Fresh out of seminary school, Ben Montague had expectations of serving God when he became associate pastor of First Covenant Chapel. The tiny country church was just the place to get his career off on the right foot. That was until he started working with the Reverend Bob Buck. Five years away from retirement and on a personal mission to show his worth to others from his past, Buck's motives start to become increasingly apparent to Ben. It starts with something as small as omitting hymnal songs from the services, but when Buck suggests an $8.5 million loan for a new sanctuary, Ben knows he has boarded a sinking ship. Buck's true character gradually begins to reveal itself through greed and egotism--all the while insisting his actions are motivated by an effort to express God's love. A realistic and, at times, shocking glimpse into the ugly side of organized religion, On This Side of Heaven is a page-turner that teaches an important lesson: God is in the Church, but the Church is not God.
