Books published by Resource Publications (CA)

In Christianity for Doubters, mathematician Granville Sewell looks at a series of issues that cause Christians to doubt. The first two chapters effectively counter the widely believed idea that science can explain how we got here without design. The remaining chapters examine, from a non-fundamentalist point of view, some of the theological issues that educated Christians struggle with, including problems with the Bible, the idea of a resurrection, and the problem of pain. Although these theological problems are more difficult, the author shows that some of the most important insights into both the scientific and theological problems can be made by applying a little common sense, without relying on ideas that can only be understood by the "experts."

African Traditional religion (ATR) is one of the world religions with a great people and a great past. It is embraced by Africans within and outside the continent despite the various ethnic religious practices and beliefs. This book highlights and discusses the common elements which introduce African Traditional Religion as one unified religion and not a collection of religions. The major focus of the book is discussing the need for studying ATR in twenty-first-century Africa whereby globalization and multi-culture are prominent phenomena. Why should we study the religion of indigenous Africans in this age? In response to this question, the book argues that since ATR is part of the African people's culture, there is a need to understand this cultural background in order to contextualize Christian theology. Using some illustrations from Nyumbanitu worship shrine located at Njombe in Tanzania, the book purports that there is a need to understand African people's worldview, their understanding of God, their religious values, symbols and rituals in order to enhance meaningful dialogue between Christianity and African people's current worldview. In this case, the book is important for students of comparative religion in universities and colleges who strive to understand the various religions and their practices.

In a postsecular cultural situation the conditions for understanding and communicating a Christian tradition have changed. None of the established religions can any longer claim monopoly in the "marketplace of religions." A claim of this study is that a postsecular situation characterized, among other things, by dwindling memberships in established churches as well as a new visibility of alternative religious expressions, opens up a need to reflect on alternative ways of understanding Christianity in its context. This study focuses on the question, how can a Christian tradition be communicated understandably in a postsecular context? In traditional terms: how can Christian witness be understood in our situation? It is to this need, according to this study, that the ecclesiology of Stanley Hauerwas provides a meaningful perspective. This perspective becomes relevant because in a postsecular context a Christian church, even a folk church, cannot assume to be in a position of majority or power. There is, therefore, a need to ask how to understand Christianity as a community of witness that is neither in power nor a majority. The study suggests that embodiment of Christian convictions becomes a central factor in a meaningful postsecular notion of witness.

What if Small Groups Embarked on Mission Together . . .In Their Own Backyards?Whereas small groups have traditionally focused internally, many Christians nowadays are hungering for much more! Seeking to make a difference where they live, Christians desire mission. The Community Group Mission Series focuses eight weeks of training--to launch groups in a dynamic mission trajectory! Each group will engage holistically, showing the love of Christ and making disciples. Relationally angled, this series leads groups to assimilate the mission skill set of Jesus. Hold on! The stories of God are yet to be written. Who knows what God will do in the lives of your neighbors . . . your group . . . and your church?! Session Titles: 1. The Soul of Mission 2. When Faith Is Fantastic 3. Learning the Faith Formation Process4. Getting Real for the Gospel 5. The Gospel and Its Key 6. Discerning Belief Barriers 7. Coming Home to Jesus 8. What Jesus Co-missioned Us to Do

We live in a context of change, whereby postmodernity shapes our understanding and our searching for truth. Postmodernity dictates not only what kind of results we obtain in our researches, but also on the ways we use to search for truth. This means that postmodernity dictates the ways we do research in various disciplines, the ways we use to analyze the research results, and the ways we use to communicate the findings. Postmodernity is the paradigm in which we are greatly concerned. What is the place of rules of research, research ethics, selection of the problem, and designing of research as we consider the context whereby nothing absolute can be envisaged? How should one review the literature to suit this postmodern understanding of reality? How should one argue his or her case? This book is designed to help students in higher learning institutions learn qualitative research methods in classrooms or by themselves. It moves students and researchers from modern ways of understanding, doing, and communicating qualitative research towards postmodern challenges and promises. In this case, the book is worthy reading to every serious student and researcher who seeks to equip oneself to the current issues of qualitative research methodology.

Set in the mystical kingdom of Iona, a young slave boy named Iskandar learns that he is the son of the King and Queen of Iona, once noble rulers who were seduced by the dark Lord Marduk with a promise of divine power. Iskandar discovers what happened to his family, how he was hidden from his parents by his uncle, the secret power he has that even his immortal parents are afraid of, and the obsessive determination of his elder brother Jakov to use him as an instrument of revenge. Iskandar must travel through forests filled with dangerous creatures, fight battles against impossible odds, draw on the help of a mysterious knight, and learn to use his elemental powers, all while being constantly haunted by the question of whether he really has the courage to confront and even kill the immortal king of Iona, his own father.

Throughout the entire world, Auschwitz has become known as the Concentration Camp (KZ) in which the bureaucratic, alarmingly and perfectly organized mass exterminations of human beings found its abysmal culmination. Less well known is the first period of Auschwitz in which this Concentration Camp (KZ) was different from many others because Polish people had to live and die there.This book makes unambiguously clear that Auschwitz remains, in the memory of many Poles, a martyrology of its people. Caps Off . . . is the first ever English translation of Mutzen ab . . ., a report about the experiences in the Punishment Company (SK) of the KZ Auschwitz by the Polish journalist and prisoner Zenon Rozanski. This report, based on the immediacy of experience, offers an important contribution to current knowledge about concentration and death camps in National Socialist Germany. This narrative report by an individual Polish prisoner is a voice for the countless, anonymous victims of all nationalities who were exterminated in the gas chambers of Auschwitz. It also brings into focus the reality of an undaunted human spirit who endured and withstood the bestiality of the SS men. Rozanski not only casts into narrative this experience of utter darkness but also captures the rays and glimmers of light, hope, and precious moments of human dignity which penetrated this unbelievably hellish environment.

Deep in the heart of rural Wales, not far from the sea, is Bethel village. The first thing you see as you approach the village from town is Bethel Congregational Church. In the early 1950s the minister there was the Reverend Elijah Morgan. This is the story of the new young minister and the saints of Bethel. It is an erudite, closely observed account, spiced with gentle humour. It moves from Elijah's call to the pastorate, through his ordination and settling in, and then covers such excitements as the nativity play, Christmas caroling, preaching away in the Black Country, the Sunday School outing, the County Show, and Elijah's marriage. All the local characters are present, as well as visitors from America, Canada, and Cumbria. The story evokes a fast vanishing way of life. It will appeal equally to those who live in rural Wales, or hanker after it, as well as to the many who pass wayside Welsh chapels and wonder what used to go on in and around them.

Academic research in alcohol addiction presents diverse results and subject inadequacies. This study identifies conscience and its influence through spirituality on successful recovery as promoting unity and adequacy in the field. The purpose of the study is to analyze the relationship between conscience, spirituality, and recovery from alcohol addiction. This threefold framework underlines the conceptual importance of cognition, affect, behavior, spirituality, and character in addiction studies. Narrative analysis (NA) is employed for designing the present research. It is utilized for collection, examination, and formulation of the results derived from the participants' stories. Semi-structured interviews are used within the NA framework to provide the data from the twelve participants. The latter are selected as a homogeneous group based on characteristics of their addiction, spirituality, and recovery. The analysis of narratives defines conscience with its cognitive, emotive, and conative elements as related to spirituality. The conscience's nature and functioning undergo deterioration during addiction and complete rejuvenation through participants' spiritual transformation of a transcendent divine experience. Spiritually empowered conscience supports progressive recovery from alcohol addiction. The conscientious approach to self, life, and others is shaped by virtue and spiritual commitment.

Our busy exterior may be a cover-up for an undernourished interior soul. Modern life is so packed with things to do that we have not learned to be truly human. It is difficult to nurture the spiritual life in a media-saturated world filled with relentless information, ongoing activities, material wants, worrisome uncertainties, and seductive addictions. Being Truly Human challenges readers to give space in their busy life for God to do the work of transformation in the inner self. It takes inspiration from the Desert Fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries whose directness, simplicity, and concreteness to life's struggles provide a fresh perspective for modern saints. Like the desert saints, modern Christians are challenged to begin a spiritual odyssey, in the wilderness of their soul, to become their true selves. To be truly human means the freedom to love in concrete acts of humility and hospitality, acts which are truly lacking in our world today. The practice of solitude and silence will lead us to be indifferent to the crying needs of our false selves and to give God our undivided attention, which is necessary for the spiritual formation of our true selves.

As a dominant voice in our society, Western Christianity (including fundamentalism) is dying despite the growing tendency of people to identify as spiritual but not religious. In the face of this reality, churches continue to preach the same message of sin, judgment, guilt, in order to be saved, or in the case of more progressive churches, feel-good messages. No wonder Western Christianity is failing. If it is ever to regain its viability, Christianity must rethink its total devotion to Christ and look again at its roots. A new Christianity must start over with the original vision of God's dream for us as expressed by Moses and Jesus. Jesus was not a Christian. He was a Jewish reformer and he worked within the context of the Jewish Scriptures (the Old Testament). Deuteronomy was one of these books. When this ancient wisdom is paired with post-modern Christianity we see that the teachings of Moses and Jesus are as relevant today as they were two to three thousand years ago, perhaps even more so.

Money. Such a little word . . . with such explosive power. For love of money reputations have been ruined, marriages have been destroyed, lifelong friendships have been torn apart, whole nations have bled. For lack of money kingdoms have crumbled, corporations have foundered, lives have faded, dreams have died. But what about us ordinary folk? Most of us spend more time thinking about money (worrying, planning, earning, spending, counting, hoping, envying) than about almost any other subject. So what's money got to do with following Jesus? A great deal, actually. Money is no side issue in the Bible. It's talked about extensively. Just Money offers both insights and suggestions as to how we can live a life of faith in a culture in love with the dollar. Be prepared for some surprises.

The absurdities of contemporary politics and culture are lampooned in this unique and biting novel, composed entirely of media "sound bites." Here are the voices of our time: politicians, reporters, pundits, and voters, all clashing amid a senatorial campaign between a young conservative woman and a venerable liberal man. The result is a fast-paced satire filled with sharp dialogue and ironic surprises.

Description:There are many books on the use of the Old Testament in the New. This one takes a practical approach to the subject, inviting the reader to explore the relationship between the two testaments in the Bible through a series of different lenses.¿ The text form of the Old and New Testaments¿ The presence or absence of introductory formulae¿ The selection of texts by New Testament writers¿ The application of Old Testament texts to the Gospel facts¿ The combination of several Old Testament texts¿ The history of interpretation of these texts in ancient Judaism¿ The story or narrative that is indicated by the use of these texts¿ The function of the Old Testament citations in the New Testament writingsEach section includes practical exercises that will help the reader become a participant in the discussion. Through these eight lenses the reader is invited to explore this fascinating subject, and through it to discover what C. H. Dodd called ""the substructure of New Testament theology.""Endorsements:""This book is fascinating, clearly argued, plainly but engagingly written, and immensely informative of the voluminous scholarly literature . . . related to this important theme. . . . Here we have a practical guide for serious students who wish to explore the rich wellspring of insight evident in the New Testament use of the Old Testament. Rodgers has given us a powerful set of lenses for a fresh reading of the Bible.""--J. Harold Ellens, author of Understanding Religious Experience""Now more than ever, biblical scholars are appreciating just how deeply the roots of the New Testament go into the depths of the Old Testament soil. Unfortunately, most non-scholars have not been able to share in this beauty, simply because no one has provided the conceptual tools--the lenses--for talking about this reality in non-technical terms. Here's where Peter Rodgers's Exploring the Old Testament in the New comes in. Clear, accessible, yet conceptually on target, this book should be required reading.""--Nicholas Perrin, Professor of Biblical Studies and Acting Dean, Wheaton Graduate SchoolAbout the Contributor(s):Peter R. Rodgers is Pastor of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Antelope, California, and Adjunct Professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary, Sacramento Campus. He is the author of Text and Story (Pickwick, 2011).

What if we changed the face of evangelism?In a time when so many have a negative perception of evangelism, what if a new model was entirely biblical, loaded with skills, and more effective? Soul Whisperer shifts the emphasis from ""telling"" to a ""drawing"" paradigm. It develops biblically the pattern of Jesus, who did not give static presentations but rather customized his words to each hearer. By learning his ways, our words, too, can have pinpointed impact! Christians will discover how to draw out first, in order to read their friends and discern the relevant appeal of the gospel. In this way, the style is far more dynamic. It adapts! Understanding the non-believer's unique starting point will determine a distinct path. By creating a conversation about spiritual influence and what is involved in faith formation, this book charts ways for Christians to go deeper in evangelistic relationships. Most importantly, Soul Whisperer infuses skills that will shape a more Christ-likened missional disciple.

A silent crisis has been taking place for some time now: an ongoing eclipse in mission, whereby our understanding of what it is has been obscured by the idols of our Christian passions and biblical perspectives. Wherever that crisis has been perceived, energetic responses have been proposed and much has been done in the name of, and for the sake of, mission. However, those responses themselves have often overshadowed the problem of the identity of Christian mission. And so we remain in the darkness of understanding mission as we always have done. We even impose these understandings onto God--calling Him a ""missionary"" God--and we project our idols of ""mission"" onto the sacred Word. Here, then, is an uncomfortable but necessary critique of modern mission, and the ground from which it has grown.Here, too, is the proposition of a better basis for understanding what mission is, and for outworking it aright in all of our lives. By articulating a new paradigm for Christian mission, the eclipsed problem of mission in crisis will have been resolved, and the missional potential of a global church--dynamic with the very Spirit and presence of the living God--will be released.

In summer of 2008, Aaron J. Nicholson set out to complete the unthinkable: a 460-mile solo backpacking trip across the State of Oregon without resupplying food or gear. Carrying an immensely heavy pack containing an unappetizing variety of calorie-rich foods, he started his quest at the California border and trekked north on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, determined to reach the Columbia River. But could it be done? Did he possess the resolve and stamina necessary to achieve his one-pack goal? Or would he succumb to exhaustion or the forces of nature? The State of Determination chronicles Nicholson's careful planning and execution of the journey, as well as his unforgettable adventures on the trail.

Sex is worth celebrating. It is one of God's loveliest gifts to the human race. But the loveliness of sex is ruined whenever it is found outside the proper context of marriage. And God knows what powerful temptations come our way in the area of sex.The Song of Solomon is a celebration of sex and love within marriage, as this book explains. Jonathan Bayes draws out the practical advice implicit in the Song for husbands, for wives, and for courting couples. He points out the warnings in the Song against sex outside the context of marriage. The Song of Solomon has often been read as an allegory of the relationship between Christ and his people. Jonathan Bayes does not see this as the main purpose of the Song, but agrees that human relationships are a reflection of that highest love of all. In Sex, Love, and Marriage--A Celebration, Bayes brings out the interplay between heaven and earth. We are directed upwards from human love to learn about that ""Love divine, all loves excelling."" Then we are brought back down to earth to make God's love for us in Christ the model, which we seek to imitate in our human relationships.

Two thousand years ago, a Jewish fisherman stood up before a crowd of thousands to explain an extraordinary event. A bewildered crowd had heard the wonders of God being declared in their own languages. Peter's explanation? This was the fulfillment of the promise of the prophet Joel--a promise that in the last days people would prophesy, see dreams and visions, and perform signs and wonders. That extraordinary day and that extraordinary promise have shaped the church over the last two thousand years. The question before us is, what does it mean for us today?This book seeks to address and answer some of those questions by examining carefully the verses in question, Acts 2:17-21, and their wider context and purpose.

Along the Road-Tales from the Journey is a practical guide for patients and families going through some very serious and difficult issues. It is here to enable focus and meaning in a time that is fraught with confusion and pain. It is also for people who are not involved in hospice--people that recognize the value of keeping track of the journey for others to have ""in case"" they should suddenly be removed from the trail of life. It is for those who recognize the personal value in journaling their days for self-reflection and perspective. It is for those who know they are dying, and for those whose dying is ""a long ways off.""This workbook is a series of prompts that will help you notice the trail markers in your life and journey. It is a guidebook that you will write to show others the path you have taken. It is a place to reveal who you are so others may learn. So, go at it with a poetic relish for words and the telling.

""In my continuing spiritual journey I have become increasingly convinced of two truths: first, that each individual has the capacity to be touched by the divine and thereby to be made whole; second, that the combination of reason and materialism are literally destroying the world and its creatures, human and otherwise. This little book is implicitly a plea for the reinstitution of love and peace-as opposed to hatred and war-as the animating principles of life. Perhaps you will find your own search for the divine reflected in it.""-from the Prologue.Over the course of a long, rich life and legal career, John Rehm realizes there is much more meaning-and joy and pain-than mere reason can convey. Attentive to the variety of his ""peak experiences"" and glimpses of the divine, Rehm discovers a renewed love of and trust in life: the more he acknowledges its polarities and mystery, the more he understands. Simple couplets describe the life of Jesus, torturous poems reflect lives of the saints, and charming fables give us closely observed glimpses of the freedom that often only comes with age. Rehm's words and truth telling transport us on our own onward journey of seeking the Divine.

Where Is the Church? Martrydom, Persecution, and Baptism in North Africa is an overview of North African Christianity from the second to the fifth century. Beginning with the African martyrs, Ronald D. Burris investigates the idea of how "church" was defined in North African Christianity through the understanding of water baptism, martyrdom (baptism in blood), and key theological concepts such as origo or conscientia. In addition to baptism and ecclesiology, this work investigates the social, political, and economic issues that were germane to the shaping, hardening, and eventual condemnation of those beliefs as expressed by the North African Christians, called the Donatists. Morevoer, this work seeks to explain why so many North African Christians were drawn to that group. They were drawn to the Donatists because the latter more closely represented the tradition of the early African martyrs, Tertullian, and their beloved hero and martyr, Saint Cyprian.

When the leadership of Patterson Park Church looked for a book explaining the process of transitioning from a board-run church to an elder led form of church government, a structure they had come to believe was more in line with Scripture, they found none. God honored their efforts and two of their elders decided a book still needed to be written. Elder Governance: Insights into Making the Transition examines church government from a biblical and historical context and tells the story of Patterson Park's transition. The authors are hopeful that God will use their experience to help others considering such a transition.

In Hebrew scripture men always get the exiting roles: leader, prophet, war hero. Convinced that women, too, need powerful stories that can inform them about who they are in relation to God, Nancy Werking Poling has imagined biblical men as women. A female Samson tells of the elders trying to take away her power; Nochat (Noah), who is trying to raise God-honoring children in violent times, rebukes God for destroying creation; Mosiah leads abused sisters to freedom; a female Jacob struggles with her capacity for deceit and destruction. Readers are sure to find inspiration in a creative approach to scripture that incorporates women's wisdom, suffering, and courage.

Description:For too long the story of history's most infamous terrorist, Yeshua Bar-Abbas, has been mistold.The only way to get justice from the Roman Empire is to steal it. By travelling to the Judean capital and avenging his brothers, Yeshua has achieved precisely that. However, the newfound friends who unexpectedly came to his aid have now blocked his way home to Egypt. An alcoholic archer, an over-zealous rabbi, a nervous shepherd boy, and an overweight farmer have further plans for Yeshua and his brother, Theudas. Each of them will discover that the kind of justice you win depends on how you fight for it. Violent revenge, passive resistance, or reluctant acts of terror? Each will bear its own fruit.Endorsements:""Two young Jewish traders, sons of a rabbi, set out to avenge the murder of their two brothers. Their actions in an ancient quest for justice tie them up with rebels who chafe under the oppression of Roman occupation in Judea and Galilee. Many deaths follow as plans to assassinate the prefect unfold. On their journey to Jerusalem they meet Yeshua of Nazareth, are betrayed by a trusted member of the group, and rob a tax collector. The young assassin named Yeshua is renamed Bar-Abbas as his leadership develops. The picture of first century Palestine is rich and accurate. The challenge to twenty-first century people is insightful as Bar-Abbas addresses modes of injustice. The central theme of justice is woven throughout, but is most richly developed in letters, son to father, and father to son, prior to the expected crucifixion of the assassin. Justice is revealed to be as complex and elusive as the human family. Justice must finally give way to mercy and love."" --Dr. Robert L. DotyProfessor of Literature EmeritusCampbellsville UniversityCampbellsville, KY""Perry's work is a masterpiece of creativity. He has skillfully blended events of historical veracity with speculations as to how those events unfolded, so as to keep suspense high. His knowledge of Jewish customs, social and political realities, along with Rome's attitude toward Jews, is commendably broad. For the mystery buff who knows something about the Bible, they cannot go wrong in choosing this book.""--Joe E. Lunceford, Professor of Religion, Georgetown College, KY ""Simon Perry brings action to one of the worlds greatest narratives. He invokes a world that most of us think we know something about, and through a rare blend of scholarship and storytelling blows away our preconceptions in a whirlwind of adventure and intrigue; when the dust clears, the man left standing, now as then, is Bar-Abbas and this is his story. Set in the Middle East, in the early first century, this tale is for you if you watched Defiance and cheered for the underdog.""--Dien WoolerRoyal Air Force""A thrilling story of intrigue, treachery, and forgiveness. From start to finish there are issues of morality, right and wrong, actions without understanding the consequences. Fascinating to see how four simple sentences can color our minds and blind us from objectivity. This book takes a well known story and serves it up in a dramatic and encapsulating manner in order that we might think. Excellent.""-- Iain HoskinsBristol Baptist CollegeAbout the Contributor(s):Simon Perry is a former soldier, a single parent, and has a PhD in Biblical Hermeneutics. He lives near Cambridge, UK, with his four children.

The Apostle Paul, in exercising his ineffable wisdom, draws this magnificent letter to a close in an extraordinary manner. Certainly, he could have concluded it after telling the masters and servants how to treat one another. But, no, he did not. He proceeded to challenge them to become Christ's Ambassadors and to be proficient in this high calling, despite the daily obstacles, pressures, and temptations. What does Paul boldly state after having told Christ's followers, [t]hat we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight (trickery) of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive? That they will have a life of ease, no problems or worries, and no challenges, disappointments, or hardships? No! But, he did tell them how to conduct themselves in all of life's different phases. Further, that they were to walk in love, as Christ hath also loved us, and that not everyone hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.Paul, contra to the practice today of many preachers, teachers, and church officers, knew the problems that Christ's followers faced and he boldly addressed them. He unequivocally stated that there were things appointed for them to do. Knowing these things and the difficulties encountered in following Christ, he issued a battle call to each and every follower, saying, take (up) unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Paul was forthright in describing the benefits and challenges of Walking With Jesus as well as the attitude, conduct, and conversation precluding one from entering the kingdom of Christ and God.If we are to be Christ's Ambassadors, whether it be preacher, teacher, church officer, or professing Christian, we are to know our duties and carry them out resolutely. What are they? They include, but are not limited to: discharging their duties honorably; being loyal subjects; following instructions; knowing the Word; and obeying Christ's commands. May we, along with Paul, pray the following with humility and sincerity: For which I am an ambassador . . . that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak as one of His ambassadors

The Apostle Paul leaves no stone unturned as he encourages, enlightens, and informs the Ephesian believers (and us) regarding their duties and responsibilities as Christ's followers. Yes, there are duties and responsibilities for professing Christians, just as there are duties and responsibilities in every phase of life whether it be as children/parents; employee/employer; student/teacher; or whatever field of endeavor one may pursue. The apostle is addressing those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and seek to follow Him, which as Paul knows is not easy. Therefore, in this portion of Scripture he stresses certain truths that will strengthen each and every Christian as they journey through life. The elements may sound simple to learn, but they are difficult to practice day in and day out. What are they? Obedience, discipline, priorities, knowing your heavenly Father (not just knowing about Him), being strong disciples in the faith, and separating ourselves. Developing these traits requires a commitment to adhere to Christ's teachings and commands. Paul then switches our attention from what we are to do as Christ's followers and states emphatically that we are to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ""Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes] of the devil"" (Eph 6:1-11). Paul states unequivocally that we are to prepare to wrestle this implacable foe, since we belong to Christ and are His followers. He describes Satan, his evil characteristics and malevolent intentions. Christ recognized him for what he is. Should we do less? Unfortunately, in today's world we ignore him and fail to realize the harm he inflicts on ourselves and others. Paul concludes this portion of Scripture on a high note. He urges us to be properly prepared; to recognize heresies; to watch and pray; to know the difference between false and true teachings; and to know the Lord Jesus Christ and what He experienced during His earthly ministry.