Customer Reviews

It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian: How the Community of God Transforms Lives

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There are many books on the church. Some of them have theological substance, but they're hopelessly hard to read -- for experts only. Others are readable, but so "lite" and "practical" that you wonder if the author has done much theological or biblical reflection on the subject matter.

Once in a great while a book comes along that combines genuine theological substance with engaging readability. This is the book!

Bolsinger has done his theological homework. (This book is a popularized version of his Ph.D. dissertation.) He will help you to see the church in relationship to the Trinity. But he is also an engaging writer, whose turns of phrase are memorable and whose illustrations are insightful.

If you're looking for a "seven superficial secrets to make your church grow" kind of book, look elsewhere. But if you're seeking a biblically-based, theologically-solid book that is also readable and engaging, then buy this book. Right now would be a good idea!

Pastors and Lay Leaders of the Church - do you feel surrounded by a collection of formulaic books on church growth and Christian self help? Tired of the The Prayer of Whoever and The Purpose Driven Whatever - "five steps to being a really fantastic and super-duper Believer with no visible character flaws"? Do you long for something of depth to assist you in your desire to develop more of the nature of the Kingdom of God in your congregation? Tod Bolsinger's first book is a deep and thoughtful work on the true characteristics of a Biblically centered and contagious congregation. Do you long for a church congregation that has an unmistakable charisma, loves people unconditionally, and has a passion to introduce people in a genuine way to the Savior? As a frequent visitor to San Clemente Presbyterian over the past five years, I can attest that this is a church that desires to know and love Christ, and to be a "community to the community". Bolsinger is a faithful servant who does not aspire to mega-church status, but passionately desires to pastor a faithful, loving, and joy-filled congregation that embodies all the best characteristics of the Christian Life. As a church leader, I recommend this book for meaningful group study in your church leadership group - there is much to discuss and reflect upon in these pages - all to the purpose of building, growing, and nuturing the Body of Christ. Prepare to be challenged and encouraged!

A very solid book -- readable and acessible, if a little longwinded (could have been half as long). Would make a great book to study at an officers' retreat, a small group study, and a host of other contexts. The author is a PCUSA pastor of a 1200-member church in CA, with a PhD, and a pretty orthodox evangelical. Calvin is the author most often cited by far, but he quotes a wide range of folks (mostly very familiar): Nouwen, Brunner, Barth, Rahner, Berkouwer, Bloesch, Moltmann, Cuillmann, NT Wright, Lloyd-Jones, Warfield, Hodge, Ellen Charry, CS Lewis, etc.

If we take the Apostles' Creed as a summary of the Gospel, then belief in communion of the saints is as important as the Trinity. If that's true, the Church is awash with more heresy than any other time in its history.

His focus is 1. the Trinity 2. Communion of the Saints. It is very irenic for a jeremiad. Decent index and end notes, bt no SCRIPTURE index.

A few representative quotes from the Intro.: "I want to point the conversation about the soul in a more CHURCHLY direction"

"There is a crucial difference between a crowd and a community."

"There is an enduring difference, of course, between a COLLECTIVE of individual Christians and a COMMUNITY."

Emil Brunner: "togetherness of Christians is not...secondary or contingent: it is integral to their life just as is abiding in Christ."

We recently had good results using this book as a resource for an early morning Men's Group. It's a bit more challenging than some of the pop-theology books that quickly climb the best-seller list. This book is different. This book will help you to think through what it means to be the church in the world today. If you want to inspire lively discussion and good conversation, let me encourage you to use this book as a small group resource.

I spent years listening to Dr. Bolsinger's lessons when he was a young star teacher/preacher at the historic Hollywood Presbyterian Church -- and I was shaped dramatically by those lessons. This book shows how our lives and our churches can be reinvigorated by a deeper understanding of community, a community that begins in the Persons of the Trinity and flows lovingly into all of creation.