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title: Among Kings
author: Joey O
category: fiction • subcategory: historical • date submitted: 9.22.2021 • author id: O'JoAm23521
word count: 123000
ContentIn 1890, missionary explorers William Sheppard and Samuel Lapsley risk everything to save the Congo nation, forcing the first international human rights trial between Belgium and America. Among Kings is a historical fiction drama about William Sheppard, the first African American missionary to the Congo, who rescues the entire nation enslaved by King Leopold II of Belgium. Traveling 1,000 miles up the Congo River with Samuel Lapsley—his white missionary companion—Sheppard overcomes deadly fevers, dangerous animals, and cannibal tribes to become a famous explorer honored by kings, queens, and presidents. Armed with a camera, he exposes widespread Congo atrocities to the world. His greatest test comes when the king accuses him of slander, leading to the first international human rights trial. His worst fear is not prison but leaving the enslaved Congolese people, his wife and daughter alone in a land ruled by a ruthless tyrant. Among Kings explores themes of good versus evil, love and betrayal, forgiveness and revenge.
About the AuthorJoey O’Connor is the author of twenty books (Thomas Nelson, Word, Baker/Revell Books). He is also a screenwriter with his screenwriting partner, Ken Straw. Joey and Ken’s screenplay, Among Kings (originally titled The Congo Redemption) has won five screenwriting awards in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City and Virginia. Joey is the founder of The Grove Center for the Arts & Media, a Southern California arts organization. He is also the President of the Congo Reform Association, a non-profit whose mission is to use story, film and social media to help end the Congo Conflict and produce a self-sustaining thriving Congo. Joey lives with his wife and family in San Clemente, California. He likes to go to the beach and compete in Ironman triathlons.
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title: The Realm of Relationship
author: Joseph H
category: nonfiction • subcategory: spiritualgrowth • date submitted: 9.20.2021 • author id: HeJoTh24821
word count: 68000
ContentThe purpose of this book is to help men and women enter into the kind of relationship with God as described in the Bible. The following scripture passage shows the focus for this book. Matthew 22: 36 -40, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?â€Â Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.†If all of the law and prophets are founded upon these two commandments, then relationship is the foundation for of all of life.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Together Forever... No Matter What!
author: Charity C
category: fiction • subcategory: children • date submitted: 9.20.2021 • author id: ClChTo24221
word count: 497
ContentEnter into the honest conversation of an adopted child with his mother. He lost his first family and worries that he could lose this one too. Is there something he could do or say, someplace he could run, some big feeling that he could feel that would cause him to lose this family, too? See how his mother patiently puts his fear at ease and assures him that this family will be together forever… no matter what!
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: The Ultimate Donor
author: Jack A
category: nonfiction • subcategory: theology • date submitted: 9.20.2021 • author id: AnJaTh23621
word count: 44000
ContentJesus is known for being a Savior, Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, King and Rabbi. But what about Jesus as a heart donor? More specifically, the Ultimate Donor? Using the medical marvel of heart transplantation as a metaphor, Jack Anderson illustrates that God has always been interested in the transformation of the heart (will) of his human creation. Early in the biblical story we discover that humanity has a diseased sin-sick heart. God’s prophets declared time after time the importance of a heart change. The human heart is so sick, in fact, that it needs to be replaced. Every heart transplant requires the death of a donor. However, unlike medical transplants, Jesus died only once and for all! God has made the heart of Christ available to all who accept and confess the grim diagnosis that they have a sin-sick heart. The Ultimate Donor follows the phases of heart transplantation (diagnosis, transplantation and post-transplant life) to convey that God has given humanity a chance for new life through the death of Jesus.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Leveling Up: Adoptive Parents and the Adult Adoptee
author: Christina R
category: nonfiction • subcategory: familyissues • date submitted: 9.20.2021 • author id: ReChLe23621
word count: 43696
ContentParenting the adopted child into adulthood can be challenging because of the trauma a child experienced before or during the adoption experience. This trauma can make it difficult for an adopted child to trust their parents. During the transition to adulthood, the young adult often needs to problem solve with parents, return to parents for support and refuge when the world is a hard place. When the adopted child struggles to trust their parents as a safe place, this often leaves them feeling alone in the launch. This book can help families to understand why the launch is so challenging, based in an understanding of trauma. It provides ways for parents to stay connected to their child, for the adult adoptee to understand the role of parents and family in launching, and practical tools and tips about accessing services and supports for the whole family. The authors share their personal stories, as adoptive mothers who have launched adoptees to adulthood, paired with clinical psychoeducation and recommendations. All of this is presented through the lens of faith, how our relationship with God sustained us and what the examples in the Bible teach us about parenting.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: The Gas Station Girl
author: Todd D
category: fiction • subcategory: general • date submitted: 9.11.2021 • author id: DaToTh22321
word count: 57000
ContentWhen sixteen-year-old John finds an incoherent young woman stumbling around a gas station late at night trying to get into random cars, the advice from his older sister Sophie – the matriarch of his parentless family – is to open his car door. If the young woman gets in, bring her home. She gets in. Alia, a seventeen-year-old sex trafficking victim, learns that with help from her new friends, the journey to a new life is possible, even if a little bumpy. It is a heartwarming and humorous story that covers some of the challenges of fitting back into “normal” life and overcoming the stigma of her past. The family that takes in Alia is comprised of three siblings who were orphaned three years earlier, and the oldest sibling’s husband. They are 20-year-old Sophie and her husband Ty, 16-year-old John, and 14-year old Emi.
About the AuthorI’m a new author and father of three older teenagers. I live with my wife in Cypress, Texas (a Houston suburb), which is the setting for The Gas Station Girl and my self-published novel, The Trailer Behind the Garage, which was released in June 2021. The Gas Station Girl is a stand-alone sequel of the first book. I spent two years in Japan in the early 1990s as a Journeyman missionary with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. While I was getting used to Asian culture, the Chinese student who would become my wife was getting used to American culture. We met at church and have been getting used to each other ever since. I am currently a manager in the Global Trade practice at an accounting firm. I have a Bachelor's degree from Houston Baptist University and an MBA from the Jones School at Rice University.
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Meeting Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount
author: Gary G
category: fiction • subcategory: biblical • date submitted: 9.9.2021 • author id: GaGaMe22221
word count: 91667
ContentIn Tiberias, the capital of Galilee, a young woman, Miriam, struggles to free her wealthy father, Benjamin, who has been imprisoned by Antipas. His crime? Refusing to destroy the only written scroll of the Nazarene's words from Seven Springs. Parosh, the head of the local Pharisees, who failed in his plotting against this new teacher that day, is instead targeting those like Miriam and her father, who are supporting the teacher with their readings of his words and spreading the story of the Pharisees’ defeat. The powerful religious leader won’t be satisfied until their scroll is destroyed and Miriam and her father are dead. A disgraced alcoholic, Daniel, who was trained by Parosh and owes him a life debt, has negotiated an agreement with the palace on behalf of Miriam, an agreement saving himself from debt slavery to Parosh and freeing Miriam’s father from prison. Before honoring that agreement, however, Miriam has arranged one last reading of the Seven Springs scroll, a reading with others who played key roles there and interacted with the Nazarene and the Pharisees. Their combined memories shed new light on what was secretly taking place that day, starting a series of events that will reshape Roman and Judean politics and change the course of our world.
About the AuthorGary Gagliardi’s forty published books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have been translated into a dozen languages. He has won book award recognition for ten titles, generating hundreds of radio and TV book interviews. He has authored thousands of articles on the Greek of Jesus’s words at ChristsWords.com. His articles on Rediscovering Jesus’s Words on Substack have over four thousand subscribers. His play We Saw His Sermon on the Mount was published two years ago by Eldridge Christian Plays and Musicals.
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Piercing the Veil
author: Larry V
category: nonfiction • subcategory: theology • date submitted: 8.28.2021 • author id: VaLaPi20821
word count: 99.700
ContentComing to the realization that God exists, that God controls the universe, that we have no way to save ourselves from God's wrath because of our sins, and that we need a Savior to pay our sin debt are the afflictions for which all humanity struggles. Piercing the Veil is a comprehensive guide to knowing that God exists, knowing who God is by knowing His attributes, knowing His covenant of grace made with man, knowing His plan of redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ, knowing that the Spirit of God is the guarantee and down payment of our salvation, and knowing God in Jesus Christ in salvation.
About the AuthorDr. Larry Vass is a retired dentist, an ordained minister, and a retired pastor who holds two advanced degrees beyond a DDS: an MDiv and a PhD in Theology. He served as pastor of a small congregation for over 4 years, a co-pastor of another church for 6 months, and co-pastor of a third church for over 2 years. He has taught mixed adult Sunday School classes for over 4 years and disciple classes for 4 years. When a dentist, he published an article in a respected dental journal on the malady TMD and distributed a book he had writtten on the TMD malady to every patient he treated over the course of 40 years. Dr. Vass has self-published 4 books: 2 theology books, an historical novel, and a memoir. Dr. Vass is adding to his online presence with a recently established blog.
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Passover Structure of the Biblical Hebrew Calendar Day
author: Brian H
category: nonfiction • subcategory: academic • date submitted: 8.28.2021 • author id: HoBrPa20821
word count: 75000
ContentTraditionally, students of the Bible held that the Hebrew calendar day extended from evening to evening. In recent years, however, the consensus on the biblical day has largely shifted, under the influence of critical methodologies among other factors, from evening to morning inception so much so that some scholars now speak as if the matter lies beyond debate. Without discounting the biblical support for morning inception, this study revisits the evidence for evening inception, arguing that an even stronger case can be made for this time system. By examining the literary and temporal framework of the accounts of two foundational events in the history of biblical Israel, the Exodus in Exodus 12-13 and the giving of manna in Exodus 16, it will be demonstrated that the two original religious observances given to the nation, the Passover and Hag hamatzot (the Feast of Unleavened Bread) not only confirmed their covenant relationship with the Lord and facilitated their departure from Egypt. They also provided a lasting template for the seven-day Hebrew week and for an evening-based Hebrew calendar day. Without resolving all the questions or complexities, this study aspires to broaden again the range of discussion on the Hebrew calendar day.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: The Journey: A blueprint of how God is working to accomplish His purposes in us
author: Gary K
category: nonfiction • subcategory: spiritualgrowth • date submitted: 8.23.2021 • author id: KhGaTh20321
word count: 45000
ContentDay by day, God is using the journey of life to build us up and forge us into the image and likeness of His Son. Abraham was a man who went on a journey, and from his journey we catch glimpses of how God shaped him. We can learn a thing or two about the processing of God from Abraham’s life that may help us on our own journeys.
About the AuthorGary Khan is a second-generation pastor. He graduated from Bible College in 1990 and has pastored at the same church for the last 31 years, 10 as the youth pastor and the remainder as the lead pastor. Gary is an occasional writer for The Message of the Open Bible (the magazine for his denomination). He also serves as a coach for pastors and leaders in his denomination and is a member of the National Board of Directors. The Journey is the result of a desire to encourage and inspire people to live fully in the calling and purposes of God for their lives as well as to encourage and coach other church pastors and leaders.
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: THE DREAM TRAIN
author: Terry T
category: fiction • subcategory: biblical • date submitted: 8.17.2021 • author id: TrTeTH19721
word count: 64000
ContentWhat begins as a simple dream escalates into a fascinating journey aboard the Ecclesia Express, a train like no other that transports passengers to Calvary and then ultimately to the Shining City. This story is told in the spirit of Pilgrim’s Progress as it captures one person’s quest in first coming to faith in The Prince of Peace and then continuing on to the promised world to come. The unique feature of this story is the fellow passengers on board. It is likely that many readers will know some of them, for they are the composers of the hymns and spiritual songs that have inspired generations of believers. The wonder of this work is that it may not be a dream at all.
About the AuthorDr. Terry Tramel is the Director of Global Outreach & Leadership Development for the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. He is the author of “The Beauty of the Balance: Toward an Evangelical – Pentecostal Theology,” published by LifeSprings Resources. He is in his 44th year of preaching ministry. He served 15 years on the full-time faculty of Southwestern Christian University as Professor of Bible & Theology. He has ministered in numerous conferences and camp meetings across the United States, as well as in several other countries.
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Emily Rose Goes Outside
author: Michelle W
category: fiction • subcategory: children • date submitted: 8.10.2021 • author id: WaMiEm19121
word count: 1100
ContentEmily Rose is a little girl who loves to play next to the ravine near her home. Today she hopes to find a frog or a salamander in the mud next to the water's edge. When she reaches her favorite spot at the bottom of the steps, someone calls her name. It's Jesus! He's been waiting there for her, and opens His arms wide in welcome. Together they share a joyful, loving moment, in which Jesus shows Emily Rose a special gift. He gives her a beautiful stone that has been created for her long before she was born. Jesus gives Emily Rose the joy of the wind, a breeze that rustles the trees and makes them clap their hands. After He affirms His love for her, and Emily Rose accepts this most precious gift. He leaves her with the promise of His home in her heart. Emily Rose will never be the same!
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Exploit! Maximizing the Strengths of the Small Church
author: Ron K
category: nonfiction • subcategory: churchissues • date submitted: 7.30.2021 • author id: KlRoEx18221
word count: 26000
ContentWorking title: Exploit! Maximizing the Strengths of the Small Church This title comes from Dr. Mark Rossi, COO of the Hopedale Medical Complex, a thriving medical community in a town of less than 1,000 people. People regularly drive by the large, premier downstate hospital in Illinois to seek medical help 30 minutes away in this small place. Spend a few minutes with Dr. Rossi and you will hear him sing the praises of their medical community without even a hint of inferiority because of size. To the contrary, at some point Dr. Rossi will say, “We exploit the fact that we are small and rural!†Through the blending of rich “small theology†with corresponding practical outcomes, Exploit! convinces the reader that small size is not a liability but a trait begging to be exploited. Readers will see that their-size church is well-suited for fulfilling God’s mission and in fact has advantages. Exploit! does not pit small against big; it is not about what size is best but about how to be the best given the size that one’s church is. Rather than trying to imitate large churches, small churches do well to study themselves and their communities, and then prayerfully design ministries uniquely suited for their size, place, and time.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Return to Me, A Journey Back Home to the Father's Heart
author: Shanna F
category: nonfiction • subcategory: academic • date submitted: 7.30.2021 • author id: FrShRe18121
word count: 45341
ContentJoin me on a journey to follow the footsteps of the Israelites on their way home from Babylon. The Lord sent warning after warning for His children to return to Him with all of their hearts and to forsake the idols in their lives, but time and again they ignored the warnings until it was too late. The Lord sent His beloved community into exile for the sins they had committed with a promise that after seventy years He would bring them back to the land of Israel. We know that the Lord had good plans for Israel, even in their time of discipline. He used those seventy years of living in a foreign land to rid His people of their misplaced affections. Return to Me begins with the Israelites return home from Babylon. Some of the topics covered are addressing the idols in our lives, unity in the body of Christ, how to persevere in the face of opposition, and walking in obedience to the Lord’s call on your life.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Dining with Jesus
author: Kate J
category: nonfiction • subcategory: biblestudy • date submitted: 7.29.2021 • author id: JaKaDi17921
word count: 39810
ContentThis guide aims to aid Christians, individually or in small groups, to take a closer look at seven of the meals Jesus attended, focusing on what Jesus was trying to communicate through them; either in the food eaten or in the social interactions he had while dining. Each session examines set Bible passage(s), frequently considering them through the lens of the stories and teachings that bookend the meal. When appropriate, the sessions also explore the meals in light of parallels found in the Old Testament and bring out Jesus’ role in fulfilling God’s rescue plan for humanity. The sessions also pose questions that support Christians in reflecting upon their own lives and how they can further incorporate Jesus’ teachings into them. This guide brings into one user-friendly volume a range of ideas that these meals explore, including God’s grace, what real purity means, how Jesus equips us to further his Kingdom, the purpose of Jesus’ miracles and the nature of Jesus’ Messiahship, as well as current interpretations of these occasions of commensality and the relevance of their historical and social context. The language is easy to understand, and readers do not need extensive prior knowledge of the subject to engage with the material.
About the AuthorI have been a house group leader/teacher for the past four years and have created materials for my local Methodist church. For this role I have utilised the skills I gained through obtaining a first-class English Literature degree and a distinction for my PGCE with a literacy and ESOL specialism. In addition, my experience as a teacher and specialist English tutor has stood me in good stead when adapting and preparing learning materials for my house group. As I am on a weekly basis engaged with potential readers and the community that my book is targeting, I feel my hands-on experience has enabled me to see the type of materials that would encourage engagement, learning, knowledge, and life application. I have had two books in an unrelated field published by the British Library, and I am dedicated and serious blogging analyst of classic crime fiction. Out of this role I have been asked to speak at a national conference at the British Library twice and will be speaking at the International Agatha Christie festival in September 2021. I have already obtained two endorsements for my study guide from Dr Andrew Ollterton, author of The Bible: A Story that Makes Sense of Life (Hodder) and from the Bishop of Dunedin, Steven Benford (New Zealand).
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Colorful in God's Image: A Biblical Celebration of Racial Diversity for Little Ones
author: Grace A
category: nonfiction • subcategory: children • date submitted: 7.22.2021 • author id: ArGrCo17121
word count: 500
ContentColorful In God's Image is a nonfiction picture book that celebrates racial diversity from a biblical perspective, intended for readers aged 4-8. Following the creation narrative, the text explores the rainbow colors in the world around us and then the diverse skin colors that God beautifully imprints on His people - from ebony to ivory and all in between. Referencing Genesis 1:26-27, it declares the resounding biblical truth that every skin color has been made in the image of God! Lyrically beautiful and biblically faithful, this rhyming picture book presents the complex topic of racial diversity in kid-friendly language that is much needed today.
About the AuthorGrace Ann is an elementary educator turned mama to a multicultural family with 2 children under 2, through birth and adoption. Through my professional and personal experience teaching and nurturing young children from a variety of racial backgrounds, I know the value and importance of multicultural books exploring the topic of race from a Christian perspective. I have written this debut picture book after positive feedback from potential readers and famous influencers.
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title: When God Said Hello
author: Rachel B
category: nonfiction • subcategory: spiritualgrowth • date submitted: 7.21.2021 • author id: BoRaWh17121
word count: 45000
ContentWhat if we’ve misunderstood the greatest introduction ever written? The creation story was a radical (and true!) way to introduce the ancient world to God’s character and priorities, but often we approach it as a science manual. Discover how God makes His introduction using an out-of-print genre designed to speak directly to the ancient Israelites. When we set aside our modern concern with the how of creation and focus on the Who, we can gain a dynamic understanding of our Creator’s character and, in the process, meet God as we never have before. Join veteran Bible-Study teacher and Master of Divinity student Rachel Booth Smith as she adopts the mindset of a holy eavesdropper and leans over ancient Israelites’ shoulders as God tells Israel who He is. Using archaeology findings, language discoveries, and genre exploration, Smith shares insights that have not been widely introduced to the greater Bible-reading public. When God Said Hello, is for those who want to steward the Word as sacred literature, and also want an approachable, faithful, and scholarly understanding of creation.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: The Disciple Dilemma (How Christian Traditions Are Bankrupting Discipleship)
author: Dennis A
category: nonfiction • subcategory: spiritualgrowth • date submitted: 7.21.2021 • author id: AlDeTh16921
word count: 80000
ContentSynopsis: The studies and the newspaper headlines tell us something is amiss for followers of Christ. Desertion, disunity, timidity, nationalism, spectatorship and abuses, among others, are demonstrable, common and close by in our Christian communities. Christ told his people to make disciples. Christian culture, traditionally, produces members. Which is one small tradition with large consequences for discipleship. And that tradition, along with several others, looking back over sixteen hundred years have too often bankrupted Biblical discipling. What are these traditions that silence, shun or slough off discipleship? How do they get a pass as good and right and normal in Christian community?  Do we stick with culture and traditions we own today and hope it all gets better? Or, do we need to think about a massive reboot for our faith communities to flourish discipleship? Welcome to the disciple dilemma. Gap Analysis: This is a book aiming at a gap. Of the contemporary discipling books we’ve researched the published material clumps largely in one of three points on a triangle, with an empty space, the gap we want to address, in the middle, where The Disciple Dilemma is positioned. The gap, we argue, is the root cause in declining discipleship. One point on the triangle would be books talking to the behavioral aspects of discipleship, meaning personal growth and behaviors for an individual as a disciples. In other words, “Here’s how to be a better disciple.†My favorite examples in this space are Dann Spader, Four Chair Discipling, (Chicago, Moody, 2014), Bill Hull, The Complete Book of Discipleship (Navpress, 2009), Hugh Hewitt, The Embarrassed Believer (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998) and Francis Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live?, (Ada, MI, F.H. Revell, 1976) The second point of the triangle represents books defining programs and techniques leaders can utilize. “Use these tools and fix or improve your group discipleship efforts.â€Â Books I think about in this space are Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger, Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples (Nashville: B&H Books, 2011), Chuck Broughton, Design for Discipleship, (Colorado Springs: The Navigators, 1973, 1980, 2006), Sherry Weddell Forming Intentional Disciples (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 2012). The third point of the triangle represents books about contemporary, or at least fairly contemporary diagnostics, looking at the societal trends that are eroding churches, parents and missionaries’ discipling efforts. “We have to fix these big issues to get at better disciples, and at better Christianity.†Recent books speaking to this area of the triangle illustration are Rod Dreher, The Benedict Option, (New York: Penguin Random House, 2017), R.R. Reno, Return of the Strong Gods, (Washington D.C.: Regnery Gateway, 2019), Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove, Reconstructing The Gospel, (Downers Grove: IVP Books). Where’s the gap? The middle space outlined by those three triangulated points. In other words, the gap is in talking to the crucial role leaders play to conform a Christian community toward personal discipling, toward disciple making and toward dealing with the supporting parts to flourish discipleship. Leaders are the change agents in defining mission and culture – the driving force in any community trying to make people better, stronger and more mature. No one seems to be coaching leaders on that role – which is absolutely not the role of making disciples, but supporting them. I’m concerned many theologians and even their lay leadership have little grasp about forming organizations that motivate missionally focused disciples. That sounds odd probably, since churches and para-churches always talk about missions. But getting leadership to stay in their appointed lane so as to flourish a supporting organization (versus running a kind of mass production discipling factory) is a rarely addressed issue. This is to say leaders must intentionally develop and sustain an organization about disciples if disciples are to flourish and make disciples. This kind of organizational definition is my professional space.  Helping organizations grasp their real mission, get the right people doing the right things, and max-performing the results through people. Leadership does not have the responsibility to make disciples in the Bible. Disciples of all stripes are to make disciples. A closer look at that critical nuance, which is Christ’s mission for individuals and the New Testament’s teaching on Christian community seems to be missing from the books we see on the shelves and servers about discipleship. The Disciple Dilemma surveys many of the wonderful books on being a disciple, the books on program-based discipling and the books on big issues and causes impeding discipleship. That gap, in the paucity of books describing old traditions that proved unworkable toward discipling (but the traditional way to keep the excitement, and peace) is the place to focus.  In my view there are few talking about this gap, with the most closely aligned example being Carl Wilson, With Christ in the School of Disciple Building (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978). Target market This book is written for formal and informal leaders in Christian communities. Pastors of course, but equally, men and women who lead in small group and in youth settings, and as ministers, elders, deacons, trustees and Boards. We think leaders will resonate with this material, recognizing the significant exodus among the so-called Dones and Nones, and trying to work with spectators, woke and woeful alike. A recurring theme among pastors we engaged with was “we don’t really understand why discipleship does not take, and we don’t know how to change thatâ€. The Disciple Dilemma is intended to look at the trends, numbers and stories that make believers go quiet in the marketplaces, go inert in spiritual growth, or remain unwilling to talk about the reason for the hope within them with people. The Disciple Dilemma offers a path forward for leaders to escape the dilemma’s effects, to recenter mission, culture, strategy and execution in their communities, reinstating the fuller life of disciples, to live as Christ called us to live in personal sanctification and making more disciples.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Chronic Grace: Prayers for Thorns That Stay
author: Julie R
category: nonfiction • subcategory: devotional • date submitted: 7.19.2021 • author id: RhJuCh17221
word count: 50000
ContentEverybody has a thorn or will someday soon. A chronic illness. A difficult relationship. A persistent heartache. Some days our thorns are totally bewildering; some days we feel restless or fearful; other days our thorns leave us hungry for soul nourishment, or perhaps even with a sense of quiet acceptance. In March of 2020, Julie Rhodes was a healthy 30-something with a husband, two kids, a pug, and a professional acting career. A month later, she would be fighting an illness that her health team would come to believe was probably COVID-19. For the next year, the illness would continue to plague her with debilitating symptoms that would be further complicated by a cancer scare and surgery. Julie’s thorn had arrived. This memoir-devotional is a collection of stories and prayers from Julie’s health journey designed to help you navigate the ups and downs of your particular thorn and discover the enduring grace that ultimately will outlast it.
About the AuthorI am a writer and actor in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. I write regularly for the Tanglewood Moms blog (over 15,000 unique visitors per month) and for MadeWorthy Magazine (circulation of 40,000). I graduated from Texas A&M University in 2003 summa cum laude with a B.A. in English. From 2010-2017, I wrote and edited for Chatter magazine, a publication of Irving Bible Church in Irving, TX. I also perform regularly on many professional regional stages, and I am currently filming a TV series in development (working title: Beneath the Trees) in which I play an abused wife and mom trying to escape a dangerous husband. My father, Andy McQuitty, was senior pastor at Irving Bible Church for 32 years and is the author of Notes from The Valley: A Spiritual Travelogue Through Cancer and The Way to Brave (Moody Publishers).
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: It Could Be Angels
author: Melissa S
category: fiction • subcategory: children • date submitted: 7.18.2021 • author id: StMeIt16821
word count: 325
ContentIf you get a fright, and suddenly fireflies encircle you in light, It Could Be Angels helping. This 321-word inspirational picture book introduces a transcendent subject in a straightforward and uncomplicated manner. Angels surround you, love you unconditionally, and want you to be happy. Read from a loved one’s perspective, this manuscript explores scenarios in which it could be angels helping and creates an invitation for children to be aware of their presence.
About the AuthorMelissa Stiveson's debut picture book, Wishes of the World, is scheduled for a March 2023 publication release with Sleeping Bear Press. She continue to hone her writing skills as a CBI member, through conferences, critique groups, online classes, and as a 2020 #PBChat mentee to author Annemarie Riley Guertin. In addition, three of Melissa's stories received Honorable Mentions from the Writer’s Digest 87th - 89th annual competitions.
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: When Skies are Gray
author: Leanne L
category: fiction • subcategory: children • date submitted: 7.14.2021 • author id: LuLeWh16421
word count: 45000
ContentWhen Lizzy Richter’s father left his family to find work in Chicago during the Depression, no one expected him to stay away for good. Three years later, no one expects him to return. Now Daddy is back, and he’s not alone. Besides a scrawny dog named Doorknob, there’s Myron, a shell-shocked veteran from the Great War. Daddy is a vet himself, and he’s determined to get Myron safely back to his family. But the two of them are out of food, they’re almost out of money, and there’s an officer of the law looking for them. They need Lizzy’s help. No one else knows Daddy is back, so Lizzy reluctantly agrees to keep his return a secret and help Myron. Daddy promises he’ll come home to stay when Myron is safe, but after three years of silence, can Lizzy trust his word? Can God really change a man the way Daddy says he’s been changed? Despite Lizzy’s best efforts, some secrets are impossible to keep. When her family learns that Daddy is back, she is caught in a firestorm amidst the people she loves most. Lizzy realizes her decision to trust and forgive the father she still loves might come with a price.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Word Kids - A Story Devotional
author: Karen J
category: fiction • subcategory: children • date submitted: 7.14.2021 • author id: JeKaWo16421
word count: 26000
ContentWord Kids is a read-aloud 31 day story devotional (hopefully followed by at least one more volume) for children ages 5-12. Each day follows the experiences, adventures, and challenges of ten year old twins Jake and Emma Anderson as they learn to apply God's Word to everyday life.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Summer School: An `80s Story
author: Daniel M
category: fiction • subcategory: youngadult • date submitted: 6.30.2021 • author id: MuDaSu15121
word count: 54000
ContentA young college student born into a world of wealth and self-centeredness is independent enough to see the limits of this secular world, and the reader watches his friends show him that Christianity offers sanctuary from some of its foolishness. He participates in the unraveling of a big financial scheme involving his family’s business, watches a young friend lurch from one secular worldview to another, and all this occurs as we watch him fall in love. It is a humorous, literary novel with a mildly religious message set in this grasping, self-centered world. (It might be called Christianity for Cynics.) It draws inspiration from the G.K. Chesterton observation that “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing – they believe anything.” I call the novel Summer School because the action that our young narrator seeks to understand takes place during a single summer.
About the AuthorDaniel C. Munson has quite a bit of nonfiction writing and publishing experience: he has written over a dozen articles in national business, technology, and financial magazines and has written and promoted a regional history book. His social media presence is small and will require help/guidance to expand it: a Facebook page and developing a Facebook Author page. Summer School is his first attempt at fiction writing.
If you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Transforming Blue Culture to Save Black Lives
author: Timothy Paul J
category: nonfiction • subcategory: currentissues • date submitted: 6.23.2021 • author id: JoTiTr15121
word count: 57000
ContentNearly all attempts to reduce police brutality have focused on external factors such as rules, policies, and punishments. Such reforms may be needed, but a far more important factor has been overlooked: the internal culture of police departments. The internal culture of police departments contributes to social distance, unchecked power, and social structures that negatively stereotype persons from ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans. Changes in leadership can result in changes in culture that can transform these internal dynamics. This book provides a solution that shows how police officers can serve as shepherds of their communities rather than merely enforcers of law and order. The book is grounded in the research and experiences of an inner-city pastor and a twenty-year veteran of a Cleveland-area police department, both of whom are husbands and fathers of multiracial families. The solutions that Dan and Timothy provide are steadfastly theological and grounded in their Christian faith; at the same time, their solutions are applicable and transferable far beyond those who are Christians.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
title: Open, Ready, Brave: In Pursuit of God's Call
author: Mark M
category: nonfiction • subcategory: spiritualgrowth • date submitted: 6.22.2021 • author id: MoMaOp14621
word count: 15000
ContentDiscerning the call of God is one of the most pressing tasks in the Christian life. For many Christians, the quest for God’s call feels like a never-ending treasure hunt, rife with danger, detours, and fake gold. Adolescence, middle age, and later life seasons offer new and unknown questions and invite us to seek again and again the call of God. Many find discovering the call of God in these seasons difficult. Life’s questions overwhelm us. Fear and indecision set in. The many directions life can take create a sort of paralysis, a motionless fear of choosing the wrong direction. Open, Ready, Brave provides practical wisdom on how to discover and pursue the call of God in every life stage. First, we must open ourselves to hear the call of God. Second, we must be willing and ready to act when called. And finally, we must take action with courage and confidence. God is calling. Be open. Be ready. Be brave.
About the AuthorIf you are a publisher interested in this manuscript, please contact us at info@writersedgeservice.com for contact information.
