Books published by Resource Publications (CA)

From clones, family, abortion, terrorism, and the concept of the collective to economics, nuclear power, cap and trade, renewable energy, and the politics of climate change, Everest and Bedogne do something much needed and remarkably absent in today's media. They strip away the layers of liberal and conservative ideology to look at the most talked about topics of our time from the standpoint of what the politicians have forgotten--common sense. Brought to light by logic, history, and science, the book filters the issues that in today's world every citizen, student, and educator needs to understand through what we know to be sound--that which we have gained through our day-to-day trials--our all-too-often repressed ability to see things in a practical and matter-of-fact way.

Description:Since its inception in Roman Catholic Spain in the 1940s, the Cursillo movement has been a steadily-growing phenomenon and has spread into many Protestant churches worldwide under various names. The weekend initiation is often a deeply-felt experience that boasts of many conversions and recommitments. Yet in this comprehensive analysis of Cursillo the author finds theological concerns, questions about the propriety of the methods, and complications such as disaffection from the local church, transfer of loyalty to the Cursillo community, and a significant drop-out rate, raising implications for similar, spiritual movements. Interviews with former Cursillo participants confirmed many of these conclusions but also raised a challenge to the church: many Cursillo participants do not perceive vital faith in their local church. The author suggests that the Cursillo attempts to imitate the work of the church in an extraordinary form and that this might initiate some of the unhelpful results. The church would be better served by seeking to revitalize its ordinary ministries of Word and sacrament, prayer, community, and Sabbath observance.Endorsements: ""Dr. Janssen provides a thought-provoking critique of the Cursillo method, explaining the history, psychological techniques, and theological inconsistencies. A valuable tool for distinguishing the psychological from the spiritual, this book is a must-read for all Christian pastors, teachers, parents, and supporters of any Cursillo-related events (including TEC and YATEC)."" Dr. Natalie Sandbulte, Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychology Dordt College ""This significant and useful book strips the veil from the Spanish Roman Catholic-originated Cursillo Movement and its many mainline Protestant imitators. Writing from extensive personal involvement in the movement and a deep familiarity with social-science research on psychological manipulation, Dr. Janssen demonstrates that Protestant revivalists have no monopoly on manipulative techniques. Along the way he challenges us to think theologically about the issues raised by the Cursillo methodology."" William B. Evans, Ph.D.Younts Professor of Bible and ReligionErskine College ""With a passion for the purity of the Gospel and the glory of God, Dr. Janssen fairly and thoroughly dissects another man-made technique that attempts to manipulate decisions and then declare it to be the work of the Holy Spirit. Not since The Invitation System by Iain Murray, have I been so challenged to make sure I'm being completely Scriptural and not using the wisdom of men's words lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect (I Corinthians 1:17).""Pastor David LearyGrape Creek Baptist Church About the Contributor(s):Brian V. Janssen has been pastor of the First Presbyterian (PCA) Church of Hospers, Iowa since 1986. A graduate of Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Brian received the Doctor of Ministry degree in 2007 at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. The focus of his dissertation was on the long-term effects of the Dutch Reformed Cursillo in Northwest Iowa. He has been married to Susanne for over twenty-five years, and together they have three children: David, Kristin, and Jonathan.

Alice was a raven-haired beauty who fell in love with easygoing James. They dated for about eight years, during which time they were monogamous, sexually intimate, and eventually lived together. They finally married in an elegant weekend celebration only to divorce before their second anniversary. What happened?How indeed can a couple date for so long, act married in most ways, and make such a terrible mistake? What Alice and James did not know was their hearts married long before their wedding day and that, in fact, was the problem. They are just one of many couples that you will meet in My Heart Got Married and I Didn't Know It. This nonfiction, self-help book introduces and names the concept of heart marriage as a relationship in which a couple becomes intimately bound in a profound way; yet they have not clearly or intentionally articulated the desire or commitment to be married. With today's relationship trends, this occurs often, and as a result couples are short-circuiting the natural developmental process of getting to know each other in a way that is critical in deciding whether the relationship is right for the long-term commitment of marriage. Because heart marriage occurs silently and unannounced, it is a perilous path that can lead to much unhappiness. My Heart Got Married and I Didn't Know It will help couples recognize if they are heart married, discern whether ending the relationship through a heart divorce is warranted, identify strategies to prevent heart marriage from occurring, and outline steps to transition from a heart marriage into a fulfilling, committed, and legal marriage.

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, is one of the world's greatest religious figures. A practical rather than systematic theologian, he wrote and preached for the common man. He is well known as a man of one book (the Bible) but he read like no other during his time. We are left with fourteen volumes of his works and eight each of his letters and journals. His brother became the troubadour of Methodism, writing countless hymns. John also took classic Christian works and edited them for the common man to read. And if this were not enough, he preached thousands of times both indoors and out.In John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms', J. Robert Ewbank examines what Wesley thought about other religions. Did he think all religions were from God and therefore there was little difference between them, or did he think that there is uniqueness in Christianity? Was he concerned about other philosophies and thoughts about religion popular in his day? What did he think about Natural Man, the Indians, the Deists, the Jews, the Roman Catholics, and the Mystics? Were they also fine with him, or did he discuss the differences between them, revealing where he found them wrong?Furthermore, what did Wesley think about the possibility of salvation for all those who held to these other positions? Did he find that it is possible for them to be saved by a loving God, or have they stepped outside of the bounds, therefore requiring extreme difficulty to be saved?

Attention Online Instructors--this one is for you! Have you ever felt alone as an online instructor? Have you ever wondered why students email you with excuses about their late assignments and expect pardon? Have you ever doubted whether anyone understands the challenges you face with online students? Have you ever questioned your class setup or simply needed some direction? If your answers are an emphatic "yes," then this book is for you! Who Let this Disaster in My Classroom? provides you the long overdue answers to your questions as an online instructor. It provides skills, strength, and the gift of laughter as I chronicle my own experiences as an online instructor. This book will help you make it through your classes and reaffirm that you are not alone in cyberspace. It is a "must have" for online instructors, as it provides real-life examples and practical tips to help you through this innovative, wonderful, virtual platform called distance education.

Written in the high art style of prophetic witness, The Scroll of Anatiya reveals a new kind of biblical heroine who is fiercely passionate and sensual. In this first-person, honest, and vulnerable account of an orphaned, passion-driven disciple of Jeremiah--perhaps a prophetess in her own right--Anatiya reveals herself to be a rare window into an incredible world and a beautiful mind. Out of a century of war, wrath, starvation, and exile, Anatiya's epic love poem unleashes a timeless theology of love. In this unique work, the contemporary imagination of Rabbi Zoe Klein meshes seamlessly with the world of Jeremiah in an unforgettable story of passion, poetry, and love.

Idealistic farm girl Teresa can't wait to leave home, to escape the ugliness. College offers her a soft landing place, but her history and genetics haunt her. Later, propelled by shame and possibilities, she rides away on her motorcycle. But one cannot escape the wounds of the past, or the God of creation. A fighter, Teresa finds inspiration in a little known place--five thousand year old poetry known as the Psalms. Immerse yourself in Teresa's world; see the battles of the world unfold in her path. Can love overcome fear? Can hope overcome depression? How does one find hope? Is healing possible? This inspiring true story includes helpful sidebars containing how-to information and assurance. Here is a close-up of the Holy Spirit in action.P.S.I wrote this book for you. I don't know you, but I know suffering intimately.If this book helps you find what I've found, my suffering will have been worth it. You see, I never thought life could be good; joy possible; hope present; or that healing would be around the corner. I believed I might as well be dead. If people knew who I really was, they would despise me.Now, I am glad to be alive. I am more than a survivor. The journey has been worthwhile. For a quick glimpse of my life, go to www.newpathways.us.

The great burden of Al Baker's life, that which drives him in Christian ministry more than anything else, is to see the church of the Lord Jesus Christ rise up and become mighty as she has been so often in past years. One thing has become very clear to Baker--the western church is in big trouble. Many pastors are terribly discouraged in their ministries. So are their people. Pastors have been told that they can model their ministries after whoever the latest and hottest preacher is, and all will be well with them, that they can expect exponential growth in their churches. With few exceptions, this has not been their experience. They have attended the seminars and read the latest books, but they have little to show for their efforts. As a pastor, Baker is heartbroken over the vastness of people's problems in today's church--everything from incest, child molestation, homosexuality, pornography, severe depression, suicide, divorce, wayward children, adultery, fornication, and more. The pastoral problems are epidemic. The Christian faith in American churches is woefully lacking. Church people are generally no different from those of the world. What are we to do? We need revival. We need a revival culture in the western church. We need, like Israel laboring under Egyptian bondage, to become intolerable of our circumstances. Israel cried out to the Lord when their slavery became intolerable to them. May God move us to divine discontent, to be dissatisfied with the status quo!

What? Another dictionary? Or really an anthology, organized alphabetically by virtue of a particular conversation. The idea for this project emerged from a free-for-all conversation around breakfast one morning. We had invoked any number of authors living and dead, and had spanned spirituality, leadership, education, philosophy, ecclesiology, and even cosmology. We heard from Augustine and Barth, Jim Wallis and Dallas Willard, referencing chaos and culture. Someone had even shared an ancient koan!Why . . . that's it. Why not a roving, eclectic dictionary that is both ridiculously current and particular, and at the same time broadly inclusive, reaching back to Augustine and St. Benedict. Why not write the ABCs of the emerging and missional conversation: this is Wishful Thinking (Buechner) meets A for Abductive (McLaren and Sweet) meets Soul Survivor (Yancey). And maybe there is just a touch of Brian McLaren in A Generous Orthodoxy.The rules are simple: no more than five words per letter; names and personalities can occur on either side, attached to a definition or as referencing a word or concept, and while the overall interest is theological, the focus is life and mission, not theory.Leave your luggage behind, climb aboard and join a journey of exploration that will enrich, challenge, and bring a smile to your face.

This study looks at the formation of theology as it emerges out of biography. Indeed, the biography of the theologian is the key to unlocking the meaning of his or her writings, and a valuable tool for a thorough investigation of their work. There will be a focus on the biography of Karl Barth and how this relates to his theological writings. Attention will then be turned on a group of North American theologians to analyze how Barth's theology has influenced their personal experiences and corresponding theologies. The personal experience of the theologian provides the background to the theological judgments she or he makes, and therefore provides valuable insight into what she or he has written. Experiences in the theologian's life determine how she or he forms and communicates the ideas that the experiences have given rise to. Indeed, theologians profoundly connect with readers as they write theology as an expression of their experiences of faith. Therefore, this book contends that there is a necessary connection to be made between the theologian as a person and the theology that emerges out of her or his unique biography. Indeed, it will be argued that theology is born out of the lived encounters of the theologian that develop into the kind of personal convictions, passions, concerns, questions, and a motivation to connect with others that is evident in her or his writing. Consequently, theology and theologian are inseparable.

Trajectory of the Twenty-first Century explores what many prophets of the twentieth century, such as Oswald Spengler, Paul Tillich, Aldous Huxley, Jacques Ellul, and others, have predicted would transpire in the current century. Their vision included an out-of-control technological system and a return to religious sentiment that will ultimately undermine the system to which it is reacting.This book aims to accurately present their positions and draw certain logical conclusions from them that pertain to the course of history in our time. The book's theme argues that modernity is a secularized version of millennial Christianity, which reaches its fullest development in the twenty-first century and will regress into what Russian philosopher Nicholas Berdyaev called ""the new Middle Ages"" or a new religious period. This will mean the twilight of modern technological society, as its values of rationalism give way to a postrationalist society.Ironically, decline will come through further technological advance. Omnicide threatens through religious world war driven by transcendent values and modern weaponry. Jihadist thinking and posthumanist technology both establish the omnicidal mentatlity. New technologies such as genetic engineering and artificial intelligence created under millennial inspiration to reach for immortality could potentially bring an end to the human species either through a slow, steady obsolescence or through environmental catastrophe. The titanic forces of technological progress and regress are on a direct collision course in the twenty-first century.

Ten-year-old Gertie Larson shares three of her most exciting real-life adventures experienced in her hometown of Richfield, Utah, in the early 1900s. In her first adventure, her disappointment at not having a birthday party is unexpectedly overcome when she, her two sisters, her best friend, and a mentally handicapped youth she befriends are given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride Jumbo the elephant in the circus parade! In her second adventure, a little Ute Indian girl, a ""What I Have to Be Thankful For"" essay contest, and a spooky encounter in an abandoned mine with ""the thing,"" move her story along to the third and final adventure. Gertie's third adventure climaxes her two previous ones and includes a community birthday parade for an unlikely birthday celebrant; Gertie's being the ""volunteer"" in a demonstration of the pain-relieving properties of a new drug, Novocain; and a surprise wedding. Woven throughout Gertie's adventures are lessons of faith, love, and family unity. How these lessons affect Gertie, her family, and her friends make Gertie's Real-Life Adventures joyful reading.

In this book Donovan Roebert provides a path for Christians and Buddhists who wish to better understand the essential, living tenets of their own faith while exploring how these two great religious paths can provide insights of real benefit to adherents of either. Without lapsing into syncretism or demanding a departure from orthodoxy, this book provides a sound and thorough basis on which Christians and Buddhists - and all those seeking greater insight into faiths other than their own - can explore the rich possibilities for learning from one another. Beyond describing in detail the doctrines and practices of Christianity and Buddhism, this book describes the authentic human path of religious development with a strong focus on the problem of 'self' or 'ego' in spiritual growth, discussing obstacles to growth and exploring their remedies. Brief histories of both religions are provided, enabling the reader to understand how diversity is an inevitable consequence of historical development and, rather than standing as a problem in religious dialogue, is always a means to spiritual enrichment.The Gospel for Buddhists and the Dharma for Christians is the fruit of a personal spiritual journey of thirty years. It demonstrates that the search for religious freedom becomes richer and more rewarding when a spacious mind engages with, rather then flees from, religious paths outside of its own tradition. Finally, it is a plea for sincere friendship across factitious religious divides.

The primary focus of this book is to determine if the Greek word for ""worship"" (proskuneo), used in John 4: 23-24, includes the concept of ""bowing the knees"" or ""kneeling."" In the New Testament, proskuneo is translated as ""worship"" sixty times. All of the ""worship"" events in the New Testament that included a form of bowing the knees or kneeling has been documented. This task was undertaken using five reliable sources of information or testimony: (1) the testimony of God, or Scripture (1Corinthians 2:1), (2) the testimony of Lexicons or Greek dictionaries, (3) the testimony of Bible translators, (4) the testimony of history, and (5) the testimony of Bible scholars. The book was written with all categories of readers in mind: worship leaders, clergy, college professors, Seminary students, Bible scholars, teachers, graduate school students, Pastors, lay people, seekers, and is suitable as a textbook in all Bible classes that include the subject of ""worship"".

In Balanced Living: Don't Let Your Strength Become Your Weakness, Robert Knight develops the theme of balance as central to good mental health, to moral and spiritual health, to emotional well-being, and to social functioning. This theme emerges from his more than thirty years of experience as a Christian minister, as a counselor, as a teacher and clinical supervisor of counselors, as well as from experience as a management and human-relations consultant. According to Knight, when we are failing or falling, it isn't always because of some inadequacy or limitation; it is rather because we have taken a strength (or it has taken us) too far--a strength that has become a weakness. The signature chapter, ""Balanced Living,"" addresses such common tensions as success and failure. It asks: How seriously do you take yourself? What time is it in your life? Following chapters cover balanced families, balance and personality type (using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), and balanced religion (achieving healthy moral and spiritual balance). Based on common questions, the chapter on ""Counseling and Psychotherapy"" guides consumers of professional counseling services. Topics include the various types of mental health service providers and theoretical approaches to counseling. The final chapter discusses human developmental models (in particular that of Erik Erikson), addresses certain values implicit in the counseling process, and treats certain theological assumptions from a Hebrew-Christian perspective. Mental health professionals, pastors, and others involved in helping people (as well as students preparing for such vocations) will find this book informative and challenging, perhaps even confirming. The book also engages laypersons--consumers of professional counseling and related mental, emotional, moral, spiritual, and relational health services. Of particular value are the case studies, examples, and illustrations presented in Balanced Living: Don't Let Your Strength Become Your Weakness.

In 1517 an Augustinian monk by the name of Martin Luther nailed ninety-five statements to the door at Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This was not a means of open debate but a desire to discuss scholarly objections to church practices of the time. Five centuries later, many of the same errors and heresies have crept back into the evangelical church. A modern ninety-five theses, couched in new terms for a new generation, require scholarly debate once again. Through modern-day apostles and prophets, and through the elitists within the evangelical church, the doctrine of buying God's grace and favor has been propagated through appeals for seed offerings and ""atonement-day"" donations in order to garner God's blessings. Pragmatic approaches to preaching the gospel through such movements as the seeker-driven models have moved the focus of the message of Christ and the worship of God from being God-centered to human-centered. Sound historical doctrines, such as the Trinity, have been relegated to the sidelines in favor of unity and ecumenicalism with Oneness preachers. In the words of Martin Luther, ""Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light,"" the following propositions need to be discussed in their entirety by church leaders, pastors, and laypeople alike.

This book describes a method of therapy based upon the Christian spirituality and psychotherapy perspective developed by Dr. Richard York. This clinical theology perspective is a phenomenological approach that integrates spiritual, theological, and psychological concepts and was developed in large part through York's own experience of being relieved of depression and anxiety through interweaving of psychotherapy, prayer and meditation, spiritual direction, and the relationship with his Indwelling Spirit. Because human beings are the products of relationships, York critiques approaches to psychology premised upon the subject/object epistemology of empirical science that study human behavior. He suggests instead that a relational-ontology research method offers an approach superior to that of standard psychotherapy and uses experience in relationship as the fundamental concept in this clinical theology. Because people are prone to hurt themselves and others, York also argues that standard approaches to psychology need to develop a psychology of sin and evil, including some form of a Higher Power, as essential parts of the spiritual aspect of psychotherapy. York critiques Christian theologians for developing theology that seldom uses empirical data and that is irrelevant to the process of helping people heal and grow. He criticizes those pastoral ministers who moralize with people instead of listening to them as well as those who preach more about sin and suffering than God's presence and saving grace through the forgiveness of sins. While he acknowledges that most of his perspective is not new, York does offer a unique contribution to the field of psychotherapy through the concept of the Indwelling Spirit. He describes how the Indwelling Spirit works in psychotherapy and the various techniques to access it. He further argues that his experience as a gay psychologist is an essential aspect of his method because in being healed through his experience with his Indwelling Spirit he was able to define this experience for use in psychotherapy, an insight used by very few straight therapists. York challenges the notion of how a gay man who worships God regularly, found healing through a relationship with Christ in the Holy Spirit of God, and developed the concept of the Indwelling Spirit for psychotherapy, could be considered ""objectively disordered and intrinsically evil"" by the Roman Catholic Magisterium. Furthermore, York describes a new principle of moral theology for sexual relationships based on love rather than procreation and suggests seven research hypotheses to study the phenomenon of the Indwelling Spirit and the love that is exhibited in both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.

The Epistle of Jesus to the Church is a commentary on the book of Revelation that assumes Jesus was the author and John the reporter of the words and events described. Here one will not find an explanation of an anti-Roman message written by John in hidden codes and apocalyptic motifs to fool Roman authorities. John the apostle and prophet was the faithful scribe, who did not create the message but faithfully and accurately described all that he saw and heard. This commentary follows the principle that the Scriptures explain themselves, because the Revelation is a word from Jesus to his church--a word that is grounded in the Scriptures. The Epistle of Jesus to the Church has been written with teachers, students, and pastors in mind. The interpretation of the book of Revelation is thorough; difficult passages are addressed, and plausible answers are provided to the questions posed by in-depth study of the biblical book. This is a commentary for personal study or classroom instruction, one that may be confidently used to preach and teach the Revelation of Jesus to the church.

This book is the response to a lifetime of questions raised by fellow philosophers, by students, and by the author's own wrestlings. Since the author claims that Jesus's importance goes beyond his being just a moral teacher, Edward Machle discusses the difference between the foundations of philosophy and of theology, and how the disciplines of philosophy and theology use language differently.Then Machle goes on to present his somewhat unorthodox evaluations of the four gospels and their relevance--rejecting, for instance, claims of a ""Q"" document, and dating Matthew later than Luke. Since any account of Jesus must assume that before Jesus appears in the records, he had a distinctive development, two admittedly fictional narratives follow, preparing for distinctive emphases in the author's later discussions of frequently met problems about Jesus's birth, miracles, aims, and death. Machle lays unusual emphasis on the centrality of the title ""Son of Man"" for Jesus. Extensive discussions of the resurrection narratives and questions about them follow, leading to a unique treatment of John's Prologue. The last three chapters deal with Jesus's relation to modern belief and life.

The time is post-World War II; the place is the United States and sporadically several ""at-risk"" foreign countries. The story is about a young scientist, Richard, who believes that the origins of violence and warfare can be found in the early life experiences of individuals. To test this belief, Richard insists he must have firsthand research experience, which means traveling to foreign countries to observe local populations under stress and to study their children. In the process, he meets many intriguing people and inadvertently gets entangled in a potentially dangerous espionage operation. William Charlesworth has created a story embodying two problems: on epistemological, the other biobehavioral. The first is the problem of acquiring the truth of something firsthand as a valid substitute for learning though potentially unreliable intermediaries such as the popular media. The second problem is the question of whether the origins of violence lie in normal resource competition between individuals rather than in some form of innate human pathology. While conducting research to deal with these problems, Charlesworth's scientist encounters individuals whose survival behavior challenges the value of posing both problems.

It is 1970, the year of Marc Chagall's famous art exhibit in Paris. Clayton Rogers Clarke, a Virginian, has chosen the city as his place of residence while pursuing research during his first sabbatical. His philosophical interests, however, suffer sudden distraction from an unanticipated competitor: Monique Gibert, a writer for a French daily, for whom her husband (Jacques-Maria) is the senior journalist. Flirtatious quips and nods soon lead to a passionate affair. While dividing his time between Monique and his studies, he meets a fellow PhD, also on sabbatical. Professor Carl Sullivan's field is the Classics, and it is his conviction that humankind has scarcely progressed beyond Homer. Clayton is determined to prove him wrong. Scores of delightful characters in Clarke's pension add intrigue and verve to the story. Wander with Clayton and Monique as they make their way into each other's hearts, while traversing the city's cafes and parks that Paris alone affords lovers. And ponder with the young philosopher the age-old question of the human condition. Students of the Classics, of the Humanities and French literature, as well as philosophy, will find the author's synopses of Rousseau and Pascal, and of Homer's gods and heroes, of immense help, along with his translations of Goethe, Rilke, and Baudelaire's poems.

In Part One, we analyze the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words translated ""faith."" Next, we explore how all of our faculties interact so you learn how to process a promise into a powerful word of faith. In Part Two, you discover how these principles are modeled by such Old Testament luminaries as Abraham, Enoch, Noah, Daniel's friends, and renowned Gentiles (Caleb, Rahab, and Job).In Part Three, we tackle such vital issues as the nature of ""saving faith,"" the ""how-to"" of effective trusting, and how your understanding of God's faithfulness influences your ability to trust Him.Whether you are a pastor, bible teacher, or small group leader seeking to transform the lives of those you serve, you will find a wealth of life-changing insights.

Are meaning and purpose still possible in life? The age of philosophy and its pursuit of the good of happiness came to an end with nihilism. The philosophers equated the good with intellect, which led to divided descriptions of this value. Philosophy is divided by divided loves--Plato's love of pure intellect and Aristotle's love of nature and constructs of value--which is why it led to nihilism in the end. But it is possible to go beyond the ravages of nihilism by setting aside these divided loves for the sake of love itself, the power that makes itself known through the desirability of life. At Smith's House examines the possibilities of ""love itself"" in twelve informal, entertaining conversations between two old friends. It begins by dissecting the divided concepts of value produced by philosophy and its infatuation with intellect. Then it describes the difference between ""love itself"" and the divided loves seen in philosophy as well as in institutional doctrine. Finally it discusses the restoration of unity to the church and goodness to culture through the formulation Deus caritas est, which provides a means of going beyond nihilism and the demise of philosophy.

Are we in fact more than just inert clay in the divine Potter's hands? This book seeks to prove conclusively from Scripture that mankind's freedom to seek God was not retracted at the fall, and that all humanity's sins were borne on the cross by the Lord Jesus Christ. The five points of Calvinism under scrutiny, often known by their acronym, TULIP, are a resume of doctrines formulated at the Council of Dort in 1619. This council maintained that the fall of Adam resulted in the inability of man to seek, or even to desire to seek, God. The Council of Dort declared that only those who have received prior regenerating grace are in fact capable of seeking Him. As you read this book, you will see that God has sovereignly decided to preserve genuine human freedom of choice, and that this brings Him glory and delight. You will also see that predestination is not about who is destined to become a Christian, but about whom a Christian is destined to become.

This anthology of sermons is compiled from a sixty-year practice of preaching. Reuben Swanson's "prophetic poetic prose, as it has been called, has developed through the faithful discipline of preparing written sermons. Readers will travel through the Christian year surprised and blessed by sermons from Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, and Pentecost.

Description:Christian Durant, a student at Leland University, worked his way through college at a local retailer, Stearns and Company. Though he studied history at Leland, he completed a minor in business and upon graduation moved into the management training program at Stearns and Company. Years later, serving as a store manager, Christian marries Leigh Whitfield and is approached by an old friend, Scott Pierce, with an opportunity to join him in a start-up manufacturing business. Christian and Leigh join their friends--Scott and his wife, Carol--as they learn more than they thought imaginable about starting and managing a business. Then tragedy strikes. Scott is killed in a mysterious accident, the business suffers setbacks, and friendships are stressed to the point of breaking. Christian faces a crisis, professionally and personally, and seeks answers that lead him ultimately to a newfound faith and peace. Christian and Leigh weigh the possibilities of selling their interest in the business and starting over. Meanwhile, the investigation into the death of Scott Pierce uncovers surprises that no one expected . . . Opportunity is a textbook introducing free enterprise and business principles in story form, complete with the suspense and intrigue of a novel. This ""novel text"" integrates a survey of business disciplines with a biblical worldview. In enlightening ways the book explores the integration of faith and ethics. As the story engages readers, it also teaches principles of free enterprise and business. Endorsements:""Nothing short of brilliant. David Whitlock has creatively put together a fascinating introductory textbook for college and university business students. In this well written work students will be introduced to all aspects of the business world . . . This exciting pedagogical tool enables students to grasp the big picture, while wrestling with matters of faith, ethical issues, and accountability challenges. . . . I heartily commend it and trust it will find the wide audience it deserves."" --David Dockery, President, Union University;Chairman of the Board of Directors, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities ""I recommend Opportunity to anyone involved in the study of business. I am also interested in making this book available to all of our entry and mid-level managers."" --Mr. Kelly Baker, Executive Vice President of Sales, Teters Floral Products, Inc.""David Whitlock has applied a unique approach to writing an introductory business text with a faith-based message. Students receive the advantage of two books for the price of one--a textbook and a novel. This is truly a novel approach to learning business and free enterprise in America."" --Robert MastersVice President for Academic Affairs, Kansas Board of Regents ""Dr. David Whitlock is passionate about the life that God has given him through the Lord Jesus Christ. That passion is very evident in his book, Opportunity: Introducing Free Enterprise and Business. This introduction to business textbook communicates basic business principles. . . . The most striking dimension of the book is the author's unapologetic presentation from a biblical Christian worldview. . . . It is my privilege and honor to recommend this book to those who desire to present business from a faith-based perspective."" --Gordon DutileProvost, Southwest Baptist University ""I like the approach. Opportunity departs from the same old dull-as-dishwater encyclopedic presentation style. The writing is generally lively and moves the reader along to the next subject."" --Shawn Ritenour Associate Professor of Economics, Grove City College""Easy read. . . . Dr. Whitlock captures the interest of the reader with a story that bridges the gap between theory and application. Opportunity is a story that is easy to understand, remember and apply. It is about time someone applied what we all know about how to help other people learn and remember--tell th

The time is the late 1940s. The place is India on the eve of independence. A history professor and his wife -- Ivar and Maren Lagerstrom -- arrive at a mission college in the southeastern town of Chinnapur. We follow Ivar and Maren as they learn to negotiate Indian society and as they endure trials of weather and disease. But graver crises are coming.Chinnapur is quickly becoming a haven for refugees. When the communist town chairman foments a riot of Koya tribesmen against the influx, a slaughter begins and throws the town into chaos.Robert Paul Roth has created a human-interest tale in which characters under duress become vehicles for significant social and political comment. Offering more than political commentary or local color, however, Freedom at Last reveals the irony of small-town life in uncertain times. Brimming with compelling characters, this novel brings readers close to ambiguities in both missionary activity and political empire.

This book consists of a series of dialogues on the relationship between belief in God and the world of nature. One participant is a Christian who believes one can base belief in God on reason and science, one is a Christian who thinks looking for such a base is unnecessary and even undesirable, and the third is an atheist. As the argument goes back and forth, it touches on such topics as the origin of the universe, various alleged pieces of evidence for design, and the existence of laws of nature. The dialogues do not aim to "settle anything but rather to take readers far enough into an issue to understand some of its complexities and, hopefully, to set them thinking.

In his Gospel, John presented Jesus as the Son of God by painting portraits, pictures, of him. The author of this volume displays twenty-nine of these portraits for us to look at and even study. The reader who observes these portraits carefully will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ in new and deeper ways. After each portrait is examined, there are applications for daily living and simple study questions drawn from the portrait. This book is all about Jesus the Living Word set forth in the Written Word and is intended for individual and group use.