Larry Crabb-Real Church-Does it Exist? Can I find it?

I recently received a copy of Larry Crabb’s latest book, Real Church-Does it Exist? Can I find it?  I wasn’t sure quite what to expect.  Larry is a well-known psychologist and Scholar in Residence at Colorado Christian University and so I wasn’t sure if this was going to be a book about the same old “relevant” and cool models that I’ve heard about a million times.

Thankfully it wasn’t.

The book addresses the fact that Larry, not unlike many Christians, has gotten to a point where he no longer desires to attend church.  It’s not that he and others don’t love God or have somehow been “led astray” it’s just that the church is no longer helping them to become more and more like Jesus.  He writes, “In most evangelical church services I’ve attended, (he talks about dissatisfaction with other traditions as well but since he has spent the majority of his life in evangelical circles it is about them that he writes) my hunger for truth that transforms, for love that liberates, is rarely satisfied.”  I could not have said it better myself.

Throughout the rest of the book he wrestles through what he is in fact looking for in a church.  “The church I want to be a part of, a real church, will teach spiritual theology that stirs a hunger for spiritual formation that surfaces the need for spiritual community that then marshals its resources for spiritual mission.”

One of the things I loved most about this book is that it is written from someone who has embraced brokenness and sees the church as the hope for total wholeness.  I think often times books about churches are written by pastors, teachers, missiologists, and others who don’t view the church from a psychological, emotional perspective.  In my opinion not all “successful” churches truly help their congregation embrace their own brokenness, share the hope found in Jesus, and allow that to drive their mission.  I’ve seen too many programs, tricks, and other get big quick schemes in the church and this was refreshingly very not that.

Real Church is now on my stack to pass around to the church leaders and planters I know.  I would recommend it for every church leader.  It will help push you beyond what you thought church could be and articulates what I think so many of us feel.

Comments

[marc mantasoot]

Love the idea. I want to take a look now. I was wondering just today, how much Jesus and the Bible talk about sin, brokenness, and the newness of our spirit. I wonder why the Church tends to fear psychology and other religious ideas. Is it a East-West thing? Modern-Ancient thing? Rational v. Mystical? I'm actually wondering the exact numerical percentage. How much of the Bible has a negative view of humanity and how much has a positive view? It could be measured in statements, passages, chapters, words, doctrines. Thanks.

[marc mantasoot]

This is a little more clear. How many statements are positive towards humans? How many are negative?