Books by Steve Harper

Ethel and Bill Brown await the arrival of Violet's new young man - the posh Trevor who works in fine art - and Ethel has made a splendid tea to impress Trevor.

For clergy, retirement is an opportunityand a matter of the soul.The topic of retirement is critical for an increasing number of clergy, but it is often ignoredsomething many clergy would rather not think about. After decades of leadership, retirement can seem more like an obstacleor even like oblivionthan an opportunity. Stepping Aside, Moving Ahead offers guidance for any clergyperson within a decade of retirement. Author Steve Harper writes in the form of letters to a fictitious ';every-pastor.' Through these compassionate and instructive letters, the author dialogues with clergy who are just beginning to think about what retirement might bring and with those who stand on the brink of it. He guides the reader through the entire process of planning for retirement: from the initial questions about timing, to financial and other practical concerns, to issues of call and legacy, and more. Steve Harper's wise counsel and pastoral voice is just what clergy need.';Retirement is a spiritual question for pastors. Having answered the call of God to lifetime ministry, how does a pastor assume the role of a retiree? Steve Harper answers the question with spiritual insights and practical suggestions that affirm retirement as a chapter in God's call leading us to new depths of understanding in renewal and new heights of joy in redeployment.' David McKenna, President Emeritus, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY';Stepping Aside, Moving Ahead offers theological, personal, and practical advice for anyone who is considering or who is already in retirement. Harper includes a comprehensive spectrum of the issues around clergy retirement. His message is clear: there is abundant life after retirement. This book should be given to every clergy at preretirement seminars in order to prepare servant leaders for this fruitful chapter in their lives.' Peggy A. Johnson, Bishop, Philadelphia Area, UMC"e;This book is an excellent tool for boomers and clergy ... who see greatsignificance in living our legacy of love and faith as we mentorothers!"e; --Clayton L. Smith, Executive Pastor, United Methodist Churchof the Resurrection

Can Skipper the pilot complete the raid and get his crew safely home? The crew: Eric the nose gunner wants to end the war with a profit. Norman the flight engineer dreams of using his basic flight training to fly Lily home on a “wing and a prayer”. Joe the radio operator has been recommended for officer training, and worries about the youth and inexperience of his fellow crewmen. Arthur is just out of flight training, and this is his first mission. Taff is the mid-upper gunner. He may appear to be the clown of the crew, but there is a bit more to Taff than that. Finally, there is Tony in the rear turret with his movie-star good looks. Tony has a lot on his mind, he is in trouble, and he can’t even tell his  friends why. So apart from that, the flack and the Luftwaffe, everything should be “Tickety Boo”. Bon Chance Lily.

The gown of the Bride of Christ is being shredded by sibling rivalry within the Christian community. The Church's life is weakened and its witness compromised. This is nowhere more evident than the issue of homosexuality. Dr. Steve Harper laments this sad state of affairs and offers a way of love through the dilemma. His pastoral spirit and practical counsel offer guidance and hope for the future. "A dark picture is emerging--a contentiousness between professing Christians and a persecution of the homosexual community by professing Christians. In the season of Lent, the Holy Spirit broke my heart one morning by speaking into it these words, "My Bride, the Church, is being abused. Her gown is being torn to shreds by siblings who are trying to end up with the biggest piece of the cloth, and who would rather expose her nakedness than give up the fight. Enough is enough!" "I was stunned-- so much so that I kept the experience to myself. I'm old enough to know the difference between a passing feeling and a sacred impression." -- Excerpted from the introduction. "Steve Harper writes as an evangelical who loves the United Methodist Church. He has written a thoughtful, helpful, and surprising book on the church he loves and the ways it might wrestle with the issues that divide it." --Rev. Adam Hamilton, United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Kansas "For The Sake of the Bride is a helpful reflection on the unity of the church concerning human sexuality. He risks moving deeply into the conversation, and he does so in a way that is evangelical (Christocentric) and mystical. His rediscovery of E. Stanley Jones's round-table discussion points a way beyond our tribalism. I hope you will read this book, for the sake of the bride--the church of Jesus Christ." --Bishop Kenneth Carter, The Florida Annual Conference, The United Methodist Church "Steve Harper has written a book for "just such a time as this." He provides a balanced theological reflection on the crisis facing The United Methodist Church today. Reflecting upon Scripture, tradition, and the work of E. Stanley Jones, Harper lovingly proposes a way forward." --Rev. Steve Manskar, Director of Wesleyan Leadership, Leadership Ministries, GBOD, The United Methodist Church "For the Sake of the Bride sets aside the all-too-easy rhetoric of division and antagonism and invites the divided church to fully engage the greater way of love that Jesus models and bids us follow. Harper writes with pastoral courage, sensitivity and genuine humility, inviting us not to a particular position, but to generous dialogue on behalf of the church we cherish." --Dr. Kandace Brooks, Senior Pastor, Tamoka United Methodist Church, Ormond Beach, Florida "Steve Harper succeeds in his desire to move the Church beyond the impasse of name calling and shouting and calls for schism, and brings us to the table, the Round Table, in a spirit of grace filled love, integrity, honesty and mutual respect for all parties. That's a difficult place for many to maintain, but it's where we all must meet." --Dr. Dan Johnson, Senior Pastor, Trinity United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Florida "Steve Harper reflects the evangelical and holiness traditions of American Methodists. From this framework of traditional Christian piety, he shows how we can reflect faithfully on these contemporary issues in ways that honor each other as the presence of Christ, the "Bride of Christ." This is a breath of fresh air amid the rancor that has too often polluted church conversations in recent years. His concern is that Christians damage the church--not just the institution of the church but the church as the body and "bride of Christ"--by the uncharitable and unprofitable conversation we too often carry on, especially over the issue of same-sex relationships." --Ted Campbell, Associate Professor of Church History, Perkins School of Theology "Steve Harper courageously shares his thoughts after weeks of prayerful reflection on a topic that has challenged the Church for millennia. Pay particular attention to his mention of E. Stanley Jones' use of the roundtable. Steve has renewed my own desire to be more loving and far less judgmental." --Robert G. Tuttle Jr., Emeritus Professor of World Christianity, Asbury Seminary "Invaluable . . . Steve Harper is 'spot-on' for what he describes as a need for a third way. In our social media-driven culture, selecting the enter button often creates environments fueled by vitriol, instead of love for the sake of the Bride." --Toni King, retired registered nurse, Department of Veterans Affairs "Steve Harper entrusts us with a deeply personal account about his unexpected, prayer-born call to reexamine the church's embattled position regarding same-gender relationships. Intimate, prayerful, and tenderly biblical--this book reminds us that we already share a way forward--and the way is Love." --Pam Hawkins, discipleship pastor and former associate editor ofWeavings, Belmont United Methodist Church, Nashville, Tennessee "Steve Harper does not provide easy answers to our problems, but challenges a polarized church to focus on Christ through our Wesleyan tradition." --Kyle Cuperwich, pastor, Bernardsville and Gladstone United Methodist Churches, New Jersey

It's September 1918 on the Western Front, and Sergeant Tommy Atkins and Coporal Dave Rawlings are doing all they can to stay alive during the final months of the First World War. They receive an unexpected visit from an officer, Lieutenant Hargreaves, who announces that Tommy is to be awarded the Military Medal for his courage in combat.