Ebook
Like Ripples on Water is, first of all, a book about Russian Baptists and their preaching. While this religious group has attracted significant amount of interest from the academic community, the majority of the existing research projects concentrate on the history of the movement, rather than its contemporary ecclesial realities. Preaching? At present, this is the only work that offers an in-depth study of the practice, central to the life of Russian Baptist communities. As it is shown in the book, one has to take into consideration numerous historical, theological, and cultural peculiarities to appreciate and apprehend the way preaching is seen and practiced in Russia. The inability to understand the practice of proclamation and its formative, as well as destructive potential bears long lasting and far reaching consequences for churches, preachers, and educational institutions, which aim at preparing pastors, missionaries, and church planters for Baptist churches in Russia and other countries that have shared history of Baptist presence.
"What is the place of preaching today, in a modern, multi-media
context? Tima Cheprasov’s sympathetic yet objectively critical
study in the challenges of preaching, rooted in the narrative of
cultural and ecclesial changes within a Russian context, provides
preachers and leaders across the world church with a valuable
platform to reflect on the place of preaching today, whatever
context we are embedded within. I happily commend this book to
those who would reflect on such things."
—Jim Purves, Baptist Union of Scotland
“Cheprasov is to be congratulated for this highly original,
thoughtful, and stimulating account of the history, art, and
practice of preaching in the Russian post-Soviet context of
baptistic worship. Based on personal experience, solid academic
reflections, and expert knowledge of patterns of worship in
traditional Baptist churches, the book contains illuminating
insights into the ministry of proclamation as a powerful practice
with both constructive and destructive potential to affect
baptistic faith communities in culturally Orthodox contexts.”
—Parush R. Parushev, International Baptist Theological Study
Centre, Amsterdam
“Cheprasov opens a window into a distinctive, sacramental form of
preaching as it is found in Russian Baptist churches, and by doing
so also traces the story and the context of Russian Baptists.
Especially significantly, he offers a theological assessment of
preaching as a ‘powerful practice’ that needs to be safeguarded by
communal reading and interpretation of the Bible. Like Ripples
on Water is likely to be of interest to historians,
theologians, and preachers alike.”
—Lina Toth, Scottish Baptist College, University of the West of
Scotland
Timofey Cheprasov has received his theological training at the
International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague, Czech
Republic. Currently he serves as a pastor of Bury Baptist Church in
Bury, Greater Manchester.
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