A Church Building Every 1/2 Mile: What Makes American Christianity Tick

Having read every issue of "Searching Together" magazine (edited by Jon Zens) since I first discovered it 15 years ago, I have come to appreciate the clarity, the graciousness and the wisdom and practical insights that Jon brings to the discussion around church life. While there have been a plethora of recent books on the subject of church, in this brief little gem consisting of 4 "essays", Jon distills his many years of study, observations and experience with helping many assemblies throughout the world. In just over 100 pages, Jon brilliantly exposes the heart of what passes for "church life" in today's North American landscape. The titles of the 4 essays are: * A Church Building Every 1/2 Mile * A Letter to a Politician About Real Church * Four Tragic Shifts on the Visible Church * A "Churchless Faith" In the first essay, Jon explores the question: "Why are there so many church buildings?" I'm amazed at how so few Christians pause to consider the billions of dollars that are tied up in church buildings. As Zens notes, an "enormous and inordinate amount of revenue is required to build, maintain and expand ecclesiastical structures." (29) and rightly asks, "Are expensive buildings in line with the Kingdom of the One who had no place to lay his head? Shouldn't our financial resources be poured into *helping people in need*, rather than into *erecting and maintaining institutions* ... ?" (30). After questioning and challenging this central tenet ("the intense identification of Christianity with multitudes of buildings"), Jon goes on to examine the "one man" clerical system: "A great deal of Christianity in America is *personality-based*. People will drive for miles to hear what certain preachers have to say." (39). The problems inherent in such an unbiblical approach to leadership and ministry is firmly but lovingly challenged by Jon's incisive analysis. In the course of this analysis, Jon critiques other fixtures of modern Christianity: denominationalism, the pulpit and preaching, seminaries, and tithing (to finance the whole religious machinery). But this is no cold and detached analysis, for interspersed in his logical arguments are his burden for the pain and hurt that the system inflicts on "clergy" and "laity" alike. His closing thoughts on how the average person chooses a church to attend rings all too true and sadly reflects the muddled thinking that is so pervasive. I love the extended quotation from Frederick Buechner that nicely captures the essence of what Jon has to say, particularly this line: "... the best thing that could happen to many a church might ... to have its building burn down and to lose all its money. Then all that the people would have left would be God and each other." In the second essay, Jon responds to Jesse Ventura, former governor of Minnesota, who asserted that "organized religion is a sham". Unlike the shrill and predictable knee-jerk reaction of many evangelical leaders, Jon's response is calm, reason

As I reread "A Church Building Every ½ Mile", I was again moved by Mr. Zens's heart on the matter of what we call church. His vision is to recapture the oneness of fellowship that early believers enjoyed amongst one another, and to stop focusing so much on the complex trappings that sin has generated in the church over the years. Some specific examples of where he wants to see change are the following: He longs for the unity of first century believers, rather than the divisive spirit of congregationalism. He would rather see finances to go toward helping those in need than constructing buildings. He wants the focus of the church be on the loving relationships among its members, rather than on the attributes of the pastor. For me, the most powerful part of the book is his observation that pastors are usually considered qualified for ministry by their credentials rather than their character. Such men are often inexperienced, and all the knowledge they have from their studies doesn't necessarily indicate the depth of their walk with God. All through, he critiques the trappings of church that have built up over the ages, and calls us to return to the body that Jesus founded. What he wants is for Christians from all churches to apply the "desert island challenge" to church; to ask themselves "If I were on a desert island with no knowledge or tradition but God's instructions in the Bible, what would my church look like?"

I have been given the enormous privilege of knowing Jon Zens & would like to contribute to this work in some small way -- a task which I do not take lightly. "A Church Building Every ½ Mile" is sadly the reality not just in the US, but here in Australia too. I believe it has been written from a place of great pain prophetically, combined with a reckless and brutal honesty as Jon sees & addresses with eagle-eyes the massive flaws that define the institutional church in the western world in our day. We are such a far cry from what is revealed in God's Word, & we are so damaged collectively & individually as a result of this that I have at times bordered on despair. In this relatively small but poignant volume, Jon stresses the importance of capturing the Essence & Spirit of church life -- that being Christ Himself, and seeks to re-direct our gaze back to our Saviour, as opposed to any other who would usurp that role either knowingly or otherwise. He asserts quite rightly that until we do this we will not be fleshing out God's plan for us of being His own holy & blood-bought Ekklesia, in the truest sense of that word. Writings such as these are a fresh breeze, and a reminder that our Lord & King IS very much alive & active among us, and he is working out His will in spite of us. The pruning has begun. Dead branches & leaves are being swept away, and Jesus is preparing for Himself His Bride. Only that which pulsates with the very life & soul of Almighty God will remain attached to His Vine, and that which has sought to sit in His seat will be swept away and burned like chaff. So long as the role of the modern day pastor goes unchecked in our midst we will continue to cut a tragic figure, & be the limp, lame & muted mockery that we are now, and this dying world & it's twisted ruler will continue to ridicule us and rightly so! We are a joke in our current state and need to deal honestly and sternly with the core issues such as are presented in this book BEFORE we can even begin to recover, and rise up to become a fit Bride for God's holy & beloved Son. I see this book as part warning / part call to repentance. I believe that God is saying through Jon something along the lines of "I see you. I have located you. You are not in a right place. Come back." I would strongly suggest that those who have been `playing church,' enjoying their elevated positions among God's people while basking in their status & power in their man-made temples begin to hear, because grace is being extended now but God will not strive with us forever. I would like to thank you, Jon, for your willingness in hearing God's voice & heart, and for your faithfulness in consistently articulating His Word to us in spite of the fact that quite often in doing so you would likely be alienating the majority.

To those who, like me, are reexamining the role of institutional structures in their spiritual lives, as well as those simply curious about recent upheavals in church demographics, Jon Zens offers a dose of hard, yet compassionately-delivered reality in his new book "A Church Building Every 1/2 Mile". This engaging work delivers insight and information beyond what you'd expect from its short length, and I anticipate it will be of great value; both in terms of understanding how the we got from the simplicity of first-century church to the complex structures we have today, and how those structures affect the spiritual life of those living within them. I found myself nodding enthusiastically as I read Jon's examination of clergy in isolation, depression and burnout, recalling the countless hours my wife and I have spent ministering to pastors with no place to turn. If you sense there's something wrong with continuing "church as usual", if you're tired of self-help and "church growth" books that promise help for the church but fail to challenge its root problems, if you desire truth and are willing to have your presuppositions challenged, I recommend this book. Kyle Knapp, Recording Artist, Former denominational clergy, House church leader (also check out our podcast interview with author Jon Zens on "Tuesday Conversations" at [...]