Track: A Student’s Guide to Church

Jonathan Landry Cruse

Reviewed by: Christopher Allen

Track: A Student’s Guide to Church, by Jonathan Landry Cruse. Christian Focus, 2025. Paperback, 96 pages, $6.99. Reviewed by OP pastor Christopher Allen.

In A Student’s Guide to Church, Jonathan Landry Cruse sets forth on a mission to draw his readers to gather around and participate in “the greatest place on earth” (11). In a time where the next generation looks upon the church with suspicion, indifference, or even confusion, Cruse provides a compelling case for why the church matters and why every believer ought to belong to a church.

Cruse, an OPC minister, writes with theological clarity and pastoral warmth. Drawing from the depth of God’s Word and the rich tradition of the Reformed faith, his language is accessible to the unchurched, while still delivering theological precision and depth. Each chapter addresses a core aspect of ecclesiology: What is the church? Why does it exist? What happens when we gather for worship? Why does church membership matter? What is biblical leadership? What is an individual’s role in church? He also answers many objections that students wrestle with regarding the church, including hypocrisy, physical and emotional hurt, and the allure of consumeristic individualism.

Even though the book is short, it strikes a balance between doctrinal teaching and practical application. Two of my favorite chapters come in his discussion on worship, where Cruse wonderfully develops our understanding of the dialogical principle and the reality that worship within church is the special place where God dwells and communicates with his people through the ordinary means of grace. He goes on to state, “[God] is enough to make church relevant. He is enough to make church thrilling. He is enough to make church awesome” (34). The reason that the church is “the greatest place on earth” is because it is the place we meet the creator of the heavens and the earth. How wonderful is that?

One of the book’s greatest strengths is at the end of each chapter, where Cruse gives a summarizing main point, along with a list of questions for discussion. These questions give the reader an opportunity to slow down, take a much-needed pause, and digest and reflect on the material that they just read. While written for students and young adults, this book is a great resource for church membership, family discipleship, or youth group.

If the book has a limitation, it is brevity. Cruse writes in such a way that you don’t want to put the book down. Even though he could have added more to the vast topic of ecclesiology, he did an excellent job summarizing the major points within the topic of the church. A Student’s Guide to Church accomplishes what it set out to do: introduce young believers to the vision of the church and call them to join, love, and serve God through the church. I highly recommend it to all of you.