Review: Becoming a Friendlier Church

Continuing with more reviews for Asian Heritage Month, I was delighted to be able to read Becoming a Friendlier Church by Matthew D. Kim a few weeks prior.

It's a fantastic resource for all churches and intentionally includes a cultural lens that can often be missed in books regarding ecclesial life and practice. Churches and congregants desiring to become more hospitable will find that this is a friendly and encouraging way to move beyond the status quo of civility into genuine warmth.

Many thanks to Baker Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Book Synopsis

Help visitors become members

• Recognize what prevents visitors from feeling welcome
• Discover methods to welcome new members into your church
• Identify how you and your church can grow in hospitality

In Becoming a Friendlier Church, Matthew D. Kim calls attention to the crisis of unfriendliness that prevents many churches from welcoming new people into their community. Using concrete examples, Kim shows how even churches that think themselves friendly can unintentionally communicate insularity, apathy, busyness, prejudice, and the pursuit of comfort. Instead, a welcoming church pursues open communication, gratitude, intentionality, hospitality, and celebration. These practices will help your community embrace new people and set them on a pathway of belonging and discipleship.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

There are likely many Christians who have encountered an unfriendly church, so it doesn't require much imagination to recount those experiences. Disheartening interactions can impact where Christians worship and attend, potentially having longer-term ramifications if churches continue in this unhealthy pattern of being unfriendly toward newcomers. Thankfully, in Becoming a Friendlier Church, the author outlines five problematic areas of concern and five practices that can counter these behaviours in a guide that covers potential blind spots for congregants and church leadership to take note of. More than a manual of mere steps to take, it's a book that emphasizes God's concern for people over programs.

In covering a lot of ground in a shorter and more accessible volume, this book is ideal for sharing with anyone involved in guest ministries. There is room for plenty of discussions on each topic, with questions and prayer points acting as a springboard for deeper reflection and change. I love the points about the intersection between culture and belonging, emphasizing that all church attendees can improve their level of friendliness without having to rely on church structures or systems to facilitate this practice. Readers with a heart to extend God's heart toward others in a church setting in simple yet practical ways will appreciate the various points of consideration that Matthew D. Kim raises in this helpful resource.

Book Summary

• Format of book: 📱
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Recommendation: 👍