3 comments about Left Behind?.

1. This little book is meant to be an introductory critique to popular eschatology or "end-times views" as they have come to be known. Efird divides his book into two basic sections: historical and theological. He examines both dispensationalism and darbyism in their historical context, then examines what he considers to be the three key themes in popular eschatology--the Millennium, the Antichrist, and the Rapture. The book does not assume any prior exposure to biblical studies and is good to use as a starting place.
   
   The book does suffer from its brevity. While I'm certain he has more to say than what he actually said, there are times when he could have elaborated a bit more and at certain points you are not certain if he is disproving a particular view or rather just asserting his own without mention.
   
   A solid book, all in all.



2. This book presents a clear and concise statement about the rapture, the antichrist, and the millennium. The Epilogue is a summary that many bible students need to read. In a time of so many poor interpretations, Dr. Efird presents what the scripture says. I have been in his class room and the book is as close as can be to hearing him speak.



3. Though I count myself as a devoted Christian, Bible student and interested in all things religious, the "Rapture" leaves me decidedly unecstatic and still willing to meet Christ anywhere He chooses, not just midway in the air on a date to be announced. When asked, by certain among the believers, if I'm afraid to be left behind on Judgement day when the chosen elect will be carried away to heaven, my answer is definitely 'yes' if that's where God would like me to be. This has earned me hostile tongue-lashings in some quarters. However, there are also those who don't know anything about the subject, want to learn more and ask me to recommend something. I recommend this book. The author is a seasoned professor, speaker and author, able to pack complex theological contructs into succinct, understandable prose. If the reader is looking for something to validate the Rapturist view, this is not the book for the job. For a concise history, theological explanation, and Biblically-based refutation of same, buy this book and share. I have and will again.

No comments about Who Are the Anabaptists: Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites.

3 comments about Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a Peculiar People (Center Books in Anabaptist Studies).

1. Bowman presents good information which is not easily found in the Brethren History Books. However, when charting the demise of the Brethren Movement, he identifies the loss of peculiarness as the reason the group lost its influence. While he documents the increase of bureaucratic baggage to the denomination and the abandonment of the original simplicity of the group, he does not see this as causal in the group loosing its original impact. He does not hedge or create heros as other Brethren history works tend to do, which is a definite value to this work.



2. As it becomes more and more difficult to provide information to those who desire it in regards to brethren history, Bowman has done a service to the Brethren movement. That he does not champion it but rather observes it is of great service. As one who traces my religious heritage through this body, i am grateful to Bowmam for the scholarly work which also manages to be an easy read. This book is for anyone with a great desire to understand the Brethren movement, it's roots, and its divisions.



3. Carl Desportes Bowman tells it like it was in his account of the decline and acculturation of the Church of the Brethren, the formerly conservative wing of the Brethren Movement.
   
   It's readable, enjoyable, but on the whole a very sad story.

5 comments about The Early Christians: In Their Own Words.

1. Eberhard Arnold's book is one of the most profound that I have read on early church history. In his attempt to recreate a communal society which was as close to that of the early church as possible (the Bruderhof in Germany and, later, the Hutterites in England), Arnold researched all the early sources which he could find, whether written by Jews, Christians, Romans, or others from the ancient world. His massive volume contains everything he found in his attempt to get to the spirit of that early community. He quotes from Tertullian, Justin, Cicero, Ignatius, Jerome, Theophilus of Antioch, Polycarp, and others. He does not draw conclusions but lets those to his readers to ascertain from the evidence of early believers.

   The book is heavy laden with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of translated selections from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. It is a rare edition which enlightens at every turn and, in some ways, reminds one of all the evidence on both sides of the fence which emerge in court proceedings. One reads the martyrdoms of many an early Christian and wonders whence their courage emerged. Much information abounds on early catecomb worship practices in Rome. The book is a marvel, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

   Jeanne Smith McPherson, KS.




2. Eberhard Arnold's book is one of the most profound that I have read on early church history. In his attempt to recreate a communal society which was as close to that of the early church as possible (the Bruderhof in Germany and, later, the Hutterites in England), Arnold researched all the early sources which he could find, whether written by Jews, Christians, Romans, or others from the ancient world. His massive volume contains everything he found in his attempt to get to the spirit of that early community. He quotes from Tertullian, Justin, Cicero, Ignatius, Jerome, Theophilus of Antioch, Polycarp, and others. He does not draw conclusions but lets those to his readers to ascertain from the evidence of early believers.

   The book is heavy laden with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of translated selections from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. It is a rare edition which enlightens at every turn and, in some ways, reminds one of all the evidence on both sides of the fence which emerge in court proceedings. One reads the martyrdoms of many an early Christian and wonders whence their courage emerged. Much information abounds on early catecomb worship practices in Rome. The book is a marvel, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

   Jeanne Smith McPherson, KS.




3. Eberhard Arnold begins with a brief history of the gradual institutionalizing of simple discipleship into ecclesiastical Christianity. His understood intent, througout the book, is to bring believers back to the basic lifestyle of Christ that was so resplendent in the early disciples. Chapters on martyrs, description of early church life and worship, and the beliefs of the early Christians concerning prophecy, persecution, and the return of Jesus are especially beneficial. A MUST read for anyone who wants to "walk as Jesus did" (1 Jn. 2:6) and follow the examples of the early believers. I heartily recommend this stirring and passionate treatment of "authentic discipleship" by disciple Arnold.



4. Eberhard Arnold's work on "The Early Christians," is an excellent source for understanding the beliefs and doctrines of the early christians in context of their own testimony and time. Arnold begins with a comprehensive introduction to shed light upon the social aspects of church society contrasted with its remarkable spread throughout the Pagan world. In other words, Arnold does a good job describing the initial steps of primative Christianity that would eventually leed to the well-structured and ecclesiastical institution that has prevailed to this very day. The testimonies recorded of these champions of faith, are composed with skill, and fit the criteria for which they were purposed in this work and in their time. Unfortunately, early christians didn't write that much, so we are indebted to work with what has existed from either oral tradition or scholarly manuscripts. There are no 'real' drawbacks to this work except the fact that the actual testimonies are few and emanate only from the scholarly retinue of the sencond century. Overall, this book gets four stars; the benefits range from quick reference to quotes(etc.), and to a broad spectrum of the personality and character of the early church itself.



5. This is a must-read for any Christian questioning his/her faith or wanting to know more about the church "fathers." Great book for crossing lines of denominationalism.

5 comments about On the Backroad to Heaven: Old Order Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren (Center Books in Anabaptist Studies).

1. Donald B. Kraybill has either written or been a co-author to about 22 books at last count. Most have been about the Old Order Amish and I wonder why? It's always the same old thing, they're misunderstood and they want to be left alone(except when they need a phone or van to ride in). They won't serve in the military because of their beliefs and shy away from the English(everyone not Amish)law because maybe they have something to hide. They bann, excommunicate, and shun anyone who leaves this backward, traditional cult to find a better life. Why so many books on the same old subject? I was hoping for something more realistic because newspapers have confirmed they have problems and there's no way that these poeple can all be so good. I want to read the truth, the facts, the real story, not the HOLLYWOOD version of the Amish. Please, tell it like it is and don't tell any more stories on the so-called "American Heritage." I gave this book 3 stars because it is informative and educational and I believe that D.B.Kraybill is a good writer, but just excludes certain facts. Whatever the reason, he might believe he's their protector.



2. I found the first few chapters interesting in which the authors profile each of the 4 featured Old-order groups. However, the editing was distracting because the same point was made multiple times in each chapter (in addition to a couple typos). The last couple chapters compare and contrast the 4 groups, but not much new is added I didn't already get in the first chapters. I wish they had touched upon the more progressive branches in each group, comparing Old-order to more modern counterparts, but there was almost no mention of them. Also, the few facts I did know about Old-Orders before reading this book were not discussed (if these are common misconceptions and not facts, they still deserve space in this book). I still give it 3 stars because I was very interested in the descriptions and brief histories of each group.



3. As the subject line suggestions, I consider this is a fairly nice piece of work. The author does a good job of giving an overview of the four different Old Order groups covered in the book.

   Though the author was slightly slanted in favor of some of the Old Orders (Brethren & Amish mainly), this book had neither the rose-colored fluff or scathing condemnation of other publications. There was a description of what worked, what didn't work, what was pious and what was wrong with all four groups.

   I would like to have know more intricate detail of each of the group's theology rather than a few snippets of scriptural interpretation and comments from church fathers. I do, however, understand that this book is more of a sociological survey than a theological analysis.

   The last few chapters did engage in a repetitious rehash of what has already been covered. I also did find a few typographic errors that didn't get caught by the editor.

   Final analysis: If you are new to studying any of these groups, this could certainly would play as a good jumping-off point for further study. If you need to get a quick overview of the groups mentioned, this would also serve your purpose. A more thorough study, however, will require additional reading and research.




4. The book does a good job of surveying the four groups, and finishes up very strongly when considering the similarities in the groups.
   
   The contrast between the Mennonites and Amish is also very interesting. It is also perhaps the most accurate portion of the book--although he picked some fairly liberal old order Mennonite groups to describe. It would have been a little better to have picked a more traditional Mennonite group.
   
   It is perhaps at its weakest when describing the old order German Baptist Brethren. There are some very embarassing inaccuracies, including garbled German Baptist vocab (referring to family devotions as "taking the text"--a term that refers to the main sermon on Sunday for example) and considering certain very exceptional cases to be representative (a GB cheerleader, who he doesn't reveal had a parent outside the church). The glaring omission in the German Baptist section has to be that down to details such as order of worship and attitude they are extremely similar to the old order Amish--so much so that the two have cooperated on education in the past.
   
   I also found the section on gender strife among the Hutterites to be a little overstated. Hutterites wouldn't see the conflict the way Americans do, or the way the authors do.
   
   Enjoyed it a great deal.



5. As a person always curious about lifestyles different from my seemingly mundane existince in suburban Melbourne, the Amish and Old Order Mennonites, with their resistance to technology and extremely gentle and peaceful beliefs, have always fascinated me.
   
   Although other books, such as the "People's Place" series, actually offer a good deal of useful information about specific topics relevant to the Old Order Anabaptist groups, "On the Backroad to Heaven" is the best general work I have read about them. It goes into very good detail into the character and nature of the Hutterites, Old Order Mennonites, Amish and Brethren, including all the aspects that are well-known but also some of their rituals and methods of electing leaders that are little-known yet intriguing (e.g. the use of "lots"). More than that, "On the Backroad to Heaven" not only characterising them but also offering clear and easy-to-read comparisons. At the same time "On the Backroad to Heaven" shows not traces of trying to idealise these groups and expresses very clearly the problems they have coping with a modern world that is in many ways very hostile to the values they hold dearly. Its last part clearly shows how far removed they are from a "postmodern" culture, but yet shows what they have to offer thereto.
   
   On the whole, this is really good work. It is neither biased nor shallow, yet is extremely accessible. I would recommend it to anybody interested in cultural studies, even if not in Anabaptist groups.

No comments about Quest for Piety and Obedience The Story of the Brethren in Christ.

No comments about Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts (Global Mennonite History Series: Africa).

3 comments about Hutterites of Montana.

1. Laura Wilson's photographs are truly extraordinary. I first was introduced to them by a recent essay on the PBS News Hour. The few photograps that were shown left me mesmerized and eager to see more. The presentation of the photographs in the book, however, is extremely disappointing. Rather than helping the photographs, the layout gets in the way. Several of the best photos are split between two pages ( e.g., the photo of the women on the haystacks is split 75%/25%). Also, many of the photos are blown up so large that graininess becomes a significant problem.

   Laura Wilson's photographs deserve a far better presentation than they are given in this volume.




2. This is not a coffee table book. Nor is it a book to be wasted on a library shelf. The photographs and brief accompanying text are meant to be consumed slowly, revisted, again revisted, appreciated like two fingers of old sour mash sipped during the bleak. It is irrelevant that a few of the photographs appear slightly grainy. What the artist brilliantly captures are facets of modesty and humility among a gracious people who, by choice, live a somewhat remote, sometimes trying life.



3. Once in awhile, you find a book that outstrips others and stands on its' own. This isn't the glam photography of Annie Liebowitz, the sexually overt Herb Ritts, nor is it the intentionally odd portraiture of Diane Arbus. This is an artist in the same league as Ansel Adams, Richard Avedon, Galen Rowell, and Phil Borges. Simply put, Laura Wilson is a thoughtful artist, whose vision and understanding are the product of a level of artistic and a respect for history that few others show. If there is one word that stands above all it is this: craft.
   
   This book is the result of years of visiting and slowly getting to know the Hutterites, not an easy task. A friend of Richard Avedon, Laura Wilson's greatness and strength show up in her photos which depict the people as they are. If you can, buy them all! Her work is an education in the type of commitment it takes to make and pursue fine art.

3 comments about Discipleship : Living for Christ in the Daily Grind.

1. I bought this book based solely on the publisher's reviews. I was looking for a book on Discipleship that would challenge my Christian walk, and also give solid answers to theological questions. In a personal, sharp way, Arnold does this. This book is a compilation of letters and notes that were put together by his community after his death. This makes the book great because there is no filler - it's packed with to-the-point insights. I recommend it to anyone. The only reason I give it a 9 instead of 10 is because only the Bible gets a 10! :



2. Friends of mine from Littleton Colorado told me that this book helped change the life of Columbine martyr Cassie Bernall. It is specifically mentioned in her life story "She Said Yes". This would have brought great joy to the author, Heinrich Arnold, who died in the same year that Cassie was born. A book like this is an amazing thing. The spirit that is captured in its pages waits quietly until discovered by a future generation who is then frees it for a blessing on their life.



3. This is one of those books that you get and wonder how you ever lived without it. I struggle in my walk with Christ, but this book is something that I am continually coming back to for wisdom and insight. My copy is about 5 years old and has notes scrawled all over the margins, yet I'm constantly gaining new ideas each time I reread a section. With every read, whether it's the first or the 40th, you experience something fresh. One of the best things about this book is the spectrum of topics covered--no matter your age or experience as a Christ follower, this is a book you really need to read.
   
   And while you're at it, check out Seeking Peace: Thoughts and Conversations Along the Way. It was written by J. Heinrich Arnold's grandson, Johann Christoph Arnold. Mind blowing writing seems to run in the family...

4 comments about Reaching a Generation for Christ: A Comprehensive Guide to Youth Ministry.

1. Senter provides one of the few treatments of Youth Ministry that is can serve as an college/seminary textbook and still provides practical insights for practicing clergy. Unlike several other popular titles, Senter takes the time to develop a biblical, sociological, and historical framework for youth ministry. He also provides the best overview of the various models for youth ministry that have been popular among evangelicals for the past half-century. Some may find the depth of the book overwhelming in places. It also suffers from weaknesses typical of using a variety of authors to contribude individual chapters, in that not all chapters are equally valuable. Overall the book should serve as a standard text well beyond the turn of the century for those serious about understanding and practicing effective youth ministry.



2. I ran across this book in the campus bookstore when picking up some other books for class. After glancing through it I was intrigued. Practical advice, theory that was useful, models laid out so you could see how they worked out on a day to day basis. I found myself taking notes and getting ideas for things I could put into practice.



3. Senter and Dunn have done a fabulous job compiling data from a number of key youth pastors. The insights I gained from this book were fantastic. Dunn's explanation of the millennial generation's needs, and how to reach them is fantastic. Great reading. This book is a must for youth pastor's everywhere.



4. I think this book is very good. It has helped me as a worker in youth ministry and also my thesis that I had to write for Bible College. I have read other books on youth ministry but have never saw any like this. It shows you most problems that would rise in ministry,and it also gives good guidance for a leader in this ministry. Every youth worker should have one in their library.