I'm a big MacDonald fan! I've read several of his books and have even bought copies to pass on to others. Here's the catch though, he writes "Christian living" books, along the lines of spiritual growth and maturity. He's an expert there. "Who Stole my Church?" on the other hand, in my 1st impression, was not going to be worthwhile. Why? Two reasons: #1. The dust cover looked eerily like a sample (read music "sampling") of Collins's book "Good to great" So, I was not interested as soon as I saw the cover; what I thought of as a cheesy similarity of Good to great.... #2. and more importantly, I was pretty sure that MacDonald wouldn't be any good at making the transition from books he's good/great at, that being non-fiction self-helpish genre, over to.... fiction. Yes, "Whole stole my Church?" is a fiction work. So 2 and 2 together, and I "wrote" off reading it.... (nice pun, huh?) I was wrong though. So why did I read it?
Well, a future in-law of one of the college kids at NE who just happens to be in ministry recommended the book to me for certain reasons that aren't necessary to post about; so, I was open to the idea. I was doubtful of the book at first, ok, I was cynical of the book at first glance.... but when the book was recommended to me, and how it was, I immediately got on Amazon and ordered it...
Would this be too corny to say, here's a book that should be required reading for all Christians? Well, I am from the Midwest and love cornfields... The book is powerful. I shouldn't of discounted the book off-handedly the way I originally did. The book tells a story from the perspective of the preacher of a congregation that is facing a time of transition, a time of worship wars, a time of generational perspectives that don't match up... Sound anything like the real world? It should, because I think the framework for the plot fits nearly every congregation that's at least 20 years old. New church plants won't relate well to the book, though I'd bet there'd be some pearl of wisdom, here and there, even new Church plants could glean....
I won't spoil the plot. Let me say that the story gets rolling over a Sunday afternoon congregational meeting that blows up in a fight of sorts, and the morale of the Church is lower than low.
The reasons I would recommend the book are multiple. While not exhaustive, here are a few of the gems in the book: It teaches us how the generations see each other, as in, not the same (duh). How to build consensus so as to introduce change and how to help people see change without being overwhelmed or too threatened. It raises the subject of the value of mentoring. It unpacks the inconsistency in the worship wars that many Churches are embroiled in; how all music was new at one time.... and, this books shows in a powerful way how conflict when handled in a mature way is healthy... If I were teaching a class to ministry students I would make it mandatory.... There's a ton of other team-building lessons that are woven though the narrative, and the need to be opening our eyes on how evangelism is nearly never going to happen when there's infighting going on...
Oh, by the way, I did buy a copy of "Who stole my Church?" for a good friend of mine here at our Church. I'm looking forward to the conversations it will generate. And, I guess I need to email a thank you note to the one who recommended the book...
Peace,
Craig
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