- 2011 Golden Canon Leadership Book Award winner

Everybody wants to be spiritual. But nobody wants to be religious. Everybody is looking for a rich spiritual life. But nobody is looking to church.

As a pastor, Todd Hunter found himself disillusioned, burned out and needing to drop out of traditional forms of church. He experimented with house churches and other options but was still dissatisfied. Eventually he found himself sneaking off to worship services on Sunday mornings with surprising results.

What did the historic spiritual practices of church do for him? How did they lead to a life of centered peace, chart a path to simplicity and cause him to reach out to others while focusing on the glory of God?

Walk with Hunter on this journey to find spiritual riches in a surprising place. You might just give church another chance.



Scot McKnight (PhD, University of Nottingham) is a New Testament scholar known for his work on the historical Jesus, early Christianity, and Christian living. He is a visiting professor at Houston Theological Seminary and Westminster Theological Centre (UK). McKnight has written over ninety books, including a translation of the New Testament called The Second Testament, The Real Mary, and The Blue Parakeet.



Bishop Todd D. Hunter leads Churches for the Sake of Others (C4SO), a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. He is a past president of Alpha USA and former national director for the Association of Vineyard Churches. His books include Christianity Beyond Belief, The Accidental Anglican, and Deep Peace. Recently, he established The Center for Formation, Justice and Peace. Todd and his wife, Debbie, live in Franklin, Tennessee.



Foreword by Scott McKnight



Preface: From Churched to Dechurched to Rechurched



Acknowledgments



Introduction: Doing the Faith for the Sake of Others



1 Going to Church: Being Sent as Ambassadors of the Kingdom



2 QuietPrelude: A Life of Centered Peace



3 Singing the Doxology: Radiating the Glory of God



4 Scripture Reading: Embodying the Story



5 Hearing Sermons: An Easy-Yoke Life of Obedience



6 Following Liturgy: A Lifestyle of the Work of the People



7 Giving an Offering: Simplicity of Life



8 Taking Communion: A Life of Thankfulness



9 Receiving the Benediction: Blessing Others



Conclusion: Putting the Spiritual Practices of Church to Use



Group Exercises



Notes



"I am thrilled about this book because in it, Todd is bringing hope to the church. It is a theological impossibility to not be part of the church if you are a follower of Jesus. Todd brings that reality into tangible ways of living as the church. It is easy to dismiss the church and think we can be okay on our own, but that is not what the Scriptures teach nor is it healthy for us. We need the church and each other. This is a refreshing perspective on being church together."



"Hunter's story ought to be moving and exemplary to many readers."



"Hunter's words ring true for those tired of church as usual, who want to take Jesus outside the doors but aren't sure why or how."



"What you are holding should carry a government health warning: the reading of this book is good for your soul. But beware: it may cause you to fall in love with the church again, and the romance of 'repracticing' your faith may be habit-forming.



"Spiritual journeys are interesting things, and Todd's is one of the more interesting--from leader of the Vineyard churches, to house church pastor, to head of Alpha USA, and now an Anglican bishop. I've known Todd through many of these incarnations and we have not always agreed, but I have always been impressed with his passion for God and heart for others. In this book, you will find both--and my guess is that you will be challenged to think more deeply about your own spiritual walk. Todd reminds us that the church is not a place to go to, simply another meeting, but the way God has chosen to make himself known in our world."



"I can describe this book in one word: refreshing. This book makes us take a real look at how we practice our faith. In each chapter, Todd calls us to a re-practicing of spiritual disciplines. He passionately drives home the point that these are not disciplines we practice at church but disciplines we the church should practice in daily life. Giving Church Another Chance gives us all another chance to experience church from the inside out."



"As both a participant and leader, Todd has been at the heart of the evangelical world over the past thirty years. He has seen its strengths and weaknesses and at times has been profoundly disillusioned. But through it all he has never stopped loving the church. In Giving Church Another Chance, Todd is calling Christians to something better, something profoundly deeper and more exciting--a fresh vision of spiritual formation that is rooted in worship, life together and the kingdom of God. I think he has hit the nail on the head. After reading this book, you will never think about worship and spiritual practices the same way."



"In chapters on singing the doxology, reading Scripture, hearing sermons, liturgy, tithing, Communion, and receiving the Benediction, Hunter shows how these practices provide training for living Christianly beyond Sunday morning."



"If you have lost your way regarding church, Todd Hunter can show you the way back. His candor, theological nuance, grasp of history and willingness to name names (including his own) make this book unlike most you will read on this topic. Todd is one of the most Jesus-centric leaders speaking to the church today. Read this book to regain an appreciation for church as well as a deeper love for the One for whom the church exists."



"Readers of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard and Eugene Peterson will appreciate Hunter's contribution to how spiritual disciplines fit within the context of communities and bodies of believers. In the midst of our frenzied culture and harried pace of life, Hunter reminds us that speed is not the greatest good. Instead, seep, lasting change and transformation is the goal, with church the springboard to that end."