Acres of Oak

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In recent years, more and more Americans have chosen not to affiliate with established churches and religious communities. As a result, many of these congregations now find themselves struggling to regain relevance and fill their pews. Of the various reasons that account for the "acres of oak," or rows of empty seats, the author addresses two in particular: first, the inadequacy of established churches' traditional language to connect with the way many people experience and make sense of their world today; and second, those churches' inability to articulate a clear and compelling mission or purpose. Acres of Oak: A Pastor Rethinks Church in the 21st Century, is a frank and personal account of one Protestant pastor's decades-long dedication to an organized faith that must now strike a delicate balance: remaining steadfast even in shifting cultural landscapes while simultaneously identifying what is required for faith communities to once again appeal to the wider world. At its heart, this memoir considers what it will take to address contemporary concerns about organized religion, ways to rebuild that relationship once again, and why it matters-why it greatly matters.