Want to know how the American church got this way? Well, here you go. . . .

John D. Hannah. Invitation to Church History: American. 464p., $49.99, Kregel Academic.

Designed for an educated lay audience and students in introductory college and seminary church history courses, this visually stunning textbook is carefully written for first-time learners in the subject areas. Invitation to Church History: American chronicles American church history from the pilgrims to contemporary denominations in the United States.

In this full-color textbook, many features facilitate learning: photos make the material come alive for the reader; diagrams clarify and distill complex concepts and sets of information; and review materials aid the student in processing and retaining the concepts in each chapter.

Readers will gain a clear understanding of the meaning of the gospel, the wonder of divine redemption, and the majesty of God. The story of the church is presented as part of the redemptive history of God and His people. With a conservative, Christ-centered perspective, Hannah writes with fairness and generosity toward diverse views.