When John Smyth organized the first Baptist church, he wanted to establish the New Testament church; believer's baptism was the missing link. Baptists of subsequent eras often continued the search to embody New Testament Christianity. Alongside the quest for the New Testament church (and congregational community), Weaver especially highlights the Baptist commitment to religious liberty and the individual conscience. Both chronological and thematic, this book addresses such themes as the role of women, the social gospel, ecumenism, charismatic influences, and theological emphases in Baptist life.

When John Smyth organized the first Baptist church, he wanted to establish the New Testament church; believer's baptism was the missing link. Baptists of subsequent eras often continued the search to embody "New Testament Christianity." Unique to surveys of Baptist life, Doug Weaver highlights this restorationist theme as a way to understand Baptist identity. Weaver does not force the theme, but the "search" is ever present. It is found in the insistence upon believer's baptism, but also in examples like the Sabbath worship of Seventh Day Baptists, the "nine rites" of colonial Separate Baptists, the women preachers of Free Will Baptists, the "trail of blood" of Landmarkism, the social gospel of Walter Rauschenbusch, the "fundamentals" of fundamentalism and the ministry of the European pioneer Johann Oncken. Like other recent Baptist studies, Weaver describes Baptist diversity. Still, he highlights the persistent commitment of most Baptists to an informal constellation of "Baptist distinctives." Alongside the quest for the New Testament church (and congregational community), Weaver especially highlights the Baptist commitment to religious liberty and the individual conscience. This emphasis, while later reinforced by Enlightenment ideals, could already be found in the biblicist piety of the earliest Baptists who insisted that individual believers must have the right to choose their religious beliefs because they would stand alone before God at the final judgment. Both chronological and thematic, this book addresses such themes as the role of women, the social gospel, ecumenism, charismatic influences, and theological emphases in Baptist life. The book's focus is America, but it also includes helpful introductory chapters on early English Baptists and international Baptists.

In the last days of the twentieth century, leading New Testament scholar and popular preacher Daniel Harrington, S.J., asked himself two powerful questions: What might the church of the first century have to say to the church of the twenty-first century? And How might a brief sythesis of what the New Testament says and does not say about the church help bring greater vitality within and unity among the churches? The result of Father Harrington's research and thinking is this timely and important book.

"This book is a welcome accompaniment to college and seminary courses but equally helpful to any who want to read the Christian Scriptures (or the latest bestseller on them) with a sharp yet appreciative eye."---Susan R. Garrett, Professor of New Testament, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary "Academic study of the New Testament and its origins often prompts Christians to rethink their assumptions about the Bible and how it matters for their lives. But out of these experiences can emerge a more robust and responsible understanding of Scripture. Jaime Clark-Soles knows all this very well; she is a hospitable and lively guide into the most crucial `big issues' that students must consider as they seek to engage the New Testament deeply with their hearts, souls, and minds."---Matthew L. Skinner, Associate Professor of New Testament, Luther Seminary Most Christians and many new students are unaware of the doctrinal debates taking place within the religious academic community. Clark-Soles invites us to find common ground by considering the various debates, the reasons they persist, the implications of each, and how they pertain to Christian identity and faith within the larger contemporary culture.

First published in 1960, Paul Minear's classic work identifies and explicates ninety-six images for the church found in the New Testament. Comprehensive and accessibly written, it has been used in seminary classes for over thirty years. Its range of reach and incredibly rich discussions of the many images and metaphors make this book a splendid resource for students and pastors. The New Testament Library offers authoritative commentary on every book and major aspect of the New Testament, as well as classic volumes of scholarship. The commentaries in this series provide fresh translations based on the best available ancient manuscripts, offer critical portrayals of the historical world in which the books were created, pay careful attention to their literary design, and present a theologically perceptive exposition of the text.

This is the fourth edition of Dr. Ferguson's book entitled The New Testament Church. It has 13 chapters so it is ideal to use with a class for one quarter. Dr. Ferguson did extensive corrections especially in the Scripture references. He also added new material.

LeRoy Lawson gives a clear picture of the first church--then explains why we need to belong to a church, how a church should be organized and stuctured, salvation, worship, and the meaning of New Testament Church.