No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come-As-You-Are Culture in the Church

by John Burke

Book Overview

How do we live out the message of Jesus in today's ever-changing culture?

The church is facing its greatest challenge--and its greatest opportunity--in our postmodern, post-Christian world. God is drawing thousands of spiritually curious "imperfect people" to become his church--but how are we doing at welcoming them?

No Perfect People Allowed shows you how to deconstruct the five main barriers standing between emerging...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310275016
• ISBN13: 9780310275015
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 8.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Up-to-date info for the behind-the-times church

This book is an absolute must for churches today! Anyone that is a minister, volunteer worker, or anyone that is Christian and is part of a church should read this book. As a music minister, this book really challenged me to stop hiding behind the walls of a church building and actually do what the Bible tells me to do, reach the unchurched. This book is about relating to the unchurched on their terms and not expecting them to act like Christians before they come to church. To paraphrase Paul, "I have become all things to all people so I can tell them about Christ." This is what the church should be doing today but they spend all their time having business meetings and fellowship meals. If you're looking to start reaching out to those that need the hope that you have within you, then I would pick up this book and read it then pass it on to as many people in your church as you can.

Wow.

It's hard to believe a five star review these days when you see one. So many people give five stars to their favourite artists, authors or whoever, regardless of how good the product is. If there were some way of showing that this 'really is' a five star worthy book, then maybe it would get across just how valuable and fascinating it really is. I bought this book for my dad last Christmas, and now we know at least ten people who have a copy as a result of us insisting they get it. Most have said they couldn't put it down, and the same goes for me, even though I quite honestly can't stand reading books. John Burke not only thinks outside the square, but he has literally taken a journey outside the square, and that's what makes this book of true stories even more exciting. It's time for the church to take hold of what this book is all about, and I can't stress that enough. I'm part of a small group starting a new seeker church, and we are all reading through this book week by week, it has taken us in a direction that we may never have taken without it. I'm over what I used to think was 'church', and I'm happy it's behind me. I picked this book up by what I thought was chance during some Christmas shopping, boy was I in for a surprise!

Excellent Discussion of Postmodern Ministry

In No Perfect People Allowed, John Burke discusses the issues that confronted he and his staff in creating and growing the Gateway Community Church in Austin, TX. As an interested observer of the Emerging Church movement and the faculty advisor for one of my college's campus ministry I was interested in what Burke would have to say about ministering to the present generation. After reading the book I was just amazed. First, I found the book's ideas about the struggles we all have with brokenness and aloneness deeply affecting and moving. As I read these chapters at 30,000 feet I was profoundly struck with mine and my generation's deepest needs from a faith and what it might mean to us. Second, I can't think of a single book that gets more "right" about what young people in our multi-cultural, hyper-tolerant society see and need in a Christian community. Week in and week out I see the situations and lessons played out in the campus ministry I actively advise and Burkes' perspectives and "talking points" have been tremedously helpful to me. One thing that I found very refreshing about the book is that Burke doesn't (at least in my opinion) shy away from difficult topics or leave out important theological considerations. In fact, his discussion of the theology of the trinity is one of the best I've read for explaining (if such a term can be used for the mystery of the trinity) how God can be one God and three persons. If you are interested in the intersection of "Church" and "Culture" and how some of the issues have been addresses and worked through I would recommend this book. If you are attempting to reach those who are identified as being part of the last two generations I would say that this book might be one of the most informative and helpful books you can read. Thanks to John Burke for sharing his experiences and acquired wisdom with those of us who are trying to reach the same people in search of an authentic community.

At last, a practical response to Postmodernism

John Burke, based on his own experience as the founding pastor of a church in Austin, Texas, provides what may be the first really practical 'text' on how to minister effectively to postmoderns. After a brief overview of postmodernism, Burke builds his book around five 'struggles' related to it: the struggles with trust, tolerance, truth, brokenness and aloneness. He does so in a very anecdotal style using examples from his pastoral experience. While the book is a very useful guide in how to evangelize and disciple postmoderns, by inference he accomplishes two significant gains: he provides evidence in why evangelicals should look at postmodernism more as an opportunity rather than a threat and he debunks the commonly-held notion that effective ministry to postmoderns must involve a rejection of seeker-sensitive and seeker-oriented methods. Burke obviously has not forgotten nor rejected his experience at Willow Creek.