In Messages from the Small Country Church, Dr. C Joseph Fifer takes readers back to an old country church and preaches messages like so many of us used to hear. Though the church is small, the powerful messages preached by Dr. Fifer flow through the congregation, clinging to those sitting in the pews. He preaches about Christ's Calls to You and Jesus is the Answer; about What God has for Us and Let God Provide. He preaches that It's in God's Hands and Sanctity of Life; Christ in your Boat and Christ is the Plumb Line! This is only a taste of what this man of God preached to his small congregation.

I enjoyed Messages from the Small Country Church by Dr. C Joseph Fifer. One thing for sure is he doesn't mind preaching the gospel of Jesus no matter who is in the congregation. I find the truth I have always been taught and still believe in the words he gives us in his book. I think Fifer is right about small churches. I grew up in a small church and there is something there that is not in larger churches. A bond between the members. A big happy family where everyone knows everyone else, which is a good thing mostly, especially where families need something. It's also good to know each other on a personal level and help each other in their spiritual lives.

This book comes with so much information there is no way you can absorb it all by reading it through once. It has a wealth of information about the God of the Bible. This is a book I plan to keep for reference because there are so many topics here, I know I can find help when going through difficult times. I encourage you to check out this book. You will be pleased with what you will find here between the pages of Messages from the Small Country Church.

In the early days of Christianity, the building model favored a small church or congregation which made it easier to minister to members and gave both old and new converts a sense of belonging to something very important, in the same way that your nuclear family would. In recent times, Christianity has evolved so much that the original model seems to have been discarded in favor of bigger, socially aware churches that have a global presence but are, unfortunately, found wanting in interpersonal relationships amongst members. This has downgraded the importance of the original model to the detriment of Christians and Christianity as a whole. Rev. Dr. C. Joseph Fifer elaborates on everything that has gone fundamentally wrong with the modern church in Messages from the Small Country Church: Readings, Sermons, Observations, and an Invitation to More Than Just Donuts!

Rev. Dr. C. Joseph Fifer uses a series of interesting sermons to explain his point of view in Messages from the Small Country Church. His message is heartfelt and quite detailed. The sincerity with which he breaks down even the uncomfortable topics is commendable. Rather than sticking to the usual method of referring to a Bible verse and leaving the reader to connect the dots, he walks you gently through his point, and when it gets to the tough aspects there are ample examples to reason with. A point that struck a chord with me was the testimony about the disabled harpist. The book arrives at the perfect time. Its message may be difficult to swallow, but then, nobody said the truth wasn't going to hurt.

Messages from the Small Country Church: Readings, Sermons, Observations, and an Invitation to More Than Just Donuts! is a collection of 25 speeches given at Junction Bible Christian Church in Defiance, Ohio by Reverend C. Joseph Fifer, D. Div. Dr. Fifer describes them as “a six-month sample” typical of what is still preached in many small country churches today: positive messages of hope and faith which were part of our historical building blocks as a country and which still have an important role to play today in giving us strength as a people to face what is before us in our nation and the world. “Where are we to be in these days?” Dr. Fifer asks. “We are to be right here in the midst of all that is going on together, encouraging each other in the promise of Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit.”

In Messages from the Small Country Church, the Reverend Dr. C. Joseph Fifer gives us a collection of talks that is inspirational and edifying. From the Advent message to the birth of Jesus and His resurrection, and from the meaning of baptism to the call to follow Jesus in the context of our modern world, readers will find ample scriptural food for thought. I was particularly inspired by a dream that Dr. Fifer mentions in which he’s told, “This is only a stop along the way. Wait until you see where we are going.” For many, it is such dreams and spiritual experiences which keep hope and faith alive.

Messages from the Small Country Church: Readings, Sermons, Observations, and an Invitation to More Than Just Donuts! is a collection of sermons. The author, the Rev. Dr. C. Joseph Fifer, was the pastor of the Junction Bible Christian Church in Defiance, Ohio, which he describes as a typical small church, as opposed to the megachurches which are so prevalent. His sermons include the relating of incidents that happened to him, that he observed, or that others related. They speak of the human condition and the situations that ministers deal with on a day-to-day basis. Some of the sermons are about holidays, religious and otherwise, such as Memorial Day. The author holds evangelical views and quotes the Bible extensively. He also holds some conservative political views.

Messages from the Small Country Church by the Rev. Dr. C. Joseph Fifer is a fine Christian-based book. I liked the author’s emphasis on small churches and agree that they are the most effective in serving their members. His aim is to show that small churches offer much in the way of “feeding the flock” and caring for them. Fifer accomplishes his goal admirably. Not only does he teach the Bible, but there is also much practical application in the sermons. Although the sermons are directed at fellow evangelical Christians, one doesn’t need to be an evangelical, or even a Christian, to profit from them. I recommend Fifer’s book to anyone, Christian or not, who is interested in Bible-based sermons, instruction, and inspiration.