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Item Symposium on the Role of Women in the Church(Zondervan, 1984-08-28)The Biblical Research Institute (BRI) of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has been involved since 1972 with committees, councils, and research papers on the roles of women in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. At times they were encouraged to believe that the papers written on the subject could be published for the benefit of concerned individuals within the church and the information of similar persons outside the membership of the church.* Until the present time there have been various factors which have led the administrative leadership of the church to postpone such publication. The general reason given for the reluctance to publish was the fear that certain countries in the world family of Adventist churches would be embarrassed, if not offended, by actions that could result in placing women in leadership roles in the church, the home, the school, or the family. Persons or organizations hearing of the existence of these papers could purchase copies from the Biblical Research office. Some copies have been distributed under these terms. Now the BRI’s Administrative Committee has voted to publish this set of papers. The following provides an overview of them so that the reader may better anticipate their contents. One of the issues receiving the attention of Christian churches in the past fifteen years has been the roles that the women of these churches can best fulfill. This subject is of particular concern to those women who feel that they have been, or are, prevented from carrying out certain roles in the church, for which they believe they have a competency or a potential capacity. Others share their concern. It is of interest also to those—both men and women—who are aroused by present-day agitation in society for women to be freely admitted to those areas from which custom and tradition have hitherto excluded them. Such persons want to know whether and how the church is affected by, and is relating to, this general movement in society—how it is treating its women. For many, the church’s profession of Christ is judged on this issue.Item How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth:A Guide to Understanding the Bible(Zondervan, 1993-03-13) Gordon D. Fee; Douglas StuartEvery so often we meet someone who says with great feeling, “You don’t have to interpret the Bible; just read it and do what it says.” Usually, such a remark reflects the layperson’s protest against the “professional” scholar, pastor, teacher, or Sunday school teacher, who, by “interpreting,” seems to be taking the Bible away from the common man or woman. It is their way of saying that the Bible is not an obscure book. “After all,” it is argued, “any person with half a brain can read it and understand it. The problem with too many preachers and teachers is that they dig around so much they tend to muddy the waters. What was clear to us when we read it isn’t so clear anymore.” There is a lot of truth in that protest. We agree that Christians should learn to read, believe, and obey the Bible. And we especially agree that the Bible should not be an obscure book if studied and read properly. In fact we are convinced that the single most serious problem people have with the Bible is not with a lack of under standing, but with the fact that they understand most things too well! The problem with such a text as “Do everything without com plaining or arguing” (Phil. 2:14), for example, is not with under standing it, but with obeying it—putting it into practice.Item CLASSICAL APOLOGETICS A Rational Defense of the Christian Faith and a Critique of Presuppositional Apologetics(Zondervan, 1984-04-04) R. C. SPROUL; JOHN GERSTNER and ARTHUR LINDSLEYChristianity is rational. But because it provokes passion, devotion, prayer, worship, and aspirations to obedience, its purely rational element can easily be submerged or concealed from view. It has been called variously a “religion,” a “way of life,” an “experience,” a “faith,” and an “ideology.” That Christianity involves more, much more than rationality, is evident. That it is eminently rational is not always evident. Throughout this work, the authors, John Gerstner, Arthur Lindsley, and R. C. Sproul, affirm the primacy of the mind in the Christian faith. To suggest the primacy of the mind is outrageous to some, particularly to those who equate rationality with rationalism. We also affirm the primacy of the heart. The scope of this volume focuses primarily on the rational aspect of Christianity. Our emphasis on this part, however, must not be misconstrued as a summary of the whole.Item An Expositional Commentary ACTS(Zondervan, 1996-06-26) James Montgomery BoiceIn the last few years I have come across a number of disturbing books that ring a loud alarm for the church establishment known as evangelicalism. Evangel means "good news," or "the gospel," and the evangelical churches are those that assume they know the gospel and are defending it in a day when liberal churches are not. The books I am referring to say that this is not so, that evangelicals are actually in the process of abandoning the gospel along with many other theological convictions on which the church has been built. One outstanding book is David F. Wells's No Place for Truth: Or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology? Michael Scott Horton edited Power Religion: The Selling Out of the Evangelical Church.Item Together in the Land A Reading of the Book of Joshua(Sheffield Academic Press, 1993-03-23) Gordon MitchellThe text of Joshua presents the reader with a puzzling contradiction. One the one hand, there are commands to slaughter all of the enemy, descriptions of complete destruction and statements recording the success of the conquest, and on the other hand, Rahab's family, the Gibeonites and others continue to live in the land. To this puzzling contradiction, several explanations have been offered.Item THE SOURCES OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS(T&T CLARK EDINBURGH, 1995-05-15) Sr. Mary Thomas Noble, O.P.Vatican Council II, expressing its concern for the renewal of Christian morality, noted that "its scientific exposition should be more thoroughly nourished by scriptural teaching." The Council further urged the re establishment of moral theology's links with dogma and the teaching of the Church Fathers. It reaffirmed the connectedness of moral theology with spirituality, pastoral practice, philosophy, and the behavioral sci ences.1 These directives confirm certain strong currents that have been developing within the Church over the last decades, initiatives of renewal in the fields of Scripture, patristics, liturgy, and ecumenism. One of the principal changes introduced by the Council has been, for the People of God, a new, full access to Scripture and to the liturgy, which is the Word of God prayed by his people. But obviously, no decree or document, however enlightened, can bring about the proposed re forms unaided. What is needed is revision in depth. The theologian, for example, cannot be content with merely multiplying references to Scrip ture or to extensive patristic sources, but must penetrate and grasp the ology's deepest foundations and principles. Most importantly, Christian morality cannot be a mere "given." The riches of its vast heritage have not yet been tapped as have those of Scrip ture and dogma. Christian moral teaching is far more than a catalogue of precepts concerning behavior, classified and more or less determined by particular situations. It must convey a systematic overview of its field, provide basic criteria for judgment, and come to terms with the entire domain of human activity. In the course of the ages, moreover, it has developed its own language and technical procedures.Item The Power of Servant-Leadership(BK Brerret Kochler, 1998-12-22) LARRY C. SPEARS“The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The best test is: do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?” Robert K. Greenleaf, The Servant as Leader, 1970 With that initial definition of servant-leadership in 1970, Robert K. Greenleaf planted a seed of an idea that continues to grow in its influence on society with each passing year. In fact, during the 1990s, we have witnessed an unparalleled explosion of interest and practice of servant leadership. In many ways, it can be said that the times are only now beginning to catch up with Robert Greenleaf’s visionary call to servant leadership. Servant-leadership, now in its third decade as a specific leadership and management concept, continues to create a quiet revolution in workplaces around the world. This introduction is intended to provide a broad overview of the growing influence this unique concept of servant-leadership is having on people and their workplaces. As we prepare to enter the 21st century, we are witnessing a shift in many businesses and nonprofit organizations—away from traditional autocratic and heirarchical modes of leadership and toward a model based on teamwork and community; one that seeks to involve others in decision making; one that is strongly based in ethical and caring behavior; and one that is attempting to enhance the personal growth of workers while at the same time improving the caring and quality of our many institutions. This emerging approach to leadership and service is called “servant-leadership.” The words servant and leader are usually thought of as being opposites. When two opposites are brought together in a creative and meaningful way, a paradox emerges. And so the words servant and leader have been brought together to create the paradoxical idea of servant-leadership.Item THE 21 INDISPENSABLE QUALITIES OF A LEADER BECOMING the PERSON OTHERS WILL WANT to FOLLOW(Thomas Nelson, 1999-09-29) JOHN C. MAXWELLWhat makes people want to follow a leader? Why do people reluctantly comply with one leader while passionately following another to the ends of the earth? What separates leadership theorists from successful leaders who lead effectively in the real world? The answer lies in the character qualities of the individual person. My friend, do you know whether you have what it takes to become a great leader, the kind who attracts people and makes things happen? I mean, if you took the time to really look at yourself deep down, would you find the qualities needed to live out your boldest dreams, the ones so big that you’ve never shared them with anybody? That’s a question each of us must have the courage to honestly ask—and answer—if we want to achieve our real potential. I’ve written this book to help you recognize, develop, and refine the personal characteristics needed to be a truly effective leader, the kind people want to follow. If you’ve already read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, then you understand that becoming a leader takes time. The Law of Process says that leadership develops daily, not in a day. Part of a leader’s development comes from learning the laws of leadership, for those are the tools that teach how leadership works. But understanding leadership and actually doing it are two different activities.Item The 5 Levels of Leadership : Proven Steps to Maximize your Potential(Center Street, 1989-03-01) John C.MaxwellToo often when people think of their journey into leadership, they envision a career path. What they should be thinking about is their own leadership development! Good leadership isn’t about advancing yourself. It’s about advancing your team. The 5 Levels of Leadership provides clear steps for leadership growth. Lead people well and help members of your team to become effective leaders, and a successful career path is almost guaranteed.Item LONG WALK TO FREEDOM The Autobiography of NELSON MANDELA(BACK BAY books, 1999-01-11) Nelson Rolihlahla MandelaAs readers will discover, this book has a long history. I began writing it clandestinely in 1974 during my imprisonment on Robben Island. Without the tireless labor of my old comrades Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathrada for reviving my memories, it is doubtful the manuscript would have been completed. The copy of the manuscript which I kept with me was discovered by the authorities and confiscated. However, in addition to their unique calligraphic skills, my co-prisoners Mac Maharaj and Isu Chiba had ensured that the original manuscript safely reached its destination. I resumed work on it after my release from prison in 1990. Since my release, my schedule has been crowded with numerous duties and responsibilities, which have left me little free time for writing. Fortunately, I have had the assistance of dedicated colleagues, friends, and professionals who have helped me complete my work at last, and to whom I would like to express my appreciation. I am deeply grateful to Richard Stengel who collaborated with me in the creation of this book, providing invaluable assistance in editing and revising the first parts and in the writing of the latter parts. I recall with fondness our early morning walks in the Transkei and the many hours of interviews at Shell House in Johannesburg and my home in Houghton. A special tribute is owed to Mary Pfaff who assisted Richard in his work. I have also benefited from the advice and support of Fatima Meer, Peter Magubane, Nadine Gordimer, and Ezekiel Mphahlele.