Revolution: The Story of the Early Church

Rating:
Summary: Utterly Amazing!!
Review: I just got this book for Christmas. I read it in one day. All I can say about this book is WOW! I had never even heard of Gene Edwards before I stumbled across some of his books on Amazon and asked for some of them for Christmas. This guy is the real deal! My soul absolutely delighted in reading Mr. Edwards account of the Church from Christ's resurrection up until just after the founding of the Antioch church (47 AD).

Edwards details exactly the historical atmosphere of the early church in Jerusalem, Judea, and into the Gentile world. This book REALLY makes the book of Acts come alive for me. Edwards is so utterly amazing in his extrapolation of truth out of God's word!

Even though one reviewer said he did not like Edwards' interjections of comparison between the early church and the church today, I found them stunning and extremely insightful! I am a relatively new believer and my favorite part of this book is how he shows how all of the apostles and early church fathers (EVEN CHRIST HIMSELF) all had a period of "wasted" time in their life when they were becoming rooted in God. Edwards' point is to show that today's church is so worried about soul-winning that most do not even really know the Lord and do not really know the Holy Spirit because they have not spent this time of seeking God. Edwards shows that it took most of the original church founders at least 8 years of tutorage under the Apostles to become rooted in God and Christ. It can be assumed that even Christ himself underwent this period of time prior to his ministry! I thought that was a sweet point!

Would I buy this book with my own money? YES! I can almost guarantee that the Holy Spirit will move powerfully within you while you read this book! This book is phenomenal! Peace. ~ajm

Rating:
Summary: Utterly Amazing!!
Review: I just got this book for Christmas. I read it in one day. All I can say about this book is WOW! I had never even heard of Gene Edwards before I stumbled across some of his books on Amazon and asked for some of them for Christmas. This guy is the real deal! My soul absolutely delighted in reading Mr. Edwards account of the Church from Christ's resurrection up until just after the founding of the Antioch church (47 AD).

Edwards details exactly the historical atmosphere of the early church in Jerusalem, Judea, and into the Gentile world. This book REALLY makes the book of Acts come alive for me. Edwards is so utterly amazing in his extrapolation of truth out of God's word!

Even though one reviewer said he did not like Edwards' interjections of comparison between the early church and the church today, I found them stunning and extremely insightful! I am a relatively new believer and my favorite part of this book is how he shows how all of the apostles and early church fathers (EVEN CHRIST HIMSELF) all had a period of "wasted" time in their life when they were becoming rooted in God. Edwards' point is to show that today's church is so worried about soul-winning that most do not even really know the Lord and do not really know the Holy Spirit because they have not spent this time of seeking God. Edwards shows that it took most of the original church founders at least 8 years of tutorage under the Apostles to become rooted in God and Christ. It can be assumed that even Christ himself underwent this period of time prior to his ministry! I thought that was a sweet point!

Would I buy this book with my own money? YES! I can almost guarantee that the Holy Spirit will move powerfully within you while you read this book! This book is phenomenal! Peace. ~ajm

Rating:
Summary: good retelling of the story of Acts, but some mixed feelings
Review: Mr. Edwards does an excellent job of presenting the history of the early church - essentially from the Resurrection through the founding of the church at Antioch. He presents the challenges that faced the church, and introduces us to men like Stephen, Phillip and Barnabas. Unfortunately, the narrative is frequently interrupted by Mr. Edward's comparisons of the early church to the present-day church. While I feel there is merit to Mr. Edwards criticisms of the church today (though some of his complaints are simply anachronisms) the constant interruptions really damage the flow of the story.

Overall, I think this book is worth reading, but I think that some of Mr. Edwards other books (e.g. The Silas Diaries) are better.

Rating:
Summary: The way Acts was meant to be looked at.
Review: This is the best book I have ever read on Acts. It is written for the people and not for some boring scholar. It looks at Acts in a way that few look at it. It is exciting and thrilling. This book would make anyone want to be a Christian.

Rating:
Summary: Warning! Don't read unless...
Review: WARNING!

Don't read this book unless:
* You have at least two uninterrupted hours because you won't put it down. Once started, you will want to finish it then and there.

* You are willing to re-think your perceptions of the first church. The challenges,dilemas, and victories of the apostles and the first church fathers are brought to life in unexpected ways with fresh insight.

* You are hungry for more of God and less of the ritual, formality, and dead, stale churchiness which passes for worship in too many of our churches in our generation.

If you meet these three criteria, then you will blessed. Prepare to look at your church in a whole new way!