52 Churches

A Yearlong Journey Encountering God, His Church, and Our Common Faith

By: Peter DeHaan

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Ever wonder what it's really like to visit a new church? This honest journey through 52 churches in 1 year reveals the beautiful diversity and troubling divisions within American Christianity.

When Peter DeHaan set out to visit a different Christian church every Sunday for an entire year, he expected to learn about worship styles. What he discovered was far more profound: churches where visitors are truly welcomed and others where they're ignored; congregations clinging to the past and those embracing innovation; communities overflowing with genuine love and gatherings marked by lonely isolation.

Inside This Transformative Year:

• Traditional hymns and contemporary worship—style matters less than authenticity
• Catholic masses to charismatic services—from reverent liturgy to spontaneous praise
• Megachurches to tiny congregations—how size impacts community and connection
• Welcoming communities and cold shoulders—what truly makes visitors feel at home
• Diverse denominations—Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Episcopal, nondenominational, and more

Perfect for:

✓ Church leaders seeking practical insights on hospitality and visitor experience
✓ Worship teams and ministry volunteers wanting to improve
✓ Christians curious about traditions beyond their own
✓ Church shoppers looking for a spiritual home
✓ Anyone who's felt hurt or disconnected from church

What Makes This Book Different:

Unlike typical church growth books, 52 Churches offers an insider-outsider perspective on American Christianity. Peter writes with vulnerability, not expertise. He celebrates what works, gently critiques what doesn't, and points readers back to Jesus.

Each chapter concludes with practical "Takeaway" insights for leaders, members, and everyone. Whether you're part of a traditional mainline congregation, contemporary evangelical church, or charismatic gathering, you'll find applicable wisdom.

Discover:

→ Why some churches excel at welcoming visitors while others fail completely
→ The critical difference between attending church and experiencing community
→ How consumerism has infected modern worship
→ The three opportunities every church has to connect with visitors
→ What really matters in worship (it's not the music style)

Peter's conclusion is both challenging and hopeful: "True church is about community. The message and music are secondary—and may even distract from what really matters."

More Than a Memoir—A Movement

52 Churches is sparking conversations in congregations across America. Small groups and leadership teams are using this book to examine their practices through fresh eyes.

If you've ever:

• Felt invisible at a church
• Wondered why Christians seem so divided
• Struggled to find authentic community
• Desired to make your church more welcoming

...this book is for you.

Join Peter and his wife, Candy, on their year-long adventure through American Christianity. You'll laugh, cringe, gain new perspective, and might just see your own church—and God's church—with new eyes.

Scroll up and click “Buy Now” to begin your journey through 52 Churches.

Part of the Visiting Churches Series, which takes an in-person look at church practices and traditions to inform and inspire today's followers of Jesus.

Mispronounced words

The narration was rushed and monotone, mis pronounced words such as job. The narrator pronounced job as if referring to a chapter in the Old Testament in stead of a referring to work someone does!

Terrible audio version

Though interesting information, the AI narrator of this audio version was so bad that it was a struggle to get through. Multiple mispronunciations, inappropriate inflections, and hard to control volume ensured that I won’t revisit this book. Not worth the credit I used to get it.