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Backward, Christian Soldiers?: An Action Manual for Christian Reconstruction
Jesus said to "Occupy till I come."
But if Christians don't control the territory, they can't occupy it. They get tossed out into cultural "outer darkness," which is just exactly what the secular humanists have done to Christians in the 20th in education, in the arts, in entertainment, in politics, and certainly in the mainline churches and seminaries. Today, the humanists are "occupying." But they won't be for long. This book shows why.
For the first time in over a century, Christians are beginning to proclaim a seemingly new doctrine, yet the original doctrine was given to man by dominion (Genesis 1:28). But this doctrine implies victory. That's what this book is all a strategy for victory.
Satan may be alive on planet earth, but he's not well. He's in the biggest trouble he's been in since Calvary. If Christians adopt a vision of victory and a program of Christian Reconstruction, we will see the beginning of a new era on the kingdom of God manifested in every area of life. When Christ returns, Christians will be occupying, not hiding in the shadows, not sitting in the back of humanism's bus.
By providing clear, workable strategies for victory, this enjoyable and exciting book shows how to begin recapturing the world of King Jesus.
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This book, Backward, Christian Soldiers?: An Action Manual for Christian Reconstruction , is published by Reconstructionist Radio , a producer and provider of Reformed (Postmillennial, Presuppositional, Covenantal, Calvinist, and Theonomic) Christian Reconstructionist podcasts, audiobooks, lectures, sermons, music, and other media. Content is made available from authors such as Gary North (Institute for Christian Economics, Point Five Press), David Chilton , R.J. Rushdoony (Chalcedon Foundation), Joel McDurmon , Phil Kayser (Biblical Blueprints), Greg Bahnsen (Covenant Media Foundation), Stephen Perks (Kuyper Foundation), Bojidar Marinov (Christendom Restored, Bulgarian Reformation), and many more.
But if Christians don't control the territory, they can't occupy it. They get tossed out into cultural "outer darkness," which is just exactly what the secular humanists have done to Christians in the 20th in education, in the arts, in entertainment, in politics, and certainly in the mainline churches and seminaries. Today, the humanists are "occupying." But they won't be for long. This book shows why.
For the first time in over a century, Christians are beginning to proclaim a seemingly new doctrine, yet the original doctrine was given to man by dominion (Genesis 1:28). But this doctrine implies victory. That's what this book is all a strategy for victory.
Satan may be alive on planet earth, but he's not well. He's in the biggest trouble he's been in since Calvary. If Christians adopt a vision of victory and a program of Christian Reconstruction, we will see the beginning of a new era on the kingdom of God manifested in every area of life. When Christ returns, Christians will be occupying, not hiding in the shadows, not sitting in the back of humanism's bus.
By providing clear, workable strategies for victory, this enjoyable and exciting book shows how to begin recapturing the world of King Jesus.
-----
This book, Backward, Christian Soldiers?: An Action Manual for Christian Reconstruction , is published by Reconstructionist Radio , a producer and provider of Reformed (Postmillennial, Presuppositional, Covenantal, Calvinist, and Theonomic) Christian Reconstructionist podcasts, audiobooks, lectures, sermons, music, and other media. Content is made available from authors such as Gary North (Institute for Christian Economics, Point Five Press), David Chilton , R.J. Rushdoony (Chalcedon Foundation), Joel McDurmon , Phil Kayser (Biblical Blueprints), Greg Bahnsen (Covenant Media Foundation), Stephen Perks (Kuyper Foundation), Bojidar Marinov (Christendom Restored, Bulgarian Reformation), and many more.
290 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1984
5 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Gary North
173 books96 followersGary North received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside. He served on the Senior Staff of the Foundation for Economic Education, in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, and was the president of the Institute for Christian Economics. Dr. North’s essays and reviews have appeared in three dozen magazines and journals, including The Wall Street Journal, National Review, The American Spectator, and others.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 15, 2022
Really good. This is a 280-page call to action, really. Sort of a field guide for people who are already on board with Christian Reconstructionism. A few chapters dealing with technology (in 1985) are obsolete, but it's still interesting to read the history of how a movement tried to mobilize at the time. I don't know if I would be as critical now of government accreditation as he is in the 80s. Maybe things have changed. I'm looking forward to reading more about CR.
May 11, 2025
An excellent manual on strategies and tactics for overcoming humanism culture and advancing Christian dominion. Face it, it's inevitable.
August 14, 2018
Truly, truly, an eye opener into what we so-called Christian must do in order to bring God’s Kingdom to earth and what we should to apply His law in every area of life. I highly recommend this to everyone!
August 19, 2020
Per usual, Gary North was seeing things that others were not seeing in the 80’s, that today could not be more obvious. A few short chapters are dated that discuss practical uses of 80’s technology. Otherwise this little book remains as relevant as ever.
January 1, 2018
This is a great little book for those that want to know what Christian Reconstruction is about in premise. This book is well worth reading, and it will leave many with much to think about.
April 13, 2024
THE CHRISTIAN RECONSTRUCTIONIST PROPOSES ‘VICTORY’ IN THE WORLD
Gary Kilgore North (1942-2022) was head of the Institute for Christian Economics, and a prominent Christian Reconstructionist, who wrote widely on many topics (including postmillennial eschatology).
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1984 book, “This little book is about victory… victory over the effects of sin in every area of life… progressive victory over sin in the individual’s life can and should be mirrored in the progressive victory over the effects of sin in the society… But for over a century, this vision faded in the hearts and minds of regenerate people… The churches went into hiding, culturally speaking. They left the battlefield. The humanists won by default. Since 1980, however, a change has begun to take place. Ministries that previously were uninvolved in social and political affairs have begun to mobilize opposition to abortion, secular humanism in the public schools, and various Federal programs that encourage sexual immorality… This little book introduces Christians to a new way of thinking about the world around them---a positive, optimistic way of thinking.”
He acknowledges, “When we think of Christian scholarship, what do we have in mind? A seminary? But seminaries limit their efforts to instruction in the biblical languages, evangelism, church history, or ‘practical’ theology… there is hardly a single explicitly Christian endeavor that has impressed the secular world with its competence. We are second rate, or third rate, and we know it. Why? I contend that it is directly related to our stubborn unwillingness to consider the whole counsel of God… we let the secularists do our work for us. We do not trust our own competence.” (Pg. 6-7)
He admits, “We have to face it: there is hardly a single area where Christians have distinguished themselves as the best in the field. In Bible translating, yes. In running foreign orphanages, yes. But not in the corridors of power and influence.” (Pg. 40)
After citing a study that observes, “theology faculty who hold the rank of Ph.D. are more liberal on every social and political issue … than are those with other academic degree experience,” he proposes, “The obvious conclusion is simple: conservative fundamentalists who run the handful of colleges that fundamentalist students attend must cease requiring the Ph.D. from their faculty members.” (Pg. 62-63)
He notes, “The fact must be faced: in time and on earth, as of the mid-1980s, there is no acceptable source of institutional strategy, no organizing general who is followed by all Christians. But never forget: the Satanists and humanists have no visible, earthly general, either.” (Pg. 136)
He recommends, “One way of staying out of the limelight of the Federal bureaucracy, if you are a small or new church, is to avoid applying for IRS-approved church status… That way, the IRS isn’t alerted to the formation of a new church. The IRS does not have to approve your church for it to be tax immune. By applying for exemption, you identify yourself. Better to pay the higher mailing costs and preserve a greater degree of invisibility.” (Pg. 199)
He observes, “The sprinters of the theological world have left very little as an inheritance. Those who planned to ‘evangelize Africa in a generation,’ or ‘win the youth of the nation by 1976,’ or whatever, have pursued a [false] goal… it sidetracks the construction of long-term Christian projects in favor of short-term, unrealizable, and very expensive campaigns that are, of necessity, concerned only with the surface of Christian faith and Christian culture.” (Pg. 243-244)
This book is a clear statement of many of North’s ideas.
Gary Kilgore North (1942-2022) was head of the Institute for Christian Economics, and a prominent Christian Reconstructionist, who wrote widely on many topics (including postmillennial eschatology).
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1984 book, “This little book is about victory… victory over the effects of sin in every area of life… progressive victory over sin in the individual’s life can and should be mirrored in the progressive victory over the effects of sin in the society… But for over a century, this vision faded in the hearts and minds of regenerate people… The churches went into hiding, culturally speaking. They left the battlefield. The humanists won by default. Since 1980, however, a change has begun to take place. Ministries that previously were uninvolved in social and political affairs have begun to mobilize opposition to abortion, secular humanism in the public schools, and various Federal programs that encourage sexual immorality… This little book introduces Christians to a new way of thinking about the world around them---a positive, optimistic way of thinking.”
He acknowledges, “When we think of Christian scholarship, what do we have in mind? A seminary? But seminaries limit their efforts to instruction in the biblical languages, evangelism, church history, or ‘practical’ theology… there is hardly a single explicitly Christian endeavor that has impressed the secular world with its competence. We are second rate, or third rate, and we know it. Why? I contend that it is directly related to our stubborn unwillingness to consider the whole counsel of God… we let the secularists do our work for us. We do not trust our own competence.” (Pg. 6-7)
He admits, “We have to face it: there is hardly a single area where Christians have distinguished themselves as the best in the field. In Bible translating, yes. In running foreign orphanages, yes. But not in the corridors of power and influence.” (Pg. 40)
After citing a study that observes, “theology faculty who hold the rank of Ph.D. are more liberal on every social and political issue … than are those with other academic degree experience,” he proposes, “The obvious conclusion is simple: conservative fundamentalists who run the handful of colleges that fundamentalist students attend must cease requiring the Ph.D. from their faculty members.” (Pg. 62-63)
He notes, “The fact must be faced: in time and on earth, as of the mid-1980s, there is no acceptable source of institutional strategy, no organizing general who is followed by all Christians. But never forget: the Satanists and humanists have no visible, earthly general, either.” (Pg. 136)
He recommends, “One way of staying out of the limelight of the Federal bureaucracy, if you are a small or new church, is to avoid applying for IRS-approved church status… That way, the IRS isn’t alerted to the formation of a new church. The IRS does not have to approve your church for it to be tax immune. By applying for exemption, you identify yourself. Better to pay the higher mailing costs and preserve a greater degree of invisibility.” (Pg. 199)
He observes, “The sprinters of the theological world have left very little as an inheritance. Those who planned to ‘evangelize Africa in a generation,’ or ‘win the youth of the nation by 1976,’ or whatever, have pursued a [false] goal… it sidetracks the construction of long-term Christian projects in favor of short-term, unrealizable, and very expensive campaigns that are, of necessity, concerned only with the surface of Christian faith and Christian culture.” (Pg. 243-244)
This book is a clear statement of many of North’s ideas.
April 18, 2025
Very uplifting book. It also has aged very well despite being written in 1984 and some chapters being devoted to purchasing a computer and satellite tv dishes so people can watch Christian media. All of the political/social issues that were presented are still relevant today, and the author does a great job on how to defeat the immoral humanists from a Christian perspective.
It also is crazy how history is repeating itself from 40 years ago. At the time, Reagan was the conservative “outsider” hero that did not neglect Christians in his campaign or presidency; very similar to Trump today. Christians must rally behind Vance to not become the disaster HW Bush was and avoid the Clinton fiasco after. The book even used terms like the “New Christian Right,” which is circulating back around in CN circles. Christian reconstruction has not died as some dispensationalists and pessimillenialists have speculated, it has changed and morphed.
This was a great book and very uplifting when looking around at the world today.
It also is crazy how history is repeating itself from 40 years ago. At the time, Reagan was the conservative “outsider” hero that did not neglect Christians in his campaign or presidency; very similar to Trump today. Christians must rally behind Vance to not become the disaster HW Bush was and avoid the Clinton fiasco after. The book even used terms like the “New Christian Right,” which is circulating back around in CN circles. Christian reconstruction has not died as some dispensationalists and pessimillenialists have speculated, it has changed and morphed.
This was a great book and very uplifting when looking around at the world today.
February 1, 2023
Excellent
An excellent read. A little dated now in some minor points but the principles are still 100% relevant to today, almost 40 years later. Pet peeve - a criminal number of typos. Painful to read so many typos. But still a great book and very helpful.
An excellent read. A little dated now in some minor points but the principles are still 100% relevant to today, almost 40 years later. Pet peeve - a criminal number of typos. Painful to read so many typos. But still a great book and very helpful.
October 16, 2025
At the time this book was published (1984), the Christian Reconstruction movement was at its peak. Dozens of books were being published, magazines were being circulated, and organizations were being formed. As a result, optimism was very high among its members, and Gary North’s book reflects that hopeful attitude toward the future passionately.
Forty years later, however, the movement is basically just made up of a couple old intellectuals, the few hundred watching/reading their videos/articles, and the publishing company – who apparently couldn’t even afford to put in page numbers – that printed my copy of this book. Does this then make Backward, Christian Soldiers? an outdated, useless work? No.
Many churches teach that our society is destined to get morally worse and worse until the rapture happens. Many Christians thus choose to spend their social spiritual time passing out tracts, going to church, and... that’s pretty much it. North believed that we should do much more than this, advocating a Christianization of the way we view and teach the next generation so-called “non-religious” subjects. He called on pastors to stop preaching “milk” sermons and start focusing on bringing their local communities to Christ – not just emotionally but intellectually as well. He demanded that Christian economists, teachers, legal theorists, and politicians use their professions to teach the biblical models of their fields. He also recommended that pastors teach “the wisdom of buying dehydrated food, gold coins, and a home in a small town” to their congregations (p. 14). All of this is clearly still relevant for us today.
As the title states, the book is an “action manual,” not a theological work. One consequence of this is an infrequent use of Scripture passages. Luckily, this can be remedied by reading a few other Christian Reconstructionist books beforehand. Backward, Christian Soldiers? can also get a bit dated at times, with multiple mentions of various 1980s theologians and the then-current Reagan administration. However, the advice and positive encouragement greatly overpowers the flaws of North’s book, which is why I nonetheless rate it as high as I have here.
Forty years later, however, the movement is basically just made up of a couple old intellectuals, the few hundred watching/reading their videos/articles, and the publishing company – who apparently couldn’t even afford to put in page numbers – that printed my copy of this book. Does this then make Backward, Christian Soldiers? an outdated, useless work? No.
Many churches teach that our society is destined to get morally worse and worse until the rapture happens. Many Christians thus choose to spend their social spiritual time passing out tracts, going to church, and... that’s pretty much it. North believed that we should do much more than this, advocating a Christianization of the way we view and teach the next generation so-called “non-religious” subjects. He called on pastors to stop preaching “milk” sermons and start focusing on bringing their local communities to Christ – not just emotionally but intellectually as well. He demanded that Christian economists, teachers, legal theorists, and politicians use their professions to teach the biblical models of their fields. He also recommended that pastors teach “the wisdom of buying dehydrated food, gold coins, and a home in a small town” to their congregations (p. 14). All of this is clearly still relevant for us today.
As the title states, the book is an “action manual,” not a theological work. One consequence of this is an infrequent use of Scripture passages. Luckily, this can be remedied by reading a few other Christian Reconstructionist books beforehand. Backward, Christian Soldiers? can also get a bit dated at times, with multiple mentions of various 1980s theologians and the then-current Reagan administration. However, the advice and positive encouragement greatly overpowers the flaws of North’s book, which is why I nonetheless rate it as high as I have here.
October 23, 2012
Aside from the book being outdated on its news (Soviet Union) and its technology recommendations (tapes, VHS, and early forms of computers), this was an awesome read in regards to a true Biblical worldview. Dr. North makes so many good points of what Christians should be doing and why (citing numerous Bible verses) and what the future holds for Christianity (not all doom and gloom)!!!
Often the "gospel" is just the means of evangelism and that is it. This notion that as Christians are only concern should be to evangelize to the lost and save souls for Jesus is only half the gospel!
Once you become a Christian...then what!!!?
This book answers that not just from an imaginative answer but from a very solid foundation found in Scripture.
Read it...it may surprise you!
Often the "gospel" is just the means of evangelism and that is it. This notion that as Christians are only concern should be to evangelize to the lost and save souls for Jesus is only half the gospel!
Once you become a Christian...then what!!!?
This book answers that not just from an imaginative answer but from a very solid foundation found in Scripture.
Read it...it may surprise you!
December 15, 2022
North tackles the issues that he thinks have caused Christianity, particularly Christian Reconstructionism, to go in the wrong direction. He names names, places places, and calls out the called. North and I don't agree on quite a bit, but from all I've read of his writings, it is clear that you don't want to get on the wrong side of his pencil. One person who has caused North apparent ire, was Martin Lloyd Jones, who North criticized quite a bit in this work for his obstinacy towards OT laws and sanctions, lackluster attitude towards cultural renewal, and disdain for free-market capitalism. As usual for North's writings, his main points usually hit home strong with a clean shot, and the peripheral issues are usually buck shot that scatters between accurate and missing the target entirely.
February 8, 2010
The Left, cognizant of it or not, have been following Gramsci's plan for social change for decades. The Right, particularly the Christian Right, despite more cohesion, has not been able to do the same. Dr. North analyzes and reports on action-oriented Christianity, and offers suggestions for joining together rather than working at cross-purposes.
July 29, 2020
Loves it! So practical which is why I love the Recon books. They’re actually making plans...
Cons? A bit dated
Cons? A bit dated
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews