Thom S. Rainer

However you might feel about the COVID-19 quarantine experience, one thing remains difficult to dispute: a lot of things have changed for local churches as a result.

The COVID-19 pandemic hastened certain trends and itself catalyzed many others. Thom Rainer and his group at Church Answers try their hand at providing encouragement and direction in the wake of this experience in The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation.

The title is not a little overblown: no matter what, the Lord’s church will persevere and continue. Yet that we are in the midst of a major phase of change within local churches cannot be denied, and these changes transcend all sorts of confessional and dogmatic boundaries.

The six challenges and opportunities involve how churches gather; how they relate to the digital world and community; reconnecting with the local community; dedication to prayer; creative reconsideration of facilities; and how to effectively lead meaningful change.

One’s mileage will vary when it comes to the conclusions in this book. For congregations who do not maintain much when it comes to property, there’s not much to creatively reconsider, for instance.

But it is right and good to give serious consideration to how we pray and for what. We should consider how well “placed” a congregation is in its local community, and how its members can best reflect Jesus to their communities. While there has been a lot of skepticism and negativity about online engagement, the fact of the matter remains: most people who might check out a congregation are going to first consider its online presence. Asking or expecting people for an in-person visit to a congregation is a step too far for many people; many might be willing to listen to a podcast, check out a video, or something of that sort and try to become more familiar before being willing to venture out.

And then there’s the whole matter of providing a means of access for those who are unable to get out on account of medical difficulties.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a revelation for a lot of reasons: many hearts and minds were exposed. It catalyzed a lot of conversations, changes, and transitions. Not everything we experienced was good or healthy; but if we cannot find anything good to come out of the experience, and doggedly insist on doing everything the way we have always done it, such says more about us than the experience, and not for the better.

Not everything should change all the time. But we should seek to step back at times and get a sense of how we might be able to more effectively jointly participate in Christ, better reflect Jesus to the community around us, and in so doing glorify God.… (more)

The book “I Am a Christian” begins by reminding us that all who follow Jesus must “fully grasp what it means to say, ‘I am a Christian.’” We must know what it means, who we are, and what we believe. This—and orienting our priorities around this—are urgently needed in our day.

Rainer states, “‘I am a Christian’ and ‘I am a church member’ go hand in hand.” He writes further, “When Christians become committed church members, the church becomes healthy. When the church becomes healthy, communities become healthy. When communities become healthy, the world is transformed.”

The book’s seven chapter highlight different “I am” statements related to being a Christian such as:

* I am a church member.
* I am a disciple.
* I am a servant.
* I am a witness.
* I am a prayer warrior.

Though I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, “I Am a Christian” provides helpful clarity concerning what the church is and is not, and how we are to walk out our lives as Christian, especially alongside a local body of believers.

This book would be especially suitable for new believers or new church members. I could easily see it being used to disciple believers or in a new members’ class, as it covers many important beliefs that all Christians should hold.

I received a review copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.… (more)