Where the Acts of the Apostles ends, this book starts. It carries the story of the early church along the southern shores of the Mediterranean as far as the Atlantic Ocean and up to the Arab conquest.

Its narrative describes the spectacular growth of the earliest North African churches and introduces us to some remarkable characters: theologians, pastors and teachers such as Augustine, Cyprian and Tertullian; ordinary believers who lived and loved and laid down their lives, like Perpetua and her friends.

Drawing on original documents and archaeological evidence, this unusual book recounts their dramatic story of daring faith, loyal devotion and love as strong as death.

The churches of North Africa were spectacular in their strength and in their weakness, for within a few years of their greatest glory they had totally disappeared.

How can we account for the remarkable growth of early North African Christianity, and for its equally remarkable collapse?

This Holy Seed identifies the greatest lesson of Christian history: that churches possessing the Bible flourish and grow. Churches without it sicken and die.

This Holy Seed offers a serious challenge to the churches of North Africa and the world, and along with it a realistic hope. Armed with the lessons of history we will surely be wiser than those who have gone before.