Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times

Here is my feedback on Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times Os Guinness' Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times is a great, hope-invoking book for the church. Os' insights are incredible, and realistic, and help the believer to embrace the truth for the honestly of what a Christian rebirth is and isn't. What Os has to say is something that the North American Church needs to know- He is able to also explain the pits of what a potential Christian Renaissance might fall into- becoming a surface-leveled, over secularized movement, or becoming a religiously aggressive culture would become a downfall for the church. His thoughts and insights on the historical shifts of what revival has been over the years is both challenging and thought-provoking. Although Os, provides many details for what the church needs, the book does not feature any potential strategies and plans or prophecies for the future of the church, only an open outcry for the church to embrace reality, take initiative, realize the powers at work, and become truly Christian Evangelical. Although I appreciate a lot of Os' valuable knowledge and understanding of the church in present history, I had trouble swallowing the included Evangelical Manifesto at the end of the book. In my opinion and in light of the whole book, the Manifesto felt like a statement of faith towards evangelicals, and outlined the book to be confined to the evangelical way of thinking- not every Christian would agree to this. I give this book a great deal of respect. It is truly one of the most influential books of our day and age- certainly worth reading, with an insightful understanding of church revival, in a world of moral-decay. He provides the church with a practical scope of what's going on, and what's needed to be done. Most Christian books don't feature a logical, practical way of leading into a revival. This book does, and so I certainly say with confidence that Os Guinness has spoken of things way ahead of his time. But with this being said, the book certainly does not feel like it's the entire package deal or strategy for a worldwide Christian Renaissance. Although the book provides deep insights- insights more reasonable than most Christian literature, Os leaves the answer to some of the world's hardest questions with a down-to-earth solution: Embracing Christ, and living like Christ, following the Bible and doing Christian things. (An important foundation for all the lofty-headed Christians which tends to secularize or overcomplicate the Bible.) I have to say that for someone of a young, ambitious age, and looking towards the future for the church, I've picked up on some of the most important understandings of Christian culture. A lot of the content of this book that I've found will be reused elsewhere- in how I speak to people, and about how I view church and revival, but what the book couldn't do for me was buy me into Evangelical Christianity, or to embrace it as the best way forward for America. Thank you very much, Os Guinness writing this book. I'll gladly read more of your books in the future.

Inspires hope for the church to be renewed and restore society as it has in so many dark times past.