Rediscovering the Whole Word is a book written by Eric Sawyer, pastor of our sister congregation in Lewistown, IL. is the story of what happened when one pastor decided to stop stepping around the parts of Scripture his tradition had quietly set aside — and trusted God with everything that followed. It is also the story of his wife Alice, the small congregation God placed in his care, and the faithful people who walked beside them through every uncertain step.
Forward by Arthur Cox:
“I have known the author of this book for many years — as a fellow believer, a fellow shepherd, and a friend. Over that time, I have had the rare privilege of watching this journey unfold from close range, not as a distant observer, but as someone who walked beside Eric and Alice through many of the seasons described in these pages. What struck me most was not how quickly things changed, but how carefully. This was not a man reacting to a crisis or chasing something new. It was a man who loved Scripture, loved his people, and could not stop asking honest questions once they surfaced. The journey that followed was marked by patience, prayer, and a sincere willingness to let the Word speak — even when it asked something costly. I watched Eric carry the weight of pastoral responsibility through every step of that process. I watched him protect his congregation even as conviction grew. I watched him choose obedience when staying silent would have been easier. And I watched God honor that — quietly, steadily, in ways neither of us could have arranged. That is what this book is, at its core. Not an argument. Not a movement. It is the record of what happened when one pastor decided that God’s Word deserved to be taken seriously from beginning to end — and trusted God with everything that followed. I am glad to commend it to you.”
