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Sacred Roots: Why the Church Still Matters
Young people are leaving the church. We all know that. They love Jesus but not the church. They think church is irrelevant, dated, unnecessary, divided, and hurtful. And they aren't entirely wrong. Yet church is also a place of healing, community, joy, hope, and redemption. This ebook explores what the church can offer 21st century cities, and makes the case for why church still matters in an increasingly post-religious context.
96 pages, ebook
First published January 7, 2014
14 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
Jon Tyson
30 books266 followersJon Tyson is a pastor and church planter in New York City. Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Jon moved to the United States over two decades ago with a passion to seek and cultivate renewal in the Western Church. He is the author of Sacred Roots, A Creative Minority, and The Burden Is Light. He serves as the lead pastor of Church of the City New York.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 20, 2018
Integral, convicting, and inspiring book for the modern church going christian who wants to defend the need of the church in our current generation.
July 3, 2020
In a world when church is no longer a part of the culture, this little book reminds us what church is. And what we need to get back to.
October 14, 2021
Super short and super insightful. Loved it cover to cover.
September 14, 2016
Profound despite its length, Tyson's short book in this series - which I'm coming to appreciate and highly recommend - doesn't set out to do too much and accomplishes its purposes brilliantly. Barna Group's statistics and polls are useful but not the main event.
Tyson shows how individualism (church for self) and consumerism (church for entertainment) has hamstrung the contemporary church. The thesis he develops under four great points is that following Christ into the local church is ultimately not about me, but community and service. Using examples from Acts, the early church (Rodney Stark), and the apostolic fathers, the author contrasts our low view of the gathering with the radically transformed lives of our forebears, and the related impact those churches had on their communities and cities for the gospel.
No book, least of all such punchy ones as this series presents, can cover everything. But my biggest criticism of this work is the one statistic that was ignored: 63% of people who have left the church did so because of disagreement over doctrinal issues (p44). Despite this significant challenge to the contemporary church, Tyson doesn't address it.
Tyson shows how individualism (church for self) and consumerism (church for entertainment) has hamstrung the contemporary church. The thesis he develops under four great points is that following Christ into the local church is ultimately not about me, but community and service. Using examples from Acts, the early church (Rodney Stark), and the apostolic fathers, the author contrasts our low view of the gathering with the radically transformed lives of our forebears, and the related impact those churches had on their communities and cities for the gospel.
No book, least of all such punchy ones as this series presents, can cover everything. But my biggest criticism of this work is the one statistic that was ignored: 63% of people who have left the church did so because of disagreement over doctrinal issues (p44). Despite this significant challenge to the contemporary church, Tyson doesn't address it.
August 6, 2016
Barna Frames would make a really great small group study, because the topics are so fresh.
1. They are SHORT. I’m talking a super fast read.
2. Barna offers these great infographics and statistics that explains everything simply in a picture.
There are Sunday morning when I sit in the pew, and know all the fighting and judgement that goes on and just really wonder though. Maybe you do to. Well, it still matters. A LOT.
It really is up to us to make it a place where people want to be again, because of our unconditional love.
Not because of our bigness, or perfectness, or wow programs.
Jon Tyson, “Look, look at how they love each other.”
The sacred roots of the early church; communal love, self-giving, and service.
1. They are SHORT. I’m talking a super fast read.
2. Barna offers these great infographics and statistics that explains everything simply in a picture.
There are Sunday morning when I sit in the pew, and know all the fighting and judgement that goes on and just really wonder though. Maybe you do to. Well, it still matters. A LOT.
It really is up to us to make it a place where people want to be again, because of our unconditional love.
Not because of our bigness, or perfectness, or wow programs.
Jon Tyson, “Look, look at how they love each other.”
The sacred roots of the early church; communal love, self-giving, and service.
August 15, 2014
Jon is a solid dude who is a practitioner and not just a theorist.
February 20, 2016
Short thought provoking read on the importance of place, community and discipleship over transience, entertainment and individualism
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews