Customer Reviews

A Churchless Faith

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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'.

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.

Alan Jamieson, A Churchless Faith: Faith Journey Beyond the Churches (London: SPCK, 2002)

This is a helpful study of why people leave evangelical/ Pentecostal/ charismatic churches, and how to understand and care for them. Jamieson is a pastor and sociologist whose doctoral research was based on interviews of why people leave their church and their journeys of faith outside the church - which contrary to expectations often continue to grow. He investigates reasons people leave, analyses different types of leavers - disillusioned followers, reflective exiles, transitional explorers, and integrated wayfinders - and relates their journeys to Fowler's stages of faith development theory. He says we need not just seeker-sensitive but leaver-sensitive churches, and liminal groups (like some emerging churches) where `leavers' can explore their questions safely. Jamieson suggests they need to offer space, resources, validation, support, and room for questions and emotions. He celebrates groups like `Spirited Exchanges' for church leavers that, in common with emerging missional communities, connect with the emerging postmodern culture, offer alternative structures and worship styles, and focus on whole-of-life faith.

Originally reviewed in Darren Cronshaw `The Emerging Church: Spirituality and Worship Reading Guide.' Zadok Papers S159 (Autumn 2008).

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.

First, let me express that I was teetering between three and four. Leaning towards four because this book does provide insight as to why some leave EPC churches in Britain, which was doctoral dissertation work. The three is related, as one of the detriments here is that Scripture is not introduced to be the authority in determining who is doing it the Jesus way and who is not. Quantitative and qualitative analysis using sociological, anthropological and other discipline methods, techniques and analysis run much too short of theological examination using biblical exegesis and theological reflection.

The more I advanced in reading, the more I became aware that the author leans toward a non-biblical evaluation of the topic. Certainly the matter of why people who were once active and participatory in a congregational setting should be interviewed and talked to as a high concern of church leaders. But the question remains, are the leaving one's concerns and disappointments and frustrations God pleasing? The Bible is recount with doubters and grumblers that did and did not please God, e.g. the related OT examples in 1 Cor. 10 which now apply to NT church as well, and the infamous doubting Thomas in John 20.

The author's orientation to corporate expertise and mindset of customer as king he applies to such church leavers. One would have to first prove that such marketing orientation is biblical, which this reviewer is not convinced. If this be true, then this research moves to a very incorrect and dangerous position, of urging the church to give into leavers and orient yourself to seekers. This is just not the case biblically. The church is for believers!

What I appreciated about this work is the insights it provides on why and how people do leave church. The question remains however if they can truly remain in saving faith outside believers' assembling together around Christ's Word and Sacraments with His gift of the office of the public ministry? This book answers no; I disagree. It offers no biblical evidence, other than the fine research work accomplished and the opinion of the frustrated leavers. The current contemporary idea that one can be a fine Christian without being churched is just biblically and historically wrong.

For sure Jesus states that one of the signs along with earthquakes and wars and rumors of wars is apostasy, falling away from the faith. (Mt. 24:10) Does the church have anything to do with this? This book seems to think not much, even a deterrent, but the Bible speaks otherwise.