Changing Churches: A View From the Pew~

Changing Churches describes, through the eyes of one couple the difficult journey that “church switchers” travel—a journey often precipitated by disruptive church changes. The book encourages Christ-like transformative change in churches rather than man-devised makeovers. 76 % of “church switchers are mature Christians according to a Lifeway study. I looked down on “switchers” until I became one. Then I learned how painful this journey is. My book, Changing Churches will: • Give pastors and leaders an empathic understanding of church switchers, facilitating assimilation. • Help church switchers grieve their painful journey and resolve historic baggage, enabling them to fully engage in their new church. • Broaden members understanding of church changes and the need for prayerful change. • Teach members how to winsomely witness, bringing friends into the church. • Inspire members to serve in ministry and
missions,building up the church. 

About the Author: Dottie Parish Dottie Parish brings a seasoned counselor’s wise viewpoint and the soft heart of a child of God to her first book called Changing Churches: A View from the Pew. A longtime resident of the greater Cincinnati area, Parish holds a Master of Social Work degree from Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University. She has more than 30 years of professional experience as a counselor at two family service agencies as well as in private practice. Her experience included diagnosing and treating individuals representing a wide variety of problems, socioeconomic backgrounds, and ages as well as short and long term therapy. Her private practice included individual, marital and family therapy with special interest in helping couples resolve marital differences. She organized and led The Third Option educational group for married couples from 1996-2007 – in two locations Parish also wrote a weekly advice column, “Family Counselor,” for more than fifteen years for the Hamilton Journal News, Hamilton, Ohio. Dottie Parish is a wife, mother and grandmother and she loves Jesus and His Church. Her current devotion to God and His church stems from extreme misgivings about drifting away from God and church after graduate school. She and her husband lived for decades without faith. Their return to faith in 1990 begins the journey described in Changing Churches.
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 Dottie blogs on a variety of subjects at  http://www.faithnotes-dottie.blogspot.com and on Marriage and Family issues on www.taberstruths.com. Stop by and check them out.   

I am so glad to have received this book to review for the Review Crew at Christian Women Affiliate. Dottie and her husband cleared up a lot of questions that I have had about fellow church members that leave the church with out a word to anyone. You think that they are your brothers and sisters in Christ. It would seem to me that so many folks wear their feelings on their sleeves and get them rubbed the wrong way too easy. There is always so many secrets being kept from most of the congregation. Even if you attend all of the business meetings. If you are a lay person and not a teacher, deacon or pastor, you are on a need to know basis only. The only time a person should leave their church is for personal reasons, not because someone stepped on your toes. If the pastor and other teachers are not teaching the Bible and its Commandments,,,run! You do not have to explain to anyone except God and He already knows why you are leaving. We should be in church to worship the Savior,,,not to walk on egg shells trying to not hurt someones feelings. I will tell you that this couple in the book is the writer and her husband. She tells of their experiences with the different churches they have attended. She explains why they have left those churches through the years. This book is a good read and could be used for book studies at your church. I do not believe that anyone actually plans on being a "church hopper" it just happens to you. When God is leading you, go the distance. It will be worth it. (Page 79 in the book. -------------------------------------------------- Facebook Profile: Click here -------------------------------------------------- Amazon.com Profile: Click here ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew