The Unexpected Journey

For many years, my dad (a Salvation Army officer), used to preach God was still in the business of changing people. Back then as a young child I believe Dad, and I still do today. This newest offering from Thom Rainer affirmed this belief once again. The Unexpected Journey” is a captivating chronicle of how a dozen people were eternally changed!

Thom Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, personally interviewed Christ-followers who once wandered the paths of major religions and lesser known forms of spirituality. The interviewees share personal struggles, as well as the doors God opened to bring them from other belief systems to Christianity. It is written in a very conversational style. With most of the chapters, I wanted more information . . morere intimate details of their faith journey.

Mormonism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Atheism are among the twelve faiths” highlighted. Other belief systems include Jehovah's Witness, Wicca, Agnosticism, Buddhism, Islam, Unitarianism, New Age, and
Satanism. Most of these chapters are guaranteed to open your
tunnel-vision” eyes to God'’s powerful ways of drawing unbelievers into the body of believers. The book encourages readers to stay involved in the lives of others while sharing the love of Christ through both words and actions.

Pull-quotes explaining their former non-Christian belief systems are included in each chapter. These help clear up any assumptions and hearsay the reader may have unknowingly accepted as fact.

Study questions, (at the end of the book), enable small groups to gain useful insight into evangelism today and the variety of spiritual journeys people travel.

Don'’t delay in picking up a copy today and then by all means, pass it on!

This review was submitted by Dale Lewis who works at the EFCA & attends Hope Church in Oakdale, MN.