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Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices

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I have been going to church my entire life. I am a pastor, my father was a pastor, and his father a pastor before him. The weekly rhythm of Sunday worship and midweek Bible study is the only rhythm I have ever known.

And, truth be told, I'm a bit tired of it. Perhaps you are too. If so, take a look at Todd Hunter's new book, Giving Church Another Chance.

Todd Hunter grew up Methodist, converted at Calvary Chapel, was in on the startup of Vineyard Fellowship, spent a few years doing alternative church, and is now a priest of the Anglican Mission in America. He's seen and done a lot of different styles of church. The experience hasn't made him cynical, however; but it has highlighted his felt need for Christians to rethink what they're getting out of church.

As I read Giving Church Another Chance, three things stood out as most relevant for me.

First, the need to connect church with the real world: What does going to church have to do with the rest of my life? For many years, I was an associate pastor. For three years, I was a senior pastor. Now, I work for my denomination and just attend church. But in all three cases, there were (are) sometimes when I leave a Sunday morning worship service and have no idea how to answer the question of relevance. I have been immersed in an experience of divine transcendence, but I have no idea how it applies to the other six days of my week. Hunter shows the relevance of the church's spiritual practices to life.

Second, the need to move from beliefs to behaviors. I am an intellectual type of guy. I love to read, write, and argue. And so, my constant temptation is to live in my head. But knowing the Bible is not the same thing as doing what it says, and if the Apostle James is to be believed, doing it is what counts most. Hunter focuses on practices, showing us how can live out what we learn on Sunday mornings: doxology, Scripture, sermons, offering, communion, and benediction.

Third, the need to move from consumption toward mission. This is similar to the point above, but it has an angle toward the evangelization and discipleship of others. Hunter calls this "doing faith for the sake of others."

Truth be told, I had a hard time reading this book. Hunter's writing style is simple and clear, but it wasn't jibing with me. I can't really explain why not. But as he wrote, I kept identifying myself in the story he was telling - especially regarding the points mentioned above - so I kept reading.

And I'm glad I did. Attending church is a way of constantly reminding yourself that it (life, etc.) is not about you, that you don't know everything, and that you can learn from the practices of the faithful who have gone before you. It is, in other words, a discipline of God's grace.

I was firmly committed to watching the Final Four emerge on Saturday, having planted myself on the family room couch in front of the TV. Somewhere late in the first period of the first game, my wife came in and dropped a package on my lap. It was the book I'd ordered (because Todd, my dear friend and mentor, never gives me a free copy of his books...ahem, ahem). I opened the box at the half and began to read the cover material, the preface, the introduction...chapter one, chapter two, and so on, until I'd finished the entire book. I just couldn't put it down, despite two really good playoff games in front of me (I did read and watch through them both, I admit). This has only happened twice in my life, where I sort of accidently started a book and then didn't move from my seat until it was done.

I am in the midst of giving Church another chance in my own spiritual journey. That's not why I bought the book, mind you, but it most certainly played a role in my captivation by it. Todd's personal journey reads like he has read my journals, like he stole my story (even down to sneaking into an Episcopal Church for a while...sheesh!). He tells his story with a refreshing honesty and in his (now) usual gracious and self-deprecating way. With intentional kindness toward those who made his journey what it was, good and bad, he takes his readers down the road that has led him to embrace a form of church that he'd never really appreciated in his past. And in doing so, he teaches us all to consider a life lived in community with fellow travelers, for the sake of others. Church, and it's traditions, revisited for the sake of others. Huh...and here I thought it was supposed to be all about ME.

I won't go into all the content here (just read it yourself), but generally Todd examines several elements of a more liturgical church gathering (things like the prelude, the doxology, scripture reading, the offering, the sermon, communion, the benediction, and liturgy as a concept itself), but does so by explaining how these practices can be lived out, day to day, in ways that serve others and is for the good of others. This is way more interesting than it might sound, and far more compelling than I anticipated.

Todd's journey has led him to become a Bishop in the Anglican Mission in the Americas (a mission "order" of the Anglican Church in Rwanda) in recent years. But you'll not hear any invitation to join him there in the high church he has felt called to. There is, however, an invitation to join him in a life and community that is lived out for the sake of others. A life of cooperative friendship with Jesus in the Kingdom of God at hand. And an invitation to those of us who have walked away from "church" as we've known it for a lot of really good reasons, too many to list. An invitation to see church and it's various forms of liturgy differently, through new eyes. Not to reorganize, or retool or restructure church services so as to make them more palatable to the mind and heart that has been crushed by it, but to give Church another chance. I, for one, found the invitation beautifully compelling.

This will be different style of book review than I normally write; it's more of a confession.

I've had the privilege of following Todd Hunter's spiritual journey closer than most people. I was a part of the Vineyard Church movement when Todd became the National Director after John Wimber's passing. From my perspective Todd was at his best when he was given an opportunity to share about the Kingdom and mentor younger leaders. I was personally disappointed when he resigned as I was hoping to be mentored by him while he was in this role.

Todd's next couple of jobs actually brought him physically closer. He and his family moved to Eagle, Idaho, a bedroom community right outside of my hometown of Boise. He soon went to work for Alpha Ministries, leasing out office space right across the road from our church. On many days I'd see Todd pacing up and down the sidewalk, talking on a phone headset and gesturing with his hands like the young leader on the other end of the line was right in front of him.

Many times I desired to walk across the street and have lunch with Todd. I didn't, mostly out of judgment. I had been convinced that Todd was a quitter, that he had settled, that he was suffering a mid-life crisis and that he had taken his hands off the plow. I had bought into the idea that the para-church ministry he was involved in was of less value to the Kingdom than the building we worked in on the other side of the street. (Do you know how sad I am to have to admit this?)

Fast forward a few years and now Todd and I have practically switched places--I am outside of the institutional church and Todd is an Anglican Bishop. Go figure.

Recently I've had a chance to sit down with Todd as he shared his journey with a group of us over dinner. It answered some questions I had for him, but found I still had several more. When I heard that he had penned a new book titled, Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices, I was interested. Though I was resistant to read a "Do Not Forsake The Assembling Of Yourselves Together" commentary, knowing Todd, I doubted that was what he had written. I assumed, having let go of of those previous judgments, that Todd was in a healthy place to write a book of this nature, and I was in a healthy place to listen. I was correct in my assumption. Here is what he shares of this journey:

"I did not intend any of this history. Neither did I approach any of it with premeditation. It just unfolded before me. And I feel in no way victimized by it. I have no complaints, I hold no grudges, and there are no chips-at least that I can see-on my shoulder. At this point in my life, I essentially have positive memories and appreciation for everything each tradition and each group gave me. The message here is not that everything and everyone in my past was wrong, and now I have found the right church."

With that expression of healthiness and humility, I was glad to pick up this book.

Ultimately, Giving Church Another Chance, is much more about the subtitle "Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices" than it is about joining a traditional congregation. Todd's observations about life in the Kingdom truly come from a Big C church perspective, not just a local church viewpoint. I appreciate his observations, his passion, and his candor. He discusses the value and purpose behind many of the spiritual disciplines. Great food for thought and practice.

My local church life does differ in form that Todd's does these days, but with his mission I have no qualms.

"We are not trying to get people to follow a certain form of church but are trying to help them follow Jesus for the sake of others. The goal of leadership and the goal of our churches is that people discover the spiritual practices of church as a way of learning to follow Jesus."

It's nuggets like that quote that make me glad to still have Todd's influence in my life. This chapter of his journey, and his reflections on the ones he has already finished, are definitely worth processing.

Late last year I read my pastor and Bishop Todd Hunter's first book, Christianity Beyond Belief in which he argued for the importance of entering into God's story and living as Christians not merely for cleansing from sin, but further for the sake of touching the lives of others with Christ's love. That is, being a people set apart by God for the sake of the rest of the world, just as Israel was intended to be.

Recently, he released his second book, Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices and it is a book well worth picking up. There is a large group in our society, even within Christianity, who have become disenchanted with church. Todd was one of these, he went through a "de-churched" phase, experimenting with various alternative forms of Christian worship, but then, at the end of this journey, he found himself as an Anglican Bishop. For those of you who don't know, Anglicanism, which has its roots in the Church of England, is a high liturgical church, with bishops, priests, and formal organized prayers. What happened? Well, you'll have to read the book to get the full story, but in short Todd discovered the role of the liturgical church as a tool for spiritual formation. He came to realize that church is not "what it's about" but rather a place of spiritual refreshment for Christians, a center for our lives from which we go forth to bless the world.

I still have some of the problems I had with Christianity Beyond Belief, namely the stylistic simplicity (especially the use of quotations from The Message paraphrase of the Bible) but as before, I feel these aesthetic complaints do not reflect on the importance of the content.

Ultimately, I don't think this book is as important as Surprised by Hope but it's a wonderful tool for understanding Todd's vision and I truly believe that the "re-practicing" of church advocated by Todd in this book should at the very least be examined by all Christians (especially the section on the Eucharist), but especially those who would tear down centuries of tradition on the basis of their own limited experience and personal interpretations of scripture.

"...practice your way to faith." Those are some of the closing words to this remarkably simple, yet profound book. I've had Giving Church Another Chance in my possession for a while now. I have meant to read it before, but for myriad reasons haven't gotten around to starting it until recently. I'm almost inclined to say the timing for this read was providential considering that I read three-quarters of the book during a snowstorm that knocked out power and had us locked in to our home for a few days. The accompanying solitude and quiet lent itself to an almost perfect environment to absorb and digest the sweet and nurturing words that Todd Hunter shares on repracticing the disciplines of the Church.

I do not know Todd personally, but I have learned about him through the stories of others and from the information he has shared about his biography. It seems to me that he stands in small company with a group of people who are uniquely qualified and gifted to share the story he tells this book. Todd has been exposed to a very diverse experience within the Protestant church family, not only as a participating member, but also in the top levels of leadership. His perspective, experience, and wisdom are shared with pastoral gentleness and Christ-like humility. I found my emotions, both physical and spiritual, stirred throughout my reading experience having memories recalled from my own life as well as sensing a longing in my soul to participate in repracticing these ecclesial exercises.

The book is nine chapters not counting the introduction and conclusion, and just short of two-hundred pages. Todd has included a notes and references section at the end of the book and he also includes a group study guide as well. His outline and process through the book is quite clever as he follows the basic liturgical movement of a weekend mass or worship service (check the amazon.com site for an inside look of the TOC for a closer look).

While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I was especially moved by several chapters. Chapter five; "Hearing Sermons" was rather convicting to me. I am a pastor, a leader in the church; I have been involved with the Christian faith in some aspect or another for over forty years. I know intellectually and spiritually that church is about Jesus Christ...or should be and that it is not solely about me or my needs. Knowing this and practicing it is a different story. Too often I find myself taking the role of an ecclesiastical version of Siskel and Ebert acting as a couch critic for all things church and worship service related. I don't like that I do this, but even if I keep my mouth shut, my subconscious is still measuring and grading all that goes on during a Sunday morning. Opening myself up to the insight Todd Hunter shares might help me to engage in "hearing the sermon" from a less narcissistic perspective and engage in a more corporate attitude.

Chapters six through eight were also very meaningful to me, helping to recenter and align some of the outward expressions of faith through the practices and disciplines of the church. Specifically, Hunter addresses Liturgy as A Lifestyle of the Work of the People, Giving an Offering (tithing) as Simplicity of Life, and Taking Communion (Eucharist) as a Life of Thankfulness. Each of these chapters were nothing new to me, but they were gentle and firm reminders that were helpful in showing area where I might have become lax in my practices.

The conclusion of the book is indeed a summation of the purpose of the entire book; Putting the Spiritual Practices of the Church to Use. A quote out of the book from Henri Nouwen might be a good way to end this review; "The goal of education and formation for the ministry is continually to recognize the Lord's voice, his face, and his touch in every person we meet." This then, is what the spiritual practices of the church help us to learn. Giving Church another Chance might be the first step you or someone you know needs to get back on that track of formation. This book is great and easy to read...simple and profound.

"There is a counterintuitive aspect of engaging with the spiritual practices of church. Though spiritual formation is chiefly an inward reality, we often work on our heart, mind and soul through bodily or external practices. This is true of all the spiritual practices of church. But we need to keep in mind that it is the inward part of our life from which outward action flow."

All too often followers of Jesus get caught up in what is new, different, and/or exciting. We want to be on the forefront of what God is doing so we forget the practices of the past.

Sadly enough this `new' equal `better' mentality has cast believers into the sea without an anchor or a compass. In order to know where one is going, one has to understand and know where you have been. In his book "Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices," Todd Hunter seeks to bring back an understanding of nine practices of the church:

Going to Church: Being Sent as Ambassadors of the Kingdom
Quiet Prelude: A life of Centered Pease
Singing the Doxology: Radiating the Glory of God
Scripture Reading: Embodying the Story
Hearing Sermons: An Easy-Yoke Life of Obedience
Following Liturgy: A Lifestyle of the Work of the People
Giving an Offering: Simplicity of Life
Taking Communion: A Life of Thankfulness
Receiving the Benediction: Blessing Others

The awesome thing about this book is that Todd walks the reader through each of these nine practices while using his own life as a backdrop. Starting with his choice to follow Jesus as a nineteen year old college student amidst the 1970's Southern California Jesus Movement through his time in the Vineyard to his current adventure with the Anglican Church, Todd beautifully and masterfully brings a new passion to these ancient practices.

"This book is written for everyone who has tried church and found it wanting, but somewhere deep within they still desire a spiritual life in the way of Jesus. I understand; it happened to me."

Todd Hunter's pursuit of God has taken him on a long and interesting spiritual journey. "Giving Church Another Chance" describes his disillusionment, struggles, and questions as he revisits the need in his own life to focus on God and "give church another chance."

Hunter's writing is autobiographical, brutally honest, and engaging. This is not a deep theological discussion of the doctrine of the church but it is a refreshing look at how the church must be at the core of the life of the believer, the follower of Christ.

"Giving Church Another Chance" is written for those who find themselves at a juncture, desiring to experience a personal relationship with Jesus, but unable to connect with the activities of Sunday worship and daily living.

The title Giving Church Another Chance is what drew me to Todd Hunter's latest book. I nearly walked away from church. I see the problems, and as much as I might want to resist, we are made to live in community. I want to love the church, and Todd Hunter has a perspective that is different than mine, so I want to learn what I can from him.

His journey is fascinating. Early mentors include Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel and John Wimber of The Vineyard churches. He became the national coordinator and shortly thereafter the president of Vineyard Churches USA. After 12 years of ministry a crisis of confidence led to Todd's departure.

He enrolled in a Virginia Beach seminary and sought counseling. A pivotal event came, when in an effort to reengage in some basic Christian practices, he read Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline. Through Richard he discovered Dallas Willard, Eugene Peterson and host of other ancient and contemporary writers "who educate and train others on the practices associated with Christian faith."

Today Hunter is the director of West Coast church planting and a bishop for Anglican Mission in the Americas. He pastors Holy Trinity Church in Orange County, California where he and his congregation practice the principles outlined in this book.

Hunter emphasizes that being a Christian is more than believing a set of truths. It's a way of life. He writes, "To recover their rightful place in Christian life, beliefs need to be actualized, that is, we turn them into practices that (1) change us for the better in a way that (2) those around us experience as for their good."

In succeeding chapters Hunter walks the reader through some of the observances found more typically in liturgical or traditional churches. He starts with the "Quiet Prelude." It is preparation intended to help individuals live a life of settled peace.

He references Archibald Hart's Thrilled to Death: "Hart recommends Christian meditation and times of quiet contemplation and concentration focusing on the presence of God." Why is experiencing centered peace a big deal? Hunter answers, "Centered peace implies a deep and abiding form of confidence in Jesus and his care for the whole world, including us." Our actions and living in carrying-out the teachings of Jesus are to spring from this fertile soil.

Other chapters cover "Singing the Doxology," "Scripture Reading," "Hearing Sermons," "Following Liturgy," "Giving an Offering," "Taking Communion," and "Receiving the Benediction." Hunter succeeds in making each of these subjects not only meaningful but practical.

The only place he loses me is when he writes about the Eucharist: "The Eucharist conveys to those who receive it in faith, the body and blood of Jesus, that is Christ's life. It transmits by faith all the benefits of his broken body and shed blood, these being sacramental signs of the totality of his virgin birth, life, teachings, works, death, resurrection and ascension." I recognize different views, but isn't Christ's life conveyed through faith in him? It is not faith in communion or its elements but faith in the person of Christ. I received Christ and the benefits of what he did for me the moment I believed in him.

Where Hunter succeeds admirably is in connecting faith with daily life. Spiritual practices regain their meaning.

I just finished Todd Hunter's latest book Giving Church Another Chance. Todd has an important message for the church, and for those wondering what church is all about, that is a theme in his earlier book Christianity Beyond Belief and is explored here in other ways.

Here is my favorite quote from this book, one that encapsulates the message Todd has: "To repractice church in terms of ambassadorship we have to make sure the church does not eat up all our time or become our main focus. We are not trying to get people to follow a certain form of church but are trying to help them follow Jesus for the sake of others. The goal of leadership and the goal of our churches is that people discover the spiritual practices of church as a way of learning to follow Jesus."

Todd emphasizes that church involvement and attendance are not the point of following Jesus, they are a means to an end, which is to live for Jesus 24/7 in way that blesses others. Not just other believers, but everyone.

As someone who used to spend 15 hours a week at church, I have had my adventures in missing the point. These days we all have many demands on our time and Todd's goal is to get us to see what the practices of the church: the worship service, the music, the liturgy, etc., have to do with real life. How to we understand and "repractice" these activities so that they are not just form, but they inform our lives in life-giving ways.

I am also someone who rejected more traditional forms of worship for casual, current style and this book generated a renewed interest in me to explore the older forms (the liturgy for example) to discover the value of that and to draw from the rich history of the Church. Additionally I have read many "what's wrong with the Church and how do we fix it?" books and this one is refreshing in that Todd is someone who has rediscovered for himself the value in some of the older forms and traditions and is much more honoring of the Church, saying that the question really isn't what's wrong with the Church? but how can I connect to God and others in helpful ways? The answer isn't the throw out older forms to come us with something "current" or "relevant," but to become a student of those who have gone before us in this life of faith.

This book is a bit like a door. Todd deals with some weighty subjects in a very accessible way, but he also points to other writings by people like Richard Foster and Eugene Peterson and Dallas Willard, that can take you deeper into these subjects if you want to go there. He gives us an excellent starting place for rethinking church and how that fits into life and how it all connects us to Jesus.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Todd Hunter to read and post a review on my site. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

In Giving Church Another Chance, Todd Hunter urges people to focus on the mission of the church and to repractice the spiritual practices of the church. The church's mission is to serve as an embassy to equip Christians to participate in God's restoration of His creation. Todd examines how the following church practices can equip Christians to fulfill the mission of the church: quiet preludes, singing the doxology, Scripture reading, hearing sermons, following liturgy, giving and offering, taking Communion, and receiving the benediction.

Some aspects of Giving Church Another Chance which I appreciate are:
· Todd's emphasis on the mission of the church: as a participant of mega-churches and house churches, seeker-sensitive churches and liturgical churches, I have often wondered if certain church structures or worship styles are more biblical than others. Unfortunately, I have critiqued the church at structural/stylistic levels instead of embodying the mission of the church.
· Todd's emphasis on practice: as someone who enjoys thinking, I often consider theologies and their implications for practice without actually practicing them. Todd encourages correct understanding while gently and graciously reaffirming that Christian beliefs need to impact our practice, for we should not disconnect what we think from how we live.
· Todd's emphasis on how these practices can resonate with the unchurched/de-churched.
· Todd's appreciation for Episcopal liturgy: I also like participating in Episcopal services. Knowing that other people appreciate Episcopal liturgy without adhering to their theology is encouraging.

This book has helped me to understand how to engage church practices and live them out in everyday life. Thanks, Todd, for blessing the body of Christ with this book.

*** I received this book free from Todd Hunter to read and post a review on my site. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."