Reprint. Originally published: New York : Macmillan, 1968.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Part I. The concept of the believer's church. [ch. 1] The believers' church defined. Introduction; The free church concept; Theories of free church origins; The categorical imperative; Political analogies; The believers' church defined -- Part II. The history of the believers' churches. [ch. 2] Medieval sectarians. The Waldenses; Unity of Brethren [ch. 3] Radical reformers. The Swiss Brethren; The Hutterian Brethren [ch. 4] Separatist puritans. The Baptists; The Quakers [ch. 5] Free church pietists. The Church of the Brethren; The people called Methodists [ch. 6] New Testament restorationists. Disciples of Christ; The Plymouth Brethren [ch. 7] Contemporary expressions. The confessing church; New forms of the church -- Part III. The character of believers' churches. [ch. 8] Discipleship and apostolicity. Discipleship; The fall of the church; Restitution; Church discipline [ch. 9] Mission and evangelism. The territorial church and missions; The believers' church and missions; The great century of missions; Evangelism: social or individual? [ch. 10] Church and state. Separation of church and state; Religious liberty; Peace witness; Involvement in the state [ch. 11] Mutual aid and service. The individual dimension; The communal dimension; The social dimension; The international dimension [ch. 12] Sectarian and ecumenical. The separatist stance; Ecumenical emphases; Ecumenical organizations; Openness to new light.
A history of the believers', or free, church including the Waldenses, the Unity of Brethren, the Swiss Brethren, the Hutterian Brethren, the Baptists, the Quakers, the Church of the Brethren, the Methodists, the Disciples of Christ, the Plymouth Brethren, and the Confessing Church.