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The Unexpected Journey: Conversations with People Who Turned from Other Beliefs to Jesus

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The evangelistic efforts of Christians today are crippled because of a fear of failure, or rejection, or incompetence. Consequently, rather than struggle with weak unclear efforts, often, there is none.
Thom S. Rainer's book "The Unexpected Journey: Conversations with People Who Turned from Other Beliefs to Jesus" serves to rebuild the confidence of would be evangelists. Rainer accidentally (?) reminds the reader that God still uses ordinary means to get the attention of sinners who need a relationship with Christ. Evangelistic programs, special outreaches, and orchestrated church campaigns are not the engines driving the unconverted to seek Christ.
So what is? Thom uses his classic Rainer analysis to tell a dozen stories of conversions to Christ. The book encourages readers to stay in the lives of others and share the love of Christ. No special program, no magic words, just faithful learning, living, and sharing the love of God reaches those who do not know him.

I'm trying to think about how to word my review. I'm afraid I will not be able to do this book justice. The bible says that God will call people from every nation, kindred and tribe. Oh yes, He has. Atheists, witches, agnostics, people lost in confusing beliefs that lead nowhere...God found them all. They were each touched in different ways and each uniquely found their way to Jesus Christ. The transforming power of His love, His word and His promise is evident in each of the twelve stories. These people are real and speak their testimonies in plain language. The book is not preachy, contrived, patronizing or full of treacle, just straightforward stories of salvation. Reading each chapter made my heart soar and my lips praise God for His love and mercy. The author outlines, in each chapter, the basics of what the beliefs of each person prior to their conversion to Christianity entailed. Very helpful. I felt as though I was on along on each "journey" as they found their way to Jesus. Thank you for this.

Unexpected Journey by Thom S. Rainer is the story of 12 people of other faiths who turned to Christianity. Rainer and his wife interview each of these new Christians about what their former beliefs were and how they came to find Christ. The interviews are pretty straightforward other than the occasional awkward interruption by Rainer putting himself into the story. The stories are riveting looks inside faiths we don't normally hear about. Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Hinduism and Buddhism converts are expected. The Wiccan, astrologer, and Satanist are fascinating. Each convert also gives advice on how to speak to someone of their former faith and help them find Jesus the way they did. The advice in every case is the same: Show Christ's love. Judgmental behavior and accusations don't work; only acceptance and love can show another person what being a Christian truly is. This lesson is pounded home again and again, but it can't be repeated enough. Pundits making pronouncements about the morality or goodness aren't a very good example of Christianity. It's people on a individual basis who can make a difference. The book only stumbles when Rainer tries to give unnecessary ambience to the stories. Reading about his troubles finding restaurants and how friendly the waitress was isn't necessary and only detracts from the power of these stories. My one other complaint is that I doubt anyone who isn't already a Christian will pick up this book and be swayed by it, but the advice inside for Christians is well-taken.

SUMMARY

There are literally millions of books written on the topic of Evangelism, indeed, put two simple words "Evangelical Books" into your Google search engine and you will find more than four million results. Topics will include many of the well known subjects; apologetics, theology, marriage and the family, women in leadership, domestic violence, creation science, intelligent design, biographies, romance novels, Christian living, social issues and more. All of these books are designed to allow the readers minds to come to one conclusion; that Christianity is the way to go. As Jesus the one true God of the Christians said, "I am the way, the truth, and the light...and, whoever believes in me shall have eternal life."

The two hundred and eight page book, "The Unexpected Journey" written by Dr. Thom S. Rainer enlightens the reader to the lives of twelve interesting people from the, "I used to be a (Mormon, Jew, Hindu, etc.) perspective to the, "I am now a Christian can I share my story with you" style of communion. Dr. Rainer's strategy of telling these born again stories from angles that can assist the novice to the professional evangelizer helps readers to understand points of common ground and biblical concepts that may assist in bringing souls to Jesus Christ. His insightful writing gives specific details on how best to share Christ's love to those who are "living a lie". This book critique will look at Dr. Rainer's innovative methodology and review his unique strategies in order to find out why this book may be the precise, powerful guide you need in order to fulfill your very own personal evangelical destiny.

The concise and well written book is broken into twelve vignettes or chapters and then closes with a conclusion chapter and questions for reflection and discussion chapter. The opening acknowledgements let the reader know the gratitude Dr. Rainer has for the thirteen extraordinary individuals he interviewed in order to bring this book to life via the printers press. The Preface whets the appetite of the reader by letting them know they will be traveling throughout the United States on an unknown journey which will lead to some miraculous stories of changed lives through the power of Jesus Christ. Dr. Rainer also lets the reader know what this book is not, "It is not an apologetics book, and, it is not an exhaustive treatment of other belief systems."

Chapter one "Mormonism was Our Life" begins the readers journey along the picturesque trails of Salt Lake City, Utah the heartland of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" where two formerly devout Mormon's relate their story of conversion to Christianity. At the home of Dennis and Rauni Higley, the author and his wife listen intently as these two educated, wealthy, and formerly prominent Mormons tell a story of their Mormon conversion history, work within the Mormon Church, and subsequent realization that the Mormon Church is a "fraudulent man-made organization that is based on deception." The Higley's then recall their subsequent disenchantment, excommunication, loss of financial stability and finally liberation from the Mormon Church as they came to know Christ through the scriptures and the help of a local Utah Baptist Church which grew in membership after the Higley's were saved and gave their lives over to Jesus. This chapter includes ways the reader can evangelize to Mormons.

The next chapter, "I Have Found the Messiah" takes the author to Chicago, Illinois where a Jewish man named, "Steve Barrack" recants a childhood, youth, and adult life filled with angst, feelings of betrayal, and finally an understanding of Christ's goodness and fulfillment of prophesy. Steve was raised in the finest Orthodox Judaism schools, his family went back in that tradition "as many generations as you can imagine". [6] He explains to Dr. Rainer that he lives his life by three mandates; We must love God with every part of our being, We must love our neighbor with equal intensity, and, We must take the gospel of Jesus to anyone and everyone without hesitation. After he finished schooling Steve ran away from Judaism and the life he was accustomed to, he explains, "I had been trained and educated in the best of Jewish schools, I knew the laws and the traditions, but, I did not see the consistency of those beliefs at home." Later on he would meet a Christian woman who would evangelize him and eventually they would marry. They now belong to a congregation called B'nai Ohr Beth Tefilah a church that includes the Jewish traditions and accepts Jesus Christ as the true savior and fulfillment of prophecy as the Redeemer, the Messiah. This chapter includes advice on how Christians can reach Jews through scriptures and through the Lord.

Chapter three "I Went from the Guilt of Karma to the Grace of Christ" brings the reader to Kansas City, Kansas where N.S.R.K. Ravi a former Hindu shares his journey to Christ. Ravi was born to very wealthy parents in India where he eventually was stricken with polio and alienated from his family as an outcast who "must have committed grievous sins in his prior life". [8] Eventually Ravi would run away, he became a teenage boy, bound to a wheelchair living and roaming the streets and roads of India. On an encounter with a stranger one day at a train station, Ravi was asked to read a Bible verse. The stranger in a white robe would later tell Ravi he had a "special purpose" in life and that his physical disability would be used for God's glory. After hearing the man recite Psalm 27:10 "When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up" Ravi had an epiphany and his heart underwent a change. Fourteen months later Ravi would accept Christ while attending a Christian boarding school the stranger had sent him to. This chapter includes tips on how to approach Hindus in the spirit of Christianity.

Chapters four through twelve encounter similar stories as the author travels throughout the country marveling at the astounding stories of life transformed through Jesus Christ. Chapter four "The Worst Idiots were Christians" encounters a devout Atheist whose life was transformed after years of hatred towards Christians in general. In 1998 Mrs. Jones would eventually read the entire bible and began to experience a change of demeanor which would eventually take her from Atheist to an Apologist. Chapter five, "They Let My Daughter Die" shares the story of Paul Blizzard who lived through a turbulent journey from a Jehovah's Witness to becoming a Baptist Minister.

Chapter six "There are so many People Just like Me" leads the reader to Greer, South Carolina where Mia Hughey recounts her life as a former agnostic who was led to Christ through fellowship after becoming a mother. Chapter seven "I Became Adept at Casting Spells" leads the reader to a basic understanding of witchcraft and the evangelical process that lead Kathi, a devout practitioner of witchcraft to Jesus through a humorous encounter with the Assemblies of God pastor in Greensboro North Carolina. "My Buddha Statues Stopped Helping Me" chapter eight leads the reader to Columbus, Ohio where Helena Li born in Hong Kong and follower of Buddha would share her story of saving grace. Helena had never heard about Jesus or God prior to coming to America, as her husband's restaurant experienced financial ruin Helena would become acquainted with many Christians who would tell her they were praying for her and in 2001 she accepted Christ. Chapter nine, "It Seemed to be such a Humble Approach to God" takes the reader to Louisville, Kentucky where Dr. Karen Townsend a former Unitarian from Washington recounted her journey from Unitarianism to Christ and the Trinity. Unitarianism which believes that God exists as one person, not three, denies the doctrine of trinity as well as the divinity of Jesus Christ. Karen would become immersed in philosophy and psychology before realizing that a cousin's prayer for her salvation would be answered by the Holy Spirit.

Chapter ten "Astrology was my Identity" reaches Arlington, Virginia where Marcia Montenegro teaches the reader about her unexpected journey from New Age to Christ. Likewise chapter eleven "My Hatred of White Christians Led Me To It" takes a turn in the road through Louisville, Kentucky where a black Muslim would convert to traditional Islam and then to Christianity. And finally, chapter twelve "I Experienced the Power of the Satanic Realm" leads the reader through satanic rituals in Augusta, Georgia to one day "fall on his face and cry; Jesus make my life okay, I'm giving in, Lord, I'm done!"

The Conclusion portion of the book winds down with lessons that the author hopes are conveyed during the readers' journey. Lesson one; know what you believe through biblical knowledge. Lesson two; know what they believe. If you're going to reach out to a particular belief system, know something about that belief system. Lesson three; listen to them. Don't just be a talker of the gospel, be a listener of the spirit and to the person you're hoping to lead to Christ. Lesson four; pray for them. Lesson five; invite them to church. Lesson six; learn about their home lives.

Lesson seven; get them to look closely at their own documents within their own belief systems. Lesson eight; encourage them to study the bible objectively. God's word will stand the test of any objections and doubt. Lesson nine; churches must be prepared for the pluralistic world. Lesson ten; Christians cannot be intimidated by others beliefs. Lesson eleven; share your faith regularly. Lesson twelve; live like a Christian. Lesson thirteen; be willing to invest time with non-Christians. And, lesson fourteen; love people with Christ's unconditional love. The final chapter "Questions for Reflection and Discussion" offers some distinct questions that open and germinate within the readers mind allowing the Holy Spirit work.

EVALUATION

Dr. Rainer's writing style is enigmatic, and consists of real life experiences, personal thoughts, and the reactions and responses of people he has had contact with throughout his life, leading the reader to personal insights and resolute conviction. Rainer's overall style of writing appeals to the type of reader who is looking for an "aha" moment, and one can find several instances of just that. His sensitivity, blended with conviction, testimony and storytelling, adds a particular flavor to the text which gives the reader awareness that otherwise could not be achieved. The themes provide the reader with reactions that stimulate thought provoking ideas with regards to evangelical approaches and their usefulness in the present day society.

CONCLUSION

The concisely written book by Thom S. Rainer, "The Unexpected Journey; Conversations with People who turned from other beliefs to Jesus" is a brilliant evangelical success. Dr. Rainer's ability to keep the interest of his readers, share poignant personal insights, and ability to concentrically draw us into his circle of people is amazingly well done. The outline and flow of the text allow the reader to "soak it all in" and allow the spirit from which the text was written to permeate a message of good news, and good hope. In contrast to the evangelical books by William Fay, "Share Jesus without Fear"
Concern" which lead the readers to establish personal contact in order to reach the unbeliever, Dr. Rainer's journey prescribes a dose of reality by sharing with the reader what scriptures may convince a particular cultist or denomination to turn from "the lie" and turn to the Lord. By sharing his faith and story with many people and realizing the success of his method on a personal level, Dr. Rainer has given groups and lay people the evangelical missionary spirit that should assuage any fears that they cannot reach out to those who need the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

As a Christian you can't help but read this book and be inspired. The amazing stores in this book will warm your heart and fill you with motivation to go out and reach others for Christ. It provides some very basic explanations of the various religions out there and most interviewees provide insights on how to best reach that particular spiritual philosophy. Just a great book to see the power of the Holy Spirit work in people's lives.

Rainer shares the story of thirteen people from various religious backgrounds who came to faith in Jesus Christ. This book is written in a conversational style and relates the circumstances surrounding each interview. Every account closes with a list of what influenced that particular individual (or couple) to accept Christ.

The author set out to share the stories of people from various backgrounds who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. He does so much more than that. Through their stories, a Christian reading this book will be encouraged to be faithful in witnessing. Practical steps to deal with each of the backgrounds represented are explained in a way that makes sense.

This book should be read by every Christian who wants to learn that others can saved, regardless of how hopeless their situation looks. These stories are samples that represent hundreds of people. It is a reminder that our neighbor is loved by God, and should be loved by us. The material presented is easy to read, yet full of information and practical steps on how to handle numerous situations. It is useful to an individual reading for personal edification, but would also be excellent for a group study.

For this reviewer, it is a reminder that no matter how someone appears or what their background is, they need Jesus Christ as Savior. Christians cannot afford to write off or ignore anyone simply because we don't want to be bothered. We should imitate the grace, mercy and love that Jesus exhibited to those he encountered. That is not always popular or easy, but it is important. In the end, each individual will stand before the Father and answer for their activity on earth. The best attitude to have will be one of obedience to all that Jesus taught.

Author Information

The Unexpected Journey was written by Thom S. Rainer, who started the consulting group Rainer Group, after serving as a pastor and interim pastor in more than ten different churches. Rainer received his undergraduate degree in 1977 from the University of Alabama and his PhD from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Rainer is also a conference and seminar speaker and is currently the President and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources in Nashville, Tennessee. Rainer is the author of over 20 other Christian books like The Unexpected Journey such as The Unchurched Next Door and Breakout Churches.

Content Summary

In The Unexpected Journey, Rainer walks his readers though a methodical approach to exploring other world religions outside of Christianity and how to reach those people for Christ. The journey takes Rainer and his wife to many different states to interview twelve different people. These people were once believers in a religion other than Christianity, who turned to Christianity, and have continued to grow, through various trials, for their new faith in Christ. Each different encounter or interview is written in its own chapter in the form of a journal entry discussion on how each person made the conversion. Some background details on each particular world religion are included and, each chapter ends with questions relating to how Christians can reach people still believing in various other world religions.

Rainer starts off on this journey of interviews with Mormonism and Rauni's story. Rauni and her family were deeply engaged in the Mormon church by the time they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, coming with years of experience in the Mormon church. After a closer examination of the teachings of Mormonism and the bible, Rauni's decision was to leave the church and turn to nothing after feelings of mis-trust in all forms of religion and a harsh treatment from her former faith. Eventually Rauni made the decision to turn to Christ and she and her family, still today, live near Salt Lake City, the heart of the Mormon Church, with the unique ability to talk to others struggling with similar issues.

The next journey takes Rainer and his wife to Chicago to meet with a former Orthodox Jew named Steve Barack. After a brief explanation of the Jewish faith in comparison to that of Christianity, Rainer tracks Barack's story through the twists and turns that would eventually bring him to an Assembly of God church and on to a faith in Jesus. As Rainer explains from the interview, Barack learned the possibilities of becoming a Jewish Christian, a believer in Christ who is still able to maintain his Jewish heritage.

As Rainer continues his journey and the interviews he is next taken to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City to meet Dr. Ravi, a once karma deficient Hindu, who would take a long journey to belief in Christ. His conversion, much like many Rainer interviewed, came at a huge cost to himself and his family. As is Rainer's familiar pattern by this point, the author examines Hinduism in a brief form and then ends with a short discussion on how other Christians can reach those in the Hindu religion.

In the next several interviews Rainer travels to several other states, and even conducts one meeting in his hometown of Louisville, KY. Rainer and his wife speak to Mrs. Jones, from Pennsylvania, who claims to have been an Atheist. Mrs. Jones took the unexpected route and goes from believing in nothing or no higher power to faith in Christ, to becoming an effective apologist. Rainer points out that, as Jones explains, "What I really needed was a Christian who had the guts to tell me that I wasn't the marvelous and upstanding person I considered myself to be." (Rainer 2005, 74) Rainer goes on to explain a little about the Atheist worldview and shows why it is so difficult for an average Christian to reach an Atheist. As the author explains, Jones points out that she and many of her Atheist friends knew scripture far better than their Christian counterparts, but the one thing they could not counter was the love some Christians showed her.

The next several interviews that Rainer conducts are with worldviews that do not have the highest number of followers globally, but are still important for the Christian witness to understand. Rainer and his wife went to West Virginia to speak with a Jehovah's Witness, Paul, who like the others went into his religion with a full effort to promote the Jehovah's Witness worldview and eventually came to a miraculous discussion for Christ. Paul's cost of leaving the Jehovah's was costly as well and Rainer tells such a touching story of how Paul's life was changed by Christ. Next, Rainer evaluates the interviews from those with such wide-ranging worldviews as an Agnostic, a former witch, a Buddhist, New Age, a Satanist, and a compelling story from Dr. Townsend, a former believer in Unitarianism. As is the case with all the interviews, each interviewee comes to know Christ as their savoir through incredible circumstances and although these are some of the less followed religions, they are still worthy of note to a Christian who believes everyone should be given the story of Christianity.

One of the last interviews Rainer conducted and wrote about was a conversion of a Black Muslim to that of Traditional Islam and then to Christianity. This particular interview is perhaps the most noteworthy one out of all the interviews conducted. Muslims, and the overall worldview that is Islam, empowers a huge number of people in the world and this religion is more dominant in our day, in 2010, than perhaps it was even at the time the author wrote The Unexpected Journey. Because this religion is so dominant in parts of the world, and encompasses so many people, it is an important interview to conduct. The journey for Mumin Muhammad started from hate as he rose through the ranks of the Muslim faith culminating in a personal trial that would cost him his friends, his family, and his job. As Rainer points out with this interview, it is so difficult for a Christian to reach those of the Muslim faith, but Mumin shows God can and does work among all peoples.

Evaluation

Rainer's The Unexpected Journey takes on a complicated task of interviewing several people and trying to glean from these people the best way for Christians to reach out to others who believe in religions other than Christianity. Rainer pulled together what had to be an enormous amount of information and found a format and method to share this collective information in a journalistic style. Not only is this extremely helpful in the finished product for his readers, but it allows the reader to compartmentalize each chapter and find ways to place themselves into the stories being told. This format lends itself well to readers, from seminary students, to the casual interested layperson of the church, who takes an interest in reaching others for Christ.

As Rainer walks through each chapter he humbly addresses the presuppositions that are common among many Southern Baptists and fundamental Christians. This is an important aspect of each interview and the book in general. As Christians form their opinions on how to live out their own faith they often create stereotypes of other religions and people. Rainer speaks to the heart of this issue by coming out with his own stereotypes in the text and addresses them with the person being interviewed.

A more puzzling aspect of The Unexpected Journey was the particular religions Rainer chose to include in the book. The author briefly touches on these issues but does not make any real indication as to how these were chosen to be included. This would not normally be of concern to the reader except that the premise of the text is to follow a journey of someone who left a religion and moved to faith in Christ. Some of the religions, which all took up at least one full chapter in the book, were very small in comparison to those practicing other religions worldwide, and some perhaps may not even be considered religions to many Christians. This is a minor point for the effectiveness of the overall text, as all the people the author did interview had changed lives for Christ, no matter where they came from. Perhaps concentrating on the largest or major religions of the world, which encompass the largest number of people, could have been beneficial. It would have allowed a deeper understanding of each story and world religion. Where many Christians will probably come into contact with a Muslim or someone practicing Islam, few may come into contact with a Satanist or New Age believer. While the information was interesting, it probably didn't cover a large enough group of people. While the information is useful in a select number of situations it probably does not provide enough information for the reader to be able to be an evangelistic witness to those people groups.

Overall, The Unexpected Journey presented a journey, not only for those people interviewed in each chapter, but Rainer also took the reader through a journey to better understand many different worldviews and how to reach each of those people for Christ. The organization of the text was easy to understand for readers of all levels, and the author presented his findings in a way that could easily be taken from the book and brought into real life situations.

This is an inspiring and informative book that helps show why people of other faiths have turned to Christianity. It is in more narrative form, hearing the stories from the mouths of the people chosen, than it is an academic treatise. And the stories of the journey for Rainer and his wife as they meet the people is intriguing.

I came away from the book encouraged to see that Christianity retains its powerful draw, based on such factors as truth and love. This gave me further additional incentive to help my non-Christian friends to learn about Jesus. I recommend it highly.

Author Information

Beyond the many books Thom S. Rainer has authored, co-authored, or edited, he has been a busy bee for God. He is a man with obvious strong conservative evangelical Baptist ties. Since taking the presidential office for LifeWay (a Baptist Christian resource distributor), Rainer has been very ambitious in his efforts. He founded two new ministries: The first is LifeWay Research, which is meant to be a tool for Church leaders that will help equip them with the necessary means to promoting better Church health and greater ministry effectiveness. The second branch of ministry that he created from LifeWay is B&H Academic, which is meant to provide theologically conservative commentaries and other Bible resources.
Rainer is a big dog in the realm of Evangelism as well. He was a founding dean at the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary located in Louisville, KY. Rainer has served as a board member of several notable mission-centered organizations such as the Romanian-American Missions, Ephesians 4 Ministries, and the Southern Baptist Convention's Home Mission Board. Rainer is also a former president of the American Association of Church Consultants.
Rainer has not just piggybacked off of everyone else. He has created his own outreach ministry called Rainer Group. The success that Rainer has had comes through his many years of his own Church experience where he served as an interim pastor and then later as a senior pastor. As noted in this book, Rainer is a frequent conference speaker on Church growth and outreach. On top of these many accolades, he has also provided consultation to numerous periodicals including USA TODAY, Time, Associated Press, Religion News Service, and others.

Content Summary

Thom Rainer and his wife Nellie Jo take the reader to several locations across the United States to hear twelve amazing and powerful testimonies about the Unexpected Journey each of the twelve took in coming to know Christ as their personal Savior. From as far West as Salt Lake City, Utah to as far East as Arlington, VA the stories of those interviewed were, to those involved, nothing short of unexpected.
The twelve journeys that Rainer shares with his reader are about people who went from a life not believing in Jesus as the Savior of the world to a life where Christ was the central figure. The twelve stories that Rainer writes about are people who were Mormons, Jews, Hindus, Atheists, Jehovah's Witness, Agnostic, Wiccan Pagan, Buddhist, Unitarian, Astrologist, Muslim, and Satanist. Each story that is shared is meant to show that God is still active and working in people's lives and able to bring them into communion with Him.
God, as an active force in people's lives, should not be limited to what He can or cannot do. These testimonies that are shared, straight from the saved individual, tell Rainer and his wife about the Unexpected Journey that they traveled. The interesting and sometimes "coincidental" events that transpired in their lives are shared with the reader. The information shared is meant to bring the reader to a state of awareness of what they can do to help others in the same, or similar, genre of belief.
Taking an overview of this work, each story is vital in its own right. Each of the twelve stories told is from a different system of belief, and for this reason each one is helpful for what information they can provide to the reader. Most people would have written these individuals off as lost for good. One would tend to think that there is no way that they could bring a Satanist to belief in Christ. But Rainer shows that it is possible. Not only is it possible, but Rainer also gets vital information from the lips of those who were once lost in these various belief systems to tell the reader how they can approach those who are lost.

Evaluation

If the authors intended purpose in this book was to show the power of God and how He is still living and active in this world, then Rainer has accomplished his task. Each story held incredible power that oftentimes is not heard. Every individual interviewed spoke of an almost unbelievable story that could not have been thought up by Hollywood. Theirs are stories that cannot be told enough. The way in which they came to know Christ are wonderful examples that can be pointed to by evangelists to show that the work of God is still active and so others should be active as well. Most people would not have even tried to speak with people like the ones who were interviewed. Yet for those who dared, the reward was great.
Throughout many of the stories, what was most impressive was the dedication of the Christians who kept in constant prayer. Not only did the reader hear magnificent stories of how people came to Christ, but the reader is also given great examples on how to be effective in the realm of evangelism. What can be gleaned from this work is that one should never give up hope in prayer. As in the case of Marcia, a Bible study group had been praying for her salvation for a year (p.167)! Most people in our world now, if they do not see quick results, will give up and search for another avenue of approach to accomplish the same end. Being disciplined in prayer will bear much fruit, as is evidenced by this story and many others.
While each of the stories was unique, there was a common thread running through close to 100% of them. That thread was the love of Christ shown to them through other Christians. The most effective way to win people to Christ is not to argue them into belief, but to love them into belief. It is a revolutionary idea that Jesus himself ascribed to. (Mark 12:31). These testimonies really give credence to the way Christians live their lives. The lost are watching Christians just as a young child watches the actions of their parents.
It is said that everyone has a bias. Rainer's telling of these unexpected journeys almost always had some sort of Baptist connection. Rainer holds to a very traditional and conservative Baptist background and his telling of these stories depicts that. Since no deep theological statements are made or argued for in this book, his bias does not lend itself to any stepping-stone from which personal perspective or belief could be derived.
Rainer's book is open to all Christians, no matter to their maturity in Christ. This is because it is not meant to be a theologically profound work. Rather, his attempt is to show that God is continuing to work in the lives of the lost and it is meant to be an encouragement to believers to not consider anyone out of God's reach. By choosing people of many different faith backgrounds, it helps the reader understand that anything is possible with God's help. At the end of the book there is a helpful summary of things the believer can do to bring people into the fold of Christ. These helpful tips are a summary of those things that Rainer gathered to be the most important from his twelve interviews.
A unique literary trait that Rainer uses really helps open the book up to a broader audience base. For basic level readers who may not know a lot about each belief system that the converted Christian is coming from, Rainer inserts an additional blurb about that religion. These injections of religious facts appear at opportune times to help the reader better understand the background of the story that is being told.
The Unexpected Journey helps the reader understand the subject of evangelism in a new light. A main thrust within the pages or Rainer's work, that cannot be denied, is that God has the ability to soften any hardened heart and to bring peace to a struggling spirit. This is shown in his book by the testimony of those who were once lost. An over arching theme of Rainer's work is that God's love brings people into His fold. The love and forgiveness that is portrayed in the life and death of His son Jesus is the pinnacle example of what true love is. The reader's response to these stories should be one of awe and inspiration to go and be a world changer by showing the love of Christ. Selfish motives have no place in the kingdom of God, but how great a testimony to be an integral part of a testimony story like the ones heard in this book.

This book was given to me as a gift while traveling overseas and I must say it was truly an unexpected joy. I did not want to put it down until I had finished it and I have not been able to say that about a book in a long time.

Not only is "The Unexpected Journey" one moving account after another of remarkable journeys of faith for people of varying cultural and belief systems, it is also one of the most practical sources of insight I have seen for believers in sharing Christ with those from other cultures in the multicultural society today that intimidates so many believers.

Thom Rainer shows again and again, that it is the love of Christ that gets the attention of people who do not know him. That awesome love is what every person longs for in their lives. When they see it and experience it as Christ loves them through His Word or through His people, it is irresistable!