Joshua Harris is probably best know (at least outside of his church) as the man who wrote I Kissed Dating Goodbye. He wrote it at 21 (about 10 years ago) and wrote it as an appeal to young people to wait for romance until they are ready for commitment. Subsequently he has written about what happens when that day dawns (Boy meets Girl), and he has also addressed the problem of lust.
His latest book continues the relationship theme, but with a difference. Stop Dating the Church is a call for Christians to get serious about their relationship with the Church, the Bride of Christ. Harris recalls his own journey in this respect, from his days of enjoying his contact with several churches, but not seeing the need to settle down with one in particular. Change came with a series of taped messages on the Church from CJ Mahaney, followed by the opportunity to be mentored by Mahaney: Harris has recently become senior pastor of the church Mahaney founded.
Harris argues that to stay away from church involvement is to cheat oneself, to cheat a church community and to cheat the world. The Gospel is God’s message for the world and the Church is the vehicle through which he has chosen to communicate that message to the world. Far from being one step among many in the Christian life, getting involved in a church is a key to enjoying the blessings of the Christian life.
The importance of the Church starts with catching hold of heaven’s perspective. The Church is the Bride of Christ. It is through the Church that heaven sees the outworking of God’s wisdom in the Gospel. A commitment to the Church (big C) means a commitment to a church (small c). We are to "think globally" and "love locally". The local church (marked by baptism, communion and church discipline) becomes the place where the shared project of our sanctification gets worked out and where we participate in corporate worship.
There is a call to passion for the church. Passion (the kind we find people exhibiting to the Jeep Club or the like) means that "you join", "you make the local church a priority", "you try to make your pastor’s job a joy", "you find ways to serve", "you give", "you connect with people" and "you share your passion".
Two of the most practical chapters in the book come towards the end. One is a discussion of ten front-line questions to ask as you look for a church; they can be summed up in three things: look for a church that teaches, values and lives God’s word. Question 9 (of the 10) is striking: Is this a church that is willing to kick me out? Then there is a chapter on making the most of Sunday: Harris is not out to create a new legalism but argues that we could make Sunday a much more significant spiritual day.
The book is endorsed by such heavy-hitters as Charles Colson and John MacArthur. It is a quick and easy read – just about 130 short pages of
sound, biblical wisdom communicated without fuss or technicality. It
would be an excellent resource for anyone wondering why they should
take seriously the concept of church involvement.
