After I finished writing this book, I found that it read less like a book and more like a collection of connected but independent letters. Each chapter/letter addresses a different issue your church may or may not need to work on. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would help you discern which letters you and your church must take to heart. This book is not about obscure details I found in Leviticus but rather about the most obvious commands repeated throughout the entire Bible. I’ve tried to pay attention to the times when God seems most bothered by what His people were doing. Many want to change the Church, but it is often motivated by personal preference rather than biblical conviction. I am trying to point out only the most obvious biblical truths about God’s desire for His Bride—truths that none of us can afford to ignore.

There are times when God hates our worship. There are churches He wants shut down. So often we assume that as long as we show up to worship, God is pleased. The Bible tells a different story (Amos 5:21–24; Isa. 58:1–5; Mal. 1:6–14; 1 Cor. 11:17–30; Rev. 2:5; 3:15–16).

Since the beginning of time, there has been worship God loves and worship He rejects. As I examine the state of the Christian Church today, I can’t help but think that God is displeased with many of the churches in America.

I don’t say that lightly. And I say it not because of what I feel but because of what I read in Scripture. My hope is that you read this book with a Bible at your side to check whether I am twisting the Scriptures or just stating the obvious. This isn’t meant to be an attack or a debate. I’d like to think we are on the same team, all seeking to pursue the kind of Church that pleases Him most.

Francis Chan, Letters to the Church (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2018).