{ITL}Falling Off the Curb{NRM} is a book of short narratives about growing up as a Christian with an introverted personality. The focus is family, friends, community, and struggling to survive the economic crash. It's about "not fitting in" and trying to come to terms with the person one believes God created them to be.

Written by a pastor and syndicated humorist, the manuscript shows that whatever the subject or how serious it might be, there is always a room for a chuckle . . . or two. The subjects in this book range from do-overs to traveling to broccoli to taxes. If anything is taken away from this book it is simply these two things: Do not take life too seriously, and God always has a word for us.

Addressing a target audience that has little regard for morality and a growing disdain for the church, {ITL}Sex . . . Does Practice Make Perfect poses this important question to unmarried, young adults with an unassuming posture. Using compelling research, honest testimony and personal experience the writer examines how a sexual relationship with more than one partner impacts a person, and the many negative consequences associated with this behavior. She also establishes the credible benefits of abstinence and renewed virginity before marriage.

War came to God's house one night in 1940. Bethel, Germany's world famous refuge for sick and suffering souls, was bombed and many helpless children were killed. The Nazi propaganda machine screamed for revenge against the "British island of murderers," but the Christian underground secretly voiced the fear that the bomb was German. In War Comes to God's House, that secret fear is the key to the lessons of the Nazi reign of terror. Though wide ranging in scope, gleaning bits and pieces of the story from Eden to the destruction of the Third Reich, War Comes revolves around the bombing of Bethel just as the SS "mercy" killers are banging at its doors to remove "unproductive national comrades." Bethel, a Lutheran home for epileptics and other needy souls operating under the creed that ". . . each person is a unique personality, created and loved by God . . .", and its Director, Dr. Friedrich (Fritz) von Bodelschwingh were at the very heart of the German church war. Dr. von Bodelschwingh was the first "Fuehrer" of the Protestant opposition to the Nazis' heretical Reich Church; but, sadly, he was branded a failure. Ironically, or perhaps providentially, the Bethel bombing rehabilitated Bodelschwingh to become a leader of the opposition to euthanasia. His passage through that period, and his monumental, but largely forgotten, statement of a Christian worldview, the Bethel Confession, are both well worth our attention today.

The writer cites a recent revival where thousands upon thousands of people were born-again and physically healed. It all happened in Tallinn, Estonia, part of the former Soviet Union. The Communists had forced several different Christian churches of varying backgrounds (Evangelical, Pentecostal, etc.) together into a single congregation. The church was given an ancient, vacant, dilapidated cathedral. The building was located right next door to the KGB headquarters for the entire Western Soviet Union. The Communists had it all figured out. The Christians would be nearby, so the secret police could keep an eye on what was going on there at the church.

This explores the meaning of faith as experienced by a young man facing military service as well as returning home from training and work of a medic with an infantry unit in the field and at a battalion aid station. A process of uncovering buried emotions follows the return from the war. The author articulates a rationale for Christian nonviolence and develops relationships with refugees, other veterans, and antiwar people. Realistic but hopeful, the book ends with reflections on the meaning of faith from the author's perspective four decades after his year in Vietnam. His conclusions will be thought-provoking for pastors seeking to understand veterans and for veterans reflecting on the meaning of their experience.

For pediatric heart surgeon Hisashi Nikaidoh, MD, a chance encounter near a hospital cafeteria would stay in his mind for years. That was the day he ran into Linda Ojeda. Dr. Nikaidoh had known Linda as the mother of a child who had died at the that hospital years earlier. Now, he discovered, she was working there, along with another mother in the same situation. Then one August morning in 2003, everything changed. Dr. Nikaidoh's son Hitoshi -- who had just graduated from medical school weeks earlier -- was killed in a tragic accident. Although he knew he would see his son again in Heaven, and his faith in God's plan provided comfort, he struggled to pull himself through the weight of his grief. What had the two mothers at the hospital known, he wondered, these women who seemed to have made peace with their losses? In Healing Hearts, Dr. Nikaidoh shares the stories of eight mothers who lost children but found their own way back to generous, fulfilling lives. Their journeys offer readers an uplifting word for us all.

The wildly-spreading discussion of radical discipleship or "the way of the cross" is often partial and disjointed. Most of the first wave of authors couldn't interact with recent objections. This book begins with a fresh and simple biblical explanation of key themes of the way of the cross -- weakness, renunciation, deliverance, sharing, love-of-enemies, foolishness, and community--written from a pastoral perspective. Then it takes those themes into even more provocative territory and undermines the pervasive obstacles that keep evangelical Christians from seeing the way of the cross, from the left-right political distinction and an impersonalistic conservatism to skewed but popular notions of providence, sin, salvation, and heaven. It closes with a positive vision of how the way of the cross might shape churches into Christ's holistic city on a hill, and it gives practical advice to individuals and churches about how to get there.

In every generation, the most crucial question for every person to consider is, "What do you think about Christ?" In the light of modern-day challenges to the Christian faith - especially from the arena of the sciences - a philosopher and theologian answers many of the major criticisms of the Christian faith. Thinking readers will be challenged to consider this contemporary defense of Christ Jesus.

The writer reports the book is a product of extraordinary experiences in nearly 40 years of medical practice as a Christian family physician in the inner city of Indianapolis. "In these years of medical care, I have recounted many of these stories to scores of medical students whom I have mentored and taught. The educational value the stories have had among these students and the responses from countless retellings with family and other friends has confirmed a many year desire I have had to record them in a way that would engage an even larger audience, particularly in these days of 'Healthcare Reform.' Much in the manner of James Herriot recounting his experiences as a "Country Veterinarian" in the All Creatures Great and Small series, I have written these stories in a reflective, loving and sometimes humorous way as a "Inner City Family Doctor" with the intention of making the lives and medical challenges of the inner city poor resonant for readers of middle America.

The writer states, "While preparing for a Sunday school lesson, I discovered an alternative Sunday school teaching method. The teacher's guide suggested a skit to illustrate the lesson. I wrote my own skit, using scripture and humor to emphasize the point of the lesson. It went over so well with the adult class members that I continued to compose and use them occasionally. I have been encouraged to have my skits published so they may be used in a larger context to teach God's word. These skits are from the Old and New Testaments. They can also be used in terms of biblical character studies, biblical events, or concepts, such as grace, obedience, and faith. Their applications range from traditional Sunday school to youth worship, youth or adult presentations and Bible studies."

Most examinations of the End Times focus on passages or verses drawn from all over the Bible and then tries to find something in common between them. This work starts with Jesus' description of the End, and uses the Olivet Discourse as the foundation from which all other End Times passages are interpreted. The effort clears up much of the confusion surrounding modern eschatological views and helps you see the End Times with new eyes.

This practical, in-depth survey of Islam, past and present, provides essential background material and advice in layman's language. Practice has proven that thought-provoking questions help prepare a Muslim truly to hear the message of Christ, so twenty-nine questions are provided. The author addresses their common allegation that the Bible has been corrupted. The work presents steps to build a bridge of friendship and understanding, so that a Muslim may comprehend and accept Christian faith.

This book is a narrative of the writer's extensive experiences on the mission field, the people he met, and the radical transformation that God performed in his life through it all. Still Hanson says that the people are the story: the tormented hermit in Costa Rica, starving refugees and a lame woman in Mozambique, the Buddhist monks in Cambodia, and a motorcycle gang in China. Those are the encounters that God used to reveal his character to Hanson and the band of seekers with whom he traveled.

The work analyzes the priestly prayer Jesus' offered at the pivotal moment of his earthly ministry. It systematically segments the prayer into three sections-- Jesus' consecration of himself and his sacrifice, his prayer for his disciples and his prayer for all who would come to faith. It suggests rediscovering his words as the remedy for a postmodern world where truth is viewed as relative and sound doctrine is often replaced by pop psychology. Facing His Cross explains Jesus' prayer by citing familiar themes and incidents in Johns' gospel. For example, it explains his purpose by citing his conversations with Nicodemus and a Samaritan woman. It explains his thoughts on wholeness through his healings and exchanges with a cripple at Bethesda and a blind man at Siloam. It expands on his words about manifesting the divine name by analyzing the "I Am" statements in John's record. It defines the rich provisions of joy, faith, purpose and love made possible by the cross and calls us to selfless mission. Today, the cross is out of fashion. This book challenges readers to rediscover it, uphold the truth of the gospel and rediscover the life of wholeness Jesus wills for us.

This is based on Mark 12:31 with the theme of loving our neighbor. Written from the viewpoint of a teen named James who travels the world with his father, a pilot, and sometimes, his mother or grandfather, the narrative shows their experience life in cultures outside James' native America. A unique feature to this book is a lengthy questionnaire for each country's native-born individuals to complete. This information provides first-hand knowledge over simple book research for each country. The writer presently has about twenty completed questionnaires. The subject matter covers such topics as: religion, food, school life, family life, pets, greeting customs, shopping, transportation, gestures, and many other local and unique customs.

This is a series of essays about tracking down God in the jumbled journey of living -- and following God despite the potholes along the road. "It is my thank-you note to him, and my progress so far in the daily search for him -- with a sense of humor essential to the journey," the writer notes.

Sleeping with God reveals that biblical writers used the concept of sleep to demonstrate the practice of meditation. Through a careful analysis of biblical accounts from Adam in the garden, Abram's sleep in Genesis, Jesus' sleep throughout a storm in Mark to Jesus' experience with Jarius' sleeping daughter, the author establishes the concept of sleep as a biblical basis for Christian meditation. Each chapter will inspire readers to explore transformative meditative practices, devotionals and reflections that help counter anxiety, stress, apathy, church fatigue, and the desire of escapism. Sleeping with God provides key guidance on Christian meditation that foster healthy relationships, inner peace and greater intimacy with God.

Based on the writer's one-year experience of ministering to a distant relative who had been living a secret lesbian lifestyle, the premise of the book draws on II Timothy 3:1-4 and I Corinthians 15:33. It debunks the myth that homosexuality is a genetic trait and presents lesbianism as a "spirit closely associated, if not synonymous with, the spirit of Jezebel" which seeks to multiply itself using girls/women involved in the lesbian lifestyle to coerce others into embracing it. The aim is to alert girls and women to ten warning signs (each chapter discusses a different sign) that a girl or woman (usually disguised as a friend) has entered their lives with the intent of luring them into a lesbian lifestyle.

The book demonstrates that the concepts of sin and redemption in Islam and Christianity reveal the different understandings of the divine-human relationship in the two religions, with God in pursuit of a relationship with humanity in Christianity, and Allah in pursuit of submission from humanity in Islam. The book will also show how the doctrines of sin and redemption bring the followers of Islam and Christianity into a conflict with each other.

The manuscript presents the pagan origins of some of our most celebrated holidays and the historic background of others, dealing with the ten governmentally recognized holidays as well as twelve non-official days (such as Valentine's Day). This twenty-seven chapter book is patriotic/historic/biblically based and would appeal to evangelical believers. It looks objectively at the chosen holidays, presents historically and biblically accurate information, yet it leaves the reader to his own conscience in regard to celebrations.

The writer says that, "We all know God through a prism of idealist philosophies and theologies derived from Platonism or Eastern religions." He counters those philosophies by presenting God in his Judeo-Christian theophanies. The book is not a new revelation about Yahweh, but an acknowledgement of Him as an authentic person seen in close encounters with biblical figures.

This book offers Christian women a guide to living a life of order, kindness and true beauty. Becoming a Gracious Woman begins at the heart of a woman, from her relationship to Christ to how she views herself. From there, the book shows how gracious living impacts a woman in the major roles she plays in her life: as a wife, mother, friend, homemaker, career woman, and Christian servant. Reflective questions for deeper study are included with each chapter.

The Bible is a book of stories of God's interaction with mankind--and that interaction did not stop when the Bible was completed. He continues to write the same stories in our lives today. The manuscript records some of those new stories. Each chapter focuses on a particular type of story (e.g., answered prayer, God's control, etc). Each story type includes a biblical counterpart and each chapter ends with a summary that ties together the biblical themes of the stories. In many ways this book is similar to the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series but with a much stronger biblical base.

After more than thirty years as a pastor's wife, the author reports, "I found myself 'out of a job' at the end of 2006, when my husband resigned his position as pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and became a Roman Catholic layman. This gave me a great opportunity to visit other churches--lots of them. Attending a different church every Sunday for a year, I went from being a church insider to an outsider--a stranger every Sunday. I attended large services and small (at times I was the only person in the pews). I visited a house church, a house mass, and a church that holds services in a funeral home. I sat in gorgeous cathedrals, stood for three hours in a Russian Orthodox service, and slept on a board in a hermitage at a Franciscan monastery. Each visit caused me to reflect upon my own history as a Lutheran, Congregationalist, charismatic, Jesus people, mainline Presbyterian follower of Christ (yes, it's been quite a ride)."

This is a response to the "new atheists" that illustrates the Pope's pronouncement that "each of us is the result of a thought of God" in clear, non-denominational terms. Illustrated, the work rhymes and can be read aloud in just ten minutes; yet it contains a piercing analysis of the shortcomings of the materialist's position and striking allusions to the doctrines of the Trinity, sin, death, sacrifice, redemption, and resurrection. Widely accessible, with simple but elegant illustrations.

This is the first in a possible series that chronicles the world-changing actions of everyday Christians at critical junctures in history. The true life actions of two Christians are featured including: Following the crusades, the leader of the Ottoman Empire created the largest Islamic army ever assembled to rid the world of Christianity. His plan was to eliminate the last remaining remnant of the Christian army at Malta, and then move onto Europe. One Englishman, Oliver Starkey, answered the call for help to become the sole English volunteer. Sir Oliver formed the women, children and other non-combatants into a fighting regiment that untimely repelled the ten-thousand strong army. The true story, presented through his eyes, provides inspiration for today. David Bushnell was a simple farmer at the outset of the American Revolution. From his home in Connecticut, he witnessed Washington's inability to maneuver due to the blockading British Fleet. With the help of his brother, local pastor and Benjamin Franklin, Bushnell invented the propeller and the first working submarine to break the blockade and free Washington's army. This true story highlights an unsung Christian inventor and his critical role in forming a new nation.

The manuscript passionately sets forth 15 major shifts that are spawning a new expression of the Body of Christ as it emerges out of the shell of previous institutional forms. These shifts are happening to the church universally, the church locally, and as the church engages social issues in the world.

Originally created as a personal memoir, this midlife story has been re-written in novel form although it remains a true story. The book reveals challenges around loneliness and the fear of being alone in the aftermath of divorce. A critical component of the story line is deliberately hidden from the view of the reader involving the narrator's relationship with her father. The crisis of the story is eventually resolved when the narrator is able to face and accept regrets of the past. Comparable to the discovery of true love during adulthood in many popular novels this work extends beyond fabricated fiction, generally created purely for entertainment, as it emphasizes a life driven by faith. The book sends a message of hope and inspiration, reinforces the importance of faith, and stands to prove the difference acceptance can make in one's life.

This full-color book is a call to worship revival of the Rally Day post card popular in the first half of the 20th century. The nationwide endeavor to expand Sunday school enrollment used a wide range of post card themes to entice returning members as well as visitors to the Rally Day experience. The book features 300+ illustrated post cards used as invitations to reunite church members of all ages to return to Sunday school in the fall. Twenty-six different topics are arranged alphabetically into 6-10 page sections. By introducing today's reader to the history and message of Rally Day through a collection of vintage post cards, inspirational quotes, hymns, scripture and ephemera, this book is a timeless call to worship.

We know a lot about Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection, but very little about the young man and his early childhood. How was his life? Were there brothers and sisters? Perhaps early miracles? How did Mary feel about all the events of the miraculous birth? Gabriel promised her a kingdom, but she traveled over 90 miles on a donkey, found a makeshift bed in a stable full of animals, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy and was immediately visited by a group of dirty, smelly, but adoring shepherds. What in the world had she gotten herself into? Using the little we are told about Jesus' childhood, adding research, in-depth Bible study, and an imagination that God allows to run a little wild at times, this journal offers some maybes that could have easily happened during Jesus' life. This manuscript does not contradict any scripture; it just fills in the blanks between the few lines that are written of his childhood.

The manuscript looks at scientific discoveries and how they seem to be pointing to an Intelligent Design that made the earth and universe the way they are. Topics include historic conflicts between science and the church, the Big Bang, the fine-tuning of the universe, and Darwin's theory of evolution. The last two chapters look at the media's coverage of science, the ACLU role in science education, and how science had become a religion to some.

The manuscript tells of ordinary people who showed extraordinary faith and courage during hurricane Katrina and in its aftermath. The characters testify to God's redemption of the storm as they discovered a deeper faith in God, a sense of kinship crossing racial/socio-economic lines, stronger family relationships and material blessings. Included are the stories of an 89 year-old woman trapped ten days and nights in a windowless room, a three-person civilian team connected only by the internet that led to the rescue of over 100 people and a pastor who swam into his neighborhood to rescue two senior adult neighbors, returning later to rescue ten more. Included also are stories of sacrifice for others: one couple left their business with a friend and directed a New Orleans volunteer organization for two years, without pay; a Texas church adopted a homeowner, investing thousands of dollars in materials and labor to rebuild his home.

The work looks at Jesus in the role of a Rabbi or Master Teacher. It examines his interactions with his disciples and others. That examination is then related to present day teaching, to offer encouragement, insight and inspiration. The book seeks to be a tool of wisdom for the novice and an insightful refresher for the veteran teacher whether serving in the school, home or church.

This is the memoir of a country boy attempting to redefine his own faith as he reevaluates the evangelical Christianity of his rural Pennsylvania upbringing. God's Country is a deeply researched memoir which addresses historical and modern American evangelical Christianity through the experiences of a young Pennsylvanian. The book focuses on the singularity of rural evangelical churches, which tend to vary widely in doctrine and practice. Moving from Prohibition-era evangelism and masculine Christianity to present-day Navigators' Bible study groups and Christian commercialism, God's Country is simultaneously cultural critique, academic research, and personal inquiry.

Credo is an in depth exposition of the Apostles’ Creed. For centuries Christians have recited the words of the Creed, but few have grasped just how radical these words are or what they signified in the age in which they were written. The book takes the reader on a historical journey from the age of the Apostles to the present age and traces the social and intellectual history of the in-between ages. Using insights from Owen Barfield, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers and others, Credo explains the unique and mostly misunderstood worldview of pre-scientific humanity giving special attention to what was lost and what was gained as the ancient world was superseded by the modern. This understanding not only uniquely opens up the words of the Creed but demonstrates how it is a very relevant document for the present age. The book is written using language that accessible to the average reader but yet stimulating for those fluent in philosophy and historiography

Darwin’s theory of evolution may seem to suggest that God doesn’t exist.  It’s often used to support this claim, by well known biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins, among others.   They maintain evolution is enough to explain the complexity of the life around us, and that if God isn’t needed to explain things He ought not to be assumed.

In this lively, amusing, and informal essay Leigh Atkinson, for 20 years a math professor at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, argues persuasively and simply that Dawkins and his colleagues are wrong, that evolution when examined closely points to God as the only source of life, complex or otherwise.

How could so many atheists have been so wrong for so long?  Using a few simple and profound ideas from mathematics, philosophy, and history, Dr. Atkinson shows that evolution was very nearly certain to produce complex life forms.  Things that are certain are caused by something outside the universe, and there is only one thing, or Being, outside the universe.

Christians who worry about evolution that evolution will invalidate their faith, should read this book, and relax---God really is behind it all.

Unforgettable characters on Maryland's Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake bay in the village of Harmony, where the author was born and reared, wrestle with heartrending discordances. The author's grandmother said that Harmony should have been called Discord. Since Harmony was only twelve victorian houses, one country store, one church but three beer gardens, she was probably right. It's where a former plantation owner turned gun duelist and gambler shot and killed twenty-six opponents, where a promising thrirteen-year-old school-girl was murdered, where a loved and greatly respected man disappeared, and too many fathers had drinking problems.

Harmony's harsh and jarring stories as well as endearing and uplifting stories movingly engage readers interested in a historical, biographical, and spiritual ironic blend. Readers may also realize that those beyond the confines of Harmony--regardless of were they were born and reared, whether in a large, medium or small city, a town, a village, a ranch, a farm, an apartment, a little house, a McMansion, a tent, or a car on the streets--may be encouraged and helped to deal with their own village discordances.

Please believe it is possible to redeem fairest harmony from ugly discord.

X

You give to the poor, you are kind to the elderly, you love your neighbors and not just at Christmas; you even go on mission trips to impoverished countries but surprise...

You are not good.  Only God is good.

Don’t believe me? Let’s go to the Word. Matthew 10:18 says: “There is none good but God.”

And that IS good news.  YOU are now officially FREE-- free from the myth of goodness.

The pressure to be perfect is off.

Reliance on God and His goodness is on.

What does God expect from me at my place of employment?  How does my career coincide with the will of God?  Or, does it?  What does it really mean to be successful from God’s perspective? 

Every devout Christian desiring to please his or her Savior has asked these questions time and again.  The problem in postmodern Christianity is that we are not looking for the answers in the right place – the Word of God!

It is so: the Bible remains our absolute rule for faith and practice.  Yet, unfortunately, many Christians simply do not know or give earnest pursuit to know what the Scriptures say about what may be the single greatest claim upon our time and energy, i.e., our work.

God created us to work and He does have expectations.  In Business by the Book, the author seeks to make plain from the Book, i.e., the Bible, those expectations that God has for His children in the various arenas and venues of the everyday work environment.  Topics include defining true success, exercising authority, understanding the nature of my accountability to God, and others.

We can shoot each other, shout at each other, snub each other ... or try to understand each other. Different faith communities need to work hard at this understanding business.

One way we can do that is by reading one another’s scriptures. What do we discover? First, the religions do not teach the same things. But second, each urges at least one idea that is true and good. Stringing these together creates a path among the world religions that leads us home.

Each chapter proposes one metaphysical or spiritual reality of our universe, such as that God is worth knowing, we are both physical and spiritual beings, and the present moment is primary. Passages from one of the world’s religions then follow to elucidate each proposal.

Through such a first-hand introduction to different ideas and styles, the reader's mind opens to a neighbor's thinking and values. The book also suggests how Buddhist suffering, the Confucian ideal person, Jesus’ crucifixion, and the Native American love of nature, for example, can fit together. Sympathetic understanding can encourage more amicable co-existence and effective communication.

In October, 2015, Oprah Winfrey aired a documentary entitled Belief in which she attempted to validate the inner spiritual yearning she believes is common to all of humanity.  "We're all yearning for the same thing," she said, suggesting all human beings are looking for the answers to life's biggest questions: Why are we here? Where did it all come from? What does it all mean?

She skillfully profiled the faith practices of over two dozen people from around the globe and concluded: "All of these very human questions are rooted in a shared understanding across time and space, an understanding that our lives are both an undeniable miracle and an unsolved mystery, at least for now."

Oprah and I share a common faith, we are both Christians.  I have no reason to believe that she is not as committed as I am to "handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15b).  Therefore, when she concludes that the whole thing remains "an unsolved mystery," I am obliged to assume that there is more about the Christian faith she would like to understand.  Thus, in the spirit of explaining to her "the way of God more accurately" (Acts 18:26b), I write this book.

This book focuses on the medical physiology of Jesus’ death and analysis of hallucination hypotheses for the disciples’ belief in his resurrection. Jesus identified himself as the Son of God, meaning that he was God, and the Messiah of Hebrew prophecy. Who Jesus claimed to be is foundational to why his death is significant. Evidence is explored as to why the Gospels can be trusted as reliable and authentic eyewitness testimony. Review of the historical and political context provides insight into the events leading to Jesus’ execution. Roman crucifixion practices are described in detail.

Jesus’ cause of death was crucifixion, but the physiological mechanism that ultimately caused him to die has been a point of disagreement for centuries. This book provides medical commentary on the biblical descriptions of Jesus’ death and analyses of differing opinions for the physiologic mechanism that ultimately caused him to die. It further explains why Traumatic Hemorrhagic Shock is the most plausible mechanism.

This is the first book to provide a medical analysis of hallucination hypotheses for the disciples’ belief in Jesus resurrection. Hallucinations hypotheses are unable to logically explain away Jesus’ resurrection. This book provides a unique apologetic argument for the validity of the Gospel accounts of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Genre: Christian Apologetics

Target audience: College student and graduate

This is a book that tells the story (Kathy's story) of our neice who ended her life. 

The Setting and Purposes of the Book

 

Trying to understand what is going on in a person’s mind just prior to the final decision to end their own life seems beyond our grasp.  Often we are given information that attempts to explain the act of suicide; we are told of their depression, their pain, their grief.  We are even at times made aware of the contents of what is referred to as the ‘suicide note.’  The despair and finality involved when someone takes their life leaves those left behind grasping for information and answers.  These thoughts are true on a cognitive level as one who has been involved in pastoral care ministry for over 30 years; however, when the one who took her life was in our own family…

 

“Was there life before Contemporary Christian Music?” is a question that few under the age of 40 are able to answer with any certainty today. The so-called “worship wars” of recent years have polarised opinion and split congregations. Not that this should surprise us. Christian music has sparked controversy ever since its first mention in the book of Genesis.

The history of Christian music, in fact, closely mirrors the history of the Christian church, with leaders such as King David, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley, D.L. Moody and Billy Graham all contributing significantly to the genre.

In Matthew 13;52, Jesus said “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things that are new and fresh and things that are old and familiar.”  (Amplified Bible) Churches would do well to start drawing from the whole heritage of Christian music in their worship services. It is hoped that this book will provide them with the resources to do so.

A life in Christian ministry is supposed to be filled with prayer, preaching, teaching, counseling and serving others.  Has it, instead, become filled with meetings with bankers, accountants, business-minded donors, program expense and fundraising efficiency ratios?

God calls people with special gifts and talents to minister to others.  Their training, talents, skills and commitment, however, often thrust them into roles that require managing staff, programs, budgets, endowments, contracts, loans and balance sheets.  They are confident in their talents in ministry, but not in business and financial matters.  This book, Money for Good: Leading the Financial Function of Faith-based Nonprofit Organizations provides an overview of nonprofit financial management and leadership in simple language and concepts so that these leaders can direct these areas with more confidence.

The author distills the financial leadership of faith-based organizations into four fundamental roles: 1) being a servant leader committed to strong communication, 2) being a competent financial steward, 3) being a shrewd strategic planner, and 4) being a fierce guardian of the organization’s resources.

If you are an eleven- to fifteen-year-old girl in the United States or Canada today, you probably have dreams about the future--what you are going to be or do when you grow up. You probably know that you are valued and loved by your parents and grandparents. You have challenges, yes, but you also have almost limitless opportunities compared to many girls in other parts of the world. This book is the story of how you got to where you are. Rights and opportunities for girls are not automatic. They were slowly and sometimes painfully won. And this history of girls is actually part of a much larger story, the story of how God's kingdom project began and is still moving forward today. This story is cosmic in scope, but as you will see, each girl's role is vital. A History of Girls and How Jesus Made a Difference is a must-read for all girls who long to see how they fit into the big picture.

There is a world we cannot see. Although most Western cultures are happy to dismiss any idea of angels or demons as the stuff of imagination, the Bible asserts that they are real. You can read accounts of angelic visitations, temptations by Satan, possession by evil spirits, and the reality of fortune telling and sorcery. Perhaps this makes you uncomfortable; perhaps it fascinates or terrifies you.

This book will help Christians understand what the Bible has to say about angels, demons, evil spirits and spiritual warfare, including addressing questions like:

• Are angels real?
• How does Satan work in the world?
• Should Christians be afraid of Satan?
• Can Christians be possessed by evil spirits?
• Are Christians called to engage in spiritual warfare?
• How should Christians deal with the occult?

Investigating the unseen world through God’s word will help us be better informed and confident as we understand the victory of Christ more deeply as well as the security we have through faith in him.

"The Bread of Heaven" is a nonfiction general interest book about Jesus as a person.  Millions of people know Jesus as Lord, Savior, Messiah, and Son but do not know Jesus as Person.  I believe that by examing the words, deeds, character, and personality traits of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the New Testament from a psychological perspective we can know Jesus as a person.  We may come to see Jesus in a new light with new understanding.  My own journey to knowing Jesus for a second time began years ago while working as a clinical psychologist with an abandoned faith.  Although i treated many for depression, I  experienced a severe depression called dystymia.  My path to restortation of faith and abundant joy began with knowing Jesus for a second time by using a psychological perspective in my study of the gospel accounts. I came away with a new appreciation and a new perspective of the man Jesus.  I came to know Jesus as Person.  My objective in writing the book is to have those interested in Jesus, in the words of William Barclay, "see him more clearly, and for believers to love him more dearly."        

Attack dogs that didn’t attack; horrible collisions that almost happened, but didn’t; an injury that healed within an hour, eyeglasses retrieved from the rocky bottom of a deep lake within minutes of prayer. These, and fifty other examples of present-day miracles experienced by the author, give evidence to his belief that God still intervenes miraculously in the world. God protects, heals, leads, and sometimes even rebukes us as signs of his divine power and wisdom – and as signs of his loving compassion for people.

Going beyond just reporting such miracles, Pastor Eddy weighs them in the light of Scripture and deals with questions about counterfeit miracles, seeking miracles improperly, and the disappointment that comes when a prayed-for miracle does not happen.

Pastor Eddy believes you may have experienced such miracles yourself – without knowing it. He hopes this book will not only help you recognize such events in your life, but also encourage your faith. Join him and the prophet Samuel as they raise Ebenezers – memorial stones – to glorify the One whose miracles they are.

The purpose of this book is to equip the average Christian to effectively engage any unbeliever he meets with the gospel while answering objections raised against the Christian faith. As average Christians read the book, they will come to see that they have the ability to practice the proposed model and will be motivated to do so.

The book begins with a look at 1 Peter 3:15-16 and the call for each Christian to be prepared to give an answer to objections raised against the Christian faith. It then looks at God’s description of the heart and mind of every unbeliever. Once we understand that the unbeliever is suppressing the truth of God, we can begin to ask questions that challenge their unbelief. By setting in contrast the truth of Christ with the unbeliever’s worldview we can show how only the gospel truly answers the most important questions.

By understanding that the Holy Spirit is the one who changes hearts, we can be free to plant and water seeds of the gospel with no pressure, because it is not our job to convert anyone. This was Paul’s stated method in 1 Corinthians 3 and his practice throughout the book of Acts. We then look at simple ways to present the gospel clearly.

We touch on the basics of logic and show readers how to recognize and refute logical fallacies. Practical strategies for conversation are given, along with opportunities to respond to a case study so the reader can practice his growing skill. The book concludes with several chapters on the key doctrinal beliefs necessary for effective apologetic encounters.
 

Most people like stories with heroes, where good triumphs over evil, love is found and the ending is happy.  The question is why?  Referencing the works of Joseph Campbell, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis I have constructed a narrative apologetic based on a single story told and retold through out human history.  Using the movies to build my case, I help the reader see the recurring pattern of this single tale and how it points to the Christ.  At its core is a story of hope. The book focuses on a unique subject matter that most believers are unaware of and that non-beleivers should find intriguing.  Because most people watch and enjoy movies, the book offers a broad appeal to men and women both young and old. 

Most people picture heaven as billions of miles up above the earth. They also imagine angels as invisible beings floating around them with the ability to become visible at certain times. God is pictured as a powerful white-bearded man that hears everyone's prayers and has super powers. What if God actually dwelt in more dimensions than the three man lives in? What if angels lived in a higher dimension that allows them access to slip into man's three-dimensional realm? What if heaven was a real place with locality and dimensionality and it was one millimeter from where man is presently? What are higher spacial dimensions? What is more than on time dimension mean? This book takes a look at understanding what the next spatial dimension is and where it is located. The Bible assumes the spiritual realm as reality as it is seen from Genesis to Revelation. Science has in the last few hundred years opened the door to higher dimensions mathematically. This books shows where science and the Bible intersect and gives the reader a new look at the spiritual realm. You will never see God, heaven, hell, angels, or time the same again.

This work began as a weekly question-answer column in a local newspaper for more than twelve years.  With encouragement from readers and preacher/pastors, I selected seventy of these essays, edited and organized them under eleven general headings.

In confusion and doubt, both believers and unbelievers often ask questions about life today, faith in Jesus Christ and the manner they observe it in practice. Can I believe and trust God in view of the realities of our world today?  Is there real evidence that Jesus lived?  Can one live a sensible and practical life of faith in this present scientific world?  It has been my hope that this might instruct and fortify the faith of believers while helping create faith and overcome doubts in unbelievers.  Perhaps readers will see in these pages the wisdom and practical value in a life of faith in Jesus and his teachings.

These essays are not intended to be scholarly treatises.  Instead, they are brief, concise and to the point.  There is much more that can be said about any of these topics, and there are many questions that are not addressed.  This compendium on various topics might well serve as a reference work for Christians and a resource that can be shared with unbelievers.

The Missing Peace is a christian book focused on the journey of discovering peace through Jesus Christ amidst the chaotic and busy world we live in today. This book contains Scripture, Bible stories, and relatable personal stories all from a millennial perspective. The truth is that the only way to truly experience true and lasting peace is through Jesus and living in relationship to Him. Above all else, this is what I hope people will understand after reading my book: peace is attainable with, through, and in Jesus despite life's circumstances. I think my millennial perspective will set my writing apart as well as engage readers in different seasons of life while making peace feel possible. 

(Working Title: The Dream: God’s Messages in the Night Through the Ages) A woman in Texas is told in a dream to wake up and pray for her son. At that same moment, one thousand miles away, a gun pointed at her son’s head misfires and the man holding the gun, a robber, flees from the car. Another woman dreams that a fire engulfs her nephew’s home. Concerned, she wakes and prays for them. Several days later, her nephew’s home does burst into flames. He and his wife escape with their lives but lose everything in the fire. The dreams of these women and others mirror numerous dream experiences described in Scripture. In fact, dreams have been a rich part of human history from our very first written records in ancient Sumeria, to Abraham – the Bible’s first dreamer – to Paul the Apostle, St. Patrick, and numerous saints through the ages, including St. Francis of Assisi. Why do we dream? What do our dreams mean? Do they represent the stirrings of our psyche, a divine message, or something else? Does God speak to us in dreams? Are not dreams just a figment of our imaginations and last night’s pizza? These and other questions are addressed through a survey of the history of humanity and dreams, including the latest scientific research and interviews with modern-day dreamers.

Finding the Messiah, What the Magi Saw and More, © 2021 (abridged version) How did the Magi, those Wise Men of the east, find the Christ Child using the stars when no one else did? The story begins with the ancient star movements.  Before the Bible was written, the Bright Morning Star observed by Noah and his generation foreshadowed the Seed of the Woman: Immanuel, who is Jesus. Christ’s forefather, Jacob, foretold His coming.  Balaam prophesied of His star.  The Wise Men saw His star in the east.  They journeyed to Jerusalem, not knowing how or where to find Him, but confident of His birth.  King Herod sent them to Bethlehem in search of the Child. That night, hours before their expected morning departure from Jerusalem, the cloud cover lifted.  And the star reappeared, still at the Child in the constellation Virgo, the Virgin who bore the Bright Morning Star!  As they traveled to Bethlehem by starlight, it went before them, positioning over Virgo’s Child as they arrived at dawn.  Then they found the real Child and worshipped Him! What did they see?  How did they know?  Why only them?  Who was this Child?  Come and see!

The Birth and Appointed Times of the Messiah © 2021, (micro version; condensed from Finding the Messiah, What the Magi Saw and Much More, full version) All seven of the most important dates in Jesus Christ’s life occurred either on one of the appointed days or feasts in Leviticus chapter 23 or on an anniversary date of a key event in Jewish history, sometimes both.  All are described in Scripture.  Four of the seven are marked with rare and symbolic Sun, Moon, and/or star alignments.  Three of these alignments are described in Scripture. Foretold in the Scriptures, marked in the stars, lived amongst His people, but lost to mankind!  How could this be?  Come and see!

The First Passover, New Discoveries of the Astronomy and Date © 2021 This book uses biblical and historical records to determine the date of the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt.  Then it uses astronomy software to determine the Sun, Moon, and star alignments that occurred at the First Passover—the culminating event of one of the greatest deliverances in the Old Testament.  That midnight the Lord displayed His power in deliverances and judgments.  He spared all households that applied the blood of a substitute lamb to their doorposts but killed every firstborn son in all the other households of Egypt.  Simultaneously, He also judged all the gods of Egypt.  The next morning the Jews left as a freed people. Incredible as it seems, God left evidence in the sky.  The Moon, analogous to Pharaoh’s firstborn son for those who worshiped it, turned blood red in total eclipse as judgment occurred.  The correlation and prophetic symbolism of this eclipse have been lost until now, but not anymore.

Biblical Shavuot Revealed, © 2021 The Feast of Shavuot (Hebrew for weeks) is the neglected biblical celebration of God’s greatest gifts to mankind.  Fully appreciated, it should be a seven-day annual celebration of the birth of the Messiah, the empowerment by the Holy Spirit, the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants, and the bountiful harvests that feed mankind.  The feast is frequently called Pentecost, Shavuot, and the Feast of Weeks.  Hebrew Scriptures, logic, one second-century BC example, and two New Testament examples define and illustrate the duration and start date. Shavuot is the reason Bethlehem was jam-packed with visitors on the night of Jesus’ birth.  Moses and Joshua chose the first Shavuot to celebrate God keeping His promises to Abraham’s descendants.  The Christian church began on the first day of this feast.  The great grain harvests are celebrated in this feast.  In short, it’s the celebration of the greatest gifts from God; yet very few, if any, fully implement or understand it.  Welcome to biblical Shavuot revealed!

This is a memoir of encouragement helping the reader develop a personal devotional time with God. The author takes us on her journey of starts and failures toward building devotions and inspires readers to develop their own individual growth and style. It is also teaching the QUEST method as a start and guide: Quieting oneself, Unpacking reading, Enlisting ears to hear, Speaking with God, and Taking it down in a journal. Then too, as we move through these chapters, we discover that God has been next to us from the beginning loving, holding, and leading. Come take this journey with the author toward developing the habit of doing daily devotions with depth of meaning and living in the Father’s embrace. Our journey through this book is compared to the trek of a horseback ride along forested trails toward a mountaintop—toward the ultimate in living in communion with God. Come take this journey along with the author.

I have completed a manuscript about nine amazing women who, through the power of their own storytelling prevented a revolution in England. Motivated by their Christian conviction, these remarkable women overcame incredible obstacles to start Sunday and charity schools for the poor to teach children to read, and they saw their own writing--whether it was stories for children, political tracts, or journalism--as a tool for moral education of the masses. Between 1760 and 1860, in a period of threatening moral decline these women, many of them overlooked by contemporary literary scholars, were vital to England's progress in terms of character education and social reform. My book offers a concise and accessible overview of nine writers, along with two introductory chapters that offer important historical context. The short profiles are a mix of biography and literary criticism, and the text is interspersed with portraits, illustrations, and numerous excerpts from published works. It will serve as a great coffee table book that will appeal to both general readers and specialists who are interested in literary history, women's history, and the history of children's literature.

For millennia, Doug Einfeld’s Jewish ancestral family endured unspeakable adversity and the continual threat of annihilation.  As he unearths the harrowing story of their survival, he discovers the ever-present hidden hand of ancient Israel’s God. Their story begins in antiquity during the biblical era of Abraham and ends in seventeenth-century Germany.  It provides a behind-the-scenes view of everyday Jewish life during biblical Old Testament, Intertestamental, and New Testament times.  It retraces their near-annihilation by the Roman empire and their eventual migratory journey from Palestine to Italy -- and then from Italy to Germany.  It recounts their subjection to brutal anti-Jewish terrorism during the Middle Ages.  And it concludes with their arrival in remote northern Germany as expelled refugees fleeing a pogrom elsewhere in that country. Perils of all sorts were scattered along their path: deadly famines; ravaging socio-economic conditions; subjugation by foreign powers; Jewish civil war and religious strife; tyranny, bigotry, terrorism, and warfare.   Miraculously, they survived.  Undeterred by fear and tragedy, they clung to faith and hope, pursuing opportunity and freedom in defiance of impoverishing and repressive forces. Readers will: Be captivated by the riveting drama of the Jewish peoples’ journey through history. Tour behind the scenes of everyday life during biblical times and gain a refreshing new perspective on what it was like. Discover enriching new insights regarding the Jewish foundations of Christianity, the person and mission of Jesus, the beginnings of the Jewish Jesus movement, the formation of the New Testament Gospels, how and why Christianity and Judaism split and went their separate ways, and more. Witness an often-hidden disturbing reality about medieval life in Europe -- a persistent, rampant, genocidal anti-Semitism, and be persuaded to remain vigilant against its susceptibility to historical recurrence. Be inspired by the enduring faithfulness of the God of the Bible, and be encouraged to keep trusting him in the face of calamity.