Churchless Faith, A - Faith Journeys beyond the Churches

By Alan Jamieson

Book Overview

Thoroughly researched, this ground-breaking and eminently readable book is an account of the lessons learned from groups seeking to work with those who have left evangelical, Pentecostal, and charismatic churches but who are nevertheless pursuing a journey of faith. It outlines some of the supportive structures and one-to-one help that churches can offer leavers, and suggests that a conversation between post-church groups and churches would be of considerable value to all. Praise for 'A Churchless Faith': '...sounds a trumpet call for every Christian with a heart for the Church should heed. Alan brings intelligence, insight and compassion to a hidden wound of the contemporary Church...the slow haemorrhage of faithful believers from seemingly healthy congregations. This study contains not only analysis but practical assistance for both leavers and the established Church. It is one of the most significant discussions on the future of the Christian movement you are likely to read.' Mike Riddell, Theologian and Writer. 'This is a lively and topical book ...it is written very fluently, it is based upon genuine research and it tackles an issue that is extremely important to churches today - namely finding out why people leave churches.' Professor Robin Gill, Michael Ramsey Chair of Modern Theology, University of Kent at Canterbury.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0281054657
• ISBN13: 9780281054657
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Research Based Book with Thoughtful Analysis

This is the best book that I have read so far on the subject of faith and attending (or not) building based churches. The book is based on research that Alan Jamieson did for his doctoral thesis. It is was a very easy and enjoyable read based on solid research. The book focuses on people who have left what the author calls EPC (Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Charismatic)churches. He makes a case for lumping these types of churches together based on similarities in these groups and that they are growing parts of Christianity worldwide. The data for the book comes from interviews with 108 church leavers and 54 church leaders. Interestingly many of the church leavers had held positions of leadership in the church. The author categorizes the church leavers into seven groups and not only describes the commonalities of people in these groups but relates them back to James Fowler's stages of faith. The main point of the book is that most of the people in his study did not leave the church to reject their faith but as part of its development. The book gives an evenhanded analysis of not just what church leavers feel and think but also the positive and negative consequences of their decision to leave an EPC church.

Tremendously helpful

If you grew up in the church, are bored with or sick of church & shallow evangelicalism this book is awesome. It doesnt try to prescribe any solutions, it only observes why people leave evangelical churches and what happens to them afterwards. Best thing about the book: you know you are not alone and you understand what's going on inside of you.

Growing not dying - encouragement for leavers and pastors

I found this book extremely thought-provoking and encouraging. In particular, it introduced me to the work of James Fowler in modelling spiritual growth as stages of faith. The book challenges the prevailing view about church leavers and I felt has clear messages for both the individual feeling church is no longer for them, and for churches facing the departure of well-known members.From the perspective of someone rethinking their religious faith, the most helpful aspect of the book was the level-voiced and non-judgemental survey work (drawn from Jamieson's doctoral thesis) showing why people stop attending churches. Jamieson develops a model showing why people leave and the summary, surprising to some, is that it's a matter of growth of faith rather than death of faith that makes the majority of leavers go it alone. The key message to the individual? "You're not the first to face this, and you're not on your own".Like the related book 'The Post-Evangelical', Jamieson discusses the fact that faith systems today exist in the context of a culture completing the transition to a post-modern outlook. His challenge to church leaders is to see leavers not as the fallen but as pioneers. His research finds in the majority of cases individuals with insight into expressing faith in post-modern terms rather than in the modernist terms of the established churches. The key message to the church? "Culture is changing, and your leavers are your congregations's pioneers".Overall this is a book that should be on every minister's shelf and which could offer relief to long-term church members and leaders suffering 'burn out'.