Jim & Casper Go to Church: Frank Conversation about Faith, Churches, and Well-Meaning Christians

Light shows, fog machines, worship bands, and offering plates-is this what Jesus intended? Atheist Matt Casper wants to know.

In 2006, Jim Henderson, veteran Christian and director of Off The Map, hired Casper to join him in visiting twelve of America's best- and least-known churches, including Rick Warren's Saddleback and Joel Osteen's Lakewood. Week after week, this spiritual odd couple attended services at churches all over the country and documented their experiences at and reactions to each one. Along the way, they found the real value of their journey in the open and authentic friendship that developed as they talked, questioned, joked, and-most importantly-listened.

Follow along with Jim and Casper on their visits, and eavesdrop as they discuss what they found. Jim and Casper's articulate, sometimes humorous, and always insightful dialogue offers Christians a new view of an environment in which we've become overly comfortable: the church. And it models an important transition from "defending the faith" to "defending the space"-"relational" space for authentic, respectful dialogue and friendship with nonbelievers.

Jim Henderson pays people to go to church. In fact, he made national news when he x201C;rented x201D; a soul for $504 on E-Bay after its owner offered an x201C;open mind x201D; to the highest bidder. In "Jim & Casper Go to Church, " Hendrson hires another atheist x2014;Matt Casper x2014;to visit ten leading churches with him and give the x201C;first impression x201D; perspective of a non-believer. What follows is a startling dialogue between an atheist and a believer seeing church anew through the eyes of a skeptic, and the development of an amazing relationship between two men with diametrically opposing views of the world who agree to respect each others' space. Foreword by George Barna. FEATURES: Unique perspective of both Christian and atheist on the church and Christians in the USA Intelligent and respectful, seeking dialogue between key characters Helps the Christian understand the change in attitudes and actions required when shifting from defending the faith to defending x201C;sacred space x201D; x2014;from talking to listening, from strength to weakness, from debate to dialogue, from manipulation to intentionality