Books published by Resource Publications (CA)

In this entertaining and informative book, Victor L. Cahn revisits memorable episodes from eleven classic television shows, including The Twilight Zone, Maverick, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Fugitive, The Avengers, and All in the Family. He provides background for each program, details about the creative individuals involved, close readings of the scripts, and reflections on why these series were influential when originally broadcast and why they continue to be enjoyed decades later by "baby boomers," their children, and their grandchildren. With a scholar's insight and a fan's enthusiasm, he offers a unique perspective on an integral part of mid-twentieth-century American culture.

Christ''s Miracles in Poems will inspire its readers through a greater understanding of Christ''s miracles as revealed in the New Testament of the Bible. These poems in rhyme reflect the divine power demonstrated by Jesus Christ.Ronald E. Hignite is a former educator and graduate of East Carolina University who has written several books, including Reflections of the Soul, Visions of the Mind, The Beatitudes in Poems, and The Ten Commandments in Poems. He spent most of his educational career in northeastern North Carolina. He and his wife, Diane, reside in Greenville, NC.

The term Ubuntu articulates an African understanding of our need to connect to one another in order to be complete. Likewise, A Common Mission offers a description of churches that connect with one another through the growing phenomenon of mission partnerships. The word ""common"" indicates something shared among equals. The word ""common"" also suggests something present in all parts of an organism, production, or narrative, such as a common thread. These two aspects of commonality provide an important orientation for contemporary mission. Since 2008, congregational partnerships emerged so quickly and spontaneously that very few researchers originally noticed this groundswell. Partnerships remain present in over 80 percent of United States mega-churches and are prominent in a large number of smaller US churches. This should not be surprising. Mission exists as an expression of the church''s identity, an evangelistic expression that crosses frontiers and goes to the ends of the earth. In our globalized context, however, mission also crosses neighborhood ""frontiers"" to the immigrants within our own communities. Mission expresses its Christian witness as congregations love those separated from the church by ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, religion, or fear.A Common Mission provides a framework of healthy patterns for churches to live into this mission identity. ""Quality literature and research on this topic is still rather sparse. Most of what has been written to date has been of a more popular nature. This volume promises to offer a substantive contribution to the literature that is at once rooted in sound empirical research, but is presented in a readable and useful manner, helpful to local churches and practitioners. David is a fine scholar, has wide experience, and evidences writing skills. I encourage publication of this work and will gladly recommend it.""--Craig Ott, Professor of Mission and Intercultural Studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL""David Wesley''s book examines one of the newest trends in world mission, where US megachurches form a central base for global partnerships on behalf of witness and service. I am not aware of any other publication that comes close to addressing this topic based on careful research.""--Robert Priest, Professor of Mission and Anthropology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL""The day of local church engagement in mission partnerships has dawned. Wesley''s hands-on research and keen insights into this new paradigm is both greatly needed and timely. Pastors, missiologists, and denominational leaders alike will benefit from this careful study of the future that is now for world mission.""--David A. Busic, General Superintendent, Church of the Nazarene, Oklahoma City, OK""Congregational partnerships may be the largest paradigm shift in how to facilitate mission that we have encountered in a century. Wesley''s work is very important to help congregations successfully develop healthy partnerships and avoid the pitfalls of dependency and other unhealthily relationships. The Church of the Nazarene needs this research to inform and guide us to healthy relationships that accomplish the mission of God.""--Verne Ward III, Nazarene Global Mission Director, Lenexa, KSDavid Wesley is Professor of Intercultural Studies at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO.

Description:His Real Life is about the young life of the West''s dominant figure, Jesus of Nazareth. Its focus is on his central desire to live a full human life on earth, not only as his parents'' loving child and as a son of the nation of Israel, but to transcend all boundaries in order to live in deepest beauty and widest truth as the universal man. The action unfolds through Jesus'' vivid encounters with individuals of every loved and various kind, through the early years of his child-awe at the creation, his event-packed adolescence, and all the startling physical adventures and soul journeys through which Jesus gradually grasps his identity.This drama of self-discovery peaks on the Jordan at Jesus'' baptism, when, as a man matured by experience and faith, Jesus achieves the awareness of who he is and who, therefore, we all are. As such, Jesus'' struggle for self-clarification is the story of everyone.

Damaged by an attempted abortion, preyed upon by the violence of his parents'' marriage, abused from the age of seven, and shut away in a mental hospital at thirteen, Paul Broadley never ceases to love the landscape he grows up in, which acts as a precursor to his salvation. But there is a serpent in that garden bent on willfully corrupting people--and yet redemption is strewn widely for those able to respond. Longman''s Charity is a novel and theological parable about landscape and childhood, sanity and abuse, truth and redemption. Stigmatized and avoided by his peers, Paul suffers deep psychological trauma as he represses memories of abuse, yet there is a passionate joy in his love of the natural world: the hills, the vale, the glorious fecundity of God''s creation. When he climbs out of that vale onto Bredon Hill for the first time, he is struck by the realization of the beauty and the joy of God''s creation, but also of the evil that infects it. Longman''s Charity is an illustration of the Book of the Psalms and the existence portrayed by the psalm writers: as he grows up, redemption comes through realizing the Truth in Christ""Paul Brazier describes a Dantean personal journey from the living hell of his childhood and adolescence through the purgatory of finding forgiveness for those who wronged him to the paradise of his faith and loving devotion to his wife. Guided by his Virgil, the natural beauty of the world, he comes to see that the world is, indeed, fused with the beauty and grandeur of God. A moving and ultimately uplifting story of the triumph of love over evil.""--Suzanne M. Wolfe, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA""Paul articulates his powerful story in a beautiful profound way. It is a powerful story that compels readers to consider the presence of God in the midst of terrible lifelong circumstances. It was helpful for me as a fellow victim of child abuse and other life circumstances that He suffered (along with the aftereffects of relatives that committed suicide.) Thank you, Paul, for bringing me hope through the presence of Christ as your hope.""--Julie Woodley, Restoring the Heart Ministries, Inc., Setauket, NYAn independent theologian and scholar living in London, P. H. Brazier holds degrees in Fine Art (BA), Education (MPhil), and Systematic Theology (MA and PhD). Paul has published widely in theology and philosophy, including an in-depth, five-volume systematic analysis of C. S. Lewis'' theology, C. S. Lewis: Revelation and the Christ (Wipf & Stock). A retired teacher, the author is the caregiver for his wife Hilary, who has epilepsy.

Echoes of Evil rejoins Deacon Coburn and company in a new adventure that picks up storylines and characters from Days of Purgatory and Shadows of Revenge. Joys and sorrows weave through this mosaic narrative, for the pursuit of justice extracts a great price as gripping scenarios unfold and secrets are confronted in the midst of upheaval. True to his sojourner outlook, the whiskey-sipping philosopher from Conoy Creek always comes to the aid of others at just the right time, embodying a theme of life: We ride upon the rippling currents set in motion for us by the Almighty. We merely lean into eddies we choose. Populated by Old West heroes and outlaws, Echoes of Evil introduces a cunning scoundrel unseen in the saga until now. This third installment continues a life-and-death struggle filled with harrowing turns and supernatural overtones.As Abell weaves this tale, readers will find themselves searching inward to discover the need for forgiveness, hope, grace, and redemption--while facing their humanity and past mistakes head-on. The author masterfully reveals the reality that we are all on a lifelong spiritual journey to find truth and meaning in the midst of the heartaches and trials of this world. He does it with historical accuracy, thrilling subplots, and fascinating characters. Echoes of Evil is not for the faint of heart. While riveted to this narrative, the reader will need to muster the courage to face the truth of the human condition and decide how to respond.--Jud Damon, Director of Athletics, Flagler College, St. Augustine, FLIn Echoes of Evil, the characters are laid bare as they struggle to find the grit, integrity, and faith to continue their journey. This intricately plotted drama sheds light on mysteries that have arisen in the previous installments of the Deacon Coburn series, reinforcing that Abell is a storyteller of rare foresight and scope. There are several welcome additions to the cast of rogues, settlers, lawmen, villains, and vagabonds. This novel is sure to leave readers shocked and thrilled, entertained, and always wanting to know more about these intriguing men and women.--William D. Hastings, author of Behind Prison WallsKen R. Abell resides in New Mexico with his wife Anita. They serve the Overcomers Program at Navajo Brethren in Christ Mission. Among other projects, he is currently writing the fourth installment of this western epic. His work can be found at www.wantedman.org or www.danceswithcorn.com.

Why have so many churches started community gardens over the past decade? Are they simply a fad? Or do community gardens somehow connect more deeply with the mission of the churches that launch them? What can churches and faith-based institutions interested in starting community gardens learn from those that have started their own gardens over the past decade? And what would it mean for a church to put Christ in the center of its community gardening efforts? In order to discern best practices for launching Christ-centered community gardens moving forward, Cultivating Neighborhood begins with a brief survey of the history of community gardens in the United States and builds a constructive theological framework for community gardening grounded in the practice of Christian hospitality. It continues with two case studies of church-sponsored community gardens and one case study of a community garden sponsored by a Christian college, all three of which were created between 2003 and 2011. The results of this research conclude with a new definition of Christ-centered community gardening and an outline of fifteen best practices for launching a Christ-centered community garden.""If every church and school had a garden, how different this world might be! Cultivating Neighborhood reminds us that caring for a garden provides somethving that cannot be purchased at the grocery store: the satisfaction of eating food tended by our own hands. Jesus is the new Adam, and we are invited to tend and protect the garden, this earth. Highly recommended!""--Nancy Sleeth, author of Almost AmishBryan K. Langlands is a church planter, campus minister, and instructor in the Religion Department at Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY. He is the editor of William H. Willimon''s book, A Will to Lead and the Grace to Follow: Letters on Leadership from a Peculiar Prophet (2011).

We all love stories--whether printed, passed down orally from generation to generation, or made into films. We love stories whether they are fictional, true, mythical, or legendary. Stories are part of our human history, and they help us understand being human. But there is one story that underpins all other stories--the story of why we exist. All great human stories must interact with this story.His Story explores this fundamental story by retelling the story of the Bible. His Story tells the Biblical story of how God has opened up a doorway into our universe and how this impacts the metanarrative of all of our lives. If you want to read the overarching story of the Bible in one short book, then His Story is for you. If you want to know the backstory of your life, His Story is for you.His Story is simply written, but doesn''t oversimplify. It is a book for people who might call themselves Christians, but also for all those who are curious about the ultimate story.His Story--the story of why we are here.Stuart Hacking is Chaplain at Immanuel College in Bradford, UK.

About the Contributor(s):Leon Sims has been fortunate to have two careers. As a United Methodist pastor, he served churches in south central Texas during the early years of his ministry. At midpoint he specialized in pastoral care, working as chaplain and psychotherapist in health care institutions. He is former Director of the Center for Counseling and Wellness, Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio, Texas, and now works part time in private practice.

As a poetic drama, The Stone Ship transports readers on a lifetime''s voyage of discovery. Jerome, an amnesiac, wonders how he became a monastic porter at Cloistergarth. His search for the lost years becomes a deep well from which all the fragments of his past emerge; the demonized adolescent rescued by the ghost of his admonitory mother; the pius twelve-year-old who relives the passion play with his siblings; and the boy of eight who declares, Wasn''t no ghost came back! Don''t know where he is, but my dad isn''t dead. And who is the youth of twenty-three, pursuing priestly studies, but badgered by peers, visits the brawling town Magdalene? While Eli, the extortionist, lays his blackmail trap for the youth.The Sabat nightmare ensues. Whether real or hallucinatory, it delivers at the climax a blow to the stricken conscience of the youth, and a blinding lucidity of recall to the monk.Later, the boy attempts suicide but is caught in the fisherman''s nets. Sent off to the Confessor, he is absolved, and the inevitable Lethean river descends. Upon his embarkation, Jerome knows the immense joy of going home as a son to his Father''s good pleasure.Dunstan Massey is a monk of Westminster Abbey in Mission, Canada, and a faculty member of the Seminary of Christ the King. He is a sculptor, fresco painter, poet, and the author of The Mystic Mountain (2002).

We live in a society where the value of an individual is distilled into impersonal numbers, reduced to a mere target for marketing campaigns and newsflashes that scroll across our screens or are texted to thousands. The individual may be discarded just as quickly, disappearing into a morass of numbers to be instantaneously replaced. The Apostle Paul saw things differently in his letter to Philemon. He overcame spiritual, sociological, and status differences to restore the personal value of one runaway slave called Onesimus. This book is about how easily we can overlook a person, even one who is close to us and valued by God. It is about God giving us the honor of participating in someone''s life, even if only for a moment, to become part of a discovery that will forever alter that person''s direction--and perhaps our own. This story teaches us to never minimize the significance of any individual, look negatively at our own circumstances, or trivialize opportunities placed in our path during life''s journey. God has individuals for us all to meet, however briefly, to engage in mutual discovery of our human value. (In)Visible shows how Jesus leads us to discover people who are of value to him so they might be transformed and ""returned"" to others, and to God, as better for having met us.In the book of Philemon, the Apostle Paul called Onesimus ''useful.'' So would I label Dr. Arthur Ammann. While serving as head of Pediatric Immunology at UCSF Medical School, he discovered the link between blood transfusion and HIV/AIDS. Now mothers and children in developing countries benefit from his knowledge and connections through Global Strategies for HIV Prevention. This useful man now draws on those experiences to share his thoughts on the biblical book of Philemon so that we too can become useful.--Diane M. Komp, author of The Healer''s HeartJesus called us to love one another as he loved us, and (In)Visible is a clarion reissuing of that call to go beyond the ''spiritually gated communities'' in which we are prone to live. By telling of the Apostle Paul''s relationship with Onesimus and his own relationships with family and friends, a taxi driver, a fellow camp worker, and a wise, young patient, Arthur Ammann--in illuminating dialogue with Barbara McClennan--shows that God''s grace knows no boundaries of age, class, or origin. In our life-stifling culture of overwork and depersonalized relations, this lean book offers aerobics for the soul.--Susan S. Phillips, author of CandlelightArthur J. Ammann, MD, is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the UCSF School of Medicine and founder of Global Strategies, a nonprofit organization partnering with healthcare providers in some of the poorest countries in the world. As a lifelong advocate for compassionate care of the disadvantaged, he has traveled extensively, published widely, and spoken worldwide on the intersection between healthcare, science and technology, government, and religious institutions in impacting the individual. His most recent book is Women, HIV, and the Church.Barbara McLennan was born and raised in Chicago, IL, and attended St. Olaf College and Wheaton College. As an artist and a writer, Barbara speaks and writes on the intersection of faith, creativity, and everyday life. Before collaborating with Dr. Ammann, Barbara edited The Season for Reflection: Stories from Bill Starr''s Life.

The book assumes that in learning to translate the Greek New Testament, it is necessary to know (a) the Greek letters, (b) the alterations to the roots, (c) the rules of agreement, and (d) the vocabulary. By comparing the original Greek against the English translation, the author considerably reduces the effort needed to accomplish this worthwhile adventure. Many students who have used this book have enjoyed it, and one student who succeeded admirably in his study of Greek without Tears writes: The notes were brief and very clear, the illustrations graphic and sometimes humorous, and the concepts easily understood and retained. These notes shall ever be among my choicest and most treasured compilation of theological study material!Ted Edwards was Principal of Regent College of the Caribbean (formerly Jamaica Bible College). Known as a gifted administrator, teacher, and scholar, he obtained Distinction in Greek grammar, syntax, and composition at the University of London. His love for Spanish and Latin, which he has taught for many years, inspired his passionate study of Greek. His aim is to foster such love for Greek among Christians that they will desire to read the New Testament in its original tongue. He is also the author of Let Us Reason Concerning Tongues (1978).