Siblings will rival. Relatives will drop in and stay too long. Children will demand to know "Why?" Interpersonal conflict is seldom as intense as two gunslingers glaring at each other from ten paces at High Noon. It is seldom as colorful as a red-faced husband and wife, standing in their kitchen, shouting insults. It is more often a tale of two perspectives demanding to be heard. Conflict is one of those peculiar concepts few people can define without a dictionary, but most people know it when they see it! We also want it resolved promptly and to our personal satisfaction. How should Christians resolve interpersonal conflict? Should we simply give in to someone with whom we disagree just to avoid conflict? What are the rules when Christians become petty, insensitive or argumentative? If we love our neighbor as we love ourselves, how do we confront conflict without compromising our values? The solution is to understand and learn to confront the behavior, not the people we love. "A Tale of Two Perspectives" explores the dynamics of interpersonal conflict from a Christian point of view. It blends business conflict resolution strategies with biblical narratives to demonstrate a compelling and innovative point of view. Dr. Norris uses his background as a pastor, chaplain, business executive, husband and father to embroider his work with contemporary examples that may sound uncomfortably familiar. He examines how our communication style, personality, attitudes, emotions, frame of reference and spiritual values influence our capacity to resolve conflict effectively.

The Deacon's Tale is the story of Cai Rui, Task Force Commander of the infamous "Black Section" of the Sol Force Intelligence Corps and a loyal Archdeacon of the Roman Catholic Church. Charged to investigate a brutal massacre of Catholic converts on a distant alien world, Cai Rui finds himself on the trail of a killer who can threaten not only his life, but his very soul. As a brutal new race emerges from the shadows, one man will be tested to the extremes of courage and faith by an enemy who dares to call himself..."The Deacon." "Sword of the Stars. I have played almost nothing else for a week... I had a fever this weekend, and I experienced dreams about the game that were so gripping, so true to life, and in their way terrifying, that I now believe the future described in the Sword of the Stars wiki to be the accurately predicted future of our galaxy." --Tycho Brahe, Penny Arcade

How Can Deacons Mobilize Service in the Church? Deacons are essential to a church's health—yet confusion abounds regarding their biblical job description. What's their God-given role in a local congregation and how do they relate to the church's overall mission? In this short book, Matt Smethurst makes the case that deacons are model servants called to meet tangible needs, organize and mobilize acts of service, preserve the unity of the flock, and support the ministry of the elders. Clearing away common misconceptions, Smethurst offers practical guidance for deploying deacons and helping churches to flourish.

Harper's informs a diverse body of readers of cultural, business, political, literary and scientific affairs.

A new commentary for today's world, The Story of God Bible Commentary explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible's grand story. The first commentary series to do so, SGBC offers a clear and compelling exposition of biblical texts, guiding everyday readers in how to creatively and faithfully live out the Bible in their own contexts. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike. Each volume employs three main, easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God's story: LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible's grand story. EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting. LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students. —Romans— Romans is a letter that has had monumental impact in the history of Christian thought. Delving into Romans helps us see more clearly the biblical story of how God reveals his salvation to both Israel and the nations and compels us to read the Old Testament with a hermeneutical lens which identifies Jesus as the centerpiece of Israel's redemptive history. Edited by Scot McKnight and Tremper Longman III, and written by a number of top-notch theologians, The Story of God Bible Commentary series will bring relevant, balanced, and clear-minded theological insight to any biblical education or ministry.