Book Review: Mere Churchianity

Mere Churchianity:

Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality

by: Michael Spencer

Before seeing this book on the shelves of the bookstore I hadn't heard of Michael Spencer nor had I read his blog where he wrote as the Internet Monk. I was initially intrigued by the title and finding out what he meant by Churchianity and Jesus-shaped Spirituality. I'm not someone who has questioned leaving the church, but I have often wondered how so many churches seem to have lost sight of the church Jesus established. This book did a great job of explaining the disconnect between today's church (i.e. "Churchianity") and a relationship with Jesus (i.e. "Jesus-shaped Spirituality"). Spencer points to Jesus ministry with the disciples, how they were constantly being challenged to think differently and often against the cultural norms of the day. So why aren't we today challenging the church norms and the lens through which we view Jesus and the church?

Mere Churchianity validates those who may have chosen to leave the church in order to find God. While I don't agree with all of his arguments, I appreciate his candor in expressing his own shortcomings in his search for true Jesus-shaped spirituality. I think it's a good basis for those searching and a great reminder that we are all sinful, broken people forming communities of sinful, broken people. No church will ever be perfect, nor will any person, which is why we should always look to Jesus.

Spencer passed away last April after a long fight with cancer. Fortunately, his words still live on in his website (www.internetmonk.com) and in this book, Mere Churchianity.

*I received this book free from Multnomah Books as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own*