Showing results by narrator "Al Kessel" in All Categories

"The unexamined life is not worth living," according to Socrates, but pursuing the examined life strikes many as daunting, unappealing and even unnecessary. Is philosophy important? Why do I need philosophy if I have the Bible? Aren't philosophers simply engaged in meaningless disputes that are irrelevant to everyday life? Mark Foreman addresses these and other questions in this "prelude" to the subject. Unlike a full introduction to philosophy, this book is a preliminary discussion that dispels misunderstandings and explains the rationale for engaging in philosophical reasoning.

There are so many misconceptions about Calvinism that it is safe to say that even most Christians do not truly know what it teaches. You may have grown up in a Reformed church, or you may have heard about Calvinism mostly in arguments. Either way, it may surprise you to know that this belief has huge, and very positive, implications for a believer's daily life!

In The 7 Most Important Equations for Your Retirement, Moshe Milevsky argues that 21st-century retirement income planning is indeed a science and has its foundations in the work of great sages who made conceptual and controversial breakthroughs over the last eight centuries. In the book, Milevsky highlights the work of seven scholars - summarized by seven equations - who shaped all modern retirement calculations.

In the last few years, it has become abundantly clear that the effects of accelerating climate change will be catastrophic, from rising seas to more violent storms to desertification. Yet why do nation-states find it so difficult to implement transnational policies that can reduce carbon output and slow global warming? In Oceans Rise, Empires Fall, Gerard Toal identifies geopolitics as the culprit.

This volume contains a variety of imaginative stories from both famous and not-so-famous science fiction writers.

Imagine a machine that would end all wars and bloodshed. A machine that can create a virtual world so real, so complete, where all conflicts are waged, but where no one ever dies or gets hurt. The dueling machine is just that...until a madman dictator of a small empire finds a way to bend virtual reality to his will - and uses the dueling machine to take over the galaxy! It's up to the machine's creator and a rather inept Star Watchman to discover the plan and stop it.

Through the New Life movement, pastor and author Jack Miller became the pioneering captain of an expansive network of gospel-centered, Reformed leaders who taught in seminaries, planted new churches, revitalized existing churches, and recruited and trained missionaries who were sent around the world. His influence is felt today through their work, his writings, and ministries such as Serge (previously World Harvest Mission) and the Sonship curriculum.

Throughout history, the signet ring has been a symbol of authority, sealing covenants and sanctioning decrees. And today the most powerful, authoritative signet ring is still operating in the world: you. Believer, as a son or daughter of the King of kings, you carry His authority, power, and covenant promises with you wherever you go. Through eye-opening biblical insights, spiritual leaders Chuck Pierce and Alemu Beeftu help you fully grasp and step into this life-changing Kingdom role.

We’re all searching for contentment. Whether it's in relationships, families, jobs, finances, or something else entirely, we all want to be happy and fulfilled. And yet, all too often we find ourselves disappointed with what God has given us. But the apostle Paul says that he learned the “secret” of being content in any and every situation. Is this level of contentment possible for believers today?

There are many paths to lose your way. And only one way to find it. So said Jesus of Nazareth, the most compelling and controversial teacher of all time. This book aims to make sense of his counterintuitive claim: Unless we lose our lives for his sake, we will never discover our true selves. Writers from around the world tell their stories of healing and hope amid many hardships. Joni Eareckson Tada, Sam Allberry, Christopher Yuan, Aixa de Lopez, and many other contributors share how God found them amid many dangers, toils, and snares.

Gathering more than a hundred personal narratives from Americans and from Japanese, Pacific Skies recounts a history of air combat in the Pacific theater. Together their stories express fierce individualism and resourcefulness and convey the vast panorama of war that included the skies over Pearl Harbor, Wake, and Guadalcanal and missions from Saipan and Tinian.

Since the birth of their nation, Americans have acted on the belief that theirs was a land of youth, a place destined to offer a fresh start to an aging world. No Country for Old Age tells this story from the founding period to our present moment, but not without exposing its darker side: rejuvenation has often bred grand expectations that end in division and despair.

When the Germans invaded Norway in 1940, teenager Odd Bjerke bid his family farewell and confidently made his way to Sweden alone, on skis, with the intention of traveling to Britain to fight for his country. His wartime odyssey began when he joined the Norwegian Free Army in Scotland in 1940...

In 1827 the first modern national crime statistics were published: the Compte général de l'administration de la justice criminelle en France. Before the onset of data criminology, the perception of crime relied on sources from classical antiquity, rational philosophical thought, travellers' observations, and unsystematic observations by criminal justice practitioners. With the new concept of national crime statistics, it became possible to test theories and hypotheses about crime using a shared data instrument, leading to an unprecedented avalanche of crime research by continental scholars.

In Liturgical Mission, Winfield Bevins argues that the church's liturgy and sacramental life are in fact deeply missional. He explores the historic practices of the Christian church, demonstrating how they offer a holistic framework for everyday Christian discipleship and mission in the twenty-first century. The result is a book that not only invites all Christians back to the historic liturgy of the church, but also invites those already in liturgical churches to rediscover the missional life that has too often remained latent in their own traditions. 

For the past 150 years, the elves and terrans of the Third World have struggled under the brutal rule of the Scourge. No one knows how they arrived, but their motives are horrifyingly obvious: the complete and total extinction of all life on the planet.

Questions veterans and their families have asked since the beginning of time are here answered by vets who have been there and now have passed to the other side. With their new perspective they reach back to help their fellow soldiers heal and gain peace with thought provoking answers to some of the most-asked questions affecting veterans of today.

It's not just that many pastors feel overwhelmed and stressed out; many have lost their way. With the risk of burnout at an all-time high, what pastors need is not just a new leadership strategy, but a new framework for ministry - one that will help them move from survival to flourishing. In this audiobook, Tom Nelson looks to the biblical image of the shepherd leader in response to the contemporary context. If pastors are to lead congregations, then they must first learn what it means to be led by the Good Shepherd. 

In today's technology-driven culture, reading has become a lost art. With smartphones offering information at the tap of a finger, reading a book is often seen as a tedious and outdated activity. Christians are not immune to this problem, as many find it hard to read books - even the Bible - consistently and attentively. Recovering the Lost Art of Reading addresses these timely issues by exploring the importance of reading generally as well as studying the Bible as literature, giving practical suggestions along the way. 

Walt Disney never stopped dreaming about the future. And neither should you! Learn how you can use Walt Disney's final dream of EPCOT -- the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow -- to see your own dreams come true. In Beyond the Wisdom of Walt, Jeffrey A. Barnes challenges you to transform your life by applying the lessons that Walt Disney, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and EPCOT teach us.