Review - Loving the Church

Loving the Church by John Crotts, Shepherd Press, 2010, 140 pages.

If I have a relationship with Jesus, why do I need the church? I get together with other Christians on my own. Isn't that enough? What if I've been hurt by the church? What if it isn't meeting my needs? There are plenty of opportunities to serve God outside the confines of the local church, so is it even necessary? These are common questions and ones which John Crotts answers in Loving the Church: God's People Flourishing in God's Family. 

The church is not an option for Christians, but we often don't understand what the Bible teaches about its importance to God and the believer. Without this knowledge, we may end up leaving the local church to our detriment for a wide variety of reasons. Through the conversations of believers wrestling with these issues, Pastor Crotts uses their interaction to expose misconceptions about the church in the light of Scripture. He discusses the value of the church, Jesus' role as its builder, savior, and foundation, the church universal and local, elders, deacons, spiritual gifts, and the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. The book concludes with a call to not forsake the gathering of the saints, repent, and embrace the body of Christ.

As an ex-Barna Revolutionary long before George Barna wrote his book, I was well armed with an arsenal of straw men, prejudices, and excuses for ditching the church. Most of these, if not all, were addressed by the author in a clear, straightforward, and loving manner. I found the coffee house conversations a minor distraction from the substance of the book, but the 3rd person dialogue may help a non-church goer feel less defensive.

I would recommend Loving the Church to those who are questioning the role of the local church in their lives. This would also be a good book to share with friends who are in that position as a means of discussing this important topic.

Thanks to Cross Focused Reviews and Shepherd Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.