Abuse in the church is real. The place where one expects to find love, inspiration, and healing can become the very place where harm and destruction occur. Sadly, pastors and church leaders can bring abuse to their people through the use of a rigid and harsh approach to leadership. Other leaders are indifferent about what happens at church. When legalism and self-righteousness dominate or permissiveness is pervasive, the church that God intended is destroyed.

In "Understanding Abusive Church Leadership: What It Looks Like and How It Debilitates the Life and Spirit of Church Members," author Judy R. De Wit presents a challenge to you to identify what kind of leadership your church uses. Once you determine its approach, you can determine what changes your church should make to enhance a healthier church environment-one that leads to a better church for everyone.

Christ's mandate for His Church is for it to be a place of healing, restoration, and recovery. Everyone should feel safe to be a member. "Understanding Abusive Church Leadership" seeks to equip you to help your church to serve God as He intended.

If there is ever a chance to understand fasting once and for all and incorporated it into your spiritual life, Fasting Outside the Box will exceed your expectations and revolutionize your walk with God. The differentiation of fasting "inside" or "outside" the box is very thought-provoking as it reveals the contrast between one's motives and the condition of the heart. Fasting was commonplace with the early leaders of the Church and it is still one of the most impactful disciplines that draws us into a closer intimacy with God. Pastor Bankas maintains that fasting not only ignites the "fire" of our devotion and commitment to God but also intensifies and strengthens our prayer life. With great insight, he shows you how to... Hang out with God Purify your heart Come near to God Receive the secret pearls of fasting Know why you should fast "John Bankas leaves footprints wherever he goes. I see Fasting Outside the Box as a written expression and extension of this pastor's love for everyone he meets. Here is a book that will definitely leave indelible footprints on your heart." - Bruce D. Johnson, Superintendent of Redwood Christian Schools, Castro Valley, California. "Fasting Outside the Box is born out of a consistent life of prayer and fasting led by Pastor John. He is not theorizing about fasting or writing about a vicarious experience he has had with it. This book describes a firsthand experience." - Dada A. Daodu, Special Education Teacher; Technical Assistant, Kogi State, Nigeria. "Fasting Outside the Box takes the fear and mystery out of fasting and gives a clear, step-by-step understanding of how fasting can benefit you, especially in developing an intimacy with God." - Joy J. Zandona, final-year MAT student at Fuller Theological Seminary, California.

"Throughout the ages, in all parts of the world, the messages of miracle have been heard. They appeal to the child within us all and make the world more loving and wondrous than it often seems. But there is no man or woman living to whom miracles are out of reach. If we believe otherwise, it is due to the illusion that simplicity and innocence are lost." Rodney Charles "Anything is possible. This book covers the lives of hundreds of miracle workers and leaves you feeling like you know them all personally. Some saints fly freely through the air, some talk to angels, while other read your thoughts as easily as any spoken words. This book is fun, funny, and inspirational. If you are looking for conformation of miracles, this is the book to read. Canadian Book Report "The Author, Rodney Charles, has created an easy read and a good choice in its field that is also light and fun." Phyllis Tickle Publishers Weekly "This compelling collection of miraculous accounts, historic and modern, is both scholarly and charming. Its sheer simplicity opens the heart and delights the soul." Reverend Bishop Tormin "This book urges us to believe in our dreams. It reminds us of what is true, great, and lasting, and makes us feel like children again." Los Angeles Times "This book is hard to believe, and hard to resist." A.K. Wilson National Independent Review About the Author Rodney Charles has spent fifteen years researching and writing about how the mind and body function to accommodate supernatural phenomena. He has delivered over a thousand lectures and taught courses in eight countries. His ability to bridge the gap between the religious and New Age community has given him a significant reputation. Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, he currently divides his time between Canada, the United States and India. He is available for lectures and may be contacted through 1stWorld Publishing. Email: [email protected]. Publisher: 1stworldpublishing.com, 1stworldlibrary.org Author's Note: "Throughout the ages, in all parts of the world, the messages of miracle have been heard. They appeal to the child within us all and make the world more loving and wondrous than it often seems. But there is no man or woman living to whom miracles are out of reach. If we believe otherwise, it is due to the illusion that simplicity and innocence are lost." Rodney Charles "Anything is possible. This book covers the lives of hundreds of miracle workers and leaves you feeling like you know them all personally. Some saints fly freely through the air, some talk to angels, while other read your thoughts as easily as any spoken words. This book is fun, funny, and inspirational. If you are looking for conformation of miracles, this is the book to read. Canadian Book Report "The Author, Rodney Charles, has created an easy read and a good choice in its field that is also light and fun." Phyllis Tickle Publishers Weekly "This compelling collection of miraculous accounts, historic and modern, is both scholarly and charming. Its sheer simplicity opens the heart and delights the soul." Reverend Bishop Tormin "This book urges us to believe in our dreams. It reminds us of what is true, great, and lasting, and makes us feel like children again." Los Angeles Times "This book is hard to believe, and hard to resist." A.K. Wilson National Independent Review Publisher: 1stworldlibrary.org, 1stworldpublishing.com

This novel is about a young boy as he experiences life in the time of Jesus Christ. It tells of his early life at En-Gedi, his life as he travels with Jesus, his life after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus and about those he encountered as he lived his life out in Capernaum to the age of 100 years. In effect, it is a bible story that explains the rudiments of Christianity. It is a great adventure in Christianity.The author is retired from the U.S. Air Force where he became acquainted with North Africa and the Middle East. In 1999 he and his wife had the opportunity to tour the Holy Land and Egypt. He came to appreciate the rich history of the area of Jesus Christ and the Pharaohs. In order to put it all into perspective, he wrote this novel to assist him in better understanding his Christian religion and how Christian message has spread throughout the world.It is based on the history listed in the Reference section and a harmony of the gospels of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John. It acquaints the reader with the Jewish One God in contrast with the multiple gods of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Their gods were laid bare by the free offer of salvation by the One God.

Brill's Companion to Aelred of Rievaulx explores the life, works, and thought of Aelred, Cistercian abbot of Rievaulx Abbey from 1147 to 1167. As well as introducing the three genres of his works -sermons, spiritual teaching, and history- scholars survey such central topics as Marian devotion, love and friendship, the sacramental nature of community, lay spirituality, and saints' lives. The work also includes the first supplement to the Bibliotheca aelrediana secunda, listing publications by and about Aelred from between 1996 and 2015. Aelred is rapidly becoming one of the best-known and most loved of the 12th-century Cistercians; this book provides welcome new insights into his contributions to the spiritual and political concerns of his place and time. Contributors are Damien Boquet, Pierre-Andre Burton, Marsha L. Dutton, Elizabeth Freeman, Daniel M. La Corte, Marie Anne Mayeski, Domenico Pezzini, John R. Sommerfeldt, and Katherine Yohe.

For more than forty years, Evidence That Demands a Verdict has encouraged and
strengthened millions of people around the world. It has convinced skeptics of the
Bible's reliability, helped believers articulate their faith, and given them the vital facts
they need to defend God's Word and lead others to faith in Jesus. The book has now
been revised and updated to include newly uncovered historical documentation, recent
scholarship, and new and expanded chapters to address recent attacks on Christianity.

In this new six-session video study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), Josh and
his son, Sean, help believers in Christ understand how the books of the New Testament
came into being, how they differ from "Gnostic" and non-biblical texts, and why they
can be sure that the New Testament books are historically reliable. They also examine
how believers can know that Jesus existed, why the claims he made about himself are
true, how he fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about himself, and how believers can
know the resurrection took place.

This study is for anyone who has ever been stumped by someone's arguments against
Christianity or the Bible-or has wondered for themselves if the Bible's depiction of Jesus
is true and not just a made-up fairy tale. It has been specifically created to help
Christians know what they believe, why it is true, and how they communicate biblical
truth to a skeptical world.

This study guide is designed for use with the Evidence That Demands a Verdict Video
Study (sold separately).