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Informal Christianity: Refining Christ's Church Paperback – December 27, 2007

by Phillip A. Ross (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 2 ratings
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Informal Christianity reviews the personal and informal realities involved in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that provide the foundation of Christianity. It deals with personal discipleship, what it means to be born again, to live in regeneration through the Holy Spirit in a way that produces a genuine spiritual life in Christ.Where the internal and subjective realities of regeneration are absent from the lives of church members, churches find themselves on a foundation of sand. Such churches turn away from the heart of Christianity - doctrine and theology - to focus on peripheral concerns of administration and maintenance. Christians and churches that do not enthusiastically embrace biblical doctrine and theology as the life-blood of faithfulness, tend to spend their time and energy polishing the outside of the cup (Matthew 23:25). Such efforts concern themselves with church growth - noses and nickels - rather than Christian maturity (Ephesians 4:13).
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  1. Print length
    162 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    December 27, 2007
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.37 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0615180787
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0615180786
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Phillip A. Ross has pastored churches in Berkeley, California; St. Louis, Missouri, Evansville, Indiana; Bellefonte, Pennsylvania; and Marietta, Ohio. He has degrees from Pacific School of Religion, and the University of Colorado, and is a doctoral candidate at Whitefield Seminary. Following his post-ordination conversion to biblical Christianity, he has labored for Gospel renewal through radio, music, counseling, and writing. Phil lives with his wife, Stephanie, and has three sons in college.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pilgrim Platform; First Edition (December 27, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 162 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0615180787
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0615180786
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.37 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 2 ratings

About the author

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Phillip A. Ross

Phillip A. Ross

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Phillip A. Ross has pastored churches in Berkeley, California; St. Louis, Missouri, Evansville, Indiana; Bellefonte, Pennsylvania; and Marietta, Ohio.

With a B.S in Philosophy from the University of Colorado, an M.Div. from Pacific School of Religion, California and various professional credentials, Phil has acquired a broad-based perspective that understands Scripture, history, logic, emotion, people and values. As a reformed student of Liberalism, Eastern religions, New Religious Movements and the Church Growth movement, Phil understands both the need for and the fear of church renewal, revival, restoration, reformation -- whatever you prefer to call it.

Following his post-ordination conversion to biblical Christianity, he has labored for Gospel renewal through radio, music, counseling, and writing.

With more than twenty years of ministry leadership, Phil has both an understanding of and experience with the unique circumstances involved in ministry and non-profit organizations. He has particular understanding of and commitment to historic Reformed Christianity. He has extensive teaching, public speaking, seminar and board leadership experience.

As a published author of many books and many articles, Phil understands the subtleties of language, grammar, editing, and the art of "turning a phrase."

Phil resides in Marietta, Ohio, with his wife -- all three of his son graduated from college in 2010.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
2 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Schnoodle
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Insight Into Normal Faith
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book is well written and has the verbal feel of authenticity. He made an interesting distinction between the Platonic ideal of the Greeks in which most of the Bible's scriptures are translated from, and the particular quality of Hebrew thought. Then he traced how this has led much of modern faith astray from the grip of redemption, by substituting an intellectual enlightenment. He also notes that denominations arose from the faithlessness of the precursor church. A problem of modern ministry, which he has had to wrestle with, is that the functions of a Church as an organization overwhelm the function of Scripture. The author's demand for a purity of faith within the church membership however, reminds me very much of the demands of Marxist Leninist thought. While I admire his frankness and honesty, this is a bit daunting. And is probably the reaons why, like a lot of people raised Christian I inhabit one of the more remote orbits in their solar system. And I'm not sure I would enjoy heaven.
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Ellie Gustafson
4.0 out of 5 stars Formal vs Informal Christianity
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2017
The difference between formal and informal Christianity is well taken. When faith devolves from a vibrant, living entity to a more formalized doing of church, then initial faith is scuttled. This bottom-line message ties in beautifully with the concept that people may believe all the right things (and I would add, get a bang out of praise and worship), but if it doesn’t play out authentically in real life, it means little.

Concerning the author’s take on mega-churches, some do indeed focus on their “success,” but are all big churches therefore formal in their approach to spreading the gospel? Some pastors slog along faithfully but never have a large or “successful” church, for many reasons. But what, after all, is success? Other pastors are gifted by God to preach, teach, and lead in ways that draw followers. Think John Wesley, George Whitfield, Billy Graham, and any number of powerful speakers. The best of these work toward the informality of effectively shaping disciples. The heart of any preacher must be inclined toward loving the Lord with heart, mind, soul, body, living out the gospel authentically and not focused on building a church. Organizations—church and otherwise—may (and have) come out of these ministries, but great spiritual maturity is necessary to avoid making the organization itself centerpiece.

My husband particularly liked the Reformed/Calvinistic chapter and scribbled notes like, “Well said!” and “Good analogy.”

I found Informal Christianity well written, with good editing, though a bit heavy on the negativisms of the formal aspects.
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