Laying a Foundation for a Vibrant Church Written by William Boekestein and Daniel R. Hyde, Foreword by Cornelis P. Venema “Jesus is my personal Lord and Savior.” No phrase captures better the ethos of modern evangelical Christianity. And while this is absolutely necessary for a Christian to believe and profess, what typically gets lost in much evangelical thinking and acting is Jesus’ church. This book seeks to present to evangelical Christians the basics of ecclesiology, or, the biblical doctrine of the church so that you might participate more fully in the life of the body of Christ. Endorsement "William Boekestein and Danny Hyde love the church because they love the church’s Head, Jesus Christ. They want you and me to love the church also. How? By learning more about the order, offices, and callings that Jesus has given the church in the Bible. This is a well-written, accessible, and practical introduction to the life and work of the church. Whether you are new Christian or you have been one for a long time, read this book and get a clearer glimpse of the church ... and of the Savior who “loved the church and gave himself up for her.” - Guy Prentiss Waters, James M. Baird, Jr. Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Miss. USA "In an age when ‘doing church’ has either been shaped by an ‘if it feels good, do it’ approach, or else by the narrow constraints of particular views of church, the issues addressed in these pages are very timely. While having have their own particular church background, they come with an awareness of the larger church that enables them to reach into the wide spectrum of church life. Their aim is to open up key biblical principles to explain what the church is and how it functions covering all the major aspects of church life. Regardless of church background, anyone who wants to get a clearer grasp of why church matters and what it should be like should read this book." - Mark G. Johnston, Bethel Presbyterian Church, Cardiff UK "This book helps readers navigate the host of Scriptures where the Spirit instructs us regarding the nature, structure, and practice of the church. Like the authors, I too, deeply desire that many more church leaders would discover the riches of the Word in these matters and follow the Good Shepherd." - Theodore G. Van Raalte, Professor of Ecclesiology, Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary Paperback, 190 pages, Appendix: Foundational Principles of Reformed Church Government plus Bibliography, Endnotes, Scripture Index, Confessions Index
