The Nearly Perfect Crime

                                     THE NEARLY PERFECT CRIME

Author FRANCIS MACNUTT

Publisher CHOSEN BOOKS

ISBN 0-8007-9390-0

Those who recognise the name of this author will probably guess that this book concerns the ministry of the Holy Spirit, in particular concentrating on healing and deliverance.  The subtitle is, “How the Church almost killed the Ministry of Healing.”  Macnutt writes graciously and systematically beginning with the early church leading the reader through a quite short and concise church history until the early 21st century.  In general this history is neither seen through rose tinted spectacles or unpleasantly critical of those who gradually assigned the vibrant activity of the Holy Spirit to the sidelines of their doctrine until He was assumed rather than known in a vital way.  Of course this particularly led to an almost total neglect of healing and deliverance as far as the churches ministry in the world.  

Along the centuries there were always a few, at least, who saw God work in healing and deliverance.  Often they were sidelined, maligned and closed down but the testimony lived on, reviving again in another place through a man or woman.  Therefore there was no total extinguishing of the flame but it often burned dimly.  This book will help any reader to grasp the seriousness of church life without the Holy Spirit and register the gracious ways the Lord has been working throughout the centuries to keep the flame alight and more recently in this last century.  The chapters are short, deliberately so, no doubt, to encourage not only scholars and pastors to go through the book but everyone needs to see the pattern taking place through church history.  Divided into four parts we are shown the original Christian manifesto, this is exhibited as working mightily in the ministry of the Lord Jesus and the early church.  

Then we come to a long section that focuses on the way the nearly perfect crime was committed.  Finally there are chapters that show long road back to a vital, vibrant Christianity which includes the presence and power of God bring His Holy Spirit baptism leading into a life that includes deliverance and healing and powerful declaration of the Kingdom of God.  That we live in days when major steps along this road have been taken is beyond doubt.  The writer does not major on the excesses that have sometimes accompanied this renewal of life in the Holy Spirit, his purpose, well executed I would say, is to alert us to the need to enter in more fully to that which has been purchased for us in the full salvation that is in Christ Jesus.  This is a good and necessary read.  

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