Why Church Matters: Discovering Your Place in the Family of God
Praise for Why Church Matters“Instead of asking what they can give or how they can serve, too many churchgoers are only interested in what they can get. The church deserves far more than the halfhearted commitment or apathetic neglect it so often receives. In fact, as Harris astutely observes, the Christian life can never be lived to its fullest apart from a genuine passion for the church. It’s time for believers to take the church seriously, which is why the message of this book is so essential.”—JOHN MACARTHUR“Evangelical Christians have a good and appropriate emphasis on personal salvation. But that emphasis has not been balanced by the inherently corporate nature of the Christian life. Christians belong in churches—the only places where we can thrive and grow spiritually. In this book, Joshua Harris makes this case with wisdom, clarity, and graciousness.”—CHARLES W. COLSON, PRISON FELLOWSHIP, WASHINGTON, DC“Joshua Harris reminds us of the great kingdom work we are missing in our lives when we avoid the personal contact that commitment to a ‘home’ church brings. Many people seek to be comfortable and well fed in a church, but community is where the real issues of our hearts get worked out. Through the church, Joshua Harris writes, ‘Thepower of the gospel is not only changing individuals, but is also creating a whole new kind of humanity.’”—SARA GROVES, SINGER/SONGWRITER“Joshua Harris has a gift for addressing issues that matter in a way that’s clear, powerful, and memorable. Why Church Matters is the same kind of writing Josh’s readers have come to expect and love—he’s right and he’s real. He winsomely shows the fallacy of those who want a relationship with Jesus, but not a committed relationship with His people. I believe the Lord will use this book to kindle in the hearts of many a love for what Jesus loves—His bride, the church.”—DONALD S. WHITNEY, AUTHOR OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE“Pastors, are you looking for a good book to help visitors understand why they should join a church? Here it is! Clear, simple, well-illustrated, and compelling. This little book reflects Christ’s love for the church and explains it in terms that are simple and passionate. Read it and use it.”—MARK DEVER, PASTOR OF CAPITOL HILL BAPTIST CHURCH AND DIRECTOR OF 9 MARKS MINISTRIES“In Why Church Matters Joshua Harris passionately communicates the urgency of God’s people becoming the counterculture we’re called to be and gives us tools to get started. I appreciate that Josh has written this book with more than instruction; he writes it as one who also struggles with us to discover our own place in the body of Christ.”—DEREK WEBB, SINGER/SONGWRITER