Wayne Jacobsen - Finding Church: What If There Really Is Something More

Finding Church by Wayne Jacobsen

www.findingchurch.com

International Standard Book Number

978-0-9839491-5-2

ISBN: 9780983949169

Copyright 2014 by Wayne Jacobsen

All Rights Reserved

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout the written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Except where otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used with the permission of Zondervan Publishers.

Scripture taken from The Message (MSG) Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible (NAS), Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Trailview Media, an imprint of Lifestream

www.lifestream.org

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Cover design: Dave Aldrich, www.aldrichdesign.com

Cover interiors: Nan Bishop, www.nbishopsdesigns.com

Printed in the United States of America

Second Printing (November 2014)

To Julie, Andrew, and Tyler
My three children, two by birth and one by marriage,
who bring great joy into my life every day.

What others are saying about Finding Church

There is no slow bleed; the mass exodus from local congregations is a stubborn fact. So why is Wayne Jacobsen so hopeful? Because dispersion and isolation need not be the endgame. Jacobsen is finding churchthe fully functioning family of Christ that transcends institutionsnetworking everywhere. I would especially invite Jesus-loving ex-churchgoers to borrow his eyes so they might share his hope.

BRAD JERSAK, Ph.D., author of Can You Hear Me?
Abbotsford, BC

Finding Church is a riveting and challenging read that prompts its readers to seriously reconsider the definition of church. With courage and compassion, Jacobsen states what millions of Christians intuitively know but cant admit, while sharing his passion for a church that every believer craves.

DEREK WILDER, author of Freedom
Life Transforming Group, Andersonville, IN

For that endless stream of people I meet who love God but either cannot bring themselves to re-enter the institutional church world or who are feeling great pain from abuses they cannot understand at the hands of leaders who subverted what we call church, Wayne Jacobsens book will be a great encouragement. Without overlaying a new structure, he reminds us that living for and with God is far simpler than we ever imagined and that God still knows our address. Rare is the invitation to relax in Gods love and love others, and it is enough.

GAYLE ERWIN, author of The Jesus Style
Cathedral City, CA

Finding Church is written by one who is not throwing stones. Just the opposite. His love for the church can be found on every page, even as he beckons us toward something morethe very real New Creation.

BOB PRATER, former pastor, entrepreneur
Bakersfield, CA

If you have tried every Christian conference, attended every kind of church, and gone through numerous programs for deeper spirituality, but cannot shake the Is this all there is? feeling, do yourself a favor and read Finding Church. In a gracious and loving way, Wayne Jacobsen provides encouragement, hope, and direction to all who have known that there must be something more to this thing we call church but have almost despaired of finding it. You may find that the church you long for might be sitting right next to you as you read these very words.

JEREMY MYERS, author of Put Service Back into the Church Service,
Portland, OR

Like all of Wayne Jacobsens books, Finding Church is an engaging and graceful work that is rich in insight. He presents a simple, beautiful, and incredibly freeing picture of what it means for believers to come together, and how the community of believers can operate without an institution pulling the strings.

MICK MOONEY, author of An Outsiders Guide to the Gospel
Sydney, Australia

With the integrity and objectivity one hopes for from an author and based on decades of his experience and study, Wayne Jacobsen tackles one of todays growing questions in his new book Finding Church: Is the church a place we go or who we are? Jacobsen offers perspective and insight on ecclesiologythe nature of what is generally known as the church. If you are ready to ask the who-what-when-where-why-and-how questions about the church then you are ready for Finding Church.

GREG ALBRECHT, author of A Taste of Grace
Plain Truth Ministries, Pasadena, CA

Wayne has always been a blessed source that gives us language to describe what we are all feeling. Be ready to put on a new pair of glasses that will allow you to see the church that has been hiding right in front of you all these yearsa church free from human effort, alive in the Spirit and built by Jesus himself. By changing the focus of the conversation, Wayne opens the way to have a much more fruitful dialogue as we gaze at the church that Jesus is building.

BARRY STEINMAN, iconoclast, peacemaker, writer, and fellow pilgrim
Oceanside, CA

This book will challenge those wedded to the traditional image of the church, but dont let that scare you. This is what we have all felt sitting in the pew and rethinking our default setting about his church. Wayne reminds us of things we thought we knew but must learn again. The Church is not the bricks and boards of the building but the blood and bones of people in a growing relationship with each other with Jesus as the head.

NICK SEMBRANO, contributor to the Theophilus Group
Kingsburg, CA

Finding Church offers wisdom, hope, and godward, practical direction for those who have experienced frustration or hurt in man-centered systems. But it does more than that as Wayne shares the vision and certainty of Jesus building his church, his way. Wayne is uniquely positioned to write this book with years of experience in different Christian settings and then years beyond it in freedom and a growing love relationship with him. This has included travel around the world to connect with many who are joined by bonds far higher than loyalty to a leader, group, or organization. He points us to Him who is the Way and opens up the glorious potential of His headship in his people. I highly recommend it.

DAVID RICE, retired science teacher and brother on the journey
Co Wicklow, Ireland

I loved this book! From the moment I started reading it, I found my heart coming alive with renewed hope for seeing mand experiencing a true expression of New Testament church life in my generation. For years Ive struggled with a gnawing sense that there had to be more to church than what I had encountered in religious institutions, but I really didnt know where to turn. After reading Finding Church, Ive discovered that there are countless possibilities for experiencing kingdom life in the conversations and relationships I engage. I highly recommend Waynes book.

S. J. HILL, Bible teacher and author of Enjoying God and A Love for the Ages
Cromwell, IN

Its about time someone wrote a book like