Reading these books in my personal library, as well as others not mentioned, provided a diverse range of opinions. However, I could not find anyone who expressed what I felt was crucial in the context of what I perceived as relevant Scripture. Additionally, I tried to read various viewpoints, even those I found to be lacking in depth, logical reasoning, or sufficient argumentation. New books continue to emerge, but I suspect many simply revisit the same issues in a slightly different manner. If you have questions about any of the issues discussed in the books below, feel free to contact me via email to request a reply (please do not include any attachments).

Allen, C. Leonard. The Cruciform Church, Becoming a Cross-Shaped People in a Secular World. Abilene, TX: Abilene Christian University, 2016.

Antonucci, Vince. I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt, Replacing Souvenir Religion with Authentic Spiritual Passion. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008.

Arterburn, Stephen and Jack Felton. More Jesus, Less Religion, Moving from Rules to Relationship. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook, 2010.

Bargerhuff, Eric J. The Most Misused Verses in the Bible, Surprising Ways God’s Word Is Misunderstood. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2012.

Barna, George. Revolution. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2005.

Bascom, Tim. The Comfort Trap, Spiritual Dangers of the Convenience Culture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1993.

Bass, Diana Butler. Christianity After Religion, the End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening. New York: HarperOne, 2012.

Bawber, Bruce. Stealing Jesus, How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity. New York: Crown, 1997.

Belcher, Jim. Deep Church, A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2009.

Bell, Rob. Velvet Elvis: repainting the Christian faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.

Bercot, David W. Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up, A New Look at Today’s Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity. 3^rd Ed. Amberson, PA: Scroll, 1989.

Berton, Pierre. The Comfortable Pew, A Critical Look at Christianity and the Religious Establishment in the New Age. New York: Lippincott, 1965.

Bethke, Jefferson. Jesus>Religion, Why He Is So Much Better Than Trying Harder, Doing More, and Being Good Enough. Nashville: Nelson, 2013.

Bickel, Bruce and Stan Jantz. I’m Fine with God … It’s Christians I Can’t Stand. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2008.

Boyd, Gregory A. Repenting of Religion, Turning from Judgment to the Love of God. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2004.

______________ Benefit of the Doubt, Breaking the Idol of Certainty. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2013.

Budde, Michael L. and Robert W. Brimlow. Christianity Incorporated, How Big Business Is Buying the Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos, 2002.

Burchett, Dave. When Bad Christians Happen to Good People: Where We Have Failed Each Other And How To Reverse The Damage. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook, 2002.

Burke, Spencer and Barry Taylor. A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006.

Camp, Lee C. Mere Discipleship:  Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2003. 2^nd Ed. 2008.

Chan, Francis with Danae Yankoski. Crazy Love, Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. Colorado Springs, CO: Cook, 2008.

Choung, James. True Story, A Christianity Worth Believing In. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2008.

Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution: living as an ordinary radical. Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 2006. 

Claiborne, Shane and Tony Campolo. Red Letter Revolution, What If Jesus Really Meant What He Said? Nashville:  Nelson, 2012.

Clapp, Rodney. A Peculiar People, the church as culture in a post-christian society. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1996.

Cloud, Henry, and John Townsend. False Assumptions: Relief from 12 “Christian” Beliefs that Can Drive You Crazy. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994.

Colson, Charles. Who Speaks for God? Confronting the World with Real Christianity. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1985.

Cooke, Phil and Jonathan Bock. The Way Back, How Christians Blew Our Credibility and HOW WE CAN GET IT BACK. Franklin, TN: Worthy Books, 2018.

Davis, Tom. Red Letters, Living a Faith That Bleeds. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007.

Dean, Kenda Casey. Almost Christian, What the Faith of Our Teenagers Is Telling the American Church. New York: Oxford, 2010.

DeWitt, Jerry with Ethan Brown. HOPE After Faith, An Ex-Pastor’s Journey From Belief to Atheism. Boston: Da Capo, 2013.

DeYoung, Kevin and Ted Kluck. Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be). Chicago: Moody, 2008.

_______________ Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion.  Chicago: Moody, 2009.

Douthat, Ross. Bad Religion, How We Became A Nation of Heretics. New York: Free Press, 2012.

Doyle, C. Andrew. The Jesus Heist, Recovering the Gospel from the Church. New York: Church Publishing, 2017.

Dreher, Rod. The Benedict Option, A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. New York: Sentinel, 2018.

Duin, Julia. Quitting Church, Why the Faithful Are Fleeing and What to Do About It. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008.

Emerson, Michael O. and Christian Smith. Divided by Faith, Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America. New York: Oxford, 2000.

Enns, Peter. The Bible Tells Me So … Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It. New York: HarperOne, 2014.

____________ The Sin of Certainty, Why God Desires Our Trust More Than Our “Correct” Beliefs. New York: HarperOne, 2016.

Evans, Rachel Held. Faith Unraveled: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask Questions. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010. Kindle Edition.

____________ Searching for Sunday, Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church. Nashville: Nelson, 2015.

Farley, Andrew. The Naked Gospel: the truth you may never hear in church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.

____________ God Without Religion, Can It Really Be This Simple? Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2011.

Garvey, John [M]. Against the Current, Reflections on the Misuse of Religion. Springfield, IL: Templegate, 2005.

Groeschel, Craig. The Christian Atheist, Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn’t Exist. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010.

Gulley, Philip. If the Church Were Christian, Rediscovering the Values of Jesus. New York: HarperOne, 2010.

Hampton, John. Mere Churchianity (Formerly ‘Flatlining’): Church and the Threat it Poses to the Body of Christ. UNKNOWN. Kindle Edition. 2017. Paperback.

Harris, Joshua. Why Church Matters, Discovering Your Place in the Family of God. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2004, 2011.

Henderson, Jim.  the Resignation of Eve, What If Adam’s Rib Is No Longer Willing To Be The Church’s Backbone? Carol Stream, IL: Barna, 2012.

Henderson, Jim and Matt Casper. Jim & Casper Go To Church, Frank conversation about faith, churches, and well-meaning Christians. Carol Stream, IL: Barna, 2007.

Henry, Carl F. H. The Christian Mindset In A Secular Society, Promoting Evangelical Renewal & National Righteousness. Portland, OR: Multnomah, 1984.

Highfield, Ron. Rethinking Church, A Guide for the Perplexed and Disillusioned. Los Angeles: Keledei, 2021. Kindle

Hostetler, Bob. Quit Going to Church. Abilene, TX: Leafwood, 2012.

Idleman, Kyle. not a fan. Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011.

Jacobsen, Wayne and Dave Coleman. So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore, An Unexpected Journey. Los Angeles: Windblown, 2006.

Jacobson, Richard. unchurching, Christianity Without Churchianity. Unknown: Unchurching Books, 2016.

Kimball, Dan. They Like Jesus But Not The Church, insights from emerging generations. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.

Kinnaman, David. YOU LOST ME, Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church . . . and Rethinking Faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2011.

Kinnaman, David and Gabe Lyons. unchristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity…and Why It Matters. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007.

_______________ Good Faith, Being a Christian When Society Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme.  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2016.

Kraus, Donald. Sex, Sacrifice, Shame & Smiting, Is The Bible Always Right? New York: Seabury, 2008.

Lobdell, William. Losing My Religion, How I Lost My Faith Reporting in America – and Found Unexpected Peace. New York: HarperCollins, 2009.

Lutzer, Erwin W. Ten Lies About God, and How You May Already Be Deceived. Nashville: Nelson, 2000.

Lyons, Gabe. The NEXT CHRISTIANS, The Good News About the End of Christian America. New York: Doubleday, 2010.

MacArthur, John F. Jr. Ashamed of the Gospel, When the Church Becomes Like the World. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1993.

McCracken, Brett. Hipster Christianity: when church and cool collide. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2010.

McCranie, Steve. Love Jesus, Hate the Church: How to Survive in Church—or Die Trying! n.p.:  Back2Acts, 2006.

McDowell, Josh and David H. Bellis. The Last Christian Generation. Holiday, FL: GreenKey, 2006.

McKnight, Scot. The Jesus Creed, Loving God, Loving Others. Brewster, MA: Paraclete, 2004.

McLaren, Brian D. and Tony Campolo. Adventures in Missing the Point:  How the Culture-Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003.

McLaren, Brian D. a Generous Or+hodoxy, Why I Am A missional + evangelical + post/protestant + liberal/conservative + mystical/poetic + biblical + charismatic/contemplative + fundamentalist/calvinist + anabaptist/anglican + methodist + catholic + green + incarnational + depressed-yet-hopeful + emergent + unfinished Christian. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004.

_______________ The Great Spiritual Migration, How the World’s Largest Religion Is Seeking a Better Way to Be Christian. New York: Convergent, 2016.

McVey, Steve. 52 Lies Heard In Church Every Sunday. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2011.

Merchant, Dan. Lord Save Us From Your Followers, Why is the Gospel of Love Dividing America? Beijing: Nelson, 2008.

Meyers, Robin R. Saving Jesus from the Church, How to Stop Worshipping Christ and Start Following Jesus. New York: HarperOne, 2009.

Minter, Kelly. No Other Gods: Confronting Modern Day Idols. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2008.

Murrow, David. Why Men Hate Church. Nashville: Nelson, 2005.

Nolan, Albert. Jesus Before Christianity. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2001.

Nyquist, J. Paul. Prepare, Living Your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture. Chicago: Moody, 2015.

Packard, Josh and Ashleigh Hope. Church Refugees, Sociologists reveal why people are DONE with church but not their faith. Loveland, CO: Group, 2015.

Platt, David. RADICAL, Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2010.

____________ Radical Together, Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2011.

____________ FOLLOW ME: A Call to Die. A Call to Live. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2013.

Sandras, Eric. Buck Naked Truth, A Brutally Honest Look at Stunted Christianity. Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 2004.

Schaeffer, Francis A. True Spirituality. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 1971.

________________ The Great Evangelical Disaster. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1984.

Schaeffer, Frank. Crazy for God, How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back. Cambridge, MA: Carroll & Graf, 2007.

________________ Patience With God, Faith for People Who Don’t Like Religion {or Atheism}. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 2009.

Schwartzentruber, Michael. ed. The emerging Christian Way, Thoughts, Stories, and Wisdom for a Faith of Transformation. Kelowna, BC, Canada: Wood Lake, 2006.

Shelly, Bruce and Marshall Shelly. Consumer Church, Can Evangelicals Win the World Without Losing Their Souls? Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Shelly, Rubel. I Knew Jesus Before He Was A Christian … and I Liked Him Better Then. Abilene, TX: Leafwood, 2011.

Simmons, Brian. Falling Away: Why Christians Lose Their Faith & What Can Be Done About It. Abilene, TX: HillCrest, 2005. 

Smith, Huston. The Soul of Christianity, Restoring the Great Tradition. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006

Spencer, Michael. Mere Churchianity, Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook, 2010.

Spong, John Shelby. Why Christianity Must Change or Die, A Bishop Speaks to Believers in Exile. San Francisco: Harper, 1998.

Stanley, Charles F. Confronting Casual Christianity. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1985.

Staub, Dick. The Culturally Savvy Christian: a Manifesto for Deepening Faith and Enriching Popular Culture in an Age of Christianity-lite. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007.

Thomas, Oliver S. 10 THINGS Your Minister Wants to Tell You (But Can’t, Because He Needs the Job). New York: St Martin’s Press, 2007.

Viola, Frank. Finding Organic Church, A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Sustaining Authentic Christian Communities. Colorado Springs, CO: Cook, 2009.

White, James Emery. The Rise of the Nones, Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2014.

_____________ Meet Generation Z, Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World. Grand Rapids MI: Baker, 2017.

Wilder, Jim and Michel Hendricks. The Other Half of Church, Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2020. Kindle

Willard, Dallas. The Great Omission:  Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.

Yaconelli Mike. Messy Spirituality: God’s Annoying Love for Imperfect People. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.

Yeakley Jr., Flavil R. Why They Left, Listening to Those Who Have Left Churches of Christ. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 2012.

Yount, David. Growing In Faith, A Guide for the Reluctant Christian. New York: Penguin, 1995.

Young, William Paul. Lies We Believe About God. New York: Atria Books, 2017. Kindle

(titles in italics mean that the book were not completely read)