Ed Hird is a prophetic, courageous voice calling the church to be faithful to the whole gospel of Jesus Christ. Restoring Health draws its inspiration from Paul’s letter to Titus and calls pastors and Christian leaders to become whole people – in mind, body, and spirit – who embody the whole gospel. Hird offers a powerful prescription for transforming of our lives and ministries into Spirit-filled witnesses to the Christ’s power to restore not only our spirits, but our minds and bodies as well.
Ken Shigematsu, senior pastor of Tenth Church, Vancouver, and author of God in My Everything
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
In “Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit”, the Reverend Dr. Ed Hird offers readers a richly engaging devotional commentary on St. Paul’s letter to Titus as the latter brought the Gospel of Christ to the island of Crete.
Ed and his wife Janice visited Crete in preparation for this study and walked in the footsteps of Titus, honored as the founding father of Christianity in Crete. His mission to convert the Cretans was no easy task, as their principal occupation was piracy, in which they reveled.
Each of Ed’s chapters, in following the text of Paul’s letter, skilfully interleaves well-informed exegesis with travelogue, history, personal and family autobiography, while also drawing on theological reflections from wise commentators — both ancient and modern, from Eusebius to Johnny Cash. Principal themes in Ed’s study include teaching on how this Epistle can build up the spiritual, mental and physical health of Christians and church leaders, the importance of sound doctrine, and the vital operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit — as necessary for today’s Christians as for the Apostolic church.
In short, this clearly-written and very readable book offers valuable teaching on how the Gospel of Christ transformed the ancient Cretans and can do the same in our lives today. It also would serve as a superb resource for home and group Bible studies.
Dr. George Egerton, Professor Emeritus, UBC History Department
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, pastor and author, student of the Bible and human nature, has an ability to communicate and connect clearly through his writing. In his latest book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit, he relates Paul’s letter to Titus to a comprehensive understanding of Cretian history and culture. He shares stories from his own and famous lives, and applies the lessons to a variety of real life practical and spiritual issues.
I love the way he explores the pirate culture, fact and fiction, and shows the”pirate” in all of us. Healthy living, in body, mind and spirit is a popular resolution today. The author shows God’s way as to how this can be accomplished, not only in our personal lives, but in society as well.
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Christmas Party food is always tasty, too tasty. Millions sign up for the local gym to try to lose the post-Christmas bulge. So many well-intended recruits are gone by January 31st. My wife Janice really cares for me. She shows her love by encouraging me to not give up going to the gym year round, eating healthy food, and taking vitamins. Thank God for health-conscious wives. Restoring health requires that I practice what I preach. As a Spanish proverb puts it, a man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.
Going to the gym two to three times a week for the past fourteen years is part of my ‘walking the walk’ in personal fitness. I feel healthier and younger now than a decade ago, having lost weight in the process. The Good Book tells us that even the youth grow weary, but they that wait on the Lord shall renew and restore their strength, rising up with wings like eagles, running and not being weary, walking and not fainting.
Part of what changed my behaviour was being rear-ended by a taxi. Dr. Paul Wiggins, while treating my aching back, said to me: “You need a personal trainer”. The next thing I knew, I was meeting with a personal trainer for six sessions, paid for by our auto insurance company.
Benjamin Franklin once said: “Health is man’s best wealth.” People often spend their health to obtain wealth, only to spend their wealth to obtain health. As Boomers are aging, we are sometimes understandably concerned that we may be going backwards in health rather than moving forward. Many seem to have fatalistically lost hope. But must aging always be a downward spiral? God promises to renew our youth like an eagle. What I am hearing from the Lord is “Don’t give up on yourself. Don’t give up on your dreams of finishing well. Why not choose to be fit? Why not choose to be healthier?”
Physical fitness is good, but by itself only goes so far. The well-known Washington DC author Mark Batterson twittered: “In my experience, physical disciplines like exercise and spiritual disciplines like prayer feed off each other.” Health is elusive. We are our own worst enemies. We want to be healthy. Yet we make choices such as too much food, too little exercise, and self-medication that cripple us and send us in the wrong direction. As a local Recreation Centre poster put it, “The hardest thing about exercise is to start doing it.”
Edward Stanley said it well: “Those who think they will not have time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” That is why Jesus asked: “Do you want to be well?” Why do we resist getting well? Why do we so often go backwards and not forwards? Why are we so often tempted to just let nature take its course? So many people die before their time. They may keep going physically, but their dreams and hopes have died. As Mark Twain put it, most men die at age 27. We just bury them at 72. My passion is to help a new generation of healthy leaders to discover and rediscover Jesus as the Great Physician who renews our youth like an eagle.
Healthy hearts and healthy minds lead to healthy lives, healthy choices and healthy families. John said, “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all things may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” (3 John 2) Health comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. As Dr. E. Stanley Jones put it:
The Spirit of God is health… A health tendency takes possession of us. We think health. We breathe health; we are health & we give health.
I will never forget the night that Lee Grady, former Editor of Charisma Magazine, prophesied about our former congregation St. Simon’s NV being a well-spring of healing with healing teams being raised up for body, soul and spirit restoration. Every worship service at St. Simon’s NV, whether traditional or contemporary, has a team ready to pray for healing. There is no contradiction between prayer, medicine and keeping fit. All can work together for our health. My prayer for those reading this article is that we will all be passionate about health and healing at all stages of our lives.
Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin
-previously published in the Deep Cove Crier/North Shore News
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
“Ed Hird has written a most engaging commentary on Titus, an easy read with informative insights into the lives of pirate Cretans and how we can learn from them today.
If the good news of Jesus can impact that rebellious island, then Hird assures us that there is relevance and encouragement for our day. Pages are filled with interesting anecdotes and Hird’s wide-ranging general knowledge makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read with many opportunities to pause and reflect along the way.”
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.
-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.
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
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
Dr. Ed Hird+ has, once again, blessed the Christian Church with a clear, concise, contemporary, faithful, and pointed exposition of the Book of Titus. This book will be a source of spiritual health, liberation, restoration, and strength to Christian leaders, Christian homes, and God’s world and anyone who cares to pick it up and read. I highly commend and recommend it to you and your church.
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Ed’s writing ability engages you with the content and makes it real enough to want to live it. He’s scholarly, practical and spiritual in a most wonderful way .. Keep writing Ed .. Give us more.
Doug Schneider, Senior Pastor The Embassy Oshawa ON
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
“This commentary on Titus is not just a devotional. It is a rallying cry for the Kingdom of God! It brings Titus out of relative obscurity into the front ranks of the 1st Century Apostles. We see Titus confronting the powers of darkness in ancient Crete with the Gospel and bringing transformation. A much needed message for anyone who loves their city and nation and feels in a rut.”
-Dave Carson, Vice Chair, Hope Vancouver
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Everyone wants ‘Peace on Earth’. Is it really possible? President John Adams was a genuine peace-maker, even to his own detriment.
One of my most popular Deep Cove Crier articles, with almost 17,000 online readers, has been my article on John Adams’ good friend Benjamin Franklin. Both were founding fathers of our neighbour to the south. My American relatives have told me that Adams is the greater man.
Adams’ greatest strength and weakness was that he was a passionate peace-maker, even at the cost of sabotaging his own re-election as the second American President. Napoleon in 1797 captured 300 American ships, six percent of the American fleet. (1) The ‘hawks’ in Adams’ own Federalist party desperately wanted to go to war with France, but Adams negotiated a peace treaty that allowed him to disband Alexander Hamilton’s unnecessary and costly army. Hamilton, the commander of this army, took this as a personal insult, and dedicated himself to splitting Adams’ own Federalist Party. John Adams wrote his wife Abigail saying that he knew “Hamilton to be a proud-spirited, conceited, aspiring mortal, always pretending to morality…as great a hypocrite as any in the US…” (2)
With two Federalist presidential candidates, the Republican presidential candidate, Thomas Jefferson, won the election on the 36th ballot after a deadlocked Congressional tie vote. (3) Jefferson, who had foolishly endorsed the blood-thirsty French Revolution, was wisely mentored by Adams. At his final State of Union address, President Adams stated: “Here and throughout our country, may simple measures, pure morals, and true religion, flourish forever!” (4) His final prayer as he left the House was: “I pray Heaven to bestow the best of Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.” (5) Despite strong political differences, Adams and Jefferson ended as good pen pal friends, both dying in 1826 on the significant American July 4th holiday. (6) Jefferson acknowledged Adams as ‘the colossus of independence.’ (7)
John Adams was both passionate about liberty and yet cautious about our human tendency to selfishness. James Grant commended Adams for “his unqualified love of liberty, and his unsentimental perception of the human condition.” (8) As such, Adams produced constitutional boundaries that guarded people’s essential freedoms of life and liberty of speech, assembly, and religion. The US Congress praised Adams for his “patriotism, perseverance, integrity and diligence.” (9) Adams insightfully commented: “our Constitution was made only for a moral & religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” (10) The root of equality, said Adams, was the Golden Rule – Love your neighbour as yourself. (11)
Adams has been described as one of North America’s greatest bibliophiles. He loved to learn, reading voraciously in wide-ranging areas of interest, including the Bible. Equality for Adams was grounded in equal access to education for all: “knowledge monopolized, or in the Possession of a few, is a Curse to Mankind. We should dispense it among all Ranks. We should educate our children. Equality should be preserved in knowledge.” (12) His prayer for his children was: ““Let them revere nothing but religion, morality, and liberty.” (13)
One of Adams’ strengths was that he was deeply honest, even to his own political detriment. Unlike the worldly-wise Benjamin Franklin, he would say exactly what was on his mind. Adams urged Franklin to get more exercise, saying that “the sixth Commandment forbids a man to kill himself as it does to kill his neighbour. A sedentary life is tantamount to suicide.” (14) James Grant commented that “like the mythical George Washington, he seemed incapable of telling a lie; he was naturally and organically honest.” (15) Adams once commented: “The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount contain my religion.”(16) Adams was indeed an unusual politician. He found the endless political bickering to be painful and pointless, commenting that “a resolution that two plus two makes five would require fully two days of debate.” (17) Adams was known as a foul-weather politician, only drawn to serve his country because of the intense crisis. He would have much rather been anywhere else: “The longer I live and the more I see of public men, the more I wish to be a private one.” (18) Adams was a latecomer to American Independence, preferring to work for reconciliation with the British. While Benjamin Franklin had favour and therefore initial funding from France , John Adams eventually obtained key loans to the United States from the cautious Dutch. Because of his endless negotiations in France, Holland and England, Adams only saw his dear wife Abigail for a grand total of three months over six years. (19) He wrote to Josiah Quincy: “Happy is the man who has nothing to do with politics and strife.” (20)
One of Adams’ first assignments in Congress was to draft a resolution appointing a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer throughout the thirteen colonies: “that we may, with united hearts and voices, unfeignedly confess and deplore our many sins, and offer up our joint supplications to the all-wise Omnipotent, and merciful Disposer of all events; humbling beseeching him to forgive our iniquities, to remove our present calamities, to avert those desolating judgments with which we are threatened, and to bless our rightful sovereign, King George the third.” (21) Sadly King George dismissed Adams and his colleagues as ‘wicked and desperate persons.’ (22)
King George’s thirty-three thousand British troops resulted in thirty-five thousand American deaths by sword, sickness, or captivity. (23) Adams knew that without heart-forgiveness, American independence would quickly become as barbaric as the French Revolution: “In a time of war, one may see the necessity and utility of the divine prohibitions of revenge and the Injunctions of forgiveness of Injuries and love of Enemies, which we find in Christian Religion. Unrestrained, in some degree by these benevolent Laws, Men would be Devils, at such a Time as such.” (24)
In 1815 he wrote his own gravestone epitaph: “Here lies John Adams, who took upon himself the responsibility of the peace with France in the year 1800.” (25) My prayer is that we too may be passionate peace-makers like President John Adams.
The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin
-an article previously published in the Deep Cove Crier/North Shore News
(19) McCullough, p. 271 “At last, on June 11th 1782, Adams negotiated with a syndicate of three Amsterdam banking houses — Willink, Van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje — a loan of five million guilders, or two million dollars at five percent interest. It was not the ten million dollars Congress had expected…”; Grant, p. 196.
(20) Grant, p. 157.
(21) Grant, p. 153.
(22) Grant, p. 152.
(23) Grant, p. 256.
(24) Grant, p. 184.
(25) Grant, p. 383.
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.
-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Note: This is an article that I wrote as we participated in the 1984 Billy Graham Crusade. We are grateful for the faithfulness of the late Billy Graham, particularly for his leading my mother to Christ and his impact on Queen Elizabeth.
In 1984, I was privileged to serve as the Publicity Co-ordinator in Abbotsford for the Billy Graham Crusade. At the time, I was serving as a priest at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in Abbotsford, one of the faithful congregations that still stands for the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of scripture, even to the point of being ejected from their building.
We were privileged to be involved in celebrating Billy Graham’s 95th Birthday with My Hope, his largest ever outreach, on TV, internet and in homes. The following is the article that I wrote on May 2nd 1984 in the Abbotsford, Sumas and Matsqui News:
Checking Doubts about Billy Graham
When people initially think about Billy Graham and the Oct. 14-21 1984 Crusade at BC Place, some are enthusiastic; some are totally opposed; and some have certain reservations.
It seems that the three main reservations people may raise are in the areas of three ‘f’s: finances, follow-up and fundamentalism.
Some people have seen certain ‘TV’ Christians give very manipulative financial pitches. It often seems as though they always have their hands in your wallets. Some evangelists suffer from poor financial procedures, and sometimes from downright dishonesty. Therefore the question is –Can Billy Graham be trusted financially?
The first thing that needs to be mentioned is that Billy Graham comes to this BC Crusade (and in fact to every crusade) at no salary expense whatsoever. His salary is paid totally by the Minneapolis office, and he receives no personal remuneration whatsoever from the local committee. Billy Graham has not accepted as personal remuneration a love gift, an offering, or an honorarium since 1952 when he went on an annual salary. This amount has been pegged at the salary received by an average high school principal. You may ask, ‘Why has Billy Graham been so scrupulous?’ Basically he realizes that unless people trust a person financially, they won’t trust him spiritually. Far too many evangelists in the past were ‘easy marks’ for being suspected as financial crooks and as incompetent people.
Billy Graham has set a high ethical standard for finances that governments and secular businesses could imitate. Other financial areas worth mentioning involve budgeting, accounting, and fundraising. First of all, the local committee sets the budget, as well as receiving, accounting for and disbursing all the funds. Secondly, an independent audit will be done by a public accountant and then published in newspapers. Thirdly most of the funds are raised before the crusade meetings so that there will be no undue emphasis on money during the eight crusade nights.
One common reservation frequently raised by people is ‘does it really stick?’ Isn’t this just momentary enthusiasm that will fade away and disappear?’ Many people are convinced that these so-called converts will never make it in the local church. In response to this concern, R.O. Fern did a major research study among thousands of converts from Billy Graham crusades. In 35 years of crusade evangelism, Billy Graham has preached the Gospel face-to-face to more than 100 million people in more than 100 countries around the world. More than one million people have made commitments to Christ at the crusades.
Fern discovered that 85% of the people who became Christians at the Billy Graham crusades were actively involved in the life of the church , ten, fifteen and even twenty years later — an astonishing success rate when it comes to followup on new Christians. The case is clear. With 85% of converts still in church twenty years later, there can be no doubt that this is more than a quickie hyped-up decision. They are well-thought out, careful life choices.
Because Billy Graham is interested in making disciples for Christ, not just momentary decisions, 45% of the crusade emphasis is put on the followup process. The key to follow-up in the local church. Unless a new convert becomes an integral part of a local church, his chances of survival are minimal.
What is follow-up anyways? Followup means giving continued attention to a new Christian while he or she is being integrated into the church, discovering his place of service, developing his or her full potential for Jesus Christ, and beginning to build Christ’s Church. As Paul said to Barnabas in Acts 15:36, “Let’s go again and visit our brothers and sisters in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do.”
Even Paul’s famous epistles were essentially written as followup material for new Christians. Not every follow-up approach is right for every person. Billy Graham has developed nine followup activities that can aid the new Christians. These include personal counselling, Bible study correspondence, local church followup, literature followup, Decision magazine, nurture groups, telephone followup, radio followup, and special followup.
Ultimately, of course, the great followup agent is the Holy Spirit himself. As Psalm 127 puts it, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain.” That’s why Billy Graham always says the three keys to reaping God’s harvest are (1) Prayer (2) Prayer and (3) Prayer.
A third concern raised by some people is “Isn’t Billy Graham just an extreme right-wing fundamentalist?” Some people have even tried to link him with Ian Paisley of Northern Ireland and Bob Jones Jr. The truth is that Bob Jones and his university blacklisted Billy Graham crusades. During the New York Billy Graham Crusade, Bob Jones, along with other well-known fundamentalists, put a full page ad in the New York Times, calling for a boycott of the Billy Graham Crusade. Billy Graham’s name is ‘mud’ among true fundamentalists. Although he certainly believes in the biblical essentials, he is more accurately described as a solid evangelical than as an extreme fundamentalist.
As a district chairperson for the Billy Graham Crusade, I have spoken to several pastors about the crusade. It is really only the fundamentalists and extreme liberals who are opposed to this upcoming crusade. A true fundamentalist believes in strict double and triple separation from other non-Christians, and Christians who are not as good or separated as they are. The unintended consequence is that they build countless fences that block true friendship evangelism, that block our ability to be in the world but not of it. Billy Graham and his team believe that ‘the best way to maintain the purity of the church is not through fences but through fire –the fire of the Holy Spirit.’
My challenge to you and your local church is to examine any reservations regarding the three ‘f’s of finances, followup, and fundamentalism. You are invited to take the bold step of throwing your weight behind this exciting outreach with Billy Graham.
p.s. Click to check out the excellent online ‘My Hope with Billy Graham’ videos:
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.
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-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.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-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
-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
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Ed Hird is a prophetic, courageous voice calling the church to be faithful to the whole gospel of Jesus Christ. Restoring Health draws its inspiration from Paul’s letter to Titus and calls pastors and Christian leaders to become whole people – in mind, body, and spirit – who embody the whole gospel. Hird offers a powerful prescription for transforming of our lives and ministries into Spirit-filled witnesses to the Christ’s power to restore not only our spirits, but our minds and bodies as well.
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.
commentary on Titus, an easy read with informative insights into the lives of pirate Cretans and how we can learn from them today.
the content and makes it real enough to want to live it. He’s scholarly, practical and spiritual in a most wonderful way .. Keep writing Ed .. Give us more.
“This commentary on Titus is not just a devotional. It is a rallying cry for the Kingdom of God! It brings Titus out of relative obscurity into the front ranks of the 1st Century Apostles. We see Titus confronting the powers of darkness in ancient Crete with the Gospel and bringing transformation. A much needed message for anyone who loves their city and nation and feels in a rut.”
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