Book review: "The World Crisis And the Only Way Out: A collection of Jesse Hendley’s Sermons"

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Bill Prince, executive minister of Biblical Principles, and Brad Waters, pastor of First Baptist Church in Hazlehurst, have published a book containing sermons by the inimitable preacher/evangelist Dr. Jesse Hendley. His ministry coincided with that of Dr. Billy Graham.

If you were alive during his preaching ministry I would have encouraged you to sell your most prized possession – if that is what it took – to get you to one of his meetings. His meetings were typically spiritual epics in the life of the community. They were bathed in prayer and anointed by the Holy Spirit. I can think of nothing happening today that would equal one of Jess Hendley’s meetings.

Dr. Jesse Hendley had the unique ability to expose the transient issues of this earth and bring eternity into full focus. His emphasis was not on the terrestrial, but the celestial; not the ephemeral, but the eternal; not the temporal, but the everlasting; not the finite, but the infinite.

Dr. Hendley’s sermons always seemed to bring his hearers face-to-face with their personal accountability to God, the judgment, heaven and hell, the rewards of the righteous, and the punishment of sinners.

He preached with understanding, conviction, and passion. It was evident God’s hand was upon him, because his evangelistic meetings and crusades were marked by the thrill of song, the hush of prayer, the power of preaching, and generally resulted in many coming to faith in Christ.

In Jesse Hendley’s sermons you will not find any seeker- or consumer-friendly material. He did cater to the felt needs of his audience. He preached the clear, unadulterated, infallible Word of God without fear or favor and demonstrated an unwavering concern for the souls of men and women, boys and girls.

The book contains five marvelous messages by Hendley and you will be blessed to read how this wonderful man of God proclaimed the unsearchable riches of Christ to a lost and dying world.

In the foreword of the book, Jerry Vines, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., writes, “His (Dr. Hendley’s) is a kind of preaching that needs to be read and shared in our day of watered down, weak, anemic pulpit fare. Perhaps God will use these sermons from the heart, lips, and pen of this remarkable man to stir preachers and churches to the much needed revival in these days of apostasy.”

There is no profit being made from these books. They are being made available to young preachers without cost in order for them to have some great messages from which to pattern their own sermon preparation.

The book is also being released to commercial vendors for sale. For every book that is purchased, a book will be gifted to a young pastor. Those who wish to purchase a book can find them through most online vendors like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. for $14.99.

book review, evangelism, Jesse Hendley, preaching