Five Years On…A Churchless Faith…the Journey Continues

Alan writes – If you’re reading this, you’re amongst the first people to learn that “it’s” off my desk – at last!  Jenny McIntosh (from Spirited Exchanges), Adrienne Thompson and myself have just sent the script for a new book to the printer. The new book is called ‘Five Years On’. It traces the faith journeys of church leavers across five years and forms the first longitudinal study of its kind anywhere.

Five Years on continues the work begun in A Churchless Faith by returning to the same group of church leavers five years after first interviewing them. The findings show how their personal faith and connection with ‘church’ has changed over a five year period. To these accounts are added insights from six years of running Spirited Exchanges groups for church leavers and those struggling with ‘church’ focused expressions of the Christian faith. The findings may shock.

Dr Chris Marshall (ST. John’s Senior Lecturer in Christian Theology, Victoria University, Wellington) says of this book –

“This follow-up to A Churchless Faith is both fascinating and disquieting – fascinating because it shows that people rarely stand still in their journey of faith, whether or not they attend church. And disquieting because it underscores once again just how irrelevant or unhelpful the institutional church has become for so many reflective and intelligent believers today. This book provides further valuable insights into the growing phenomenon of church leavers, whose protest the church ignores at its own peril”

Copies should be out mid April. [Spread the word! – Paul. Click the image to enlarge the cover (front & back)]

Comments

[otherendup]

copies should be out... where???, for those of us in australia.

[grace]

I am looking forward to reading this. Let us know when and where it's available.

[Jan]

I can't wait to read it. Churchless Faith has been such a great resource for me as I have ventured into the waters of the formation of a new kind of church community. I meet "reflective exiles," "transitional explorers" and "integrative wayfarers" every week. They all carry stories of leaving as well as deep desires to experience God and His community in new ways (though some are more ready then others to plunge in). As a person trained in spiritual direction, I get this stuff. It will be wonderful to have another resource for my backpack on the next leg of the journey. Thanks.

[Garth]

I guess I'm one of those churchless faith people several years now...interested though that there is now a book...I will chase it down..many thanks!

[Paul Fromont]

More information about how to purchase a copy will be forthcoming. Thanks for your interest.

[Malcolm]

Looking forward to reading these continuing stories and to learning from them. Spirited Exchanges UK is taking off and so I'd love to know when this will be published in the UK.

[Fred Peatross]

If you would be interested in attaching your manuscript to an email and sending my way I will read and write a review.

I did this for Len Sweet's newest book (not yet released). You can read this review at Next Wave Magazine.

[DangerMouse]

Looking forward to it. One thing does strike me. I don't know if you share this opinion "And disquieting because it underscores once again just how irrelevant or unhelpful the institutional church has become for so many reflective and intelligent believers today." but it strikes me that the underlying belief is that "institutional church" should be universally attractive. Not everyone has the needs of those that resonate with "institutional church". So why ask a question that disquiets when folks don't play by our game rules? How about asking a different question? Maybe something like "how can we even more appreciate those of a different fold whose lives diversely reflect God's glory in all its many and varied forms?". Anyway as I said looking forward to it... peace... DM

[Matt Stone]

Looking forward to it

[Philip Edwards]

Interesting stuff

[hamo]

great stuff! look forward to hearing what you have discovered