Churching
Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church in the Christian Life
- Christian Living
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Published: 2025
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Publisher's Description
Over forty million people have left the church in the past twenty-five years in the United States. This is not merely people walking away from the faith. Many Christians have dechurched as well. The local church is seen as an optional club, and gathering with other Christians is a sort of side issue in the real business of following Jesus. This short book seeks to push against the cultural tide. It musters together an argument biblically, historically, and practically on behalf of the church. The church does not sit on the periphery of the Christian life; it belongs smack dab in the center. The church is our means of grace to corporate worship, Christian fellowship, and the Great Commission. Read and reimagine what the church could look like going forward. Brief and winsome, this resource draws on Scripture, pastoral experience, and wisdom from the global church to present a thoughtful and practical argument intended to help readers understand the call upon the Christian to commit and serve the church.
Endorsements (5)
“I’m thankful for Rick Harrington, who passionately loves the church. And I’m thankful for his book Churching, which makes a case for the centrality of the church in God’s plans. Read this book to rediscover the beauty and blessing of life in Christian community. Read it to rekindle your own love for the church, or to grow in helping others come back. Followers of Jesus are called to care about what he cares about—and Jesus loves his church.”
“We live in an odd and often unintelligible time when it comes to the issue of the local church. To hear professing Christians say that they love Jesus but hate his bride is a reflection of their ignorance of what Jesus himself said about the church. The simple and undeniable fact is that there is no such thing as a ‘churchless’ Christian. To what can we attribute this appalling approach to the local church? Many would point to pastoral bullying, clergy sexual abuse, the so-called ‘prosperity’ gospel, or perhaps the hypocrisy that so frequently abounds in the many gatherings of Christians. But there is no excuse for a Christian to turn his or her back on the bride of Christ. What the church is and does for the glory of God and the good of the believer is beautifully and biblically described in Rick Harrington’s excellent book, Churching. If you’ve been hurt by the church or are tempted to abandon it, please read Rick’s book. It is refreshing, convicting, and above all else, biblically true. It has my highest recommendation.”
“It is impossible to read the New Testament without recognizing the vital role of the local church in the Christian life. Times have changed, but the nature of our calling remains the same. We were saved and called to belong to a spiritual family where our gifts, victories, and struggles come together to form a beautiful tapestry that reflects the true heart of the Father. Churching is a powerful and much-needed message for times like these. Let us embody the church way, for it is within this family that we can live out and experience all the promises of God—both for us and through us!”
“Churching masterfully weaves biblical ecclesiology with pastoral experience to address the critical challenge of dechurching in modern America. Through careful examination of ecclesia, koinonia, and the centrality of Christ’s bride, he builds a compelling case for local church engagement that transcends individualistic Christianity. Drawing from his pastoral ministry in New England, where empty churches echo decline, Rick Harrington offers both theological depth and practical wisdom for rebuilding authentic church community.”
“This is a challenging book and needs to be read. Rediscover what the church is: a spiritual family centered on an unchanging gospel of truth and the love of God. It is written out of pastoral experience and pastoral journeys.”
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