PIC No. 43:
• Title: Count Zinzendorf and the Spirit of the Moravians
• Author: Paul Wemmer
• Publisher: Xulon Press (Oct. 8, 2013, 270 pages)
• Management Bucket #13 of 20: The Crisis Bucket
Welcome to Issue No. 43 of PAILS IN COMPARISON, the value-added sidekick of John Pearson’s Buckets Blog. This blog features my “PICs”—shorter reviews of helpful books—with comparisons to other books in my 20 management buckets (core competencies) filing system.
Just One Crisis After Another! The Amazing Story of Count Zinzendorf and the Moravians
Honest. You don’t have to be a spiritual giant to read this fascinating biography, but—warning—you will ask yourself, “Do I exhibit any signs of spirituality in my comfortable life?” Whew.
Paul Wemmer, the author of Count Zinzendorf and the Spirit of the Moravians, walks us through the deep-and-wide history of the 18th century global movement of the Moravians. Have you ever read anything about Count Zinzendorf and his hearty band of brothers and sisters? (No? Me neither!)
Who would be on your list for the Top-100 most important religious figures in history (would we call them “influencers” today?)—and how much do you know about them? Would Count Nicholaus Ludwig van Zinzendorf (1700-1760) be on your list?
Earlier this year, I listened to a hymn written by Zinzendorf—and I realized I knew absolutely nothing about this spiritual giant and prolific hymnwriter. It was high time to widen my reading! I googled the Count, watched some YouTube videos, and scanned the books on Amazon. I landed on this one, published in 2013.
Paul Wemmer is a first-time author. Born into a Catholic family in Germany in 1940, he shares his own story in the first chapter—context for his fascination with Zinzendorf. He immigrated to the U.S., served in the U.S. Army, and lived in the Los Angeles area where he was a printing supervisor in the L.A. election department. The Registrar of Voters once described him: “Here is a German who runs the print shop as smoothly as a Swiss clock.”
Wemmer and his wife discovered the charismatic movement of the Catholic Church—and “within a few days…we had an insatiable hunger for reading the Bible.” He adds, “I read at home, during my lunch hour, and at break time. I couldn’t get enough.” Not a theologian, but a serious student of the Bible, he eventually became a Protestant and has a few comments about Catholics in his book that, perhaps, are influenced by the persecution that Zinzendorf and his Christian community endured.
I’ve decided not to summarize this book—even though I made 25 notes to share with you. I’ll spare you my thoughts and inspire you to enjoy two short videos. Click on this two-minute promo video from the publisher—with highlights from the book.
And here is a theologian’s nine-minute overview on “Zinzendorf and Early Moravians: 11 Things to Know about Their Work.” The presenter, J. D. Payne, serves as professor of Christian Ministry at Samford University. Click here.
Listen to J.D. Payne’s short video on 11 things to know about Zinzendorf and the Moravians, including their team approach for outreach.
Spoiler Alert! The author’s bullet-pointed 16-page summary in Chapter 26, “The Moravian Spirit,” is a helpful reference. He notes:
• “Zinzendorf was a resourceful, energetic, strong leader, but he did not dominate the congregation and community.”
• “Their experience being refugees themselves gave them an unusual compassion for oppressed people.”
• Excerpts from a poem by Zinzendorf: “Inactivity is not our attractiveness, Working and sweating refreshes and makes you rocklike. Our eyes are clear; our minds are in high spirits. There is nothing more beautiful than a dusty worker.”
Paul Wemmer’s sidebars and commentary add bulk to his narrative of Count Zinzendorf’s amazing story. I hope you’ll read this book—and it will touch you like it touched me.
PAILS IN COMPARISON: Reading this book reminded me of several other must-read books in the Crisis Bucket, plus other buckets/core competencies.
[ ] Broken and Whole: A Leader’s Path to Spiritual Transformation, by Stephen A. Macchia (Read my review.)
[ ] Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry, by Ruth Haley Barton (Read my review.)
[ ] Outrageous: Awake to the Unexpected Adventures of Everyday Faith, by Aaron Tredway (Read my review.)
[ ] Serve Strong: Biblical Encouragement to Sustain God’s Servants, by Terry Powell (Read my review.)
[ ] Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God, by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, and Claude King (Read my review.)
To order from Amazon, click on the title for Count Zinzendorf and the Spirit of the Moravians, by Paul Wemmer. For more book reviews, visit John Pearson’s Buckets Blog and subscribe to Your Weekly Staff Meeting.
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