The brief chapters in this booklet provide insights into the life of one of Christ's most beloved disciples, Simon Peter. Adapted from sermons first published in a local newspaper and preached in a pastoral setting, these four chapters follow a devotional-expositional approach similar to that used in the author's books Patterns to Ponder from Bible Characters and Mighty Man of Valour: A 31-Day Devotional from the Life of Gideon. As such, this booklet provides a sampler of the author's non-academic writings.

In a culture strikingly similar to that of Gideon's time, when "every man did that which was right in his own eyes," we too need "mighty men of valour" who will speak "the truth in love," "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints," and "stand in the gap" for their families, churches, and communities. This one-month devotional tour of Gideon's life brings to light principles relevant for spiritual warriors today. These truths prove essential for personal spiritual victory as well as for successful Christian leadership. Read this book and share it with those you know who are, or should be, "mighty men of valour."

This booklet presents a germinal essay on the formation of the Conservative Holiness Movement, providing a broad overview from its early twentieth-century roots in the radical Holiness tradition fostered by such visionaries as Martin Wells Knapp and Seth Cook Rees to the development of self-identified "conservative" dissenting fellowships that coalesced under the leadership of ministers like H. E. Schmul and Glenn Griffith during mid-twentieth century. It brings into focus the underlying rationale of the conservative position which perceived the quest for upward social mobility (embourgeoisement) as a three-prong threat-a nefarious spiritual trident endangering the Holiness people's beloved "ship of Zion." It further documents how the radical response to this challenge led to a shift in the primary rationale for Holiness ethics throughout much of the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. An Afterword shares additional reflections refined in light of continued research into the movement's history.

Several of the previous writings by Wallace Thornton, Jr. have addressed the history of God's people from a primarily academic perspective, albeit with a goal of spiritual application. In this work, he approaches the history presented in God's Word from a practical perspective, but with a continued commitment to sound scholarship. The result is twenty-six expositions of Bible characters and narratives formed from their lives. These messages stem from over two decades of pulpit ministry and should minister to clergy and lay people with devotional encouragement, everyday application, and fresh ideas for sermons or lessons. Chapter titles include the following: "Dealing with Delays" "A Bad Reputation Ruined by a Good Decision" "The Danger of Getting What You Want" "The Essence of Discipleship" "The Way to True Peace" "None of These Things Move Me..".plus 20 more.