The Open Church

If you are always confused why the various books of the NT particulary the Pauline epistles are written and put together, this is an excellent book to start. Reading the book is like meeting Paul, Barnabas, Silas and Timothy face to face. The biblicial characters come alive as Gene re-traced the missionary journeys of Paul. There is never a dull moment with the book. You may have read the NT many times but the book will present to you the story from the different perspective. It is so well written that surprises are in store at every (well, almost!) turn of the page. The First Century Diaries are the latest series that Gene has embarked on. Let me warn you; if you start reading this book, there are four more waiting for you. Want to know the heartbeat of a first century missionary and the blossoming of the NT churches? Read this book; you will never regret it.

I truly relished this book when first I read it. It answered a lot of questions as to why the local churches often languished in either boredom or lack of growth...or often both! Jim Rutz has done a service to the Body of Christ in writing this informative and entertaining book. But and yet it is much more than this: It is a call for early New Testament Christian community as participatory and informal family-love relationships. If you want to get back to the roots and the"nuts and bolts" of REAL Community-Life in Christianity, read this book. It will challenge you perhaps like few others you will ever read.LenBenHear. - Seeker and teacher.

Wonderful. Gene was able to bring the story alive for me. I feel as though I have met Paul, Barnabas, Mark and know the church in Galacia. I would recommend the Revolution, Silas and Titus diary to anyone wanting to know about the origin of the Christian Church and its purpose in this world.

Wow! I read this book in one day and couldn't put it down. It really fits in where God is leading our small church. We've been reading about home cell groups, we have no paid pastor and have been using lay ministry for ten years, we have been having open worship and open sharing. We sing acapella. We've already been doing much of what this books says is the biblical model. There is excellent guidance here to boldly use this model to experience koinonia in all your worship and fellowship times. There are cautions on how to avoid pitfalls. I ordered four copies today. I think God is preparing us to be a big church family and keep all the good aspects of what we've been.

The book will really open your eyes about how the generations of well-meaning Christians have piled restrictions and traditions onto the basic message of the Church as the Body of Christ. If you are a regular church-goer, happy with the status quo, be prepared to be offended. Jim Rutz is more than willing to jettison 2,000 years of tradition and expectations and try to find out what Jesus and the apostles considered CHURCH. He points out all the things Christians do that aren't mentioned anywhere in the Bible, like church buildings, pews, steeples, church on Sunday morning,, etc., sometimes a little harshly, and encourages and nearly demands that we as the Body of Christ here on earth return to JESUS definition of CHURCH - helping our fellow man and worshipping our God. Mr. Rutz has been hurt by organized church, it is plain to see, but so have a lot of Christians. This will be an eye-opener for many - and a challenge to live an OPEN Church lifestle.