Jesus Has Left the Building

Contrary to what many church people (particularly church ""professionals"") say, God does not dwell in church, and church doesn't have the franchise on good news. Instead, author Peter Keese proposes the optimistic view that good news is much larger and more all-encompassing than any church can contain or convey, and that good news is everywhere to be found and experienced. In this imaginary dialogue between a traditionalist and his protagonist for a god-in-the-world perspective, Keese's sermons illustrate his conviction that God is out there, inviting us to join in and enjoy the riches of God's life and work. Indeed, as Keese writes, ""Jesus has left the building--with all its strictures--and beckons us to come along where life in all its chaotic glory is to be experienced--and enjoyed!""

""Peter Keese sees clearly the issue many choose to ignore--the increasing lack of interest among those raised in the church and among rising young adults. Business as usual is not working and new approaches are called for. He trusts storytelling and direct talk as effective tools to present the message anew. Not everyone will agree with Peter, but all who read his challenge will be brought to rethink and to renew. This book is good for an individual read or for group discussion.""
--William H. Hethcock, author of How to Get Your Sermons Heard

""Anyone who has ever loved the church, or anyone who has ever left the church, should read this book. Peter Keese has taken a hard look at the church with fresh, vibrant insights. He shows us how truth, as told through stories, provides a lens to see incarnation and resurrection in unexpected places. Communities filled with ambiguity, incertitude, and disagreement can, working together, accomplish good work. Keese has a vision that is incisive, one that awakens and challenges us.""
--Elizabeth Cox, author of The Slow Moon

""Peter Keese has taken on an ambitious task--attempting to demonstrate that the Holy Spirit lives within us at all times and everywhere, not just in our moments of worship, nor exclusively in licensed ministries. His storytelling is inspired and mind-opening.""
--C. Michael Curtis, fiction editor of The Atlantic


Peter Keese, ThM, is a retired Episcopal priest and an actively retired supervisor certified by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. He served fifteen years at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, and fifteen years as Director of Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, TN. He has also served as a Pastoral Counselor with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He and his wife live in Knoxville, TN.