Customer Reviews

Reimagining Spiritual Formation: A Week in the Life of an Experimental Church

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Doug Pagitt is a lead pastor at a church in Minnesota called Solomon's porch. His book is about his journey away from the program centered Mega-church into a more organic, decentralized community. He talks about some new ways of viewing spiritual formation that are quite different than the commonly used "talking head," educational approach. His ideas are, self-proclaimed, experimental. He admits to being at the early stages in his church journey, however his ideas are quite compelling.

If you are interested in connecting with the next generation in your church, or are involved in any high school or college ministry - I would order this today and read and discuss with your community.

There is much talk about post-modernism in churches that plain and simple is not healhty. And often times, when it is healthy dialouge, there is no real story of success - instead it is just a bunch of ideas that never become anything. Solomon's Porch and this book are the beginning of healhty dialouge and ideas turning into reality!

It is not Pagitt's desire to create a thousand churches just like his. Rather, he has asked some honest and searching questions about how God and His character are going to be formed in his people and is trying to be and do this in the way that meets the needs of his church.

As a pastor of a mega-church, Pagitt certainly has me asking some honest questions.

okay pastors. You are coming to realize that the program-driven, "what can you do for me now" consumer approach to Christianity is quickly becoming unworkable. Sure... it may sputter on for a few years, but where are all your 18-30 year olds? They're all at churches like Solomon's Porch and other emerging communities which are doing their best to walk away from the "provider of religious goods and services" paradigm for church and get back to being covenant communities.
Pagitt, and you gotta love the guy- he'll anger you, inspire you and humble you... all in one sentence- provides a glimpse into how their community does it. It's not a program, not a blue-print, don't think you can xerox it... but it may inspire you to do something beyond the "seeker" paradigm (which doesn't seem to draw many seekers) you've leaned on... but are finding less and less workable all the time.

This is a very interesting and carefully written book about the community / church or Solomon's Porch in Minneapolis, MN. Being from south Minneapolis, and living in this area for the past few years, I have heard endless amounts of chatter about this church. The range of opinions is wide and mixed - some people it really hits home for, and others do not see it as their style. The point Doug makes in this book, at least the way I read it, is that the church is not their to serve the needs of people who attend. I agree with this 1000000%%

The consumer mentality of many churchgoers is hard to get my head around sometimes. I appreciate the humility that came across in this book by the author. Doug just throws his ideas out there, includes many opinions from members of his community and lets you draw your own conclusions.

One thing that was interesting to me about this book was that the title was about 'spiritual formation' but the book is really about the church, (which of course should include spiritual formation) so - the title is not super accurate, but the book is good. It will stretch some readers, and other's will feel right at home. I do think Doug and his community are trying to be Roman's to Romans and Jew's to Jews and so on and so forth..... for the kingdom. Keep up the good work in Minneapolis!

JVD

An insider's glimpse into the heart of a community seeking the source of its oneness. Finding that in hearing one another's stories - to the point of seeing real difference - they can find a unity in diversity that is Spirit formation. Multiple voice are heard throughout this text and the fact that these voices find one another offers hope to any of us seeking a fellowship with God and with others that transcends "Sunday morning church."

Listen, this is a great book by some authentic followers of Christ who are doing their best to live in true community. If we all lived more like this, maybe church wouldn't smell so bad to so many people (inside and outside it). The writing is witty and challenging, and this community's vision of the Christian life will hook you.

This book has some very good points, especially the chapter about how the church has ignored the use of art (painting and drawing)in worship services. However, overall the book shows many of the flaws of the emergent church movement. The book ignores God's call to love him with our MIND as well as our heart and soul. The book places an emphasis pretty much soley on experience and emotion. Yes, he does place some importance on thought, however he puts emotion and personal experience on a pedestal above this discipline.
The author also has a narrow minded view of how various small groups activities such as accountability are done in the church. In the churches I've worked with and my friends were a part of, they did not have such a small view of spiritual formation. Although he tries to come off in a humble light, the author simply toots his horn far too often in the book that it cannot be ignored.
The author also discredits the use of models in ministry. A model is nothing more than a plan of how something is going to work. His book is a model...it may be a model for HIS church (like he won't stop saying, expcept without using the word model) and may not work for another...he just doesn't seem to understand what a model is. Overall: dissapointing...some good things can be drawn from this, but don't make this book the focus of your ministry.

Here is a good book to take along on a coffee journey and enjoy the refreshing experiences of Solomon Porch. As I read this book I started thinking "now way - a book on spiritual formation based on such a young "church"" - when I finished I was grateful to Mr. Paggit for being so honest and open and sharing some good thoughts.

My wife is reading it right now and she is having the same thoughts I did at the begining - I don't know if she will come to like the book at the end, but it had provoque some good discussion on our breakfast table.

Well not really, that would just be plain sacreligious. But seriously, this book is amazing. I am so overwhelmed by what is happening in the Church. It is essential for any intelligent Christian to read this book. It provokes the heart and mind. Kudos!

peace
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bellbottoms