The Mystery of the Kingdom is a verse-by-verse exposition of what Jesus Himself identified as "The Paramount Parable" - The Parable of the Sower. Unpacked as it is by the author, this book is a virtual "Christianity 101," in that it puts the entire "big picture" of the Christian experience and life into proper perspective, unveils many insights into the how the Kingdom of God operates on earth, and answers many common questions regarding God and the Kingdom of God. Its subtitle, Bearing Kingdom Fruit, reflects the book's and the Parable's ultimate message. The medium through which that message is conveyed - The Parable of the Sower - is what Jesus Himself indicated is the most important of all His Parables. In it, He delineates the four categories of hearers of the Word of God. According to the Parable, everyone who has ever heard the Word of God falls into one of these four categories, and thereby chooses their own future and eternal destiny. Dr. Lambert unveils in the volume the four-step path of progressive spiritual growth revealed in this "dark saying" (parable) of the Master. The most profound and intriguing "hidden pearl" inherent in the rich and ingenious Parable, however, is the spiritually appraised "secret" of how the entire Kingdom of God operates and how every believer can bear Kingdom fruit in his/her own life. And, indeed, as of Scripture is that bearing Kingdom fruit is by no means optional, but rather absolutely imperative. Why do bad things happen to "good" people? "If there is a God who loves us so much, why does He allow such evil and adverse things to happen and continue to exist in the world?" Who is the true author of evil and adversity in the world? Why is there so much suffering in the world and even for Christians? When Christians experience adversity does it mean they are doing something wrong or that it is happening because they are sinners? Is adversity a sign of sin and judgment from God? Is there really a real, live devil? If Satan exists, should Christians just ignore him and act as if he doesn't exist? Didn't Jesus "defeat" the devil? If so, why is "spiritual warfare" really necessary? Is a Christian's salvation "eternally secure, or can he/she fall away and lose his/her salvation? What is Kingdom fruit and how does one produce it in their own life? How important is it to bear Kingdom fruit? What is the consequence if we don't? These are all questions commonly asked by believers and unbelievers alike. The Mystery of the Kingdom offers definitive and straightforward answers to all these age-old questions, right out of the Word of God. By demystifying many of the conundrums of life, The Mystery of the Kingdom, will bring you new inward peace, rest, and faith, and in the process quench the psychological and emotional "fiery darts" with which the evil one assails all believers. It will also arm you with added "ammunition" for quelling the sometimes hostile questionings and criticisms of the unbelieving. Regardless of how long you've been a believer, you are guaranteed to gain new insights from this book that will have a powerful and enduring impact upon your life Those who have known the Lord for a while will also be reminded of many vital concepts and precepts concerning the Kingdom of God and our Heavenly Father's gracious and exceeding love for us. The inspiring and empowering message unfurled upon the pages of The Mystery of the Kingdom is a tremendous evangelizing source. Once you've read and experienced it for yourself, you will then be impelled or even compelled to sow it into the lives of loved ones and those you are praying will receive the Lord Jesus Christ into their hearts and lives.

Multitudes of sincere and trusting believers are caught in the virtually invisible web of religious captivation in the churches they attend, the ministries they are under, and the networks they are aligned with and don't know it These faithful followers of Christ are unaware victims of spiritual abuse, psychological enslavement, and emotional exploitation perpetrated under the heavy-hand of hyper-authoritarianism. That is to say, the leadership of the church-group of which they are a part is dominating, controlling, manipulating, and exploiting their followers for their own personal gain and private kingdom-building. Without realizing the spiritual effect of what they are doing, myriads of sincere and faithful followers of Christ, in submitting themselves and surrendering their God-given right to self-governance or personal autonomy unto their spiritual leaders, have become "slaves of men" in violation of God's explicit warning against such: "DO NOT BECOME SLAVES OF MEN " (1 Cor. 7:23). Frequently, in groups employing such hyper-authoritarian practices, adherents codify their willful enslavement by signing biblically-prohibited "covenants" with their leaders requiring them to effectively surrender their free-will unto their spiritual taskmasters and granting them the right to intervene in and make decisions regarding the mundane matters of their lives. Authoritarian abuse (aka, "spiritual abuse") is one of the most widespread and troubling problems facing the Church today. Indeed, the truth is that ecclesiastical enslavement and exploitation is pandemic in many sectors of 21st Century Christendom, though those churches and ministries employing it go to great lengths to disguise and conceal it. What makes the pandemic problem even more insidious is that many of the perpetrators and proliferators of these spiritually repressive teachings and techniques are respected, and in some cases revered, spiritual leaders. Moreover these autocratic systems of religious hegemony are being imposed in church-groups espousing orthodox Christian beliefs, whose membership is comprised of a cross section of average Americans-individuals and families-of every race, education level, station, status, and vocation, rather than radical, fringe religious sects and cults as many uninformed people would suppose. Though religious predomination is certainly nothing new, and hyper-authoritarianism is by no means limited to the Neo-Pentecostal branch of the Church, it has especially flourished in Charismatic and other Neo-Pentecostal groups since it was infused into the very fabric, foundation, and functions of that branch of the Church in the early- to mid-seventies through the auspices of what became known as the "Discipleship or Shepherding Movement." The doctrines and practices spawned in that false movement remain an integral part of the operations of many churches and groups yet today Indeed, what many do not understand is that with the emergence of the plethora of "networks" now in existence, there is an invisible web of interrelated organizations that secretly control and direct everything substantive that goes on in the realm of Neo-Pentecostal churches, including "approving" or "blacklisting" ministers and leaders who refuse to submit to the secret "Charismatic chain-of-command." Written from an "insider's" perspective by an inveterate, respected Charismatic minister and lettered theologian, who is consulted by the media as an expert on Christian cults, Charismatic Captivation, has been appraised and praised by ministers, scholars, theologians, church leaders, and laymen as one of the most comprehensive as well as convincing volumes written to date on the prevalent problem of authoritarian abuse, yet without the "Charismatic-bashing" in which other books citing Neo-Pentecostal abuses often engage.