Dan Kimball - They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations

My father taught me that a problem well defined is half solved. It would be foolish to be in ministry to emerging generations without carefully studying this book.

Josh McDowell, author and speaker

Dan helps us understand issues we must address regarding the church and emerging generations. This book will help you strategize your journey out of the institution and into the mainstream of the movement.

Reggie McNeal, Leadership Network

God is speaking to his church, and hes using those who dont even attend one to be his spokes people. Listen up! Thanks to Kimball, new voices are directing the church toward renewal and spiritual growth.

Michael Frost, author, The Shaping of Things to Come

This is a sobering read, but as Dan promises, its ultimately a hopeful one too. We ignore those who like Jesus but not the church at our own peril.

Tony Jones, Emergent Village

While he might not use the term, Dan Kimball is a gifted missionary-evangelist. Thoroughly christological and missional.

Lon Allison, Billy Graham Center

Dan brings authenticity and sensitivity to the discussion by engaging people who have come to trust him as their friend. This is Jesus way of engagement. He didnt talk about people; he conversed with them.

Eddie Gibbs, Fuller Theological Seminary

A tough-minded, clear-sighted look at authentic Christian living in the twenty-first century.

Leonard Sweet, George Fox University

A wonderful bridge between the real-world orthopraxy of the emerging church and the we want to learn and understand posture of all healthy church leaders. Dan clearly has his finger on the pulse of twentysomethings outside the church.

Mark Oestreicher, Youth Specialties

Treats the citizens of emerging culture as people God loves rather than as enemies, targets, or customers. Essential reading for anyone serious about doing mission in emerging culture.

Earl Creps, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary

I felt like I was sitting in a coffeehouse with Dan, having a three-hour conversation about things my heart yearned to explore. This book is beyond timely. Carry it with you into the future.

Rudy Carrasco, Harambee Ministries

The good news is that Dan is right. More people are open to Jesus, giving us an opportunity to shed our skins of tired traditions and return to our call, a Christlike nature.

Alan Nelson, Rev! magazine

With insight, gentleness, and an unswerving commitment to the wisdom of the past, Dan Kimball shows us what we dont want to see but must see if we care about the Great Commission in the twenty-first century.

Gregory Koukl, Stand to Reason

I really appreciate Dan Kimballs passion. Its important to listen to and wrestle with him in order to develop ministry models that proclaim an ancient message through relevant and flexible methods.

Efrem Smith, The Sanctuary Covenant Church

Couldnt put it down! Confronting and alarming but hopeful, this book presents real dialog with young critics of the church and offers positive suggestions for moving the church forward.

Bryce Jessup, William Jessup University

What a hopeful reminder that Jesus is not as far away from most unchurched people as church leaders think. If every church leader will heed Dans message, emerging generations will find faith in the real Jesus through his real church.

John Burke, author, No Perfect People Allowed

If you like Jesus and the church, you need to read this book. It will give you a window into the heart of a world that desperately needs Jesus and a new vision of his bride, the church.

Kevin G. Harney, Corinth Reformed Church

Every frustrated, tired, and burned-out pastor in America needs to read this book. Dan Kimball provides hope and insight for all who love Jesus and wish the church were more like God intended.

Jules Glanzer, George Fox Evangelical Seminary

Thoughtfully addresses some of the most complex issues facing the American church today. It provokes serious thinking about our responses to the hard questions about life, faith, and Jesus.

Linda Stanley, Leadership Network

The next generation is definitely looking for a less programmatic, more relational, and more missional kind of church. I agree with Dan; they want more Jesus and less religion.

Randy Frazee, Willow Creek Community Church

Dan Kimball both points out our blind spots and gives us a clear and compelling road map for reengaging people with the good news of the gospel. This is an important book, and a great one.

Chap Clark, Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary

I recommend this book especially to those who think the emergent church movement is a phase. Something is wrong when people like Jesus but not the church, Jesus body. Our job is to do something about it.

Sarah Sumner, Azusa Pacific University

THEY LIKE JESUS
BUT NOT THE CHURCH

Other Books by Dan Kimball

The Emerging Church
Emerging Worship
Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches (contributor)
I Like Jesus but Not the Church (forthcoming)

THEY LIKE JESUS
BUT NOT THE CHURCH

insights from emerging generations

DAN KIMBALL

To church leaders and Christians
who have enough missional courage
to do whatever it takes to escape the Christian subculture
and be citizens of the kingdom rather than
citizens of the bubble (John 17:15)

ZONDERVAN

They Like Jesus but Not the Church

Copyright 2007 by Dan Kimball

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition January 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-29854-0

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kimball, Dan.

They like Jesus but not the church : insights from emerging generations / Dan Kimball.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN-13: 978-0-310-24590-2

1. Young adults Religious life. 2. Church work with young adults. 3. Non-church-affiliated

people. 4. Church renewal. 5. Emerging church movement. 6. Postmodernism Religious

aspects Christianity. I. Title.

BV4529.2.K54 2007

277.3'0830842 dc22

2006034899

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Scripture quotations marked TNIV are taken from the Holy Bible, Todays New International Version . TNIV. Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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