Michael Spencer (The Internet Monk)
Michael Spencer discovered the truth that church officials often miss, which is that many who leave the church do so in an attempt to find Jesus. For years on his blog, Spencer showed de-churched readers how to practice their faith without the distractions of religious institutions. In Mere Churchianity, you can benefit from the wisdom and compassionate teaching that always have been hallmarks of his ministry. Spencer’s writing points the disenchanted and dispossessed to a Jesus-shaped spirituality. And along the way, his teachings show how you can find others who will go with you on the journey.
I borrowed this from the library just because of the title, a take-off from my favorite C. S. Lewis book, Mere Christianity. I didn't even get two chapters into it before I was talking about it and recommending it to anyone listening. Spencer verges on going just a bit too far in his critique of Western Evangelicalism and organized religion, but just when you think he's going to say the concept of Church is a big waste, he reminds you that following Jesus in the company of others has always been part of the plan. I need to get my own copy of this so I can mark it up and return to it often. I need to keep reminding myself that I want to be Jesus-shaped, not church-shaped.
First line: This book began with an atheist in a Dairy Queen, thirty-five years ago.
Page 56/5th sentence: As a person who communicates for a living, I know the frustration of having my words turned into something I never meant.
Last line: And finally, when we come home, we will find that Jesus has made us like himself, and yet, amazingly, we will have remained in every way ourselves.
