When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus' Vision for Authentic Christian Community

Spiritual formation primarily takes place within community. However, as "radical American individualism"—a concept identified by social scientists—becomes more prevalent in modern culture, many Christians have become less accountable to their church relationships. Faith risks becoming an individual concern ("I" and "my God") rather than a communal one ("us" and "our God"). When the Church Was a Family examines the early Christian church from a sociohistorical perspective and applies those findings to evangelical churches in America today. The author addresses both traditional church leaders and emerging church visionaries, presenting Jesus' original vision for authentic Christian community as a response to the relational needs of both groups.