The Rumors of My ( Church’s) Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

I found a book entitled WHY WE LOVE THE CHURCH. Heard of it? It’s written by the two guys, Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, who wrote WHY WE’RE NOT EMERGENT. I sat in a chair in the bookstore reading passages from it. Before long, I was smiling and nodding, even chuckling. I was so impressed, I decided to buy it. The book is insightful, clear, eminently balanced, and, at times, hilarious. For an example of the latter, here’s Kevin DeYoung:

“The narrative is becoming so commonplace, you could Mad Lib it:

The institutional church is so (pejorative adjective). When I go to church I feel completely (negative emotion). The leadership is totally (adjective you would use to describe Richard Nixon) and the people are (noun that starts with un-). The services are (adjective you might use to describe going to the dentist), the music is (adjective you would use to describe the singing on Barney), and the whole congregation is (choose among: “passive,” “comatose,” “hypocritical,” or “Rush Limbaugh Republicans”). The whole thing makes me (medical term).”

I have a tendency to fret when some johnny-come-lately says things like, “preaching is passe” or “you don’t do enough to touch people where they are.” So I’ve needed this encouragement, this back-up in a hail of emerging bullets! But DeYoung, a pastor, and Kluck, a chicken (no, not really; he’s a sportswriter and a member of DeYoung’s church; I’m just making a yolk, er, joke!), don’t give more traditional churches, like mine, a free ride. No, they point out the glaring errors and sins of omission early and vigorously. But neither do they suffer emergents or those enamored of house churches gladly. This is good stuff. It’s also stuff I’ve been pining to read for a long time. It’s like a tall iced tea after a hot afternoon mowing.

If you’re the pastor of a “traditional”/”attractional”/ordinance-practicing, Sunday School-having church; if you’re discouraged, feeling disenchanted with the church, whether as pastor or a member, do yourself a favor. Read this book.