Adventures in Churchland

Finding Jesus in the Mess of Organized Religion

Foreword by Wanda Jackson, Member of The Rock and Roll hall of Fame

Would Jesus Attend Church Today?

Among the top ten trends that are changing American life, Time magazine recently listed a rising dissatisfaction with organized religion. Though many people today like Jesus, they are growing tired of traditional religious institutions. Even those who follow Jesus aren't so sure they always like what Christianity and the church represent. For many years, Dan Kimball would have agreed, until an encounter with a small group of Jesus followers in London started him on a journey that challenged him to rethink everything he had ever assumed about the church and Christianity.

A note from Dan

"I wrote this book to encourage those who struggle with fitting in “Christianity” and the “church” today. It is part personal story and part theology looking at what church or isn’t. There is a lot of understandable thinking about church being judgmental or Christianity being irrelevant for today. I never would have expected to become a Christian, so this book walks through some reasons for why believing Christianity is true and why the church is messy, but a beautiful thing we are meant to be part of as followers of Jesus."

Endorsements

I am so glad that my friend Dan has written this book, because there is a lot of confusion out there about Jesus and the church that needs to be cleared up.
Wanda Jackson, Queen of Rockabilly and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
As a fellow drummer who also finds himself out of place in "Churchland," Dan's story hit close to home and challenged me immensely. Dan encourages us to break through the tension and messiness that church communities inevitably encounter to experience the beauty of being in community and sharing God's infinite love with others.
Zach Lind, Jimmy Eat World
...Dan Kimball has approached a subject that may make some church-folk uneasy, but the world is full of people looking for answers, real answers and "Adventures in Churchland" is a great place to start looking for them.
WS "Fluke" Holland, drummer for Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins
This one goes out to the skeptics and the seekers, the critics and the curious. For all those who want to believe in the church, but just can't seem to make it happen, this book is a must read. Dan Kimball offers an honest, down to earth take on the church, but one that is filled with hope for the future. If "love believes all things", then this is a book about love.
—John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, OR
Dan Kimball, more than any church leader I know, has found the heart, mind and soul of the young adult of America. His book is insightful, pastorally warm, theologically sensitive. Dan's personal story, told honestly and gently, holds a self-revealing mirror up to the church's subculture story and unmasks it in order to heal the church -- and let it be what it really is -- a place where messy people find God's good grace.
—Scot McKnight, author of The Jesus Creed and The King Jesus Gospel
Dan Kimball has done it again! Thoughtful. Provoking. Engaging. Liberating. A timely and much needed celebration of church today. Highly recommended.
Margaret Feinberg, Author of Scouting the Divine
Dan's story of becoming a Christian is anything but preachy. It's warm, insightful, surprising, and often very funny. As a non-Christian, I was inspired and moved, and have been enthusiastically recommending it to my friends. This is a book for everybody.
Mark Frauenfelder, founder of boingboing.net
Dan Kimball is the real deal. If you don’t like the church, or if you’re thinking about leaving, please read this book first. Dan’s stories will make you laugh, make you think, and make you appreciate the church like never before.
Mark Batterson, author of The Circle Maker
Being a Christian musician in a secular world is a unique opportunity. I related to Dan's story in this book both as a fellow drummer and believing it is an honor to represent God's love, peace, compassion, and kindness in the world. God's word commands us to be the light of the world, and a light cannot shine but in darkness. I believe that with my life and in the church we are able to shine our light and I have hope for the church doing this.
Jessie Caraballo, drummer and percussionist for Marc Anthony
We all wonder if God set up this thing called church then how did it get so messy and confusing. Dan does a great job of helping us navigate the questions and issues that so many of us face when it comes to dealing with the church and our relationship to it. Addressing hard question and questioning the stereotypes, this book will help people understand how they can like Jesus and like the church as well.
—Rick McKinley Imago Dei Community and author of Advent Conspiracy
From Rockabilly to an incredible revival of the heart, mind and soul, Dan Kimball invites us in to hear about his personal life journey – struggles and all. It is a captivating journey with many wonderful adventures, as well as misadventures, into “Churchland,” and beyond. Besides being a great read, one would be hard pressed to find another Christian author that would weave the personalities of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Wanda Jackson and even Dee Dee Ramone into their writings as examples of the incredible fortitude of God’s grace and mercy.
Michael W Stand; guitarist and singer for Altar Billies (formerly of Altar Boys)
I love Dan Kimball. Here he has given us another book that helps us keep faith with what Jesus really intended for us. He graciously reminds us that Christian community is a non-negotiable element of discipleship and that we all contribute to making it a viable foretaste of the Kingdom of God…or not.
Alan Hirsch, Author of numerous books including The Forgotten Ways. Founder of Forge Mission Training Network
When Dan talks about being in youth ministry I was actually one of the high school students out there that he helped lay a foundation for; one that I would later need. Over the years I've often struggled to stay connected to the church as I've known it. Dan has and continues with Adventures in Churchland to challenge me to love the church and to see it as Christ does and as He longs for His church to be.
—Jason Ingram – songwriter, producer, worship leader, Dove Ward Winner, co-writer of Lauren Daigle’s “How Can It Be” and many others.
Dan Kimball gives us hope and inspiration to be the church that Jesus intended us to be. Christ died for the Church which is made up of not so perfect people like you and me.
—Jimmy VanEaton – Sun Studio drummer for Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Billy Lee Riley