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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In Defense of Christ and His Church, May 28, 2008
This review is from: Where Are All the Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men's Questions about the Church (Paperback)
Pastor Eric C. Redmond writes with a burning passion for revitalization in the African American church. For Pastor Redmond, such revival begins with theology. While that word (theology) may terrify some, Pastor Redmond realizes how relevant theology is to everyday life.
In fact, "Where Are All the Brothers?" is "theology in disguise." It is a practical manual written with wit and wisdom in particular for the black male who has a litany of reasons for being unchurched.
Chapter by chapter in bite-size chunks, Pastor Redmond helps men to digest biblical and practical answers to questions they have about the value of Christianity and the Church. He challenges men to give him ten minutes for nine days. His prayer is that his male readers will be transformed by truth and in turn African American churches will experience a reformation as an army of African American men march back into leadership in church and society.
In many ways, Pastor Redmond writes like the great African American pastors of the past--Rev. Richard Allen, Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne, Pastor Peter Randolph, Pastor Lemeul Haynes, and so many other stalwarts of the faith. They share in common the courage of their conviction that God's truth sets men free.
Day by day, Redmond disabuses men of lies about Christ, Christianity, and the church. Day one: addressing hypocrites in the church. Day two: explaining the inspiration of Scripture. Day three: interacting about the role of men and women in the church. Day four: exploring the preacher's calling. Day five: contrasting what Islam claims to offer Black men and what Christ offers all men. Day six: discussing the church and money. Day seven: defending organized religion. Day eight: honoring the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Day nine: outlining eight marks of a healthy church.
What we have here is the ability to communicate. Pastor Eric Redmond has penned an "ecclesiology for everyday life" (a practical defense of the relevance of the church--especially for the black male who has his doubts).
But this book is not only for the black brother. It is for all brothers and sisters. And it is not only for those who are not attending church. It will strengthen the faith and resolve of church members also. "Where Are All the Brothers?" is enticing, educating, equipping, and empowering reading for all believers.
Reviewer: Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
(RAW Rating: 3.5) Where Are All the Brothers, November 13, 2008
This review is from: Where Are All the Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men's Questions about the Church (Paperback)
Eric C. Redmond addresses many of the various excuses that men have for not attending church. Rather than dispute their reasoning, he confronts them. He doesn't try to justify reasons or behaviors of "church folk"; rather, his position is to point out the many reasons why men should attend.
Redmond tackles these issues head on. Instead of overwhelming the reader with scripture the reader may not quite be theologically ready for, he breaks it down into bite size morsels. He sets the pace by recommending they take ten minutes a day to read each chapter individually. This allows the lesson to marinate before he takes you into the next chapter.
This tiny book is packed full of valuable insights into the "how and why" it's important for men to take their appointed roles in today's church. The recommended reading at the end of the book were also excellent choices.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great apologetic for the diminshing Y chromosomes in the church, August 1, 2008
This review is from: Where Are All the Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men's Questions about the Church (Paperback)
While the book is written almost like a tract - something to give to someone to convince them of something - I found it worthwhile to read as a future pastor who will have to wrestle with the diminishing number of "Y" chromosomes in the church. Redmond has given me, and all of us, some very good, solid, reasoned answers to a number of questions that can keep men from fully engaging in our churches; not to mention just showing up.
Good: I found this book not only informative and challenging, but extremely easy to read. Redmond begins with a basic plea for readers to give just 10 minutes a day for 9 days, and that is an adequate amount of time to cover this book. If you were to give it to somebody you were trying to persuade to come to church, any church, then that is a reasonable request, and could easily get through the book. If that is your reason for reading the book, make sure you follow it up with some good conversations regarding each chapter.
Not-so-Good: While I don't want to be nit-picky, I am not a big fan of reading books that overly dialogical. However, I think for what Redmond was trying to do, I don't know how you could have written it any other way. Its meant to be used as a resource to give to men you have friendships with over concerns regarding church involvement. The dialogical nature works for this purpose.
Highlights/Quotes: By far, Redmond does a great job all around. I think his chapters dealing with the allure of Islam for men, and the all time favorite, "Doesn't the church just want my money?" are his most insightful contributions to the issue.
I would say that if this is a concern for you, either in current church praxis or because of friendships you have where this is an issue, then Redmond's book is a great resource, well worth having. If your interest level is more on the intellectual, sociological plane, then this may be a book worth checking out, though it will not give you the detailed background and academic breadth you're probably searching for.
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