The Miracle of Christian Leadership
A devotional commentary on Titus
By The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird
What a joy and pleasure it is to read the completed commentary of Titus by the Rev. Dr. Ed Hird. I am so thankful to God that He did not allow Ed to give up on the writing of this commentary. Otherwise, we would have been deprived of this precious jewel which so richly, vividly and passionately reveals the inner heart of God. God raised up Christian leaders in every generation to confront the pirate character buried in every human heart. God’s ultimate business is to transform “the deceitful, violent, additive buccaneers” in the pirate land into “trustworthy, peaceful and sober” members of a Christ-like community.
Titus was not a Jew, but Paul led him to Christ and identified him as “my true son in our common faith”. Titus’ new faith in Jesus Christ transformed him radically. Paul, recognizing the grace and peace of God in Titus, made a bold, courageous, visionary and strategic choice by sending young Titus to Crete as a missionary. It is in this context that God spoke to the pirates in Crete. However, His message is relevant to all of us in every land and in every generation.
“Pirates are waiting for us around every North American corner”. Ed speaks about his personal experience with the painful effects of piracy in the Anglican Church of Canada. He sees the churches in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the world being stolen in the same way that Somalia pirates had “taken over a Saudi supertanker carrying over 100 million dollars of crude oil”. Modern-day piracy has effectively planted itself into the system of our churches. The pirating nature drains God’s resources endowed to the churches for purpose of mission. It carries out its desire to deceive, rob, and side-track us from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It sows false gospels into our lives. Ultimately, it destroys the church.
Ed’s passion is now very much focused on the call to minister to the lives within the Canadian Anglican Church in North America. Indeed, “if the wisdom in the 45-sentence book of Titus can revolutionize a pirate island, it can even transform a pirate continent like North America”.
I am so grateful to God for the miracle of the completion of this book. My reading of this small commentary with a huge gospel truth has deeply impacted me and encouraged me to continue my journey to serve the Lord and to preach the Gospel. I highly recommend Dr. Ed Hird’s book with a huge Gospel heart for the use of molding the leadership character of a new generation of healthy young leaders.
++Yong Ping Chung
Retired 2nd Primate of South East Asia and 4th Bishop of Sabah
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-Click to check out our marriage book For Better For Worse: discovering the keys to a lasting relationship on Amazon. You can even read the first two chapters for free to see if the book speaks to you.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
In Canada, Amazon.ca has the book available in paperback and ebook. It is also posted on Amazon UK (paperback and ebook), Amazon France (paperback and ebook), and Amazon Germany (paperback and ebook).
Restoring Health is also available online on Barnes and Noble in both paperback and Nook/ebook form. Nook gives a sample of the book to read online.
Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version. You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.
To receive a signed copy within North America, just send a $20 cheque (USD/CAN) to ED HIRD, 102 – 15168 19th Avenue, Surrey, BC, V4A 0A5, Canada.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
Indigo also offers the paperback and the Kobo ebook version. You can also obtain it through ITunes as an IBook.
To receive a signed copy within North America, just send a $20 cheque (USD/CAN) to ED HIRD, 102 – 15168 19th Avenue, Surrey, BC, V4A 0A5, Canada.
– In order to obtain a signed copy of the prequel book Battle for the Soul of Canada, please send a $18.50 cheque to ED HIRD, 102 – 15168 19th Avenue, Surrey, BC, V4A 0A5. For mailing the book to the USA, please send $20.00 USD. This can also be done by PAYPAL using the e-mail ed_hird@telus.net . Be sure to list your mailing address. The Battle for the Soul of Canada e-book can be obtained for $4.99 CDN/USD.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
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