Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church [Paperback]

Dean Merrill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 1997

If America is sliding into a moral swamp, what's the best Christian response? The hardball approach of the religious right? Or is there a more productive way to engage our culture? Dean Merrill, a former vice president with Focus on the Family, challenges us to transform society--and our own hearts--from the inside out. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church is about attitude, about living out our convictions in a Christ-like manner instead of bullying our way into the system like any other loud and selfish government lobby. Merrill shows why returning to the 'good old days' is a wish based on a myth. He reveals how God has worked mightily throughout history in spite of decadent cultures, and how he can and will work today in the American culture. Far from a prescription for apathy, this book is a passionate call to Kingdom activity -- and our mission as ambassadors to a world Christ died for, not as conquerors who would remake it in our own image.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

If America is sliding into a moral swamp, what's the best Christian response? The hardball approach of the religious right? Or is there a more productive way to engage our culture?

Dean Merrill, a former vice president with Focus on the Family, challenges us to transform society--and our own hearts--from the inside out. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church is about attitude, about living out our convictions in a Christ-like manner instead of bullying our way into the system like any other loud and selfish government lobby.

Merrill shows why returning to the "good old days" is a wish based on a myth. He reveals how God has worked mightily throughout history in spite of decadent cultures, and how he can and will work today in the American culture. Far from a prescription for apathy, this book is a passionate call to Kingdom activity--and our mission as ambassadors to a world Christ died for, not as conquerors who would remake it in our own image. "We've waited a long, long time for the message of this book. . . . A wonderfully readable call to reclaim our heritage." --John and Elizabeth Sherrill, Co-authors, The Hiding Place, The Cross and the Switchblade, God's Smuggler "Dean Merrill rightly warns us that the Church's mission and resource are the power of the Gospel and prayer, not political posturing in anger, distrust and suspicion."--Jack W. Hayford, D. Litt., Senior Pastor, The Church On the Way "Imperative reading for those interested in the relationship between faith and the body politic. Its content will likely shock you!"--Ed Dobson [Cut this endorsement if necessary.]

From the Author

Dean Merrill is the author or co-author of more than a dozen books and a veteran of Christian publishing. His thirty-two years in Christian media include editorships at Campus Life magazine, David C. Cook, Christianity Today, Inc., and Christian Herald. He was vice president of the resource group at Focus on the Family, and currently is vice president and publisher of International Bible Society (IBS), based in Colorado Springs where Merrill and his wife, Grace, reside

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (November 3, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310213088
• ISBN-13: 978-0310213086
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,456,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dean Merrill is the author of eight books and the co-author of 29 others. His most recent solo book was Damage Control: How to Stop Making Jesus Look Bad (Baker, 2006). His collaborations have included titles with such varied voices as:
* Compassion International president Dr. Wess Stafford
* Hobby Lobby founder David Green
* Philippine missionary survivor Gracia Burnham (New York Times bestseller)
* "Black Hawk Down" hero Cpt. Jeff Struecker
* Brooklyn Tabernacle pastor Jim Cymbala (Christian Book of the Year, also a Gold Medallion)

Merrill has also been published in more than 40 Christian magazines. His career has included editorships at Campus Life, David C. Cook, Leadership Journal, Christian Herald and Focus on the Family. From 1997 to 2004, he was vice-president and publisher at International Bible Society. Since then he has given full time to independent writing.

Merrill's education includes a bachelor of theology degree from Chicago Bible College and a master of arts degree in journalism from Syracuse University. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs; they have three married children.

For a full list of his titles, see: www.deanmerrill.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, thought provoking, November 13, 2004

By 

Bob Hyatt (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church (Paperback)

Every person who is thinking through issues of Church and culture needs to read this book. Between doing nothing in culture and fighting unwinnable culture wars, Merrill finds a middle ground, a third way.
Especially helpful to me was the section on the mythical "good old days." Those who believe in the notion that America was once a "Christian Nation" and solving our problems means getting back to that place would do well to read this short, challenging, highly engaging book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Burn the sinners?, February 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church (Paperback)

In this book, Merrill presents an overview of today's culture and points out effective and ineffective methods of influencing the people of today. He does an excellent job of assessing the wrong Christian responses while at the same time giving the correct way to respond. He points out that Christians usually are apathetic, anxious, or angry when dealing with today's problems when they should really be gently defending their faith. He then gives some excellent suggestions for Christian responses, such as praying for our government, censuring, attaching negative stigmas to sinful practices, and calmly sharing the hope that they have. Merrill is very reassuring in that he reminds us that God can work just as powerfully now as he did long ago, even though we may disagree with his timing. Overall, this book gives a clear, concise direction for defending the Bible and for witnessing to others in this sinful world.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A primer on how Christians should relate to their culture., September 22, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Missoula, Montana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church (Paperback)

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church is a must read for Christians who struggle to relate to a culture that has lost respect for their faith. This book debunks the long-accepted myth that God's followers are supposed to be angry at sinners. The title is a play on words from a popular 18th century sermon by Jonathan Edwards in which he vividly describes God's impending wrath on sinners. The author openly questions whether a scorched-earth policy towards the unconverted is really God's plan for catching their attention. He details how most Christians react to societal decay [with anxiousness, anger, or apathy] while giving an alternative to the shrill rhetoric that is often expressed. Merrill chronicles how 1st century believers reacted to their culture and explains how their reaction can benefit Christians who want to find a better way to influence their culture without alienating its followers. The final chapter, along with a "to-do list" for Christians, challenges those who claim to follow Christ to stop blaming their culture and start relating to it.