Evangelical from the Beginning

This book provides the most complete and comprehensive history of the Evangelical Congregational Church ever published and is the superb work of a corps of historians and church leaders who know, understand, and love the Evangelical Congregational heritage. They are aware of the importance of the church's history to inform, inspire, nurture, and equip it to fulfill God's calling in this generation and those that follow. Effectively employing primary and secondary sources, the authors begin their narration by describing the Wesleyan roots of the Evangelical Congregational Church and its predecessor denominations - the Evangelical Association and the United Evangelical Church. Each of the chapters that follow discusses how the church organized for evangelism, worship, education, missions (home and overseas), itinerant ministry, benevolent work, and much more. While appropriate attention is paid to the denomination's gifted leadership in its bishops and denominational executives, the central and essential roles of pastors and laypeople are emphasized.This volume offers the Evangelical Congregational Church a magnificent view of its history at a critical time in its life when its evangelistic and servant ministry is as much needed as ever. Others who share the Wesleyan tradition and who are interested in the ministry of the Christian church will also gratefully find this an illuminating and fascinating story.

Terry M. Heisey, Ph.D., holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history and serves as Seminary Librarian and Professor of Bibliography at Evangelical School of Theology in Myerstown, PA. He is also Archivist of the Evangelical Congregational Church. He has contributed articles to Methodist History and Journal of Library History.

Robert G. Hower, Th.D., is Professor Emeritus of Church History at Evangelical School of Theology. An ordained minister of the Evangelical Congregational Church, he has served as Eastern Conference Historian and President of the Board of Trustees of the EC Historical Society.

Leon O. Hynson, Ph.D., has served as Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Spring Arbor College, President of Evangelical School of Theology, Professor of Historical Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary, and Wesley Scholar-in-Residence at Evangelical School of Theology. He is the author of numerous articles and two books, To Reform the Nation (1984) and The Wesleyan Revival (1999).

John E. Moyer, D.Min, is Professor Emeritus of Preaching at Evangelical School of Theology. He has a distinguished career of leadership in the Evangelical Congregational Church, including terms as District Superintendent and Bishop.