Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith

by Diana Butler Bass

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For decades the accepted wisdom has been that America's mainline Protestant churches are in decline, eclipsed by evangelical mega-churches. Church and religion expert Diana Butler Bass wondered if this was true, and this book is the result of her extensive, three-year study of centrist and progressive churches across the country. Her surprising findings reveal just the opposite—that many of the churches are flourishing, and they are doing so without resorting to mimicking the mega-church, evangelical style.

Christianity for the Rest of Us describes this phenomenon and offers a how-to approach for Protestants eager to remain faithful to their tradition while becoming a vital spiritual community. As Butler Bass delved into the rich spiritual life of various Episcopal, United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, and Lutheran churches, certain consistent practices—such as hospitality, contemplation, diversity, justice, discernment, and worship—emerged as core expressions of congregations seeking to rediscover authentic Christian faith and witness today.

This hopeful book, which includes a study guide for groups and individuals, reveals the practical steps that leaders and laypeople alike are taking to proclaim an alternative message about an emerging Christianity that strives for greater spiritual depth and proactively engages the needs of the world.

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3 out of 5 stars

the main thing is the main and it was missed, 2008-10-12
I have spent time in both evangelical and "mainline" churches. There is a lot of discussion about growing membership and being relevant etc . and the point is missed. And this is why so many churches are foundering like damaged ships.

It is not enough to be happening and relevant as it where. The central gospel message needs to be preached. Unsaved people do not become saved by osmosis. They need to hear the message of unconditional salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and be given the opportunity to this.

And this message can effectively delivered in a loving way without condemnation. And here is a news flash many of these churches the author criticizes are doing just that.

It is that simple - the reason mega churches are become mega churches is for this reason. An unconditional invitation to receive the message of salvation is given every Sunday - HELLO! It is not about marketing or politics.

Many of these "progressive, mainline" churches stubbornly refuse to do this but they'll try anything and everything else - oh well good luck.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4 out of 5 stars

Christianity for the Rest of Us, 2008-09-15
Butler Bass has written a very readable book about growing the church
outside of Christian fundamentalist, evangelical traditions.
It is loaded with practical ideas for growing congregations
but more importantly, it talks about the need for non-fundamentalist
Christians to reclaim the language of faith, community and personal
transformation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5 out of 5 stars

Reflections after a congregational study, 2008-09-04
I would like to express my appreciation for "Christianity for the Rest of Us." As the pastor of a small, struggling mainline congregation, much of what Diana Butler Bass has written here resonates. My congregation just spent almost six months with this book. We used each of the "signposts of renewal" that form the heart of the book as a theme for ten weeks. Each member read the chapter in advance and the liturgy, scriptures and hymns were all chosen and crafted to accompany the theme. Before going into the book, I didn't know what to expect. It could have been deadly dry and dull; it could have been fluffy and shallow; it could have been yet another piece about what we're doing wrong. Instead I found a very enjoyable, readable book that touched me deeply often. It reaffirmed to me that my tiny congregation that struggles along is indeed going in the right direction and is part of a larger whole of God's people who see their faith-life differently than many other congregations. It also made me realize that we need to continue our work; we are not done here and God has plenty more in store for us. How exciting! I am grateful that "Christianity for the Rest of Us" found its way into our congregational life. Though our formal study is over, as I said to the congregation last Sunday, we are not done with this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5 out of 5 stars

An excellent sociological perspective of hope, 2008-08-04
Diana Butler Bass has visited numerous mainline Protestant churches all over the continental U.S. This is her "report": mainliners are NOT on the way out; as a matter of fact, they have the best hope of re-introducing to our tired-of-secluded-suburban country a much-needed sense of true community through the neighborhood church. When glittering technology gets old, when surface religion becomes a drag, there is genuine depth (imagine that) and substance to the mainliners' faith. Diana Butler Bass describes the Church's focus on a handful of very important areas that provide that sense of community. She offers a wonderfully hopeful perspective for those people who have felt devalued by the more vociferous "evangelical" circles.

0 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2 out of 5 stars

Christianity for the Rest of Us, 2008-06-21
This is probably well written, but I don't really believe in many of the concepte she is proposing therefore I cannot consider it a good book. For those who are searching for something it would be a good read.

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