“Written from a Protestant perspective, Stephen Davis brilliantly chronicles the centuries-long Huguenot fight for survival and legal recognition in France from the earliest days of the Reformation to the 1905 Law of Separation of Church and State. The book colorfully describes religious persecution, wars, massacres, revolutions, and how the Protestants survived against long odds.”
—Martin I. Klauber, affiliate professor of church history, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“Stephen Davis has again brought the plight of the French Protestant to life in this rich, scholarly, and penetrating analysis. The success of the German, Swiss, and English Reformations tend to result in a lack of interest in what was transpiring in France, but Davis helps to recalibrate our focus by exploring the challenges faced by the French Protestants. I heartily encourage any student of the Reformation to enrich their knowledge through this book.”
—T.K. Dunn, associate professor of history and theology, Columbia International University

“This clearly written and balanced overview of Protestantism in France from 1517 to 1905 covers the Reformation, era of religious wars, and the Revolution, but also the less familiar—and more positive—developments for them during the Republics, the Napoleonic Era, and the Dreyfus Affair. Until a 1905 law ended the Catholic Church’s official power by separating church and state, Protestants in France demonstrated remarkable resilience.”
—Douglas Carl Abrams, author of Missionaries in the Golden Age of Hollywood

“Stephen Davis’s book is a valuable look at the long history of French Protestantism. Previous works have addressed Protestantism in France up to the time of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, but Davis continues the story through the French Revolution into the twentieth century. Davis helps the reader better understand the ways in which Protestants negotiated religious and political upheavals for almost four hundred years and provides practical insights for Christians facing persecution in the twenty-first century.”
—Mark Draper, associate professor of church history, Lancaster Bible College

“If you are comfortable with what you believe, you do not want to read this book. The author dives headfirst into contemporary issues relevant to missions and ministry with a stringent realism. . . . At times you may be uncomfortable, but reading this book is well worth the risk. I recommend you do it in company with others.”
—William Phillips, retired pastor and former missionary to Romania

“Davis provides a wonderful potpourri of missiological and theological reflections by a seasoned cross-cultural practitioner with a lifetime of wisdom and experience. You will find articles in this volume that will cause you to think deeply, engage earnestly, and intensify your commitment to missions…. A helpful collection of solid contemplations for those interested in taking the gospel around the world.”
—Jeff Straub, www.JeffStraub.net

“Davis has stirred up the pond in this book. Topics that have begun to lay dormant are raised for contemporary discussion. He models the importance of balancing the tension between staying true to God’s word and humbly exploring the edges of sometimes divisive topics. This book will ease those uncomfortable with these topics into edifying discussions.”
—Ed Scheuerman, Lancaster Bible College

“No one training for ministry or entering into the pastorate can afford to neglect the key issues Davis wrestles with in this work. No matter where you fall politically or denominationally, Davis presents a solid case to keep the gospel central to the church’s mission. Gospel focus will not only lead to the church’s much-needed ongoing reform but also equip the church to reach the world effectively with the hope only found in Christ.”
—Andrew Zakhari, assistant pastor, Stone Hill Church

“In these times of ‘pandemic weariness,’ political upheaval, disinformation and distrust, Stephen Davis offers us a much-needed book of nineteen sermons from a variety of texts which form a cohesive unit. Steve’s writing style is like his preaching: gospel-centered, down-to-earth, a touch of humor, and easy to read. From the first chapter to the end we are reminded in a compelling way of what Christ, who is our hope, has done for us.”
—Gary Travis, Elder, Grace Church of Philly

“Here is a book that will encourage and strengthen Christians even when dark nights of the soul come knocking. In God’s Unchanging Word in an Ever-Changing World, Steve points believers to the gospel as the sure narrative upon which they should build their lives. He beckons them to rejoice in God’s word which is a firm foundation in a fickle world.”
—Peter Ndaita, Elder, Grace Church of Philly and campus minister at the University of Pennsylvania with Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO)

 

“Stephen Davis revisits the history of Protestantism in France with integrity and scholarly passion. The story of the Huguenots is as timely as it is important, as William Edgar underscores in the book’s foreword. Davis’ writing is clear, rendering the book highly accessible even to newcomers to European church history. Its relative brevity makes it attractive as a supplemental textbook in seminary courses that cover the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.”
—Richard L. Starcher, Editor-in-Chief, Missiology: An International Review

“The French Huguenots and Wars of Religion is essential reading for those seeking a crash course on the historico-cultural contexts for the emergence of Protestantism in France and its place in society today. Clear, precise, and penned in straightforward prose, this volume is accessible to a broad audience. Davis deftly weaves together the many strands of individuals, places, challenges, and political and religious dynamics that fuel the life of this faith group.”
—Glenn Fetzer, Academic Department Head and Professor of French, New Mexico State University

 

“Stephen Davis delivers a wonderfully brief primer that is pointed and practical. Writing from both seasoned experience and solid research, Davis urges appropriate caution in avoiding the dangers and disappointments that come from inadequate missionary preparation. This book should be read by missionaries preparing for service as well as those who assist in their preparation.”

—Mark C. Vowels, Director, Center for Global Opportunities



“Stephen Davis is no stranger to the challenges and difficulties of cross-cultural gospel ministry. He writes as an experienced missionary and church-man who aims to equip churches, mission agencies, and missionaries to better serve cross-culturally. My heart resonates with Davis’s that the goal of missions is not mainly to do good works but preach the gospel and establish new communities that demonstrate the transforming power of God’s presence. With such a high goal, missionaries need to be properly trained, and Davis is a worthy guide on the matter and the manner of such training.”

—Dieudonné Tamfu, Pastor, Eglise Baptiste Bethléem, Yaoundé, Assistant Professor of Bible & Theology, Coordinator of Cameroon Extension Site, Bethlehem College & Seminary



“Missionary life is a high calling filled with significant challenges. Stephen Davis discusses important topics to be considered when evaluating someone’s preparation for cross-cultural ministry. Using insights gained from thirty years of church planting and missionary service, Davis challenges appointees to purposefully prepare for ministry. This book is a must read for future missionaries, the pastors who support them, and the mission personnel who assist them.”

—Jeff Straub, Professor of Historical Theology and Missions, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Plymouth, MN



“My friend Dr. Davis gives excellent advice for those who are preparing to go on the mission field and for those who are already serving. In his book, he stresses the importance of being gifted, qualified, and prepared before being sent out to plant churches. He gives practical ideas based on biblical principles for church leaders that are selecting candidates to be future missionaries.”
—Aaron Griggs, Church planter in Mexico

“In his recent book, Urban Church Planting, Stephen Davis has taken thirty years of experience in church planting in many different cultural contexts and married them with ten years of ministry in the heart of Philadelphia to produce an easily accessible primer on urban church planting. It is a true blessing.”
—Brian Martin, senior pastor, Sonship Church, Brooklyn, New York



“Stephen Davis was starting a church in Philadelphia when I was a student pastor in a supporting church. Steve was going into the city when most were leaving it. The lessons shared in his book Urban Church Planting go far beyond any how-to manual on the subject. Anyone wanting to discover the stark realities of an urban church will find a welcome read.”

—Andrew Straubel, senior pastor, Windsor Chapel, Princeton, New Jersey



“Planting a church in the city is full of joy and full of sorrow. It is the narrow road. But God promises to build his church. And he promises us his presence. The gates of hell will not prevail! If you are called of God to make disciples in the urban context allow Steve Davis’s Urban Church Planting to be a guide.”

—William E. Turner, Jr., pastor, Grace Chapel, Havertown, Pennsylvania

 

“Davis’s masterful treatment of the historical rise of French laïque culture provides a foundational understanding for the revolutionary changes in contemporary, French self-understanding as a post-Catholic nation. It also builds a framework for understanding the new secularized consciousness with its contingent practical challenges currently emerging among youth and immigrant populations in France.”

—Daniel Sheard, Assistant Professor, John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, Liberty University



“In his book, Rise of French Laïcité, Stephen Davis has done what few Anglophones have dared to attempt, address and translate a unique French concept—laïcité—for the non-French. In so doing, Davis provides painstaking details as to how and why an understanding of history must inform contemporary social, cultural, and missional engagement.”

—Richard Kronk, Assistant Professor of Global Ministries, Toccoa Falls College; former church planter in France (1995–2013)



“Who can understand La Laïcité à la Française? Often mistranslated, almost always misunderstood, Davis’s historical, sociological, and missiological work meticulously clarifies this complex and fundamental trait of French society. A must-read for all gospel workers who venture onto French soil!”

—Raphael Anzenberger, Director, RZIM France



“This is an excellent and insightful summary of the history of laïcité in France since the Reformation. I strongly recommend it for missionaries in their second to fourth year in France. . . . This book will help them understand the French values and how to better share the gospel in light of these values.”

—David R. Dunaetz, Book Review Editor, Evangelical Missions Quarterly



“Stephen Davis has written an important historical study on the rise of secularism (laïcité) in France. From the domination of the Roman Catholic Church at the Reformation to its separation from the state in 1905, the road was long and rocky. Constitutionally strengthened in 1946 and 1958, laïcité is being challenged today by the rapid growth of Islam, France’s second largest religion, and its pursuit of recognition in the public space. A truly engaging story.”

—Jeff Straub, author of The Making of a Battle Royal: The Rise of Religious Liberalism in Northern Baptist Life, 1870–1920

“I am not aware of any comparable study in English of the rich, involved history of the march toward a unique version of secularity. The book ends with helpful suggestion for bringing the gospel to the French, with their aspirations and misconceptions.”

—William Edgar, The Huguenot Fellowship, Professor of apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary