.

A major theme throughout the book is that if the adult will attempt to understand the teenager and then communicate effectively, the two can have a much better productive relationship.

The only part of the book that I have reservations about is when Feinstein discusses the topic of homosexuality and transgender behavior.  I would not agree with her approach on dealing with those two issues.  With that aside, I would highly recommend, Inside the Teenage Brain, as a must read for anyone who has or works with teenagers.

In Christ,

Pastor Greg