The Stone-Campbell Movement, also known as the Restoration Movement, arose on the frontiers of early nineteenth-century America. Like-minded Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians abandoned denominational labels in order to be "Christians only." They called followers to join in Christian unity and restore the ideals of the New Testament church, holding authoritative no book but the Bible and believing no creed but Christ. Modern-day inheritors of this movement, including the Churches of Christ (a cappella) and the Christian Churches (independent), find much in common with wider evangelical Christianity as a whole. Both groups are committed to the authority of Scripture and the importance of personal conversion. Yet Restorationists and evangelicals, separated by sociological history as well as points of doctrinal emphasis, have been wary of each other. Evangelicals have often misunderstood Restorationists as exclusivist separatists and baptismal regenerationists. On the other hand, Stone-Campbell adherents have been suspicious of mainstream denominational evangelicals as having compromised key aspects of the Christian faith. In recent years Restoration Movement leaders and churches have moved more freely within evangelical circles. As a result, Stone-Campbell scholars have reconsidered their relationship to evangelicalism, pondering to what extent Restorationists can identify themselves as evangelicals. Gathered here are essays by leading Stone-Campbell thinkers, drawing from their Restoration heritage and offering significant contributions to evangelical discussions of the theology of conversion and ecclesiology. Also included are responses from noted evangelicals, who assess how Stone-Campbell thought both corresponds with and diverges from evangelical perspectives. Along with William R. Baker (editor) and Mark Noll (who wrote the Foreword), contributors include Tom Alexander, Jim Baird, Craig L. Blomberg, Jack Cottrell, Everett Ferguson, Stanley J. Grenz, John Mark Hicks, Gary Holloway, H. Wayne House, Robert C. Kurka, Robert Lowery, Edward P. Myers and Jon A. Weatherly. For all concerned with Christian unity and the restoration of the church, Evangelicalism & the Stone-Campbell Movement offers a substantive starting point for dialogue and discussion.

Witnessing is something that Jesus has commanded all of us to do. Does that command make you a bit nervous? Would you like a new form of "witnessing" that is not only comfortable for everyone involved but produces exceptional results? Would you like to feel confident and relaxed while talking to others about faith? Today, there are definitely many negative stigmas surrounding the entire concept of witnessing the good news to others. In fact, while certainly well intentioned, most current witnessing practices have limited success and have even driven millions of people further away from developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Christians desperately need to step back and take a strong look at the examples that Jesus Himself provided when witnessing to others. If we emulate the examples of Jesus, we can completely reinvent witnessing to once again be a positive, enjoyable, and, most importantly, successful part of every Christian's life. Andy Adams was not a Christian for most of his life. He did not come to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ until the age of forty-three. During his pre-Christian life, many well-intentioned Christians attempted to use the typical forms of witnessing on Andy. Because of his history, he has a unique perspective of what does and does not work. In Don't Scare the Lost Sheep, Andy will: lead you through understanding the human behaviors along with basic concepts and processes related to witnessing help you to prepare yourself and develop a toolkit that you can easily use when the time comes for you to talk with others assist you in identifying potential "witnessees" guide you to set the stage for your efforts teach you to apply specific techniques that have a high probability of success--with a very comfortable approach

Rediscovering the role God designed for the church in mission is a critical issue facing the missions movement today. That role is to glorify God by planting churches among every tongue, tribe, and nation. Planting churches amid unreached peoples is a complex process. It calls forth every ministry gift and the contribution of every believer. Imagine a businessman, a construction worker, a schoolteacher, and an engineer all working together to support the development of a local church amongst an unreached people group in another part of the world. Most Christians will not leave home and go elsewhere to minister. If they are to participate in God's global mission, they must be affirmed, developed and released right where they live, in the context of their local church. This book shows how churches can become centers of mission vision and implementation and so accomplish God's design for the local church.

BUILDING A CHURCH TO LAST tells the remarkable story of the phenomenal growth and transformation that occurred at a 250 year old mainline congregation located in Pawleys Island, South Carolina after its senior pastor and his rag-tag army of believers implemented a first century worship and leadership model. BUILDING A CHURCH TO LAST describes a proven method for planting new churches and for re-planting existing ones, especially those within mainline denominations. BUILDING A CHURCH TO LAST is a God story-a beautiful example of what can happen when the Lord grabs hold of a small congregation and turns it on its head. Dr. Luis Palau, Luis Palau Association, Portland, Oregon With sober precision, Ross Lindsay unfolds the narrative, and all who long for God to show his hand more widely in our midst today will find this book an absorbing page-turner. Dr. J. I. PACKER, Regent College, Vancouver, Canada My sincere belief is that the first century worship and leadership model expounded upon in this book can enable any local congregation to experience the many blessings that All Saints Pawleys has. Canon Malcolm Widdecombe, Pip 'n' Jay, Bristol, England ROSS M. "BUDDY" LINDSAY, III, M.A., J.D., L.L.M., Ph.D. is a successful lawyer, CPA, and hotelier. After experiencing first-hand the growth and transformation that occurred at All Saints Church in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, he earned a Ph.D. in Church Growth from Brunel University and an L.L. M. in Canon Law from Cardiff University Law School. Today he serves as President of Sonship Ministries, Inc. where he coaches church planters and entrepreneurs who want to move from empire building to Kingdom building.

Over the past few decades, short-term mission trips have exploded in popularity. With easy access to affordable air travel, millions of American Christians have journeyed internationally for ministry, service and evangelism. Short-term trips are praised for involving many in global mission but also critiqued for their limitations. Despite the diversity of destinations, certain universal commonalities emerge in how mission trip participants describe their experiences: "My eyes were opened to the world's needs." "They ministered to us more than we ministered to them." "It changed my life." Anthropologist Brian Howell explores the narrative shape of short-term mission (STM). Drawing on the anthropology of tourism and pilgrimage, he shows how STM combines these elements with Christian purposes of mission to create its own distinct narrative. He provides a careful historical survey of the development of STM and then offers an in-depth ethnographic study of a particular mission trip to the Dominican Republic. He explores how participants remember and interpret their experiences, and he unpacks the implications for how North American churches understand mission, grapple with poverty and relate to the larger global church. A groundbreaking book for all who want to understand how and why American Christians undertake short-term mission.