The Connecting Church
by Randy Frazee
List Price:
Our Price: $3.98
You Save: $13.01 (77%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Randy FrazeeForeword: Larry Crabb
Foreword: George Gallup
Foreword: Dallas Willard
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-04-01
ISBN: 0310233089
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Zondervan
Book Reviews of The Connecting Church
Book Review: Challenging but profound...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the second time that I've read Randy Frazee's "The Connecting Church," and it has become a favorite of mine. I've read it both times with other people, and in both cases, there were folks who struggled with his concepts. His basic premise is that the American lifestyle, even (and maybe especially) in the church, is dominated by the triplet evils of individualism, isolation, and consumerism. These principles are ultimately antithetical to the gospel, yet they dominate the lives of most American Christians. So, he suggests the reestablishment of common purpose, common place, and common possessions as the solutions to these crises. And his explanation of those solutions is radical, to say the least.
One of the strengths of Frazee's book is his ability to describe the problem. And I have never heard anyone who was able to refute his assessment of American (suburban) life. Most Christians experience aggravating levels of isolation and overcommitment and stress and hecticness, but they feel hopeless to change it. Where most people buck against Frazee is his proposed solutions to the problems.
Frazee suggests that if we want to fix the woes in our lives, we need to make seismic shifts to how we do things. And that means that small groups, the common antidote for isolation within the church, may not be getting the job done. He suggests that most small groups are actually just another layer of complexity, another thing to do, and further aggravate our isolation, rather than providing a place for authentic community and relationships as God intended for us. And my own experience, personally and as I work on our church staff to help oversee our small group ministry, certainly confirms a significant grain of truth to that assessment.
So, Frazee has the guts to suggest that we ought to make some or all of the following changes. We need to stop spending so much time commuting, either changing to a less lucrative job or moving closer to work. We need to move away from the assumption that two incomes are prerequisites for happy living. We need to stop spending so much time ferrying children around to various activities, limiting their involvement in extracurriculars. We need to draw back from being on a dozen different teams and committees at church and spend more time at home. We need to become less independent and allow our neighbors to regularly get into our lives. We need to intentionally connect with our neighbors, spending time in the front yard and on the front porch. This neighborhood focus should be where we invest our relational energy, thereby providing the context for the following tenets of healthy Christian relationships: spontaneity, availability, frequency, common meals, and geography.
At the end of the day, Frazee proposes big changes. And many people are unwilling to give up some idols in which they have placed their trust, like high-paying jobs and multiple-income households and lots of unnecessary purchases and complete autonomy from other people. But it is our commitment to these things that keeps us from experiencing the abundant life that Jesus promised us.
I am a long way from implementing everything in this book. I haven't even figured out exactly which parts I need to implement. And I'm further still from deciding what I think I should pursue as areas of growth for our church. But I know that Frazee has provided us with many nuggets of hard truth that we need to hear and ponder. And I know that the picture that he presents of what authentic community could look like is extremely appealing to everyone who reads it. And I know that it's not purely idealistic because there are people who are actually doing it.
So, the challenge is to not sit in complacence or laziness and actually do something to make a change because I know that God has called me and our church to something more than what we have right now. And I thank Frazee for having the courage to lay it on the line and share his learning with us. I think that every American Christian ought to read this book and at least give some time and effort to consider how God might want us to respond.
Summary of The Connecting Church
The development of meaningful relationships, where every member carries a significant sense of belonging, is central to what it means to be the church. So why do many Christians feel disappointed and disillusioned with their efforts to experience authentic community? Despite the best efforts of pastors, small group leaders, and faithful lay persons, church too often is a place of loneliness rather than connection. Church can be so much better. So intimate and alive. The Connecting Church tells you how. The answer may seem radical today, but it was a central component of life in the early church. First-century Christians knew what it meant to live in vital community with one another, relating with a depth and commitment that made 'the body of Christ' a perfect metaphor for the church. What would it take to reclaim that kind of love, joy, support, and dynamic spiritual growth? Read this book and find out.Church Administration Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Similar Books and other products
The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of Godby Timothy Keller
Dutton Adult; Published: 2011-11-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.54
Price in other shops:
Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Timeby Greg Ogden
IVP Books; Published: 2003-05-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.89
Price in other shops:
Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groupsby Nelson Searcy, Kerrick Thomas
Regal; Published: 2008-06-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.19
Price in other shops:
The Christian Life Profile Assessment Tool Workbook: Discovering the Quality of Your Relationships with God and Others in 30 Key Areasby Randy Frazee
Zondervan; Published: 2005-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Communityby Dietrich Bonhoeffer
HarperOne; Published: 1978-10-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
Sticky Church (Leadership Network Innovation Series)by Larry Osborne
Zondervan; Published: 2008-09-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.78
Price in other shops:
Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully-Engaged Members of Your Churchby Nelson Searcy, Jennifer Henson
Regal; Published: 2008-01-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.10
Price in other shops:
Creating Community: Five Keys to Building a Small Group Cultureby Andy Stanley, Bill Willits
Multnomah Books; Published: 2004-12-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.18
Price in other shops:
The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community, and Small Groupsby Joseph R. Myers
Zondervan/Youth Specialties; Published: 2003-09-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Making Room for Life: Trading Chaotic Lifestyles for Connected Relationshipsby Randy Frazee
Zondervan; Published: 2003-12-16; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.67
Price in other shops: