Why Church Matters by Joshua Harris

Genre- Christian Living/Spiritual Growth

Why Church Matters: Discovering Your Place in the Family of God by Joshua Harris

Published by- WaterBrook Multnomah

Copyrighted- 2004, 2011

Number of pages- 140

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, list price $13.99, ISBN 978-1-60142-384-9

Church is an important place for Christians, to help us grow and use our gifts.  In this book Joshua Harris shows us how to find the right church and how to worship when we are in church.

This book includes:

• How to get the most from the our day of worship
• Ten questions to ask when choosing a church
• Why we need a local church

About the author-  Joshua Harris has written books on dating, marriage and other topics.  He is a senior pastor in Maryland at Covenant Life where he lives with his wife and children.

My thoughts- I have read several of Joshua Harris’s books before and enjoyed them, so I was eager to read this one as well.

This is such a short book that it doesn’t take very long to read.  I enjoyed reading Chapter Five, “Choosing Your Church.”  We shouldn’t be going from church to church each week and this chapter lists and explains ten questions we can ask to help us choose the best church for us.

The problem I had was in Chapter Six, “Rescuing Sunday.”  Right away in this chapter Joshua Harris mentions that he thinks Christians need not keep the Old Testament Laws about the Sabbath.  I thought we were supposed to keep all ten commandments.  Does this mean that we shouldn’t follow the other nine commandments?  I sincerely hope not.  Our world would not be the same.

I would recommend this book as a guide for picking a church, but beyond that I would keep what you know about the Bible and believe in mind as you read this book.   

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Why Church Matters by Joshua Harris for free from the WaterBrook Multnomah “Blogging For Books” program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Help Those Who have been Hurt by the Church.

I got this request in an e-mail this morning. This is exactly what I was talking about in my Prayer of the Week on Saturday. Please take the time to submit a letter of your own.

Request from www.TruthinMinistry.org

The purpose of this project is to bring together a massive group of open letters, from believers, making an appeal to those who have been hurt by the church or by other Christians to be reconciled to the greater body of Christ or even back to the foot of the cross.

T. Michael Cart - http://www.truthinministry..org/blog/63

Letters should be no more than 2,000 words. No particular format is preferred. All of the letters will be evaluated for content, flow and impact by a panel of Christian writers and then posted for people to read and comment on.

In addition, the top three letters will be awarded a free, signed copy of my book, T.R.U.T.H. In Ministry. You can send your letter to contributions@truthinministry.org or go to http://www.truthinministry.org, then:
1. Click "Create Content" in the navigation menu on the left.
2. Click "Letter"
3. Type your letter.
4. Save your letterSubmissions will be accepted starting now until midnight, March 31st.
Thank you for participating.

Prayer of the Week- Those Who are Missing from Church Fellowship

Dear Lord,
I would like to thank you for this warm, sunny day you have provided us after many cold days. It was enjoyable going to the park and taking a walk. Thank you for providing us with warm weather tomorrow so we can enjoy nature as you have given it to us.

Tonight I would like to pray for those who are missing from our church fellowship. I know you love us all and how you are concerned for the missing by the parables Jesus told of the missing sheep, the missing coin and the missing son. Help me to keep in mind some different aspects when trying to find those who are missing from our fellowship: count, labor, wait, pray, love unconditionally, welcome, restore and celebrate.

Thank you for all that you do for us. In your name I pray, Amen.