When Jeff Simmons started in ministry, he was surprised at how much of his time involved business. Yet business was never a part of his theological education.He’s not alone. Most people in ministry receive little or no training in this area. When faced with multiple business decisions and tasks a day, leaders can become discouraged or frustrated.We need help and guidance to become effective and wise stewards of the money and resources entrusted to us by God. Pastor and entr...

Thousands of Allied casualties per day from 1914 until 1918 -- that was reality in the stretch of muddy trenches that bulged into German territory around the Medieval city of Ypres, Belgium, during World War One. Unfamiliar with the proper pronunciation of "Ypres" (EE-pruh), the troops dubbed the killing grounds "Wipers."The Germans held the high ground, and the Allies suffered their wrath below; because of the bulge, they were surrounded on three sides, making it possibly the most...

Break free from mediocrity and start living the vibrant life God has for you.Most people settle for an ordinary existence—a predictable schedule, easily attainable goals, reasonable expectations. While there's comfort in the ordinary, there's also the risk of getting stuck in a life that lacks meaning, purpose, and joy. And God doesn't want you to get stuck—especially when He has so much more for you!Finding the Extra in Ordinary by Jeff Simmons ex...

When Jeff Simmons started in ministry, he was surprised at how much of his time involved business. Yet business was never a part of his theological education.He’s not alone. Most people in ministry receive little or no training in this area. When faced with multiple business decisions and tasks a day, leaders can become discouraged or frustrated.We need help and guidance to become effective and wise stewards of the money and resources entrusted to us by God. Pastor and entr...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss of kidney function over time. The kidneys play a crucial role in filtering waste products and excess fluids from the bloodstream, and when they are not functioning properly, waste can build up in the body and cause damage to other organs. There are many causes of CKD, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and genetic disorders. Symptoms of CKD may include fatigue, poor appetite, swelling of the ankles and feet, and trouble sleeping. If ...

Pastoral ministry is hard. These days—with pandemics and cultural crises and distrust of the church higher than ever—it may be especially hard.There is a reason an increasing number of pastors are depressed, burned out, leaving the ministry, or—worst of all—imploding their lives through moral failures.Mike Minter planted a church in 1975, and after a long and faithful career in pastoral ministry, he is burdened to see so many struggling pastors. This book is born f...

Republished fifty years later to coincide with the release of the Academy Award–nominated film of the same title written and directed by Aaron Sorkin with an all-star cast, this is the classic account of perhaps the most infamous, and definitely the most entertaining, trial in recent American history.In the fall of 1969 eight prominent anti-Vietnam War activists were put on trial for conspiring to riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. One of t...

Thomas E. Ketchum, better known as "Black Jack" Ketchum, at six foot two inches tall with dark skin and black hair and described as having a "wonderful physique," never became one of those folklore desperados whose violent and lawless ways were burnished with an illusive romance. If he is remembered at all, it is mostly for the peculiar circumstances which attended the curtailment of his earthly career. Yet, as a man who was noted in his own day, and who stood out above most others in his ...