"THE BLUEPRINT OF CHRIST’S CHURCH," by Tad R. Callister, Deseret Book, $29.99, 404 pages (nf)
The latest book by Tad R. Callister titled "The Blueprint of Christ's Church" draws upon his previous publications and contributes new insights as he addresses another doctrinal topic — the structure of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Callister’s previous two books, “The Infinite Atonement” and “The Inevitable Apostasy and the Promised Restoration,” were also published by Deseret Book and appear in modified form in his latest publication along with plenty of new material.
"The Blueprint of Christ’s Church” is written in a style that his readers have come to expect. He addresses doctrinal topics clearly and logically in an easy-to-read style that provides readers with the ability to develop greater faith and understanding.
The book is broken down into several key sections.
While addressing several audiences, Callister describes the church of Jesus Christ, asking key questions along the way such as those about the teachings and ordinances of the church, the importance of repentance, the role of the family in the church, essential scriptures to know in the search for truth, other resources given by God, commonly asked questions and “An Invitation.”
Callister, who is currently the LDS Church's Sunday School general president, writes that there are signs to help us recognize Jesus Christ’s church. However, he teaches it is essential to not only know the doctrines of the gospel, but also to be able to provide “the underlying rationale so we can explain the doctrine in a clear and concise and powerful way.”
The result, he writes, is that each person's testimonies can be strengthened while gaining the critical ability to articulate his or her beliefs.
In this regard, Callister has certainly taken his own advice as he describes the church in its relation to the Lord’s plan of happiness for each individually as well as in their families.
Kurt Manwaring is a consultant with a graduate degree in public administration. He maintains a personal blog at www.kurtsperspective.blogspot.com.