Do we really want the "feel good," "sugarcoated" Christianity that is being offered in so many churches and denominations today? I don't think so. Do we really want a faith that panders to our whims and the popular trends and fads of the day with little regard for the historic and classical Christian faith? I don't think so.... Can't we go forward with as well as go back to the first creed of Christianity? Yes! Yes! Yes! (from the Preface)
Has the Apostles' Creed become such a routine part of worship that you recite it with all the passion of reading items on a grocery list? If so,
I Believe; Help My Unbelief will help you recapture the heartfelt conviction of a historic article of faith! There is a fire in Ron Lavin's belly about the time-tested truths of the Apostles' Creed, which have reassured many Christians in life's travails. He says we need to study this often misunderstood and generally neglected resource more than ever, because it encapsulates what so many people seem to be searching for.
Sprinkled with humor and anecdotes, each chapter analyzes a statement from the creed, and includes discussion questions, ideas for digging deeper into the biblical and historical background, and possibilities for further application. And there's a special bonus -- in a fascinating appendix, former missionary Mel Kieschnick shares the remarkable story of how the Apostles' Creed sustained him when he found himself in the midst of the 1989 massacre at Beijing's Tienanmen Square.
I Believe; Help My Unbelief is the first title in the
Another Look series on the basics of Christianity. Upcoming titles will explore Jesus' parables, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments. These books are excellent for personal enrichment, use with new member or adult Sunday school classes, small group studies, and sermon preparation.
A study book on the Apostles' Creed may seem incredibly anachronistic in the early 21st century... ancient creeds and traditional confessional statements are hardly major images on the modern Christian consciousness. Yet Ron Lavin's solid presentation is both timely and instructive. (from the Foreword)
Mel Kieschnick
Former National Director of Education, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
In these troubled times we need a book based on the firm foundation of scripture, a book that reflects the theological and confessional truths of the church. I Believe; Help My Unbelief is such a work. I commend it to you. Paul Werger
Interim Bishop, St. Paul Area Synod (ELCA)
Ron Lavin has pastored congregations in Indiana, Iowa, Arizona and California, all of which have grown substantially under his leadership. He is the former Pastor Director of Evangelical Outreach for the Lutheran Church in America, and is a popular speaker at major conferences who is especially well-known for his understanding of the dynamics of small groups and evangelism. The author of sixteen books, Lavin is currently the senior pastor at King of Glory Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Fountain Valley, California.
