I’ve written more in the margins of Mere Churchianity than any other book I’ve read.  Makes me really wish Michael Spencer was still here with us (he passed away last spring, before the book was published) so that I could pose these questions.

Obviously, I could make this a very long review (but I won’t).

In Mere Churchianity, Michael Spencer speaks against what he calls “church-shaped spirituality” in favor of “Jesus-shaped spirituality.”

If you’re like me, you’ll wonder what the distinction between the two is.  After all, isn’t the church Christ’s body?  His bride?

Basically, “church-shaped spirituality” is the religious stuff that is found in all churches to a greater or lesser degree: the attribution of things to Jesus that aren’t him and all the rules we place on the faith.  These are exactly what you’d expect in churches made up of sinners (and I haven’t found one yet that isn’t).

I agree that this is a huge problem: at best these things distract from the gospel and at worst they’re blasphemy, leading people to hell.

Rather than calling this “church-shaped spirituality” I’d be much more comfortable calling it “man-shaped” or “sinner-shaped.”  I believe that God is jealous for His Church, like a good and faithful husband.  I don’t think he likes his bride’s name dragged through the mud, whether by the words of critics or by the actions of “Christians” who don’t follow Christ.

I agree with a lot of the problems Spencer points out.  Unfortunately, Christians sometimes are the worst advertisers for God and His Kingdom…but they are messengers God has chosen.

I think Spencer is incorrect about what drives people from the local church.  I do believe some leave because God is no longer the focus of that church (the reason he gives for the majority of the de-churched).  As Spencer puts it, “The God behind the labels and the church signs didn’t look like God to them, so they went looking elsewhere” (p. 17)

But I think that a lot more of us leave the church because we’re sinners who don’t really want to change our ways as demanded to be true followers of Christ.  Couple that with the fact that in most of America you no longer have to attend church to be accepted socially (which I believe is a good trend), and it’s easy to understand why many churches are disappearing.

It is these people who have left (or are in the process of leaving) the church that Spencer is addressing.  He encourages them in their pursuit of God over the institution, and does eventually encourage them to get involved into a community of believers, though he doesn’t go so far as to say that this has to be a biblically-defined church.

Though Spencer makes some great points, I simply have too many issues with his conclusions that I can’t recommend this.   But I’m not going to be speaking out against it, either.

If you’ve read Mere Churchianity or have specific questions about it, I’d be glad to talk to you more about it in the comments, or via email (ronnica@ignoranthistorian.com).