52 Churches: A Yearlong Journey Encountering God, His Church, and Our Common Faith

by Peter DeHaan

Overview

They say there's no such thing as a perfect church. Well, one author decided to test that theory out for himself.

Peter DeHaan spent an entire year roaming from one church to another, visiting 52 different Christian congregations. In the process he learned what makes these places of worship unique, what makes newcomers feel like they belong, and what cringe-worthy shenanigans are guaranteed to keep visitors from ever coming back.

In his travels, Peter learned about different denominations and worship styles as well as what happens when imperfect humans gather together in the name of a perfect God. What he discovered was occasionally funny, always interesting, and at times absurd.

So absurd that he wrote a book about his experiences.

52 Churches is part religious exposé, part travel memoir, and 100% authentic. Peter refuses to hold back his punches. You'll cringe when this Christian author is singled out by a fire-and-brimstone preacher, unnecessarily determined to save his soul out of hell. You'll find yourself thankful that you weren't in Peter's shoes when the pastor told his congregation to greet one another with a holy kiss.

You'll read about Christian practices that are far different from your own, and in the process gain a deeper understanding of believers from all walks of life and denominational backgrounds: Protestant mainline, evangelical, and charismatic, Roman Catholic, and more.

If you're a pastor trying to engage newcomers, a seasoned church member looking for some chuckles, or a spiritual lurker curious about what goes on beneath the steeples of America's churches today, this book was written for you.

Read 52 Churches now for an insightful, unforgettable read about the strange and mysterious believers who meet together behind closed doors each and every Sunday.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781948082075
Publisher:	Spiritually Speaking Publishing
Publication date:	12/04/2018
Series:	52 Churches , #1
Pages:	362
Sales rank:	82,282
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Peter DeHaan, PhD, often makes religious people squirm, but spiritual seekers cheer. He's not trying to be provocative, but he seeks truth, even if it makes some people uncomfortable. He yearns for Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives. Peter earned his doctorate, awarded with high distinction, from Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary. He lives with his wife in beautiful Southwest Michigan and wrangles crossword puzzles in his spare time.

Table of Contents

The Beginning

Part 1: Getting Started

Church #1: A Friendly Place with a Homey Feel

Church #2: Growing Deeper, Not Wider

Church #3: It Only Hurts When You Care

Church #4: Successfully Melding Contemporary and Traditional

Church #5: Catholics are Christians Too

Church #6: A Quintessential Country Church

Church #7: The New Church

Church #8: A Grand Experiment

Church #9: Methodists Know How to Cook

Church #10: A Special Father’s Day Message

Church #11: Charismatic Lite

Church #12: More Methodists, More Food

Church #13: A Dedicated Pastor Team

Church #14: The Pentecostal Perspective

Church #15: An Outlier Congregation

Church #16: Something’s Missing

Church #17: A Doubleheader

Church #18: Revisiting Roman Catholicism

Church #19: A Near Miss

Church #20: Different Language, Same God

Church #21: A New Kind of Church

Church #22: A Caring Community

Church #23: They’ll Be Fine

Church #24: Good, But Not Typical

Church #25: Embarking on a Metamorphosis, Part 2

Church #26: An Unknown Situation

Church #27: A Charismatic Experience

Church #28: Intriguing and Liturgical

Church #29: Led By Laity

Church #30: Misdirected and Frustrated

Church #31: A Day of Contrasts

Church #32: Commitment Sunday and Celebration

Church #33: A Shepherd Cares For His Flock

Church #34: Acts Chapter Two

Church #35: A Well-Kept Secret

Church #36: The Surprise

Church #37: Another Small Church

Church #38: A Refreshing Time

Church #39: A Great Way to End the Year

Church #40: No Time to Return

Church #41: People Make the Difference

Church #42: High Expectations and Great Disappointment

Church #43: A Welcoming Church With Much to Offer

Church #44: A Familiar Place

Church #45: Another Doubleheader

Church #46: False Assumptions

Church #47: Significant Interactions

Church #48: Small, Simple, and Satisfying

Church #49: Large and Anonymous

Church #50: Saturday Mass

Church #51: The Megachurch: A Grand and Welcoming Experience

Church #52: Playing it Safe

Church #53: Home for Holy Week

Reflections

A Lot Like Dating

Greeting Well or Not at All

Format and Size Matters

Candy’s Take on 52 Churches

Generalizations

Tips for Improvement

Conclusion

Appendix 1: Trivia

Interesting Notes

Things Change

Time and Location

Appendix 2: Facts and Figures

Appendix 3: Census Data

Glossary

Acknowledgments

About Peter DeHaan

Editorial Reviews

“The insights from this book are unique, engaging, and a must read for anyone involved in ministry!” -Pastor Scott

“52 Churches is an eye opening and insightful read as to how we Christians interact with and welcome visitors into our places of worship.” -Teri Block

“An interesting and intriguing experiment, I’m glad Peter and his wife invited us along on their journey!” -P Robertson

“DeHaan writes for everyone whether they have a connection with a church or not. I highly recommend this book. It was great read the first time. I plan to read it again.” -Justin Bessert

“Loved this book! I was pleasantly surprised with Peter DeHaan’s down-to-earth, real-people look at how visitors experience church.” -Amazon review

“His observations should cause us to look at how we, as a church body, behave when we think no one is looking.” -Lynn McG

“Love the fact that Peter DeHaan notices everything . . . love the uptakes. Positive eye opener.” -Penny Goldman

From the Publisher