Throughout the three and a half years of His earthly ministry, Jesus consistently called His disciples to expect and embrace suffering, persecution, and martyrdom, exhorting them with such words as,

The Gospel of Mark portrays Jesus making impossible demands on his disciples. They must follow him even if it costs them their lives. And, unsurprisingly, this proves to be impossible for them to do. They fail drastically in Mark's narrative and run from the scene as Jesus is arrested. Peter had been determined to stay by him unto death, but even he was not able to admit to knowing Jesus at that crucial moment. The strange thing is that Jesus made it clear that it is impossible to enter the Kingdom of God without this sort of radical discipleship. In this narrative study of salvation in the Gospel of Mark, this conundrum is studied closely with surprising results. An investigation of various socio-historical aspects of Mark's background elucidate the connection that Mark makes between the death of Jesus and the following of the disciples. And a study of Mark's narrative as a whole shows that Mark provides hope for those without courage to follow. If they continue to look and listen carefully, the mystery will be unveiled to them.

In The Complexity of Hispanic Religious Life in the 16th–18th Centuries, Doris Moreno has assembled a team of leading scholars to discuss and analyze the diversity of Hispanic religious and cultural life in the Early Modern Age. Using primary sources to look beyond the Spanish Black Legend and present new perspectives, this book explores the realities of a changing and plural Catholicism through the lens of crucial topics such as the Society of Jesus, the Inquisition, the Martyrdom, the feminine visions and conversion medicine. This volume will be an essential resource to all those with an interest in the knowledge of multiple expressions of tolerance and cultural dialectic between Spain and the Americas.

This book is centered around the relationship between ethnic Israel and biblical eschatology. For at the heart of biblical eschatology is what Isaiah referred to as "the controversy of Zion" (Isaiah 34:8) and what Jeremiah termed "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7).The "controversy of Zion" refers to the historical continuum of spiritual and natural conflict over the city of Jerusalem; the past, present and future Land of Israel; and the Jewish people whose ancient history and prophetic destiny are inextricably connected. The "time of Jacob's trouble" refers to the Age-ending suffering of the Jewish people and the glorious restoration that follows. It is this time of "trouble" that lays the ancient contention and controversy to rest through the "restoration of the Kingdom to Israel" and the decisive once-and-for-all "judgment of the nations" who take part in the "final" assault on the people and the Land of Israel.

AND brings you fresh encouragement to your ministry. By teaching you how to move beyond the attractional-missional divide and utilize insights from both perspectives, you'll learn how to bring together the very best of the attractional and missional models for church ministry. AND is part of the Exponential Series.

2005 ECPA Retailer's Choice Award winner for best biography/autobiography! Steve Saint was five years old when his father, missionary pilot Nate Saint, was speared to death by a primitive Ecuadorian tribe. In adulthood, Steve, having left Ecuador for a successful business career in the United States, never imagined making the jungle his home again. But when that same tribe asks him to help them, Steve, his wife, and their teenage children move back to the jungle. There, Steve learns long-buried secrets about his father's murder, confronts difficult choices, and finds himself caught between two worlds. Soon to be a major motion picture (January 2006), End of the Spear brilliantly chronicles the continuing story that first captured the world's attention in the bestselling book, Through Gates of Splendor.

In "Simplify," bestselling author Bill Hybels identifies the core issues that lure us into frenetic living--and offers searingly practical steps for sweeping the clutter from our souls. Today's velocity of life can consume and control us ... until our breakneck pace begins to feel normal and expected. That's where the danger lies: When we spend our lives doing things that keep us busy but don't really matter, we sacrifice the things that do. What if your life could be different? What if you could be certain you were living the life God called you to live--and building a legacy for those you love? If you crave a simpler life anchored by the priorities that matter most, roll up your sleeves: Simplified living requires more than just cleaning out your closets or reorganizing your desk drawer. It requires uncluttering your soul. By eradicating the stuff that leaves your spirit drained, you can stop doing what doesn't matter--and start doing what does.