Leaving the Church to Find God

Many of us "Leaving the Church to Find God" need a lot of help detoxing from our institutional mind set. While we may have left the old system it has not left us. Some serious unlearning and relearning is needed in order to make the transition to the open style meetings of House Church and relationship based Christianity. John Fenn has considerable experience as a pastor and ministry leader in the institutional church as well as in house church. He is the founder and leader of a house church network named Church Without Walls International. His extensive ministry experience in both approaches has helped him author a book with fresh, unique, balanced and most of all 'biblical' perspectives on why House Church and Relationship based ministry is the most effective method for creating disciples of Jesus. You will find lots of well constructed arguments and plenty of scripture. Although you may have read several organic church books this one will provide you with some sound advice and direction not found anywhere else. A welcome addition to the excellent scholarship out there on House Church and relationship/community based Christianity. Highly recommended.

This book takes the traditional "pyramid" church structure (pastor on top with everything flowing from him and controlled by him) and turns it on its head. John Fenn makes a good case for the home church--a relationship based Christianity in which the individuals' gifts and abilities determine the vision and ministry of the group. Much food for thought! (I would have given this book 5 stars if it weren't for its many errors in grammar and punctuation. Maybe this book was rushed to press without proofreading?)

This is a great book for those doing home/simple/house church. John answers most of the questions I have heard in simple understandable terms. It is a great resource for those of us who love God but are tired of religion.

I first came across John Fenn about 2 years ago. I can tell you he is very balanced in his approach to ecclesiology in general and house churches in particular. This book sets forth the proposition that many in today's traditional churches are not finding fulfillment there but are, instead, seeking more of God. And house churches seem to be the answer to this need. John presents a scriptural assessment of the traditional church--the one we have known for 1700 years. He skillfully evaluates the structure, the hierarchy, and the product of the traditional church. And yes, John shows that the structure is flawed. Not because of a lack of sincerity, but on account of how it is structured. The flaws are inherent within the structure itself. John shows how to set up a house church and what the Biblical pattern for church leadership and accountability really looks like. To the point, without the hype and condemnation of other house church books, "Leaving the Church to Find God" is probably the answer you've been praying for if your experience with the traditional, institutional church is lacking and you're searching for more--sensing that there may be more to church than what we've been taught over the last several hundred years.