Gathered by Christ: The Overlooked Gift of Church

by Christa Petzold

Are you comforted by the Church? Are you irritated by the Church? Does the thought of walking into those doors on a Sunday morning bring you peace or does it bring you anxiety? For many, the Church is no longer a safe place, even for those who attend regularly. Societal pressures, frustration caused by bureaucracy and abuse within churches, and the negative perception of institutions today result in pain and confusion around the idea of "church." Gathered by Christ: The Overlooked Gift of Church helps readers see the Church through Jesus' eyes. It examines how the Church provides comfort and strengthening of faith in a concrete way, with Scripture and faithful witness as a guide.

Genres: Christianity, Nonfiction

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2023

About the author

Christa Petzold is a pastor’s wife and stay-at-home mother of four. Her passion is writing fiction and nonfiction that highlights the love of Christ for His Bride, the Church. She holds a master’s degree in Theology from Concordia University Irvine, a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Lutheran Secondary Education from Concordia University Wisconsin, and is currently pursuing a PhD in History of Exegesis through Concordia Seminary. She lives with her family in Antioch, Illinois, and spends her time homeschooling, writing, reading, and studying church history.
Find her on Instagram @christa.petzold and at christapetzold.com.

Reviews

[Jonathan Petzold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathered by Christ is an apologetic defense of the institutional Church. Christa Petzold formats this book as a Bible study to mine the Scriptures for how Jesus establishes, shapes, sees, and cares for His Bride, the Church. But Gathered by Christ also introduces the reader to the Church Fathers' understanding and experience with the Church. Often the Church gets a bad reputation in the world--many times deserved--and the Christian may also experience the Church to be a frustrating, discouraging place simply because it is a community of sinners. But Petzold reminds us that Jesus' Bride is nevertheless beautiful, good, and created by Him for our comfort, many times overlooked, but nevertheless there, where we receive His grace and forgiveness day after day.

[Debbie Petzold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathered by Christ: The Overlooked Gift of Church by Christa Petzold is a great read for Christians on many levels. The word "Church" alone conjures up many thoughts and feelings for people; it means different things to different people, and people's biases about church come into play just walking in (or choosing not to walk in) church. There are many churches today, but you may wonder how did it all begin? Christa does a great job at helping the reader answer questions that may be swirling in their mind - those already asked at churches, and questions that have gone unanswered. The church may be a great help to many, or a sorrowful, painful part of one's past. Reading this book may help heal a past or current hurt, and may give those people who have been hurt, an invitation to try church again, or at least talk to clergy about their experiences. For Christians who have stopped going to church but still believe, reading this book is a reminder of the beauty of what the church is (The Bride of Christ), and may give them a desire to attend church again.

Gathered is done in a concise way - each chapter starts with a vignette that highlights a Church Father or theologian and basic background information on them and their contributions to church history. I was surprised that the vignettes ended up being my favorite parts and actually whet my appetite, I couldn't wait to see who would be highlighted in the next chronological order. The connections with these people bridged the gap from where they came from and where we are today in terms of our Church; they are a part of our history and legacy. Christa uses each person's perspective to dive into that area of consideration in the chapter. Sidebar notes help round out the information given. Each chapter ends with discussion questions and a prayer. At the end of the book is a leaders guide that can be used for a small group, book club, Bible class or family discussions.

Reading this book will remind the reader what the church was meant for, that there is beauty in the church, and our lives are enriched because of the church. The reminders and the way Christa connects Church history to present day will leave a lasting effect for the reader. Gathered will be a great supplement to any church's curriculum!

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many people, myself included, have been hurt by the church. Whether that stems from a confusion of doctrine, practice, or how members relate to one another personally, it can be painful to show up on Sunday morning, see yourself as part of the Church, or wonder how you fit in with the church. Gathered by Christ compassionately addresses these painful realities by exploring what the Church really is and how it brings hope and healing to all of us regardless of our background or past experience with church. Each chapter focuses on how Christ sees the Church in various ways (through doctrine, practice, and eschatological hope), and how we fit into that body of believers. Spoiler alert: as believers, there is a specific, valuable place for us, and it is a beautiful, perfect design. I especially love Petzold’s inclusion of various writings from church fathers. The inclusion of these is a welcome reminder that the challenges we face today in the Church are nothing new, and there is so much wisdom to glean from their writings and experiences. Discussion questions and a prayer at the end of each chapter round out this book, making it an ideal choice for both group and individual study.

[Elaine Pszczolkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being raised in a Christian household, you do not always know what questions you SHOULD have. Things simply are because that's how you've been taught. Christa's book helped me address questions I was unaware that I had about my faith! This has strengthened my relationship with our Father as well as my understanding of what my relationship with the Lord should be.
I highly recommend reading this book and strongly suggest also reading the book Christa co-authored with her husband, Jonathan, Male & Female. The two pieces marry together into the harmony of truth and comfort that is lacking in our lives.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is the "Church"? There have been several times over the last few years that I have found myself pondering that question. Questioning the purpose of the Church in 2023. It is very easy to lose perspective and feel like church is something we created -- instead of acknowledging, as Christa puts it, "God is the one who preserves and sustains His Church." 
In this book, Christa beautifully weaves together biblical promises, wisdom from the early church fathers, and a refreshing view of what the Church still offers us today. A must read that will bring you a renewed hope in the Church. 

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking to learn how God views the church as revealed through the holy scriptures and how his church has persevered throughout history without having to take a college course then this is the book for you. The author lays everything out in a detailed but digestible way that even a newbie could understand it and be encouraged by God’s patient and enduring love for his people and his bride the church. Definitely recommend.

[Shana R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathered in Christ is excellent. It is clear Christa has given this topic much thought. She brings a thorough knowledge and understanding of the topic and lays it out in a manner that is easy to understand. I especially enjoyed the way she connected the writings of the church fathers to the topics in each chapter.
Growing up in the church all my life, I may have taken for granted the gift that the church truly is. This book has allowed me to gain a renewed appreciation for all that this gift is. I would recommend it to both those who are struggling to understand why they need church and those who have never doubted their need for the church (as well as anyone in between).

[Jennie Polzin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book addresses the Church as many may not have viewed it before. We must, as the title says, be Gathered by Christ. In the current time where attending church may not be prioritized or people may not feel it necessary to be part of a church, this book addresses the necessity of the Church. “We must meet with our Lord where He promises to be: in the fellowship of the faithful, gathered by Christ around His Word and His Sacraments.” (Pg. 137)

Attending Church is a necessary part of our lives. “When we keep the Sabbath holy, we not only obey God’s Law and receive the gifts of forgiveness and strengthening of faith, but we also confess by our actions that our faith in God is the highest priority in our lives.” (Pg. 167)

This book teaches how we must view the Church and that we must not treat it as a business. “God forms the Church with beauty, design, and purpose.” (Pg. 170). “If the Church is instituted by Jesus and sustained by the work of the Holy Spirit, we should not seek to sell its contents. Truth speaks for itself. When we create worship services, even opportunities, and resources solely based on what people want, we fail in the mission of the Church, which is to deliver what people need. Church no longer shapes us; we shape the church. And when the church is shaped not by God’s truth but by our whims, the church is no longer a source of objective comfort and assurance.” (Pg. 115)

This book will be great for a bible study as it has discussion questions and a prayer at the end of every chapter. There is also a Leader Guide at the end of the book. Christians will benefit from all the knowledge they will gain from this book. Christa combines church history, Biblical truth, and writings from church fathers to teach Christians the importance of the Church and the importance of being Gathered by Christ. She writes in a clear and organized way that makes difficult topics and questions easy to understand.

[Rebekah Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is the Church? How does Christ see His bride and how has He worked and does He work through her to feed the faithful and reach the lost? Petzold points us back to God’s truth in scripture and to Church fathers throughout the centuries to help us understand the rich theology of what is the Church. She doesn’t stop there, but also helps us see common pitfalls of false theology and casual misunderstanding about the Church that have existed in the past and still exist today. As we peel back misconceptions, we can better see the Church as she really is—who Christ sees her as—and realize the beauty gift of being a part of the body of believers that has existed for so long.

With grace and clarity, Petzold tackles hard questions: How can we see the Church as holy when it is rife with conflicting theology and sinful laity and clergy? How do we square teaching like closed communion with being a loving fellowship of all believers? How should churches that preach forgiveness respond when their leaders grievously err? When we are gripped with panic because we see the Church shrinking, how can we respond in a way that is faithful to who the Church is and what our Lord has called us to do? With grace and clarity, Petzold tackles these hard questions and more. She always points us back to scripture and strengthens her arguments with vignettes and examples from Church history.

For any Christian, but especially for those who are in leadership or staff positions at their churches, this book is an invaluable resource. If you're like me, you'll come away encouraged, yet with much to think on, and a renewed love for the Body of Christ--both universally and locally. Thank you, Jesus, for giving us the Church!

[Sharla Fritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathered by Christ is a much-needed book on the church--Christ's body. At times we may become disappointed with the church because it is made up of flawed people. But Christa Petzold encourages us to see the church as God's gift to us--to encourage us and build us up in the faith. I especially liked the author's inclusion of writing about the church from historical figures. It helped me see that problems within the church are nothing new, but despite difficulties, the church endures as a refuge in the world. After reading this book I see how God has formed the church as a gift to His children.

[Caitlin Shuda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christa Petzold shares the Church's origin story in a way that's easy to follow, including historical context, real life examples, hymns and passages from scripture to show how beautiful the gift of Church is. I also appreciated that this book recognizes the hurt and abuse some people have felt within churches, as the Church is still full of sinful people. Christa acknowledges the pain of this sinful world while sharing the hope we have in Jesus and in the power of community and connection we receive through the Church.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written exposition on God’s formation of the Church and the gifts He gives to His people through the Church, from a Lutheran perspective.

I especially loved the author’s inclusion of quotes from significant Church fathers and noted theologians from a variety of historical time periods, showing afresh in each chapter the way the Church was being built up, sustained, and preserved throughout the centuries since the time of Christ.

[Diane Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful overview of the history of the church. It was nice to have a book that gave so much meat but at the same time was easy to understand. I read this as a book not as a Bible study. I look forward to use it as a Bible study when we do this with our church hopefully. Will definitely recommend this to others.

[Spencer Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathered in Christ is a refreshing reminder that the Church is a gift! And If we want our children to treasure it and remain in the true faith, then we must bring them to that which we treasure and hold dear!