Equipped to Tell the Next Generation bridges the gap between knowing and sharing our faith in Jesus by revealing areas of our beliefs and practices which have been syncretized with twenty-first-century American culture: relative truth, consumerism, pleasure, an independent spirit, the victim mentality, and the culture of doubt. These go to the heart of who we are and keep Christians from telling people about Jesus in winsome ways.
This book provides the solution: recover the holiness of God, his ultimate characteristic, which holds all his characteristics in perfect unity. Rather than legalism, genuine holiness is the highest beauty which produces wholeness because it balances holy love, holy righteousness, repentance of sin, peace, and respect for all people and all of God's creation. When we meet a holy God, we want to worship and to serve him because the beauty of holiness touches the very essence of our being. It becomes our greatest desire to please him because of the deep love we find there, a holy love unlike what the world offers. This book will take you on a journey to recover the things compromised to culture and will equip you to tell the next generation about Jesus.
Donna Ryan is a retired ECO Presbyterian pastor with a DMin in revival and reform. In her retirement she has chaired several committees at the presbytery level including Moderator of the Governing Council, the Theological Taskforce of the Northeast, and the Multiplication Taskforce.
“Dr. Ryan suggests . . . that so many of us have yet to discover the awesome holiness of God—a discovery so compelling and all-consuming that our greatest desire becomes that of loving, worshipping, and obeying God and our greatest joy becomes the delight of sharing that discovery with others. Equipped to Tell the Next Generation is not a manual for how to do evangelism. Rather it is a powerful invitation to be transformed by the beauty, purity, and refining love of Almighty God.”
—Garth M. Rosell, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“One of the most pressing challenges facing the Western church today is instilling that faith in the next generation. While there are many helpful ‘how to’ books, Ryan gets to some of the core issues that need to be addressed in the church if it is going to be a credible and effective witness in our ever-changing world. This book will help tackle a new but important set of questions as you fulfill Christ’s mission in the world.”
—Dana Allin, ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians
“Donna Ryan draws us to the essence of holiness of God and uses sound biblical and historical interpretation to describe how God desires to express his holiness through us. . . . This is a wonderful guide for pastors and lay leaders and can be used for personal and small group study. Pastors will find it especially helpful for planning their preaching. This is a wonderful work written by an experienced pastor and teacher and you will be blessed by reading and applying it in your life and your congregation.”
—Robert Mayer, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“As a denominational leader, I read many books on church growth, evangelism, and the missional movement, and how we can take part in it. I was happy to read Rev. Dr. Donna Ryan’s take on what it means to be ‘equipped’ to do just that. There are no quick fixes, but the very sound idea of connecting with God on a deeper level and pursuing holiness.”
—John Terech, ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians