Changing Church: How God Is Leading His Church Into the Future

By C. Peter Wagner

Book Overview

Peter Wagner tells readers exactly how they can contribute to the Church's worldwide fulfillment of God's kingdom on earth! "The Changing Church" sheds light on the exciting things that are happening... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0830732780
• ISBN13: 9780830732784
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Regal Books
• Length: 196 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Luther, Wesley, Wagner

This was a strange experience -- as a student at Fuller Theological Seminary I picked up a book at the Fuller Bookstore written by a former Fuller professor, which contains a chapter explaining exactly why seminaries are irrelevant and useless -- and I loved every word of it! Make no mistake, there is something in this book for almost everyone to hate. Over the last decade or so, virtually every Pharisee and self-appointed heresy hunter on the Internet has taken shots at Peter Wagner, so my guess is that Wagner decided that he's lost that part of his potential audience anyway. So, Wagner embraces Open Theism, Latter Rain Restorationism, and the prophetic/apostolic movements; he holds out an olive branch to "Oneness" Pentecostals; and he exposes "TULIP" Calvinism as the false doctrine that it is. Is this a divisive book? Oddly enough, no. Of course there will be some that reject Wagner just as they have rejected him before, but this is a call to the Body of Christ to put aside the things that have divided us -- denominationalism, ridiculously heavy doctrinal statements, and everything else that is the teaching of man -- and actually become what Jesus asked us to become: not intimidated Christians cowering in a holy bunker waiting for the Rapture, but Christians who will seek forcefully to advance the Kingdom of God, make disciples of all nations, and storm hell's strongholds with the promise that the gates of hell will not stand against us. I applaud Prof. Wagner for his courage in writing this book. I have studied Latter Rain theology for most of the last ten years. It is Biblical theology that is miscalled a "heresy" because one denomination, the Assemblies of God, rejected it 50 years ago. Jesus warned us about the problem of new wine and wineskins. When the Latter Rain wine hit the Church 50 years ago it just about burst the A/G wineskin, but that certainly doesn't mean that there is something wrong with the wine. After all, Wesley was all but thrown out of the Church of England, and "heretic" was one of the nicer things Martin Luther was called when he started pouring the new wine of the Reformation. If the Lord tarries, I confidently predict that 100 years from now Peter Wagner (and his mentor, John Wimber) will be mentioned in the same breath as Luther and Wesley.

Suspend Judgment, Give it a Read first!

If you've found yourself wondering why church has lost its luster, C. Peter Wagner's Changing Church, will shed some light on this dilemma. Examining the Church and noting "the postmodern aversion to brand loyalty" or the "old wineskin" of traditional denominational structures, Wagner challenges readers to examine the "new wineskin" known as the Second Apostolic Age. A Church Growth Professor at Fuller Seminary for over 33 years, holding three earned doctorates, two from Fuller and one from Princeton, Wagner speaks with simplicity and clarity detailing the dilemma the Church finds herself in-in layman friendly terms. Citing pastors, churches and apostles from around the globe, Wagner's case is solid. When encountering terms like "spirit of religion," "oneness theology," "TULIP," "apostles," "spiritual warfare," and "trinity," suspend judgment in order to fully examine the breadth of Wagner's argument. By embracing a "lighter doctrinal load," "equipping the saints for ministry," embracing "Wesleyan holiness" and holding others "mutually accountable," the church can move into the postmodern era and fulfill her God-given role. Crossing denominational lines and ordaining anointed leaders, not necessarily seminary-trained leaders (scholars) are essential to the Second Apostolic Age. The Church functioning as a body of believers at long last is Wagner's hopeful message ripe with promise. Wagner shares his personal paradigm shifts, offering biblical references to move readers gently through his argument point by point. Wagner is a true scholar, able to convey a vast amount of information in a concise (180 pages) and unintimidating way. If you can get beyond the buzzwords mentioned above, this book will challenge you to examine your view of the Church, personal holiness, and the coming apostolic revolution. An excellent book for intercessors, laymen, pastors, and students. Thoroughly indexed, it can be a valuable addition to any library. I highly recommend this book. Written by Suzanne Rae Deshchidn for www.ChristianBookPreviews.com