Father Francis Bauer, a Roman Catholic priest and theologian, has a deep and unshakable faith in God and the teachings of Christ, but when his research leads him to start questioning certain exclusionary and even selfish corporate policies forming part of the 21st century church paradigm that seem to go against everything he’s been taught, his faith will be tested like never before. When his published research, detailing how the Church has strayed from the original intent of Christianity, starts to receive traction in the media, growing ever more popular even among secular circles, he finds himself at odds with his Church, stripped of all but his most basic credentials as a priest by his superiors, and urged into exile after whispered warnings about his physical safety. Skeptical of the threat, but trusting his advocate, Bauer heeds the advice and goes on the run, narrowly avoiding a trained black-ops operative, hired by shady members deep within the Church, tasked with silencing him, one way or another. Unfortunately, keeping off of the hitmen’s radar will take a genuine miracle.

In 1970 a religious cult calling itself The Work moved into Connecticut from Dover, New Jersey. It's leader Julius Schacknow believed that he was the divine living reincarnation of Jesus Christ. In 1975 the cults membership had grown to almost 500 members. The books research uncovered a much darker side of the cults leader and his emotional and physical abuse of cult followers. In th 1980's the cults real estate businesses had an average income of over a hundred million dollars a year, with the collapse of the real estate market in the 1990's and the embezzlement of funds by cult leaders the businesses had fallen into ruins. In 2004 the body parts of the cults Chief Apostle were found scattered in a local golf course, the homicide was linked to two cult members.

Demonstrates the "why" and the "how" of consistently biblical, gospel-centric counseling, whether in the pastor's study or over coffee with a friend. With the evermore apparent failure of modern psychotherapies and a discomfort with pharmacological strategies, many churches are reaffirming the sufficiency and power of the Scriptures to change lives. To aid churches in ministering to broken and hurting people, the authors of Counsel from the Cross present a counseling model based on Scripture, powered by the work of the Wonderful Counselor, Jesus Christ. Through careful exegesis and helpful case studies, they demonstrate the "why" and the "how" of consistently biblical, gospel-centered counseling. The authors' combined backgrounds-one, a woman trained in biblical counseling and the other, a male professor of practical theology-bring balance to this work, making it relevant for those who counsel as part of pastoral ministry and for those involved in friendship mentoring or discipleship.

Sharon Thornton gives pastoral theology new ears that hear the true depth and breadth of suffering. She dares to look beyond the accepted perspectives of pastoral theology to discern a new vision of hope made possible by the cross. Thornton brings pastoral theology into conversation with public theology, reading them from the perspective of the cross. When interpreted from its political standpoint, the cross offers new and challenging pastoral perspectives on the complex experiences of modern life. The cross of Christ names suffering for what it is, giving us a means of radically critiquing all attempts to camouflage, minimize, or distort the truth of pain. Sharing her experiences of ministering to those anguished by poverty and oppression, Thornton brings to light the external forces that contribute both directly and indirectly to human brokenness. And, through these same stories and the work of a faith community modeling alternative practices in pastoral care, she shows us that there is hope for healing.

Swept up in the religious fervour surrounding the First Crusade, Christo leaves his home and joins the Armies of the faithful. Uncertain if he will ever return or if he will live to see its conclusion. Alone among foreign peoples and exposed to mockery for his Saxon Heritage he struggles to integrate himself among his comrades. The Crusade takes him far from the world he knows, and he experiences customs and places unlike those of his homeland and begins his journey towards cities he has only heard from the bible. Along the way he will experience the Hardships of war, the intricacies of diplomacy, the pain of betrayal and the joy of victory.