
Church: Why Bother?
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Narrated by:
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Maurice England
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By:
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Philip Yancey
About this listen
Insights from Philip Yancey's personal pilgrimage away from and back to the church—what made him walk away, and what drew him back.
Why are there so many more professing Christians than churchgoing Christians? Is it because something is wrong with the church?
In his candid, thought-provoking manner, award-winning author Philip Yancey reveals the reasons behind his own journey back from skepticism to wholehearted participation in the church. This book:
- Weighs the church's human failings against its compelling worth as the body of Christ.
- Looks into what God may have in mind for His church.
- Discusses how the church can reach beyond its walls and into the communities and lives around it to be more than just “Sunday worship.”
Yancey does not whitewash the church's faults. He sets them against the overwhelming balance of its strengths: its heart for God, its care for the hurting, its outreach to the lost, and its value as family and community.
This book is for anyone who’s ever wondered: Why bother with church?
©1998 Philip Yancey (P)2010 ZondervanListeners also enjoyed...
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Makes you think
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Makes you think
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The Scandal of Forgiveness
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Vintage Yancy
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Grace Notes
- Daily Readings with Philip Yancey
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
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-
-
Perhaps My Favorite Devotional
- By LM on 08-04-16
By: Philip Yancey
-
The Bible Jesus Read
- Why the Old Testament Matters
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing as always with keen insight into the human condition and God’s provision for it, Yancey debunks this theory once and for all. Yes, he agrees, the Old Testament can be baffling, boring, and even offensive to the modern listener. But as he personally discovered, the Old Testament is full of rewards for the one who embraces its riches.
-
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Prayer
- Does It Make Any Difference?
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- Narrated by: Philip D. Yancey, Larry Black
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? Does it change God's mind or ours or both? This book is an invitation to communicate with God the Father who invites us into an eternal partnership through prayer.
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Prayer - a profound open discussion
- By Benjamin Snyder on 09-25-07
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The Question That Never Goes Away
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By: Philip Yancey
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What's So Amazing About Grace? (Revised and Updated)
- The Key to Transforming a Broken World
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Philip D. Yancey, Henry O. Arnold
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Millions of lives have been changed by award-winning author Philip Yancey's startling exploration of grace at street level. Grace is the one thing the world can't duplicate, the healing force we need, and the key to transforming a broken world. In this revised and updated edition of his personal and provocative book, Yancey offers true portraits of grace's life-changing power.
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Amazing!
- By Craig Zahniser on 10-27-24
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Reaching for the Invisible God
- What Can We Expect to Find?
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- Narrated by: Jay Charles
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Reaching for the Invisible God offers deep, satisfying insights to the questions you are sometimes afraid to ask. Honest and deeply personal, here is straight talk on Christian living for the listener who wants more than pat answers to life's imponderables. Ultimately, Yancey shifts the focus from your questions to the One who offers himself in answer.
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If you've got spiritual problems, look elsewhere
- By A Midwesterner in Jersey on 06-25-07
By: Philip Yancey
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What Good Is God?
- In Search of a Faith That Matters
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Philip Yancey
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Journalist and spiritual seeker Philip Yancey has always struggled with the most basic questions of the Christian faith. The question he tackles in What Good is God? concerns the practical value of belief in God. His search for the answer to this question took him to some amazing settings around the world.
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Didn't think the title fit but liked the book
- By DKW on 02-19-15
By: Philip Yancey
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Soul Survivor
- How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Philip Yancey
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Philip Yancey, whose explorations of faith have made him a guide for millions, feels no need to defend the church. Yancey acknowledges that many spiritual seekers find few answers and little solace in the institutional church. How did Yancey manage to survive spiritually despite early encounters with a racist, legalistic church that he now views as almost cultic? In this, his most soul-searching book yet, he probes that very question.
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Finished & Immediately Restarted!
- By GLOBAL NOMAD on 09-02-19
By: Philip Yancey
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Disappointment with God
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Jay Charles
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Many of us experience times when life with God seems to fall short of our expectations—when we feel let down by God, hurt, or abandoned. This is something most people don't talk about—until now.
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On the defensive
- By cynthia on 04-01-11
By: Philip Yancey
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Vanishing Grace
- Bringing Good News to a Deeply Divided World
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Henry O. Arnold
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Christians have proclaimed the good news about Jesus for centuries. But the good news isn't sounding so good these days, at least to some. More and more surveys show that people view Christians as bearers of bad news, judgment, and intolerance. In Vanishing Grace, best-selling author Philip Yancey acknowledges the problem and then explores how we can respond with both grace and truth. He offers a discerning look at what contributes to a hostility toward Christians, and identifies three groups - pilgrims, artists, and activists - who can show us a different way.
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Loved 3/4 of the book
- By Adam Shields on 04-21-15
By: Philip Yancey
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Rumors of Another World
- What on Earth Are We Missing?
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Richard Doyle
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Philip Yancey investigates the natural world and discovers the supernatural hiding in plain view. He grapples with why God made the world and what our role truly is, and seeks to answer the question, "How do I live in the natural world while expressing the values of the supernatural?"
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Yancey pulls no punches.
- By Mike on 11-25-03
By: Philip Yancey
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Strengthening Your Grip
- How to Be Grounded in a Chaotic World
- By: Charles Swindoll
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
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Story
As only he can, Charles Swindoll combines biblical insights with unforgettable stories that inspire listeners to strengthen their spiritual grip on issues such as family, prayer, integrity, and purity.
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Informative easy listen
- By JO BARBER on 05-01-17
By: Charles Swindoll
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Prayer
- Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
- By: Timothy Keller
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
In Prayer, renowned pastor Timothy Keller delves into the many facets of this everyday act.
With his trademark insights and energy, Keller offers brilliant and inspirational biblical guidance, as well as specific prayers for certain situations, such as dealing with grief, loss, love, and forgiveness. He discusses ways to make prayers more personal and powerful, and how to establish a practice of prayer that works for each listener.
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Powerful
- By Gem on 02-12-15
By: Timothy Keller
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Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
- It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature
- By: Peter Scazzero
- Narrated by: Peter Scazzero
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this revised best-selling book, Peter Scazzero outlines a road map for discipleship with Jesus that is powerfully transformative. He unveils what's wrong with our current definition of "spiritual growth" and offers not only a model of spirituality that actually works, but seven steps to change that will help you experience authentic faith and hunger for God.
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Very thoughtful book
- By Anonymous User on 01-28-22
By: Peter Scazzero
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In Where Is God When It Hurts, Philip Yancey gave us permission to doubt, reasons not to abandon faith, and practical ways to reach out to hurting people. In this sequel, Yancey revisits our cry of "Why, God?" in the wake of increased violence and natural disasters the world over. It's a cry that many of us take up with more urgency each year as we sit stunned by the calamities devastating our world, our communities, and our personal lives.
By: Philip Yancey
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Grace Notes
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Philip Yancey's words - captured in his many best-selling books - have influenced the lives of millions by strengthening their faith, building their hope, sparking their creativity, and challenging their comfort zones. If you're one of those millions, you know personally how his insights have affected your mind and heart. And if you're new to Yancey, you're in for a life-altering experience. These meditations - all drawn from the beloved and best-selling writings of the author - will take you through an entire year of Yancey's insight and imagination.
-
-
Perhaps My Favorite Devotional
- By LM on 08-04-16
By: Philip Yancey
-
Where Is God When It Hurts?
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Maurice England
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- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An inspirational classic for more than thirty years, Where Is God When It Hurts? honestly explores pain—from physical wounds to emotional and spiritual pain—and sheds new light on God's presence in our suffering.
-
-
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- By Printing on 10-28-19
By: Philip Yancey
-
The Bible Jesus Read
- Why the Old Testament Matters
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing as always with keen insight into the human condition and God’s provision for it, Yancey debunks this theory once and for all. Yes, he agrees, the Old Testament can be baffling, boring, and even offensive to the modern listener. But as he personally discovered, the Old Testament is full of rewards for the one who embraces its riches.
-
-
Another Eyeopener
- By Bruce on 01-16-19
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Reaching for the Invisible God
- What Can We Expect to Find?
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-
-
If you've got spiritual problems, look elsewhere
- By A Midwesterner in Jersey on 06-25-07
By: Philip Yancey
-
Where the Light Fell
- A Memoir
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Philip Yancey
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Where the Light Fell is a gripping family narrative set against a turbulent time in post-World War II America, shaped by the collision of Southern fundamentalism with the mounting pressures of the civil rights movement and '60s-era forces of social change. In piecing together his fragmented personal history and his search for redemption, Yancey gives testament to the enduring power of our hunger for truth and the possibility of faith rooted in grace instead of fear.
-
-
The full sweep
- By Amazon Customer on 10-12-21
By: Philip Yancey
-
The Question That Never Goes Away
- Finding Meaning in the Midst of Suffering
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Henry O. Arnold
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Where Is God When It Hurts, Philip Yancey gave us permission to doubt, reasons not to abandon faith, and practical ways to reach out to hurting people. In this sequel, Yancey revisits our cry of "Why, God?" in the wake of increased violence and natural disasters the world over. It's a cry that many of us take up with more urgency each year as we sit stunned by the calamities devastating our world, our communities, and our personal lives.
By: Philip Yancey
-
Grace Notes
- Daily Readings with Philip Yancey
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Philip Yancey's words - captured in his many best-selling books - have influenced the lives of millions by strengthening their faith, building their hope, sparking their creativity, and challenging their comfort zones. If you're one of those millions, you know personally how his insights have affected your mind and heart. And if you're new to Yancey, you're in for a life-altering experience. These meditations - all drawn from the beloved and best-selling writings of the author - will take you through an entire year of Yancey's insight and imagination.
-
-
Perhaps My Favorite Devotional
- By LM on 08-04-16
By: Philip Yancey
-
Where Is God When It Hurts?
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An inspirational classic for more than thirty years, Where Is God When It Hurts? honestly explores pain—from physical wounds to emotional and spiritual pain—and sheds new light on God's presence in our suffering.
-
-
Not what I expected
- By Printing on 10-28-19
By: Philip Yancey
-
The Bible Jesus Read
- Why the Old Testament Matters
- By: Philip Yancey
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing as always with keen insight into the human condition and God’s provision for it, Yancey debunks this theory once and for all. Yes, he agrees, the Old Testament can be baffling, boring, and even offensive to the modern listener. But as he personally discovered, the Old Testament is full of rewards for the one who embraces its riches.
-
-
Another Eyeopener
- By Bruce on 01-16-19
By: Philip Yancey
What listeners say about Church: Why Bother?
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- David
- 07-10-17
Indeed, Why Bother with Church?
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book.
However, to be honest, I'd have preferred Philip Yancey reading it (not that Maurice England did a bad job reading it).
I'm looking forward to sharing the thoughts I learned here with a friend, Andy, who's struggling with this very question right now, 'Why Bother with Church at all?'
David Gatende, Nairobi, Kenya, 10th July 2017.
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