The Pilgrim Church (Paperback)

~ Edmund H. Broadbent (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It ought to be obvious to even the casual observer of history that the real story of the church is not the one recorded in secular history. But this classic work demonstrates that the true heart of this amazing drama is not even recorded in church history books. Right from apostolic days there have always been little groups of persecuted believers who just wanted to follow the Lamb.

This hardcover contains 448 pages with a timeline and subject index, plus 8 more pages of full color maps to enrich the text. Written in an engaging style, this volume will thrill your heart with the stories of unknown heroes of the faith. It will spur you on to greater devotion to the Lord Jesus and a deeper concern for His suffering people in many countries today. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

EDMUND HAMER BROADBENT was born in Lancashire, England, in 1861. Through his personal study of the New Testament while still in his teens, he was convinced of the need to follow the pattern for the church found there. In his early twenties, business took him to Berlin, where he began a long and fruitful ministry to believers all across Europe and into Asia. His travels and research made him aware that since apostolic times there had always been movements to form local churches after the apostolic pattern, and he felt it would be useful to collect what could be known about them in an orderly sequence. This resulted in the publication of The Pilgrim Church. Broadbent was active in ministry until shortly before his death in 1945. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 452 pages
• Publisher: Gospel Folio Press (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882701542
• ISBN-13: 978-1882701544
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #423,880 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real history of the church., September 15, 2007

By	Mr. JM Jost "Author, Poet, Christian" (Aberdeen, Scotland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Pilgrim Church (Hardcover)

I really treasure books that share history as it really happened. I know that there is no such thing as an unbiased account, but there's unbiased and then there's plain misleading. Much of the history that we read on the church is, sadly, flawed. EH Broadbent sought to tell it the way that it really happened.

Broadbent spent much of his lifetime traveling throughout Europe, Asia Minor and Northern Africa researching the real history. According to Broadbent, many of the greatest heroes of the faith were persecuted by the established church because their outright dependence on Christ and the Word of God, and their belief in the priesthood of all believers, was a threat to it.

As a result they were falsely accused of heresy, tortured, imprisoned, exiled and murdered.

This book is dangerous. You will hear very different stories about many whom you've heard spoken of in high regard. You will also hear amazing stories about those who've been wrongfully shamed in the annals of church history. While Broadbent is careful not to generalize, and acknowledges the work of those in the established church who stood up for truth and righteousness, yet the overall picture is too clear. Two historical churches: one founded on the ambitions of men and voraciously persecuting the other church, a very humble and organic movement of men and women who were willing to lay down their lives, even unto death, in submission to the headship of Christ.

According to Broadbent, while many would agree that the Bible is our sufficient authority on matters of salvation, they would also believe that we are free to develop church as we feel is appropriate, so long as people get saved. This line of reasoning was made popular by DL Moody.

Broadbent's premise is that salvation and the church are inseparable (not that salvation comes through the church as the Roman Catholic's suppose, but that you are saved into the church) and therefore the Bible must be our sufficient authority, not just on salvation, but on church pracise as well.

On this Basis Broadbent seeks to show that there have always been large followings of believers, since the close of the New Testament, who have either left or maintained separation from the institutional church as a matter of conscience. Though many of these groups later became institutionalised themselves, they showed that the concept of emergent church or new testament based church is not something new and radical, but something common, biblical, and historical.

This book is a must read for anyone who has ever wondered why the church is so fractured, or if they have legitimacy in leaving the institutional church to join into a simple church congregation. It is a courageous triumph of truth.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A excelent portrayal of the history of the Church, November 6, 2001

By	"rc8arnold" (Pflugerville, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pilgrim Church (Hardcover)

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Church History. This is one of the foremost authority in Church History along with Phillip Schaf's work. The book looks at church history from the viewpoint of the "underground" Church throughout the last 2000 years up to the early 1920's (Thus it doesn't include Watchman Nee's local churches in China which arose in the early 1920's and 1930's.) This in contrast to the history of the organised Church (ie the Catholic Church, Church of England etc..)
It is well worth having on your bookshelf (after reading it of course).

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He who doesn't know history is condemned to repeat it., October 23, 2002

By	a believer "rosyjo" (USA) - See all my reviews

I read this book to learn more about the 'other side' of church history...where the heretics weren't really heretics at all--just labeled that way by those who did not agree with them. Similar to how the media works today. I got that history plus a lot more.
It was so interesting to see how so many ideas that seem new today have been lived out over and over through the centuries. Issues in christianity that are controversial today are nothing new. The nice part is that by reading the history one can see how choices worked out repeatedly and consistently through the centuries. As you would pray about what the Lord would have you to do read the book and maybe save yourself some effort and heartache--see how it worked out for others first!