God never meant heaven to be a vague hope, but the passion and purpose of your present life. He wants to prepare you for the better country! In these pages you will discover the thing you've always wanted; the world you've longed for; the life you were meant to live; the goal you were meant to pursue. "One of the most important reasons for writing this book, to me, was to help Christians who have bought into the 'you only go around once' idea that this life is our only chance to accomplish anything significant," author Dan Schaeffer explains. You'll explore topics such as: Misconceptions about heaven What the new heavens and new earth will be like What happens when you die What life in heaven will be like How to prepare for your future in heaven Many Christians view this life as their only chance to fulfill their ambitions, to be "all they can be." A healthy understanding of what the Bible teaches about heaven enables you to let go of many earthly ambitions and the regrets that often accompany them.

Called by some the "black Rush Limbaugh". wildly popular syndicated radio host Ken Hamblin speaks out on our "victim" culture and the liberal do-gooders who foster it. With the fury and humor that have made him one of talk radio's most controversial stars, Hamblin lashes out against affirmative action, multicultural education, and media glorification of drugs, gansta rap, and gangs. 24 photos.

“Not only does Anholt explain the challenges facing the world with unique clarity, he also provides genuinely new, informative, practical, innovative solutions. . . . The book is a must-read for anyone who cares about humanity's shared future.” —H. E. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmaajo), President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Simon Anholt has spent decades helping countries from Austria to Zambia to improve their international standing. Using colorful descriptions of his experiences—dining with Vladimir Putin at his country home, taking a group of Felipe Calderon's advisors on their first Mexico City subway ride, touring a beautiful new government hospital in Afghanistan that nobody would use because it was in Taliban-controlled territory—he tells how he began finding answers to that question. Ultimately, Anholt hit on the Good Country Equation, a formula for encouraging international cooperation and reinventing education for a globalized era. Anholt even offers a “selfish” argument for cooperation: he shows that it generates goodwill, which in turn translates into increased trade, foreign investment, tourism, talent attraction, and even domestic electoral success. Anholt insists we can change the way countries behave and the way people are educated in a single generation—because that's all the time we have.

You Were Once Strangers Jesus said, “I was a stranger and you invited me in.” (Matthew 25:35) More than two thousand years ago, Jesus challenged us to welcome and care for the strangers among us. How do we fulfill this challenge? What does compassion look like today? A Better Country aims to help Christians—specifically Christians in the United States—think theologically and practically about the ongoing and changing refugee needs. This workbook is divided into six lessons followed by a personal action plan as your application. The second edition includes additional questions for discussion, along with spiritual practices at the end of each chapter for transformation of mind, heart, and soul in our posture toward refugee welcome. This resource balances information and reflection that will stimulate excellent group discussions and individual study. May you be inspired to action, and may you develop a heart to welcome refugees with compassion and dignity in Jesus’s name.

Brilliant and engagingly written, Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Is it culture, the weather, geography? Perhaps ignorance of what the right policies are? Simply, no. None of these factors is either definitive or destiny. Otherwise, how to explain why Botswana has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world, while other African nations, such as Zimbabwe, the Congo, and Sierra Leone, are mired in poverty and violence? Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson conclusively show that it is man-made political and economic institutions that underlie economic success (or lack of it). Korea, to take just one of their fascinating examples, is a remarkably homogeneous nation, yet the people of North Korea are among the poorest on earth while their brothers and sisters in South Korea are among the richest. The south forged a society that created incentives, rewarded innovation, and allowed everyone to participate in economic opportunities. The economic success thus spurred was sustained because the government became accountable and responsive to citizens and the great mass of people. Sadly, the people of the north have endured decades of famine, political repression, and very different economic institutions—with no end in sight. The differences between the Koreas is due to the politics that created these completely different institutional trajectories. Based on fifteen years of original research Acemoglu and Robinson marshall extraordinary historical evidence from the Roman Empire, the Mayan city-states, medieval Venice, the Soviet Union, Latin America, England, Europe, the United States, and Africa to build a new theory of political economy with great relevance for the big questions of today, including: - China has built an authoritarian growth machine. Will it continue to grow at such high speed and overwhelm the West? - Are America’s best days behind it? Are we moving from a virtuous circle in which efforts by elites to aggrandize power are resisted to a vicious one that enriches and empowers a small minority? - What is the most effective way to help move billions of people from the rut of poverty to prosperity? More philanthropy from the wealthy nations of the West? Or learning the hard-won lessons of Acemoglu and Robinson’s breakthrough ideas on the interplay between inclusive political and economic institutions? Why Nations Fail will change the way you look at—and understand—the world.

The first American presbytery was founded in 1706. In the following years, Presbyterians grew to form one of the largest and most eminent denominations in the United States. Now, more than three hundred years later, that church is dwindling. What has happened? Lively, bracing, and informative, Seeking a Better Country takes an honest look at the rise and decline of American Presbyterianism, giving context to Presbyterians of all stripes.

At a time when pews are not as full as they used to be, many churches are struggling to stay open. But no matter how creative or hard-working, some congregations are unable to revitalize their ministry. Is it time to talk about closing your church? Are there any other options for your future? Toward the Better Country tells the stories of real congregations that have faced a significant downsizing, merger, or closure and found positive ways to move forward in ministry. While no local church is meant to live forever, congregations that have chosen to faithfully complete their ministry are finding hope in the new ventures born from passing on their spiritual and material legacies. Based on over thirty interviews with church leaders from various denominations, this practical resource offers guidance to lay leaders, clergy, and regional leaders as they deal with the grief and discernment process of struggling churches. Designed for group study, each chapter includes reflection questions for discussion. A listing of additional resources is also included.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “One of the most important books I’ve ever read—an indispensable guide to thinking clearly about the world.” – Bill Gates “Hans Rosling tells the story of ‘the secret silent miracle of human progress’ as only he can. But Factfulness does much more than that. It also explains why progress is so often secret and silent and teaches readers how to see it clearly.” —Melinda Gates "Factfulness by Hans Rosling, an outstanding international public health expert, is a hopeful book about the potential for human progress when we work off facts rather than our inherent biases." - Former U.S. President Barack Obama Factfulness: The stress-reducing habit of only carrying opinions for which you have strong supporting facts. When asked simple questions about global trends—what percentage of the world’s population live in poverty; why the world’s population is increasing; how many girls finish school—we systematically get the answers wrong. So wrong that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random will consistently outguess teachers, journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers. In Factfulness, Professor of International Health and global TED phenomenon Hans Rosling, together with his two long-time collaborators, Anna and Ola, offers a radical new explanation of why this happens. They reveal the ten instincts that distort our perspective—from our tendency to divide the world into two camps (usually some version of us and them) to the way we consume media (where fear rules) to how we perceive progress (believing that most things are getting worse). Our problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know, and even our guesses are informed by unconscious and predictable biases. It turns out that the world, for all its imperfections, is in a much better state than we might think. That doesn’t mean there aren’t real concerns. But when we worry about everything all the time instead of embracing a worldview based on facts, we can lose our ability to focus on the things that threaten us most. Inspiring and revelatory, filled with lively anecdotes and moving stories, Factfulness is an urgent and essential book that will change the way you see the world and empower you to respond to the crises and opportunities of the future. --- “This book is my last battle in my life-long mission to fight devastating ignorance...Previously I armed myself with huge data sets, eye-opening software, an energetic learning style and a Swedish bayonet for sword-swallowing. It wasn’t enough. But I hope this book will be.” Hans Rosling, February 2017.

Donald MacLean takes us through the 11th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. He shows what faith is and what it looks like in action. He draws out the theological and practical significance of the lives of Old Testament heroes of the faith, from Abel to Sarah to Joseph. This book will support and motivate today's believers as they too walk on towards the heavenly country.

Hyper-individualism and consumerism have failed to satisfy our hunger for meaning. We face an identity crisis in which people are lonely, and anxiety is high. Culture wars show our deep divisions over what our changing moral standards should become. Is it possible to find a vision for goodness that can bring us together? Rumours of a Better Country addresses our hunger for a better way of living by awakening a vision of trust and a trusting community. Drawing on the ancient wisdom of the Decalogue, it demonstrates how the freedom to trust and the call to trustworthiness are the most fulfilling of freedoms. From the author's chance encounter with the Palestinian Liberation Organization in a pub in Communist Czechoslovakia, to the questions and mysteries of Café Now and Not Yet, and to the ancient slopes of Mount Sinai, Rumours of a Better Country takes us on a rich and provocative journey into the heart of goodness and why it matters.