The church is losing. People on the outside consider it either irrelevant or dangerous. People on the inside are leaving. The hard times the church faces today are largely the church's own making.

The church has forfeited the message of Jesus—a message of incredible good news—for the trappings of religion that fail to win minds and meet the deep needs of the human heart. Too often, the church presents a religion that is superficial, inconsistent, and incompatible. Putting it bluntly, many find it repugnant.

For those who have left the church, I agree with you wholeheartedly that some churches need to be left. For those disgusted with the church, I urge you to hang in there and help make the church more Christ-like. To those rejected by the church, I apologize that we were not more like Christ.

To all my fellow "ragamuffins" needing "a handout of amazing grace," The Deep Reach of Amazing Grace explores the profound richness of God's outlandish grace.