Timothy Paul Jones

We used this book in a church class, and I found it as many others did - clear, concise, and easy to read. It provided me with more depth and background to parts of church history that I had already known, and, especially related to modern church history, defined terms in a clear way that helped me see which church groups believe what.

One thing that I especially liked about the book was the study guide and lesson plan that were laid out in the back, making this an even more accessible resource for groups or classes. Another thing I really appreciated was the author’s occasional editorial encouragements. After describing a stretch of particularly disheartening stories of brutality and unchristian behaviors, the author would add in a comment of how there was always one or two (or more) believers truly committed to following God, no matter the popular behavior or risks to themselves. This helped to put matters in perspective, to see how, similar to the prophets in ancient Israel, God never lost control of any situation or was without people, no matter how small their numbers, who were truly his.

The one drawback I would state is that I did happen to find one factual error related to a piece of historical information. The error had no effect on the event described in the book, but it did make me wonder if there weren’t more in there that I didn’t notice.

That being said, I am seriously considering using this as a high school history text for my homeschooled kids when they reach that level.… (mere)

Throughout my childhood, I was presented with a number of opportunities to examine the faith of my parents and the church that we attended. However, most of these opportunities were fairly black and white with challenges coming from folks who were generally antagonistic to Christianity. It wasn't until I attended a Christian university that my New Testament professor introduced me to the world of textual criticism and Bart Ehrman. In spite of his profession of faith and role as a pastor at a local church, that man seemed to do everything he could to undermine the Bible. I was unprepared to refute the claims I encountered, but I didn't thoughtlessly embrace the man's teaching or that of the books he was promoting. God faithfully brought me through that rocky season and used it to strengthen my faith. Over the years, I've continued to study the subject a bit, and I've sought to equip my kids to face "the real world" with a strong, biblical foundation. I want them to examine their beliefs and the beliefs of others and to think critically about them all. When it comes to considering the claims made about Scripture, Timothy Paul Jones has given us an excellent primer in How We Got the Bible.

According to Dr. Jones, the "purpose of this book is to deepen your trust in the Bible by helping you understand how God's written revelation made the journey from the mind of God to the sixty-six texts in your Bible today". In seven concise chapters, Jones explains what the Bible is, how the Old and New Testaments were composed and answers many questions, including:

- What's so special about the Bible?
- Is it different from other books?
- Is it reliable?
- What does it mean that it is inspired and inerrant?
- Do Christians need the Old Testament?
- How was the Bible collected and arranged?
- Which books belong in the Bible?
- Why do some Christian religious groups include additional books (like the Apocrypha) in their Bibles?
- Why don't we continue adding books to the Bible today?
- How did early Christians recognize which texts truly were God's Word and choose to receive them?
- Did early Christians care whether the events described in the New Testament really happened or whether the books were written by the authors who claimed to write them?
- How can the Bible be without error if the copyists made mistakes?
- How do archaeological discoveries such as the 1947 discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls serve to confirm the accuracy of the Bible and result in increasingly accurate translations?

Throughout How We Got the Bible, Jones is faithful to the Bible. He utilizes relevant anecdotes and humor to keep his presentation engaging and relates many historical accounts to show the continuing importance of this subject today. He includes numerous visual aids such as colorful paintings, photographs, and charts that are sure to benefit the reader. Jones reminds us of the privilege of having God's Word in our language and concludes his work with a challenge explaining the work that remains for the 1,800 people groups who do not yet have a Bible translation in their language. I recommend this work for any group or individual who desires a gentle introduction to the means through which God has been faithful to bring His Word to us.

*Many thanks to Rose Publishing for a complimentary eBook copy of How We Got the Bible in exchange for my honest opinion!… (mere)

Youth ministry in the church today needs to change.

Family Ministry Field Guide offers as good of an alternative as I have seen! Timothy Paul Jones takes a Gospel-centered, family-focused approach to discipling children and youth. He does an admirable job of arguing from the biblical narrative, rather than from the standpoint of "retention rates" that are oft-cited and, in his estimation, over-blown and poorly researched.

The one qualm one might have with Family Ministry Field Guide is that it is not ultimately a field guide. When I think of a field guide, I think of a practical how-to book, with steps and procedures to help one implement the topic at hand. Jones stops short of this. Admittedly, he does so from a sense of allowing the reader to contextualize his principles and come up with their own plan. He also gives testimonials about how some others have implemented a Family-Equipping Model of ministry. Still, I was looking for more specific suggestions on how to transition our student ministry from a family-friendly model to a family-equipping model.

Still, I rate this book with the highest rating. Perhaps the greatest compliment I can give it is that it has helped shape how I invest in my family. I see myself as the primary discipler of my children and I am thankful to have my local church partner in that process with me!… (mere)