The Church in God's Program

by Robert L. Saucy

The Church in God's Program is a biblical study covering the entire scope of the church - its beginning, government, ministries, and the new covenant.

Genres: Theology, Ecclesiology, Church, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Evan Climpson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The text was fine as an introductory look at the church, but Saucy is so obviously dispensational it's hard to stomach. I wish he would have clarified his theological positions explicitly before heralding them as the absolute truth. Not really a fan, but I don't condemn it.

[Brian Pate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it for a seminary course on Ecclesiology in 2007.

[Silas Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love and appreciate the church more because of this book. He was very helpful in explaining the biblical basis for every area of church doctrine from the new covenant to government to the ordinances. It wasn’t the whole focus of the book to debate specifically with covenant theologians, yet he is very obviously dispensational (it affects a lot of areas of doctrine), so I’d really like to go read more by covenant theologians and come back to this one to work through the various questions involved there.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent theological introduction to the doctrine of the church. Pretty well researched and worth having on your shelf.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give 3.5 stars. This was a book written in the 70s, and was a Bible college text for me in the 90s which I decided to give a re-read. As a text book in a Pentecostal Bible School, I found it interesting that the author came from a cessationist and somewhat Calvinist view. However, his biblical research overall is exhaustive, with every second sentence seemingly followed by scripture references in brackets to back up his points. One could spend days looking up the cited references while reading through the book.

His premise is that the church is an essential part of God's program, of God's work in the world today. He spends a few chapters reviewing the Greek and Hebrew terms, and reviewing the different metaphors given for the church, such as the body of Christ and the bride of Christ. While the church serves many different functions, saucy contends that the primary role of the church is witness and evangelism, and that even in its worship the church is a witness to the watching world. The church that gets sidetracked from the primary goal of evangelization is veering from God's program for the church.

Saucy does a review of the biblical bases for church structure and organization, as well as the various offices and ministries of the church, and church discipline. He dissects the various portions of a church service, right down to the offering, giving biblical bases for his points. He highlights the role of preaching as the giving of the body the opportunity to listen to the word of God and be transformed more into His image. The final chapters focus on the ordinances of baptism and communion, with Saucy taking a standard evangelical approach to each, rejecting any biblical evidence for infant baptism and transubstantiation.

This is not a book written to exegete the role of the church in 2021 and discuss its role in society. It is less an examination of the state of the church now, but rather a systematic look at the biblical evidence of how the church should exist in all eras. While I may differ in some of the author's interpretations, he does make solid points that bring the reader back to the original intention of the church in God's plan for the world, and challenges the reader to then examine the church today and his or her place in it. A very good foundational study of the role and purpose of the church.

[Josiah Durfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An ecclesiological espresso shot for all of you theological logophiles. Saucy traces the etymological significance to create a beautiful constellation of the church. This is one of the better reads I have done so far in my little independent church study for the summer and I highly recommend this book. Saucy is good at stopping his arguments where scripture stops (from what I could tell), which kept the book moving and made this reader very happy. Apart from all the other books out there on the church this one is great because he simply respects words and their proper meaning. From the reading that I have done, Saucy’s book is a good contribution to ecclesiology and should be on your shelf (and read, lol).

[Samuel Kropp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saucy spends a good portion of the book advocating for a more progressively dispensational view of the church, however, his interaction with covenant theology is very weak, consisting of only three real texts: 1. Romans 9:6 (by itself, without context given by Reformed thinkers/exegetes) 2. Galatians 6:16 and 3. The first half of Galatians 3

Overall, not very compelling. His argumentation I found to be somewhat lacking, I would follow premise one, premise two, and then his conclusion would come straight out of left field.

[Neil Kruger · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 reads: #29
Rating: 4.5 Stars

This book was published nearly 50 years ago and yet it is still a concise and clear exposition of the church.

Chapters on the nature of the church and the closing section on the Lord's Supper were particular highlights.

Written in non-technical style, this is an ideal introductory book.

[Ruth Dahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skimmed reading this for school, but what parts I actually sat down and read I enjoyed. I'd love to read this more closely in the future, since it is helpful in understanding what God's church is, and historically has been.

[Caleb Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a theology class (Prof. Brian Morley). Was great, Saucy has stronger convictions than other Christian authors, but he does not stray away from biblical truth. Read through it in a week, had to skip over a few sections but didn't find it boring.

[Gene Ziesel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for those who what to understand all about the Church and how it should be functioning in our day!

[Katherine B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been organized better. And also been about a hundred pages shorter.

[Chase Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This semi-exhaustive work by Saucy on the church is a simple, understanding treatment in Ecclesiology. Would highly recommend as an intro to Ecclesiology and figuring out the major aspects of the church as distinct from Israel, elder and deacon qualifications, various church polity, and more. Beneficial read!

[Bendick Ong · Rating 4 out of 5]

An elementary book on the etymological roots of the word "church" and the nature, historical origins, structure and ministries of the church proper, this book offers an introduction to the functions of the church and why God inaugurate it. As to the question of whether the church has anything to do with the political entity Israel, the book maintains that they are clearly different. There are insightful gems here and there, esp the last two chapters on worship and the sacraments. That said, a better and more comprehensive book will be Douglas Wilson's Mother Kirk: Essays And Forays In Practical Ecclesiology.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saucy takes a look through scripture and lays out a normative form of church government. At times he seems to shoot for the ideal way that a church should be run, but sometimes leaves out the practical. Obviously Saucy has spent far more Sundays in church than days I have been on this planet and seven times that reading the bible. But I wonder how many of his ideas would play our practically in a real church setting.

regardless, This is a fantastic, fast, and fun read on the doctrine of the church.

[Rock Rockwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I changed the name of this book to, "The Church IS God's Program" (not "in"). The book is dispensational so 'the church' is only a New Testament concept. The absolute distincition of Israel and the Church is obvious from cover to cover. Yet, many of the common distinctions of the church are defined by Scriptures, but again, much is incomplete. I would recommend Clowney's book on "The Church" instead.

[Russ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had Dr Saucy for several seminary classes, and he was a kind, smart, and godly man. He will be greatly missed.

This book, unfortunately, is built on the dispensational assumptions regarding the church.

I would recommend Edmund Clowney's book instead.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talbot Course: Systematic Theology 4: The Church & The Last Things

Excellent Biblical Look at the church. Very clearly lays out the difference between "church" terms like elders, bishops, etc...

[L. R. Bouligny Bouligny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book which covers every topic pertaining to the church. Very thorough, conclusive, biblical. I highly recommend it. A great resource for any church.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this. Good book for anyone who takes church membership seriously.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty bland book. Covered all the salient points but not a lot of extras, which is fine because it wad required reading for class - in, out, done!

[Captmashpea · Rating 2 out of 5]

its boring so far

[Andy]

0555

[Gary Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive and helpful.

[Tim Senter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reference.

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book and read.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read SEP 2001