Sometimes it
seems that we do everything right, but things don’t turn out the way they
should; at other times, regardless of how many mistakes we make, things turn
out just the way we had hoped. It happens, in life, it happens in business, and
it happens in church. Sometimes even the
least likely person in the room is the one that succeeds. We may not understand
why, but we certainly like to analyze the situation; and when we do, sometimes
we have to come to the realization that things turn out the way they do because
God is in control, and He’s decided how things are going to turn out.
And maybe,
just maybe, that’s what happened with Eucharist Church.
Kevin
Makins got the idea that he was supposed to start a church. His church-planting
associates told him that he was going about things all wrong, but he decided
not to listen. If he followed their advice, this dream would be set back
months, or even years. His recent book ?
Why Would Anyone Go To Church: A Young Community’s Quest to Reclaim Church for God,
(Baker Books, 2020) is the story of how some promptings from the Spirit led
Makins to plant a church, and what has happened in the life of that church over
the past 10 years.
At first glance, I was confused by the title—it
seemed like this was going to be an exposé of everything that’s wrong with the
church, and why people shouldn’t bother. But instead I found a delightful
reminder that regardless of her faults, the church is still THE place where
people should be gathering. No she’s not perfect, but the church is still
better than most of what’s out there for hurting people, for people who are
questioning their beliefs, their lives, and their very existences. And given
even the least of a chance, the church comes through with shining colors.
Makins
book is filled with stories of people being transformed because of this little
church, even when things weren’t going well with the church itself. Makins describes with a refreshing honesty and humility how God continued to work,
even when he himself was trying to get in the way.
It’s a
book full of lessons, of honesty, of candor and confession.
I received a copy
of this book from the publisher as a member of their blogger program. I was
asked to provide an honest review
5/5
