Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices

by Todd D. Hunter, Scot McKnight (Foreword by)

Overview

Everybody wants to be spiritual. But nobody wants to be religious. Everybody is looking for a rich spiritual life. But nobody is looking to church. As a pastor, Todd Hunter found himself disillusioned, burned out and needing to drop out of traditional forms of church. He experimented with house churches and other options but was still dissatisfied. Eventually he found himself sneaking off to worship services on Sunday mornings with surprising results. What did the historic spiritual practices of church do for him? How did they lead to a life of centered peace, chart a path to simplicity and cause him to reach out to others while focusing on the glory of God? Walk with Hunter on this journey to find spiritual riches in a surprising place. You might just give church another chance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830879267
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	03/17/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	730 KB

About the Author

Christianity Beyond Belief, Giving Church A Second Chance, The Accidental Anglican, and Our Favorite Sins. He is also a teacher, writer, and consultant for his ministry, Society for Kingdom Living, which helps pastors and lay leaders reach a generation that has been disenfranchised from the church. Formerly national director at Vineyard Churches USA and then at Alpha USA, Hunter serves on the board of directors and executive committee of Alpha as well as on a number of other ministry boards, including Renovaré and Soul Survivor. He is an adjunct professor of evangelism and contemporary culture at George Fox University, Fuller Seminary, Western Seminary, Vanguard University, and Wheaton College, and has two adult children with his wife, Debbie.
The Jesus Creed, The King Jesus Gospel, A Community Called Atonement, Embracing Grace, The Real Mary and commentaries on James, Galatians and 1 Peter, and coeditor of the award-winning Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. He is also a widely recognized blogger at the Jesus Creed blog. His other interests include golfing, gardening and traveling.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Scott McKnight
Preface: From Churched to Dechurched to Rechurched
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Doing the Faith for the Sake of Others
1 Going to Church: Being Sent as Ambassadors of the Kingdom
2 Quiet Prelude: A Life of Centered Peace
3 Singing the Doxology: Radiating the Glory of God
4 Scripture Reading: Embodying the Story
5 Hearing Sermons: An Easy-Yoke Life of Obedience
6 Following Liturgy: A Lifestyle of the Work of the People
7 Giving an Offering: Simplicity of Life
8 Taking Communion: A Life of Thankfulness
9 Receiving the Benediction: Blessing Others
Conclusion: Putting the Spiritual Practices of Church to Use
Group Exercises
Notes

Editorial Reviews

Hunter (Christianity Beyond Belief) sought God in many churches, from the United Methodist Church of his youth through “contemporary fundamentalism” to Vineyard, then emerging churches, and finally the Anglican Church. He discovered that the “genuine Christian spirituality you’ve been dreaming of is possible by repracticing the spiritual routines of church.” Hunter investigates nine church practices—attendance, prelude, doxology, scripture reading, sermons, liturgy, offering, communion, benediction—as “a launching pad to life.” He avoids lengthy theological dissection of each practice, instead sharing how each can point to “real and lasting life in Jesus.” His words ring true for those tired of church as usual, who want to take Jesus outside the doors but aren’t sure why or how. Hunter advocates church for spiritual nourishment, but he’s also about applying church practices to the heart, then flinging open the church doors to help the world. Hunter describes repracticing communion as changing “Eucharist as a noun to Eucharist as a verb.” That linguistic transformation exactly conveys his exciting premise for all church practices. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Hunter's (Churches for the Sake of Others; Christianity Beyond Belief) story ought to be moving and exemplary to many readers. Despite his faith and commitment, he became disillusioned with church and found a new way back to his religion through what he calls "repracticing": reinvigorating belief with spiritual practice, which he views as a springboard to renewed spiritual life. Although Hunter recommends something more like action than passivity, it is not always easy to discern what he would have the tired but earnest Christian do—except as he has done, to reinvest meaning into liturgical practice. VERDICT An intriguing but perhaps incomplete brief for spiritual renewal from a pastor who has moved from evangelical to Episcopal practice.

Library Journal