It seems that everyone who has ever been part of a church has suffered a “church hurt.” The pastor had an affair or the congregation fought over money or the leaders were disguising gossip as “prayer.” Stephen Mansfield has been there. Though he is now a New York Times best-selling author, he was a pastor for over 20 years, and he loved it—until he learned how much a church can hurt. Yet he also learned how to dig out of that hurt, break through the bitterness and anger, stop making excuses, and get back to where he ought to be with God and his people. If you’re ready to take the tough path to healing, Mansfield will walk you through it with brotherly love, showing you how you can be better than ever on the other side of this mess … if you’re willing to ReChurch.
ReChurch
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From the Back Cover
If you’ve ever attended church, you’ve probably suffered a church hurt.
Our stories are all too familiar: The church we once loved broke up or our favorite pastor was fired or the musicians all left when the elders cracked down on the style of worship. The former pastor had an affair or the new pastor doesn’t support Israel or the youth leader rebuked the teenagers for wanting to date. And so it goes.
Stephen Mansfield has been there. Though he is now a New York Times bestselling author, a popular speaker, and a man who advises leaders around the world, Stephen was also a pastor for twenty years. And he loved it for most of those two decades. Then he learned how much a church can hurt. Thankfully, he also learned how to dig out of that hurt, break through the bitterness and anger, stop making excuses, and get back to where he needed to be with God and his people.
If you’re ready to take the tough path to healing, Mansfield will walk you through it with love and understanding, showing you how you can be better than ever on the other side of the mess . . . but only if you’re willing to ReChurch.
Our stories are all too familiar: The church we once loved broke up or our favorite pastor was fired or the musicians all left when the elders cracked down on the style of worship. The former pastor had an affair or the new pastor doesn’t support Israel or the youth leader rebuked the teenagers for wanting to date. And so it goes.
Stephen Mansfield has been there. Though he is now a New York Times bestselling author, a popular speaker, and a man who advises leaders around the world, Stephen was also a pastor for twenty years. And he loved it for most of those two decades. Then he learned how much a church can hurt. Thankfully, he also learned how to dig out of that hurt, break through the bitterness and anger, stop making excuses, and get back to where he needed to be with God and his people.
If you’re ready to take the tough path to healing, Mansfield will walk you through it with love and understanding, showing you how you can be better than ever on the other side of the mess . . . but only if you’re willing to ReChurch.
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More About the Author
Stephen Mansfield is the New York Times bestselling author of The Faith of George W. Bush, The Faith of the American Soldier, Benedict XVI: His Life and Mission, and Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill, among other works of history, biography and contemporary culture. His interest in First Amendment religion issues arises from his decades of work among American churches and his efforts on behalf of religious liberty in the Middle East. Stephen lives in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Beverly. For more information, log onto www.mansfieldgroup.com.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For any one who is still bearing wounds from the church body in which they had hoped to find safety and rest.,
By Lori "homeschoolreviewsandmore.com" (Cape Cod) - See all my reviews
This review is from: ReChurch: Healing Your Way Back to the People of God (Hardcover)
"[Jesus] loves his bride. Go figure. She's a mess in my view, but he's crazy about her and won't put up with me either speaking ill of her or pulling away from her if I am going to be intimate with him... The fact is that if you are going to love Jesus, you're going to have to make nice with his wife."
When I saw ReChurch: Healing Your Way Back to the People of God, I knew it was a book I needed to read personally. As the wife of a pastor, I don't have the option of leaving physically when things get tough but sometimes leaving mentally and emotionally can be just as bad. Or worse. Can I be that honest with you? I have never given up on serving God but there are days I want to give up on his people- myself included. Myself more often than not. If that has ever described you, you need to read this book. Stephen Mansfield has not written a book that will prompt you to rant and rave about what those church people have done or how everyone's just a hypocrite or how bad you have it and how much "those people" have done to hurt you. Instead, he quickly shares his own journey through the pain of being hurt by those from whom you least expect it (without giving details or bashing those from his past) and then the rough road back to healing. I say rough road because he doesn't focus on what everyone else has done or continues to do, but he focuses on you. He focuses on me. He leads us to look at ourselves, to look at our beliefs, to look at the truth of the situation, and to view the church as God does. He gives a wonderful illustration about how we hold onto our bitterness, one that will stay with me for a long time to come. He writes from the perspective of a man who was formerly a pastor and continues in a different type of ministry now. Not everything was applicable to me or my situation but there was plenty there that was, and it hit hard. As in "hurts so good" hard. There is no lack of grace here though, or belittling of the pain some have experienced at the hands of good Christian people. This is not a "just get over it" type of book. I appreciated this, as well as the practicality of his message. He doesn't just show you why you need to change your thinking and your heart, but follows it up with practical exercises to help you not just read but DO. I read this rather quickly and want to go back through, taking time for the exercises which pertain to me. I plan to recommend this highly to my friends who also work in full time ministry. I believe it could be a huge help, life changing even, for any one who is still bearing wounds from the church body in which they had hoped to find safety and rest. I finished the book with a truer understanding of the church and a better understanding of myself. I finished the book with truths planted firmly in my heart that will hopefully take root and help "restore the joy of my salvation". I finished the book with hope.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book especially on the topic of Forgiveness!,
This review is from: ReChurch: Healing Your Way Back to the People of God (Hardcover)
Have you been wounded by the mean girl at church? Has the Pastor alienated you or your family? Have the teens in your church rejected your teen and now the entire family has dropped out of church? Are you afraid to get involved in a new church for fear of being hurt AGAIN? Then the book ReChurch: Healing Your Way Back To the People Of God is for you!
The New Testament name for the church is ekklesia meaning "the called out ones" -a people drawn from darkness to God and to one another. "To be a part of a church, when it is right and good, is to plug into a loving power grid of possibilities and meaning and joy."pg.42 I think one reason it hurts terribly bad to be hurt by a Christian is that church is the one place where you expect to be safe from harm. But Mansfield says "To be surprised that human nature would rear its ugly head - in the very place where it is under the greatest pressure to change, where the stakes are high and the devil strikes hard - is simply biblical ignorance and a failure to live in any sort of connection to the real world." He reminds the reader that those we meet at church and in homes for cell groups bear the image of God but also the scars of evil. We must not gloss over our world and believe that Christians are perfect or we will suffer in our naivete. We all dream of that day of reckoning when those who wronged us come forward and say they were wrong and we were right. But the reality is people move on. People forget. And we are left to pick up the pieces. Mansfield says "Much that distinguishes maturity form immaturity - and happiness from misery - is how you respond to the offenses that life insists on dealing out to us all."pg. 89 What does it take to heal and reconnect with the church? Forgiveness. This was my favorite section of the book so I'll sum up what I learned from pages 102 to 108. Forgiveness in the Greek has 3 meanings: 1. Aphiemi means to send away or to set free. On the day of atonement a scapegoat was chosen and carried to a solitary place and released into the desert, carrying with it all the sins of the people. Jesus is our scapegoat. To forgive is to place the sins and wrongs done to us on Jesus and send those sins away. The hurt needs somewhere to go and we won't feel differently about the person who wronged us until we place that hurt somewhere else - that is on Jesus. 2. Alphesis means to release, as from prison. We need to release those who have wronged us from the prison of our mind. We hold them there in captivity judging them time and again - growing angrier by the day. We rehearse what we'd say to them if we could and how we'd explain ourselves. But to forgive is to release them from this prison we hold them in. 3. Charisomai means to bestow a favor or extend mercy. Often we assume that those who hurt us were intentional. The key to forgiveness is to find the compassionate narrative behind their hurtful actions. We must enter the story of those who have wronged us to see why they behaved the way they did. After entering their story, we are more likely to extend mercy and forgiveness. Do not give up on the body of believers we call the church. Darkness presses at the edge of light. We must overcome the darkness and cling to the light. If you are in a place of struggling to overcome past pain and hurt, this book may be what you need to help you through. Mansfield's real life pain, trials, rejection and finally triumphs will soothe your weary soul. Walk with the King! Courtney [...]
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Review of ReChurch by Stephen Mansfield,
This review is from: ReChurch: Healing Your Way Back to the People of God (Hardcover)
If you are or have been an involved member in a church, you most likely have experienced "church hurt." Undoubtedly, you put your tail between your legs and left or you "fought the [not] good fight" and made the situation worse. Whatever your story, ReChurch by Stephen Mansfield provides a way out from the hurt and bitterness in a rather direct, but loving manner. Mansfield, a former victim of "church hurt," provides anecdotes for how he personally recovered from the hurt and details them in a way to help others recover from the same or similar issues. Mansfield does not mince words in his book and I believe this approach is needed to make his points.
Mansfield utilizes Koine Greek translations of Scripture to paint a better picture of what certain words mean. This application and the examples following allow the reader to visualize forgiveness. Mansfield backs up his solutions and statements with stories from the Bible that adds credence to his book. Additionally, Mansfield notes Scripture to remind the reader that we are to act according to God's Word. Inevitably, we are going to face tough circumstances, betrayal, and even "church hurt" [the place where we are programmed to think we are always safe]. Once we accept this truth and that humans are not infallible [yes, even church members], we can move on to the life we are called to live. The greatest thing about this book in my eyes is that you can take Mansfield's suggestions and directions and apply them to any type of hurt, bitterness, or fragmented relationships in your life. While primarily focused on getting over the "church hurt" and getting back into a church serving, Mansfield does wonders explaining our responsibility for how hurt negatively effects us and our relationship with God. Ultimately, WE decide how to let the hurt or betrayal affect us and our lives. We can "take the bait" and be caught in the "animal trap" of bitterness or we can learn how to forgive in a real and meaningful way that eliminates the negative. ReChurch is a very liberating book that should be read by anyone trying to get over the forgiveness hump or "church hurt." As Mansfield points out, "You have a destiny, but your destiny is fulfilled by investing in the destinies of others." This adequately summarizes every point that Mansfield makes in ReChurch. Ultimately, we are gifted by God and called to fulfill a purpose much greater than sulking in our hurt. I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.
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