Book Review: Who Stole My Church?

Have you ever asked yourself, or anyone else for that matter the question, who stole my church? Do you sometimes feel like Rip Van Winkle, having awaken after some twenty years of sleep, to a church much different than the church you first came to? From the style of the music to the volume which allows you to 'feel' the music, to the lights and videos, church has evolved into something which can lead some to ask the question, who stole my church?


"Who Stole My Church: what to do when the church you love tries to enter the twenty-first century" is a book which attempts to deal with the question the title of the book asks. The author, George MacDonald, wrote this book as a result of a conversation he held with a man who felt he'd become a stranger in the church he'd always thought of as his spiritual home.


George MacDonald takes a completely different approach in writing this book about church change. He weaves various issues, such as music, the volume of music, the younger generation stepping into control of the church, and even a church name change into a tale from the perspective of the ones sitting in the pews who will live with, support, and even hate the changes. Though the story is fictitious, the issues being dealt with are very real. George MacDonald places himself in the role of the pastor of a typical church and writes the story around fifty to sixty-year old characters who are representative of the average church attendee. The reader will quickly identify with one or more of these characters.


If you're looking for a book which answers the question of how to deal with church change, than you'll find yourself disappointed with this book. It's important that the reader not skip reading the author's preface. George MacDonald tells the reader upfront that the story leaves any number of issues dangling without resolution. His desire is to spark a dialog concerning the issue of church change among all generations of people who love the church.


The author deals intimately with the issue of church ownership. He puts the true owner of the Church into proper perspective. The Church belongs to God. It's from this perspective that the issues of church change are engaged. I enjoyed reading "Who Stole My Church". The book is well-written and reads easily. It's one of those books I found hard to set down once I began reading it. I feel the author is very successful in provoking the reader to examine his or her own position regarding church change. I highly recommend reading "Who Stole My Church" if you're looking for a different view of the issues which can so easily threaten the life of the church. God bless...