Just finished reading Keven DeYoung & Ted Kluck’s new book, “Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion.” With all the numerous ‘church-as-we-know-it-sucks’ books out there, this was a refreshing read. I read a lot of books and it seems that everybody is always ticked off at somebody. This book is a bit of a reaction to George Barna, Leonard Sweet, Brian McLaren, Donald Miller, & emerging church types.
Aside from the playful banter, I came away from this book with a renewed appreciation for my church and a stronger desire to serve there. I will leave you with some wise counsel from Kevin:
“Find a good local church, get involved, become a member, stay there for the long haul. Put away thoughts of revolution for a while and join the plodding visionaries. Go to church this Sunday and worship there in spirit and truth, be patient with your leaders, rejoice when the gospel is faithfully proclaimed, bear with those who hurt you, and give people the benefit of the doubt. While you are there, sing like you mean it, say hi to the teenager no one notices, welcome the blue hairs and the nose-ringed, volunteer for the nursery once in a while. And yes, bring your fried chicken to the potluck like everyone else, invite a friend to church, take the new couple out for coffee, give to the Christmas offering, be thankful someone vacuumed the carpet, enjoy the Sundays that click for you, pray extra hard on the Sundays that don’t, and do not despise ‘the day of small things’ (Zech 4:10)” (226-227).
Amen.