The Bride(zilla) of Christ

June 20, 2016
In their latest joint venture, writer Kluck (Why We're Not Emergent) and Martin (Finding God in the Dark), a recording artist turned pastor, tackle the subject of hurt within the church. In alternating chapters, Kluck and Martin highlight their personal experiences with being hurt and hurting others. Much of the book focuses on how church can be messy and feel more like an episode of Real Housewives than a community of saints. It explores how individualism, consumerism, and entitlement can corrupt the church and lead to a negative environment where people are constantly pitted against each other. Kluck and Martin also spotlight gossip within the church community and how rapidly it can create a toxic environment where people feel unwelcome and unloved. Both are talented writers, but their differing writing styles and stories lead the book to feel disjointed at times. Kluck and Martin ground their reflections on hurt with biblical and theological reflections, particularly utilizing the works of C.S. Lewis, and include practical advice on what to do when readers realize they've hurt others or have been hurt themselves. This is an engaging look from two distinct viewpoints on dysfunction within church communities.