Books by John Sawyer

Keep in mind as you read Paul's writing that you are hearing what Paul wrote, but may not have a full grasp of the problem to which he is speaking. It is like hearing one side of a telephone conversation. It is reading letters that are responses to letters received; problems heard about; and personal concerns and truth that Paul desires to convey to the readers. The purpose of this study is to help the reader get a better grasp of Paul's story and through meditation and questioning discover ways to be a better follower of Jesus The idea is to study Paul in the light of the life and teachings of Jesus. "The Jesus Story: Musings for Meditation and Application" might give additional help. Each chapter in this book will also close with an Application to Life challenge. This book is designed for individual and group study.

The writing of The Women of Judges was written, as were my previous two books, through a request from Dr. Arthur Crisco. Art is the volunteer editor for a Christian missionary organization. The original request was for leaflets on eleven women in The Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Then he suggested the material be put into a book. I edited the leaflet material and added material on each. I included a chapter on the abducted women found in the last two chapters of Judges. I also added Naomi, Ruth and Hannah who lived in the time of the Judges. The Scripture translation I use is from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).The other two books mentioned above: The Jesus Story, Musings for Meditation and Application and The Paul Story, Musings for Meditation and Application. Both are available from ParsonsPorchBooks.com or through your favorite book store.

A longtime friend of mine, Dr. Arthur Crisco, asked me to do some volunteer writing for a Christian mission organization, for which he is the volunteer editor. Art requested me to write eighty short pieces on what he called The Jesus Story. The outline came from Dr. A.T. Robertson's Harmony of the Gospels. The eighty writings were going to be put into leaflet form. They were to be simple, for persons who may have never heard of Jesus or possess a Bible.When I completed the assignment, Art suggested that I put them in book form for use as a personal devotional or study guide for groups. This book is the result of revising and reducing those writings to two pages each.

We are pleased to announce the VelocePress edition of a book that is acknowledged by many as being a classic auto-racing story. It is filled with passion and pathos, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad. The Jan Opperman Story is one of never giving up and having faith in a divine being. It provides the reader the rare opportunity to peer behind the glamorous facade of auto racing and meet the inner man. The friendship between narrator and author is evident and while much of the book is Jan's own words, John Sawyer has carefully authored them. There is something very special about this book, it almost demands the readers attention and then refuses to let go! From a teenage street fighter, motorcycle flat track racer and California hippie to respected Sprint car driver and Indy 500 racer - Jan Opperman's story is remarkable, entertaining and difficult to put down. Unfortunately, I never got to meet Jan Opperman - I wish I had.

By considering the status of Hebrew in Judaism alongside that of Greek in Rome Sacred Languages and Sacred Texts sheds new light on the role of the power of words, spoken and written, in religion.