No Perfect People Allowed

This book was life changing for me. I've read it twice. Each time I found new insights that helped me work out my salvation with fear and trembling. Burke contends that we are living in a very Corinthian type culture, where all manner of things Christians have normally considered taboo are now acceptable. The story of the woman who told him she had a broken friendship is case and point. It was broken, because her friend got pregnant when she was having a threesome with her friends husband. The Church has a lot of work to do with those who are coming to our local Churches and have not had any contact with traditional Christianity. Many of those who are coming are cynical and jaded, or have been burned by the Church in the past. This book will give you a great understanding of how to deal with the practical problems a correct theology will create. In other words, it will tell the stuff they don't teach you in seminary. How do you deal with couples who think it is OK to live together before getting married? What would you do if a homosexual couple decided to start coming to your Church, before they found faith? How do you deal with Church discipline issues, without driving people away? How do you stay true to the Gospel but relevant to culture? As I read this book I felt my own attitudes towards these issues challenged as I read the personal stories. My heart was moved and I found myself exposed as a Pharisee many times. I had to repent a lot.The book looks at doing Church in a post-modern context from the perspective of what people of this generation struggle with.Burke's Church then uses these things as a bridge to the Gospel. I was glad to see that Burke didn't go soft on the Gospel. The tag line of the book is creating a come as you are culture in your church. Burke mentions that people often miss the other part of that tagline - Come as you are....but don't stay that way. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation, sanctification and transformation. It is what this generation and this world needs desperately to be healed.No matter what your background or how your Church is going at the moment you can and will benefit from this book. Highly recommended reading.

In No Perfect People Allowed, John Burke discusses the issues that confronted he and his staff in creating and growing the Gateway Community Church in Austin, TX. As an interested observer of the Emerging Church movement and the faculty advisor for one of my college's campus ministry I was interested in what Burke would have to say about ministering to the present generation.After reading the book I was just amazed. First, I found the book's ideas about the struggles we all have with brokenness and aloneness deeply affecting and moving. As I read these chapters at 30,000 feet I was profoundly struck with mine and my generation's deepest needs from a faith and what it might mean to us. Second, I can't think of a single book that gets more "right" about what young people in our multi-cultural, hyper-tolerant society see and need in a Christian community. Week in and week out I see the situations and lessons played out in the campus ministry I actively advise and Burkes' perspectives and "talking points" have been tremedously helpful to me.One thing that I found very refreshing about the book is that Burke doesn't (at least in my opinion) shy away from difficult topics or leave out important theological considerations. In fact, his discussion of the theology of the trinity is one of the best I've read for explaining (if such a term can be used for the mystery of the trinity) how God can be one God and three persons.If you are interested in the intersection of "Church" and "Culture" and how some of the issues have been addresses and worked through I would recommend this book. If you are attempting to reach those who are identified as being part of the last two generations I would say that this book might be one of the most informative and helpful books you can read. Thanks to John Burke for sharing his experiences and acquired wisdom with those of us who are trying to reach the same people in search of an authentic community.

Seems like an honest attempt to find the way back to Jesus' teachings, but I guess it is just hard to let go of control and let God guide us. Burke keeps going back to the destructive Sin obsession when Paul says with clarity that only in God's Grace do we overcome sin. The simple things is that God and Only God can decide what is Sin in any given persons life.He keeps going back to the old Humanist claim that there is a singular "truth" and that to people he is talking to are misguided by denying there is a single truth. So the Book says essentially that everyone is welcome, but unless you fit the old mold you are just wrong. He still represents the old dogma and just tries to put a new face on it to get people in the door and no doubt to sell more books. His book has as many holes and contradictions as the Book he uses as a source.There is one truth and that is the one that exist between God and the Individual. But man and Burke does not trust Jesus or God to guide Their Children with out the Priesthood of Man declaring what is acceptable. Oh ye of little Faith.Gays are still the most egregious sinners. That is completely out side the teaching of Jesus, and Burke just ignores a whole body of Theology that suggests strongly in the New Covenant that Paul's discussion of sex is in reference to the Pagan Religions in Corinth which has sexual activity (fertility superstitions) as part of their worship. Paul's issue was not who did what to whom, but that such activity outside of Love is Lust and not part of man's relation with the Eternal God.There is a lot of talk about acceptance, but it is a mask on the Old Testament attempts to bring man under man's Law not God's. It still seems that man can not get past the idea of killing their neighbor, not Loving them, even if they are killing them softly.Regarding the Cover, your faith is where your focus is.

Die Aufgabe der Gemeinde ist es, zu wachsen. Da besteht kein Zweifel. Aber was, wenn die Menschen um uns herum sich überhaupt nicht von der Gemeinde angezogen fühlen? Wenn sie gar nicht erst ihren Fuß über die Schwelle eines Kirchengebäudes setzen würden?Wir müssen verstehen, dass Menschen nicht dazukommen, weil wir drinnensitzen und recht haben. Menschen brauchen als erstes mal eine Gemeinde, die für sie da ist. Die ihnen in ihren alltäglichen Fragen, Sorgen, Nöten und Ängsten Anworten bieten kann, die ihnen wirklich nützen. Erst wenn unsere Mitmenschen uns abspüren, dass wir sie nicht als Beitragszahler wollen, sondern wirklich glauben, dass die Botschaft von Jesus die beste Botschaft der Welt ist, die auch ihnen helfen kann, werden sie uns zuhören wollen.Mit vielen Beispielen illustriert gibt John Burke einen Einblick in die Gateway-Chruch in Austin, Texas und wie es dort (nicht immer) gelingt, Menschen nicht als "verlorene Sünder" anzusprechen, sondern als Individuen, für die unser Gott sich brennend und liebend interessiert.

There must be over two dozen books I have reviewed here and there about where the modern North American Protestant movement is going in the new millennium. This is the one which has captured my attention, based on my recent experience in Northern Alberta. Jargon-free and realistic, and honest. Worthy of serious reading, consideration, and it has given me and I hope others hope for the future.

What the church needs to hear and do!

This has been such a helpful book for me that I have been recommending it to all in my leadership team. It reflects much of the journey we have been on over the last few years and is such a confirmation of all the things we are looking to implement. We are seeing so many new people arrive with all sorts of issues but they are being attracted by a search for God and we want to help and no hinder them. Thank you for your honest and moving story.

My church is based in and around this book so I've always wanted to take a look at it. Bought it to take on Holidays for a read by the pool, however it didn't really fall as light reading. It's more of a book to sit down with a notebook. Class book anyway.