Restoration Review, Vol. 31, No. 2, February 1989

The Bleating Sheep by Robert W. Blackshear is a "crisis" hook emerging from the agonizing needs of Churches of Christ. I read it in manuscript form and urged the author to get it published, and a Church of Christ publisher has now done so. While a quotation from me about the book appears on the back cover, my name does not appear, only "A Prominent Church leader," for the publisher, but not the author, did not want my name to appear. That is why I call it a "crisis" book. It deals with such crises as the ministerial system that has displaced the proper function of elders, the loss of mutual ministry and Body life, the failure of elders to feed the flock, and our people as "bleating sheep." There are extensive quotations from Carl Ketcherside on the work and qualification of elders. This book calls Churches of Christ to account for how far they have wandered. $5.00 postpaid. 

The Fire That Consumes by Edward Fudge is a careful biblical study of the destiny of lost souls. He concludes that there is no unending hell fire but a consuming fire. The wicked are punished, which is hell, and then destroyed or consumed. His basic thesis is that the soul is not by nature immortal, but that immortality (eternal life) is God's gift to the righteous. You may find it convincing. You will at least agree with the noted scholar, F. F. Bruce, who wrote the foreword, that it is worthy of careful consideration. Fudge is a scholar in the Church of Christ. $19.95 postpaid. 

The Fool of God by Louis Cochran is a novel based on the life of Alexander Campbell. Ouida and I have read this book aloud to each other twice, and were richly blessed both times. If you want to see the soul of Campbell, this is the book. $12.50 postpaid. Raccoon John Smith, by the same author, is an exciting account of a frontier preacher who helped to effect unity between the Stone and Campbell churches, also $12.50 pp. 

The Stone-Campbell Movement by Leroy Garrett continues to be appreciated by those who read it. In fact the responses are so positive that this is a title we could sell on a money-back guarantee. $21.95 postpaid, or you can still get a free copy when you send us 8 subs to this journal at the club rate of $3.00 each, $24.00 total, new or renewal, including your own.