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Out Into the Desert: Thriving Outside Organized Religion Kindle Edition
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Sometimes, when we begin to question our faith or have doubts about our tradition it can feel like we are wandering out into the desert. When we take a step back and honestly evaluate organized religion in the 21st century, many times it doesn't make any sense. The more we cling to it and try to save it, the worse it becomes. In addition, widespread abuse, cover ups and victim-shaming causes some of us to question whether it will ever be right again.
Out Into the Desert is an honest survey of Western Christianity, along with Karl and Laura's personal story as they journeyed through 20-plus years of ministry. Let the Forehands be your guide as they examine these questions and more ...
- Is it okay to take some time off from religion and do this assessment?
- Are there things we can't see because we're too close?
- Where else can we find community?
- Is it possible to thrive outside of organized religion?
- If Jesus were physically here, would he go to church?
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherQuoir
- Publication dateAugust 15, 2022
- File size725 KB
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Product details
- ASIN : B0B7KM22HR
- Publisher : Quoir; 1st edition (August 15, 2022)
- Publication date : August 15, 2022
- Language : English
- File size : 725 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 213 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #754,877 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Karl J. Forehand was a bi-vocational pastor for 20 years and has training in spiritual leadership coaching, plant-based nutrition, and spiritual direction. He lives in Missouri with his wife Laura and dog Winston. He has three grown children and two grandchildren.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2022
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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I applaud the authors' transparency and persistence in encouraging ongoing questioning. An unchallenged belief system isn't faith; it's only an inheritance passed down to you.
Firstly, if you come from a more conservative Christian tradition and/or have a deep affiliation for the institution of the church, please allow your defenses to drop a little and approach this with an open mind. I, like Karl and Laura, have spent many years of blood, sweat and tears furthering the mission of the church. And even though life and faith shift may have changed some things for us, we’re still looking for glimpses of what the church (and the people that make it up) are trying to be. If you’re still feeling defensive but determined to power through this book, first go and read Pagan Christianity written by George Barna and Frank Viola first (published by Zondervan - bona fide Evangelical publication) and then come back to this.
Disclaimers aside, I appreciate this book. It isn’t always easy to read but it covers important ground for anyone who for one reason or another is “rethinking church”. I’ve enjoyed Karl’s other books, but the secret weapon of this one is Laura - you realize pretty quickly that both voices are necessary to get a fuller picture. It’s not a scholarly work and there are a couple of areas that they could have unpacked a little bit more, but I have no hesitation in giving this 5 stars.
Having formerly been a church music director for a couple of decades, I was going through the motions of organized religion, unsatisfied and disillusioned by "The Show" until I beame aware that there is more - so much more - to God and spirituality than the habitual (addicted?) participation in the weekly business-as-usual services. As Evangelical "Christianity" coopted it's foundation and purpose with a need for political power, the desert seemed to be a good place to retreat. It is! I highly recommend "Out Into the Desert" as required reading for any person who is truly seeking authentic and meaningful spirituality.
The desert can be a great place to be.
Top reviews from other countries

A place in the desert where you learn to dig your own wells, and find the wells dug by others who have also walked the road in to the unknown.
If you are a pastors wife or a woman in church struggling with the fall out of religiosity, this is a must read.
For any pastors out there wrestling with the role, the fatigue, the questions, the hurts, the dullness of business as usual. This book will provide a welcome relief.
And for anyone else, this book will empower you to question what others may have demanded, you to keep to yourself.
Find your voice.
Find the still voice within.
An invitation to join many others on the Silk Road to a new way of community, authenticity, humility and a security beyond the certainty of the right information and church programmes.
Karl pulls from many sources and has a refreshing way of relating this to his own personal experience and walk, in a honest and down to earth manner. Laura likewise speaks of her own journey in each part and its beautiful how different their voices are but they in harmony all the same.
For the academic scholar and the cooking show fan.