Peter Jeffery (1)Besprekingen

Going Against the Stream surveys the problems society faces in caring for an elderly population that needs extensive health care. It outlines the responsibilities that society has regarding a ministry of caring for the elderly, and defines the role of the Church in this ministry, particularly in helping families and caregivers make critical decisions regarding the terminally ill.

This wouldn't be my book of choice for use in evangelism, Ultimate Questions is much better. However, this booklet does address some of the common reasons why people say or think that they will never become Christians.

I will never become a Christian because:

-All Christians are hypocrites
-To do so would be to commit intellectual suicide
-Christianity is just a crutch for those who cannot face up to reality
-There's nothing special about Christianity
-Christians cannot even agree amongst themselves
-A God of love could not possibly allow all of the evil and suffering there are in the world
-Religion, including Christianity, has been responsible for a good deal of trouble in the world
-I am afraid- I am afraid of what my family, friends will say, afraid of what I will have to give up, afraid that I will never be able to keep it up.....

After debunking a lot of the excuses and myths, the second part of the book explains what a Christian is. Then there is a third section with short testimonies from Christians in different professions presumably to demonstrate that Christianity is for everyone.

This could be a useful tool for someone with one of the specific reasons for not becoming a Christian listed above.

In a society where nothing is right or wrong and anything is tolerated apart from a biblical faith, those who believe the Bible are viewed as bigoted, ignorant and lacking in love. The church has almost ceased to have any influence over public morality and is often viewed with derision. How do Christians react? They either retreat into a holy huddle and complain that things are not as they used to be or try and show the world that they are not really so different after all. The gospel has been toned down to make it more user-friendly and evangelicalism has lost its urgency and relevance.

El conocimiento de la enseñanza del Nuevo Testamento es una parte vital del crecimiento espiritual. Sin embargo, la tarea de familiarizarse con sus 27 libros y sus 260 capítulos puede parecer algo inabordable, sobre todo cuando se trata de un nuevo creyente o de un joven cristiano. ¿Dónde podemos encontrar ayuda para empezar? En De Piedra en Piedra Peter Jeffery nos proporciona exactamente lo que necesitamos. De manera clara, comprensible e interesante, nos hace un bosquejo del contenido de cada libro del Nuevo Testamento y nos explica sus principales temas. De Piedra en Piedra resuelve una necesidad sentida desde hace tiempo. Es una introducción ideal al estudio del Nuevo Testamento y un valioso acompañante para los creyentes que desean crecer en la comprensión del evangelio.

Ezekiel, a much-neglected Old Testament prophet, speaks across the centuries in this straightforward and down-to-earth explanation of his message. Clearly written, with no punches pulled as far as contemporary application is concerned, this is just the sort of help needed by those who might otherwise find the book difficult to understand.

It really lives up to its name. A helpful introduction to Christianity, useful alike to the young christian and the inquiring skeptic.

Weighing in at 109 pages (approximately 90 pages of reading), this "bitesize" book excels at clearly and concisely presenting key Christian doctrines without watering them down. Each section concludes with a relevant quote, a couple questions for reflection and application, and suggested further reading.

Although written from a reformed perspective, it takes no stance on spiritual gifts (but emphasizes the necessity of Holy Spirit empowerment for ministry) or the Millennium (but emphasizes the significance of being heavenly-minded/ future-glory-oriented). It also avoids going into a "camp" mentality of Calvinism/Arminianism steering around not only the attitude but the terms.

Baptism is not included in this book. I would guess the reason has to do with making it amenable to a wider audience but it's a glaring omission in light of quoting Hebrews 6 regarding the elementary truths of the faith.

Particularly helpful for those who are just entering into grappling with the essentials of the Christian faith and/or the theological vocabulary of the NT.

The first two chapters tackle the need for a grasp of the elementary truths of the faith and the common objection to the distinctive vocabulary of the faith. These two are nearly worth the cost of the book alone for the target audience.

Target audience: immature Christians. If you're a bible major, seminarian, pastor, etc. skip this book unless you're in a position where you might be able to utilize this book for the benefit of the target audience.

For what it is, the book does well.

If you are new to Christ, or have been drifting without much of a compass, you probably need a quick overview of different Biblical truths, and a guided tour of how to listen to Him and grow in grace.

All Things New, a 29 page booklet by Peter Jeffery, is a great way to see applicable scripture, and think about issues like how you became a Christian, Justification, Assurance, Perseverance, Worship, Church, and Temptation. Each page is a new topic, and each topic has bulleted truths, relevant scripture references, and pithy quotes from John Murray, Spurgeon, Berkhof, and a host of friends. A very useful tool for someone who has been drinking milk, and should move on to chewing meat.