First Century

From the creative minds of the scholarly group behind the groundbreaking Jesus Seminar comes this provocative and eye-opening look at the roots of Christianity that offers a thoughtful reconsideration of the first two centuries of the Jesus movement, transforming our understanding of the religion and its early dissemination.

Rev. Dr. Stephen De Young, creator of the popular The Whole Counsel of God blog and podcast, traces the lineage of Orthodox Christianity back to the faith and witness of the apostles, which was rooted in a first-century Jewish worldview. The Religion of the Apostles presents the Orthodox Christian Church of today as a continuation of the religious life of the apostles, which in turn was a continuation of the life of the people of God since the beginning of creation.

War Transformed provides insights for those involved in the design of military strategy, and the forces that must execute that strategy. Emphasizing the impacts of technology, strategic competition, demography, and climate change, Mick Ryan uses historical and contemporary anecdotes to highlight key challenges faced by nations in a new era of great power rivalry. Just as previous industrial revolutions have advanced societies, the nascent fourth industrial revolution will have a similar impact on how humans fight, compete, and build military power in the twenty-first century.

Although most people acknowledge that Jesus was a first-century Jew, interpreters of the Gospels often present him as opposed to Jewish law and customs—especially when considering his numerous encounters with the ritually impure. Matthew Thiessen corrects this popular misconception by placing Jesus within the Judaism of his day. Thiessen demonstrates that the Gospel writers depict Jesus opposing ritual impurity itself, not the Jewish ritual purity system or the Jewish law.

One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent - but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Now, just in time for the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people.

Xi Jinping has made his ambitions for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) perfectly clear, first, that China should become a "great maritime power" and secondly, that the PLA "become a world-class armed force by 2050." China as a Twenty-First-Century Naval Power focuses on China's navy and how it is being transformed to satisfy the "world class" goal.

The Christian church of the early centuries spread throughout much of Asia, Africa, and Europe, spoke many languages, was situated within diverse cultural settings, and had varied worship practices; yet it maintained a vital unity on core teachings. In The Global Church - The First Eight Centuries: From Pentecost through the Rise of Islam, author Donald Fairbairn helps listeners understand both the diversity and unity of the church in this pivotal era.

I was just eight-years-old when Asa Calhoun became my one true love. He was my brother's best friend. He was stoic and solemn, and always believed everything in life had to be perfect. But I saw past his eccentric mannerisms. I found him fascinating. I was 17 when I had my debutante ball. Throughout the years, there was a gradual shift between us. I stopped being the little sister he's always known me as and transformed into a lady. By the end of that night, he found me fascinating.

The author of the classic best seller Lincoln on Leadership answers the question: How would President Lincoln handle the pressing crises of our modern world? Abraham Lincoln is recognized as one of history's finest leaders, a great president when the United States was under tremendous strain. But suppose he were alive today. How would Lincoln deal with today's high-pressure issues, from politics to business?

The Titus Diary is the story behind the letters to the Thessalonian churches. Reading the letters of Paul is often dry, devoid of context and separated from the story which led to the letters being written. In this account of the apostle Paul's second missionary journey, told through the eyes of Titus, listeners accompany Paul as he travels throughout Asia Minor and Greece. They see his struggles, the persecution and the suffering which Paul and Silas endured to bring the gospel into Europe.

Harvard Business Review is the foremost destination for smart management thinking. Now, at its 100th anniversary, this commemorative volume brings together the most influential ideas since its inception. With thought leaders including Michael E. Porter, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Peter Drucker, and Clayton M. Christensen, this book puts HBR's greatest concepts at your fingertips. You'll learn how these groundbreaking ideas continue to be relevant in today's business context—and what to keep in mind as you prepare for the future.

An international conspiracy among powerful bankers, business leaders, and government officials; closed-door meetings in the Swiss Alps; and calls for a radical transformation of every society on earth - the Great Reset sounds like it is one henchman-with-an-eyepatch away from being the plot for the next James Bond movie. But The Great Reset is not a work of fiction. It is a highly influential movement among the world’s elite to “reset” the global economy using banks, government programs, and environmental, social, and governance metrics.

EARLY CHRISTIANITY IN THE FIRST CENTURY: Jesus’ Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth offers an in-depth exploration of the early days of Christianity, as it emerged and spread throughout the known world. This comprehensive and insightful book delves into the historical and cultural context of the time, examining the birth of a new faith that would change the course of human history. From the humble beginnings of Jesus’ ministry and the miraculous events of Pentecost to the rapid growth of the Christian movement, this volume paints a vivid portrait of the first-century believers who were ...

Secrets left her broken. Can the truth make her whole? In high school, Adalyn Royse thought she'd met her one and only, until he vanished without a word and broke her heart. Now she's in college and he's back, more gorgeous than ever, and stalking her around campus. Bryson and his pack of friends are obviously keeping secrets. When Adalyn is shown that the world she lives in -- including her past, and even herself -- is very different than she thought, will they have a second chance at happily ever after? Steamy adult content. Standalone novel with no cliffhangers.

The Apocalypse of Abraham (התגלות אברהם, Hitgalut Avraham) is an ancient Jewish apocalyptic text believed to have been written between 70 and 150 CE. While the surviving manuscripts are in Old Slavonic, it is widely accepted that the original composition was in a Semitic language, evident from the presence of Hebraisms throughout the work. This newly translated version of the Apocalypse of Abraham (Kindle format) is released to gather some preliminary feedback from my readers. If you prefer a printed text, it is included in "Unheard Voices of Hebrew Kings and Prophets" - a ...

In The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire, seasoned defense analyst Edward N. Luttwak reveals how the Romans were able to combine military strength, diplomacy, and fortifications to effectively respond to changing threats. Rome's secret was not ceaseless fighting, but comprehensive strategies that unified force, diplomacy, and an immense infrastructure of roads, forts, walls, and barriers. Finally, as barbarians began to penetrate the empire, Rome filed large armies in a strategy of "defense-in-depth," allowing invaders to pierce Rome's borders.

If you think you know Bible history, you could be stunned by many findings in this book. From what Trinity means, to the day Jesus died, to mislabeled silent years, it will shock the senses with omissions in Bible studies and church services. From misguided preachers to those in it for celebrity status, radio programs, book deals, and speaking engagements, Jesus would admonish many churches and leaders for lack of discipline and rigor. You might be outraged that what is routinely taught covers less than 50 percent of the New Testament, and far less of the Old Testament.

The New Book of Christian Martyrs commemorates those modern-day heroes. In this update to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Johnnie Moore and Jerry Pattengale highlight key martyrs of past centuries and feature stories of contemporary martyrs around the world. Through tears, Johnnie and Jerry offer this compendium of heroes from the first century to the twenty-first century, from Europe to Africa and from Asia to the Americas, to inspire Christians around the globe.

Effective expository sermons communicate the timeless truths of the ancient parables to the modern listener. This book proceed in the following manner:•Chapter II will review the necessity of defining and interpreting the parables in their cultural and theological context.•Chapter III will review the literary nature of the parables and guidelines that the 21st Century preacher might follow in order to interpret and effectively preach them.•Chapter IV will include the steps for the 21st Century preacher to translate the 1st Century parable into a 21st Century context. Here, the parable...

They were long-shot underdogs and if they were to survive, they needed a miracle.The armies of Islam had swept like wildfire into the Iberia peninsula. By the beginning of the 9th century, King Alfonso’s Kingdom of Asturias was one of a couple of enclaves of Christianity remaining in Espania. It was the year 814 and King Alfonso II had just received word that Charlemagne, the Frankish conqueror and protector of the Catholic Church, was dead. Alfonso’s small northern kingdom was no match for the Caliphate of Cordoba which had orchestrated a vast economic revival known as the Andalusian ...