I once heard a pastor say that while "community is the one thing contemporary people want, it is also the thing they are least prepared to receive." He went on to discuss how: individualism has divided our communities, ambition has taught us to value competition over cooperation and our schedules leave little time to invest in the lives of our loved ones andthe common life of our communities. Randy Frazee'sThe Connecting Church identifies and develops many of the same themes, which were explored in that intriguing sermon. In The Connecting Church Frazee paints a beautiful portrait of biblical community and talks about the sacrifices we will have to make in order to experience life together. If you are ready to move beyond small groups and develop authentic community this book is required reading.
This book explores the three essential elements of real community and helps readers put into practice the fifteen principles that undergird those essentials.
Pastor and consultant Frazee begins with a problem that many church leaders
admit only hesitantly: small groups, widely hailed as a means to achieve
authentic community, often fail to achieve the hoped-for experience of "life
together." This book follows the story of Frazee's congregation, Pantego Bible
Church in suburban Dallas/Ft. Worth, in its efforts to "take [the small group
movement] to the next level." Frazee's proposal is no quick fix; it belies
megachurch stereotypes by taking a countercultural stand against the
individualism and consumerism that Frazee says plague contemporary American
life. Drawing on biblical models as well as sociological research and urban
planning principles, Frazee makes a strong case that the mobility and privacy
of "American Dream" suburbia fosters a spirit of fragmentation and isolation
that is unworkable as a basis for authentic community. Frazee recommends
"consolidating relationships," opting out of multiple activities and
superficial social circles in favor of "a circle of relationships that produces
a sense of genuine belonging." Small groups emerge as a necessary but
insufficient ingredient for attaining Frazee's vision of "biblical community."
The author's fondness for lists and systematization make for a dense read at
times, but the human insights and real-life examples that really drive the book
have a powerful appeal. Given the popularity of small group spirituality, and
its potential discontents, this book should find a wide audience. (Mar.)
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars(4.5 out of 5 stars)
4 of 4 Reviews Showing:
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Celina Lloyd (Abingdon, MD), March 01, 2009
WE are reading this as part of a church planting group and so far we have only finished the 4th chapter but it is a great book. It gets to the heart of what is going on in most churches and communities and with that gets to the Word of how to get back!!! Great book!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Don Rousu (Edmonton, Alberta), August 23, 2008
My evaluation of this book is a little over the top for some. After having been in pastoral ministry for over 40 years, I think this is one of the most important books that has been written for the church in the last 50 years! With incisive clarity, Frazee identifies the two forces that drive our North American culture: individualism and consumerism. These forces militate against true biblical community which is, by way of contrast, radically corporate and sacrificial. He then identifies three important marks of authentic biblical community: A common purpose, a common place, and common possessions. The goal is clear, and it will take nothing less than death and resurrection to get there! This has incredible implications for the missional church conversation, because this quality of love will woo the world to Jesus.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Scott Cheatham (Denver, Colorado), April 16, 2005
Frazee writes on a subject many in the church are struggling with; the need to belong. In The Connecting Church, you are given the story of how Patego Bible Church in Texas made the switch from what many would call traditional small group ministry to an intergenerational ministry built on local neighborhoods. It's a great concept and I can't wait to visit his church soon to see just how this plays out in Frazee's home church.
I've long felt that we are too segregated in our own churches and that this leads to many of the conflicts we see. The "intergenerational" approach Frazee takes is one I think is right and practical.
I've ordered his Christian Life Assessment tool to use in my own church. The tool is based on the principles in this book.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by steve gunter (Idalou, Tx.), October 17, 2001
I believe this can be the answer to the rat race society that we find ourselves in . This also answers alot of questions that I wanted to know about why small groups never really achieve total true intimacy.
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