Mandate

The leaders of the Assemblies of God have developed a wonderful resource both for current pastors in the A/G and other Pentecostal denominations and for those studying to be pastors. The book contained many practical insights from A/G leaders, pastors, missionaries, and college professors who have been successful in the fields which they tackle in their writing. It focuses on six important areas: priorities in the pastor's life, the pastor's personal life, revival, accountability, ministry to the body, and spirit-annointed worship. While better editing and organization would have helped, this hefty 600-page book is a wonderful addition to my library.

Anyone who has ever considered becoming a full-time vocational Pentecostal minister would be remiss if they did not read "The Pentecostal Pastor". This wonderful book is compiled by current and former pastors, who hold various positions of leadership within the Assemblies of God organization. The truth be known, even if you disagree with the Pentecostal perspectives of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit but you're of evangelical beliefs, there is a lot of material that is simply excellent. for example, areas of consecrated living and personal devotion to God I'm confident you would whole-heartedly agree with.

Though all the material is excellent, there are many favorites of wonderfully written topics such as: life of the pastor, avoiding burnout, expository preaching, the legal responsibilities of the church and living above reproach (well written)in addition to many more. There are even subjects covered in the book that are have been known to put even Pentecostals on different sides like can a pastor have "money"? Perhaps a more general question addressing this issue is "what is the definition of wealth"?, or "should a pastor be associated with having money"?

The section on accountability is simply excellent, convicting, sensible, and easy to apply. Every church goer should read this book, perspective full time minister or not. This material will give you a much better picture of the magnitude of the responsibility that your pastor's shoulders that are not limited to just lifestyle.

The book is not just dry material. There is a witty section on being a pastor's wife depicting the anxieties and expectations that a woman has to deal with, but written in an encouraging way. It is powerful and humorously yet reverently written. Anyone who can say that one of her favorite theologans is "Winnie the Pooh" and make a great application is my kind of author. Another great point in the section was about taking Christ seriously, but being able to laugh at ourselves.

If you think all a pastor does is work one day a week and golf the other six, get ready to have your misconceptions blown away a mile high and wide, this book accurately and at times sadfully, portrays what can probably at times the most thankless, underpaid and high stress professions, yet without question the highest and most sacred calling of God on a person's life. I recommend this book.

"The Pentecostal Pastor" touches almost every area imaginable to the pastor/minister. While covering everything in a pastor's life, both professional and personal, this book gives practical information, ideas, and advice for ministers looking for an extra "edge" in their ministry.

Dave Ulrich, considered by many to be the leading voice of HR strategy and implementation, compiles a selection of various authors' essays into a wonderfully thoughtful and practical collection.

This book is organized into 4 main sections... 1. Delivering Core Capabilities 2. Creating Strategic Clarity: Becoming a strategic partner 3. Making Change Happen: Becoming a change agent 4. Creating Intellectual Capital: Becoming an employee champion

These four sections summarize Ulrich's views on the ever chaning role of Human Resources in not only today's workplace, but tomorrow's.

I recommend this book to any business professional seeking to better understand how employees can better reach their potential, as well as to any HR professional seeking to expand his or her vision of what the profession is capable of accomplishing.

"This is a great time for those interested in human resources." Dave Ulrich (editor) writes, "Human resource issues have become central to business deliberations, surfacing in boardrooms where executives plan and in conference rooms where managers act. Discussions often seek answers to (some) questions...In many ways, these are not new questions. The difference today lies in the approach taken to answer them: Increasingly, the spotlight is falling on human resource issues. To answer these questions, line managers and HR professionals must rethink and redefine human resources...HR professionals have responded to this increased scrutiny with a major shift in thinking from their previous focus on 'doables' to a new, more proactive focus on 'deliverables.' Doables focus on improving HR practices, upgrading HR professionals, and reengineering HR departments. Doables emphasize actions, activities, and what happens. Deliverables refocus attention on outcomes, results, and value created from doing HR work."

In this context, Dave Ulrich says that while few disagree that HR practices, professionals, and departments should refocus on deliverables or results, discussions have just begun as to what constitutes HR results. And, according to him, emerging questions for HR include the following:

1. What are HR results?

* HR results as firm performance

* HR results as capabilities

2. What capabilities may be defined as HR results?

* Creating strategic clarity: be a strategic partner

* Making change happen: be a change agent

* Creating intellectual capital: be an employee champion

3. How does a results focus shift HR responsibility, practices, departments, and professionals?

Finally, he says that this antology provides readers with a clear point of view on HR results and offers specific definitions and examples of those results.

Highly recommended.

This book is well written, though it is a cheallenge to read. It is written above the average persons head at times. But keep working at it, it will help you understand where we, as Christians, have failed to follow God's direction and left His path.

George Grant is one of the smartest guys on earth, and this writing is dead-on. If only there were more like him...
This book offers an excellent analysis of the balance between faith and good works. It's well-written, very in-depth, and I HIGHLY recommend it!

Schell's understanding of modern China is tremendous. This text is indispensible to anyone seeking insight into where China is headed in the coming decades. It is, however, written in a journalistic style. Therefore, those seeking an academic, scholarly examination of the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the socio-political impact that followed will not find it here. Schell is extensive in his examination of events, one might even say exhaustive. He masterfully paints an image of the modern movements in China and it is for this reason that Mandate of Heaven is a valuable work.

As a passionate student of History at Indiana University, I had hoped to find, as indicated above, an academic work studying modern China. Schell's perspective is essential to such an understanding, but Mandate of Heaven does not take a scholarly approach. The book was nonetheless an entertaining read.

Schell has chosen an unusual way to describe the modern China's economy and what has shaped it over the years. He spends almost half the book describing the events and the modern day significance of Tiananmen Square (a very accurate picture). He then moves on to describe Deng Xiapong's role in the Beijing Massacre and as the maker of the modern Chinese economy. Schell has chosen a unique way to look at the events and very successfully weaved the Tiananmen Square's events with the China today. He choses interesting examples to illustrate just how deeply some aspects of the western world grips China. He talks of the ironical Mao-mania where one could find almost anything with pictures of Mao selling in China. His account of the key people in China then and now gave me a clear picture of what really went on in the lives of the people. This is one of those books where I could picture the events in my mind, and came out feeling extremely satisfied with the read. A must read for anyone who wants to understand the Chinese Politics and Chinese Economy, and how they are invaluabe in understanding each other.

Schell is a sensitive observer of events. Schell is putting his undergraduate training in Chinese to good use. I am the process of comparing works by Bernstein, Butterfield, Fraser, and Schell, and I have been impressed with Schell's works so far. Mandate is fairly meaty, full of first-hand observations and post-op reflections. Overall, a very good job

It is easy to believe that only pastors should do ministry and serve others. That is the easy way out for most Christian. The reality is that God wants pastors to equip us lay people for ministry. In fact God calls us to be His ministers. We have been ministered to, now it is our turn to minister: hence the name of this book, The Boomerang Mandate. What has gone around surely must come around. This little book presents clear and concise suggestions on how pastors can share ministry and its benefits with the lay people in his church. It also gives simple instructions for those doing ministry. It is not a technical book, and is quite easy to read. The author makes it real and practical by relating stories and incidents from his own ministry to introduce and illustrate various areas in which Christians can serve. This little book is well worth having.

Everybody says laymen should be involved in ministry. The Boomerang Mandate explains why and how. It is an easy read--brief enough that most people can read it in a single sitting. The stories are compelling and the ministry tips are straight to the point. This is a must read for people who are serious about ministy.

Frederick Lugard helped conquer and rule Uganda, Nyasaland and Nigeria. After his "man-of-action" days, he shaped colonial policies til his death in 1945; his major statements came in this 1922 work, the bible of British Indirect Rule. Today Lord Lugard's naive ethnocentrism and even crude racism are clear enough. Many facts and suggestions in this hoary "current affairs" book are also naturally dated, but even harsh critics tacitly share the basic principles Lugard outlined. Briefly, the "dual mandate" says that foreign powers have a duty to develop Africa's resources to benefit both Africa and the whole world. In reality European empires (also the US) set most economic policy in their favor, but since Africa must still engage with the world to sell its products, the challenge remains crucial. Most later development strategies accepted this implicitly, but much recent exploitation of Africa's wealth drops any pretense of aiding people---witness the endless conflicts in resource-rich Congo and Sudan, and corporate collusion in Nigeria. Despite biases, Lugard deserves credit for frankly assessing Africa's complex global role. M. Perham's "Lugard" admiringly tells his story in two bulky volumes. Powerful critiques came often, notably in classics by Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Hodgkin and Basil Davidson. Pan-Africanism's economic nationalism offers a sharp contrast, if not a very practical alternative.

It was only because of military intervention in Bosnia that the war finally ended. The fact that war ended had nothing to do with the UN's humanitarian mission, from the start a disgrace and a failure. It is amazing how hard it is to find UN personel willing to admit their policy, prior to military intervention, was disastrous. This year finally, the Secretary General, in a report framed by the massacre of Srebrenica, did admit the UN's total failure.

Philip Corwin is not a professional apologist, advocacy journalist, propagandist or self-aggrandizing Imperial shill, the kind one would expect writing a book about Bosnia. Corwin, an American in UN service, was the head of UNPROFOR Civil Affairs in Sarajevo during those crucial months of 1995 when the UN became NATO's handmaiden. As a result, he is a disillusioned, embittered witness to Imperial ascendance.

...Right from its very title, Dubious Mandate gets to the heart of the matter. As the Bosnian War unravels, so does the UN peacekeeper mission, whose mandate is self-contradictory, ill-defined, and under constant political and military pressure. From his position in Sarajevo, Corwin witnessed the disintegration of the last shreds of UN credibility and impartiality. His journal entries read like a Greek tragedy, with growing awareness of the impending disaster literally rolling in over the hills.

Arguably the best features of the book are Corwin's "hindsight" notes. Unlike other memoirs, Dubious Mandate

contains the author's reflections alongside the original writing, clearly marked to avoid confusion. This provides the readers with an insight into how Corwin thought then, and how subsequent events and understandings impacted his earlier opinions. It is exceptionally difficult to write an honest memoir, avoiding the temptation to spruce up the original notes with hindsight. Dubious Mandate has found a way, and it works extraordinarily well.

Corwin does not mince words. He is not anti- or pro- anyone, often describing the local Balkans leaders as "thugs in suits." But his insistence that there were legitimate concerns among the Serbs (even though their methods were reprehensible) and that the Sarajevo Muslims were far from angels, earns Corwin the undying hatred of the international diplomats, western Press, and, of course, the Izetbegovic regime.

Read the complete version of this review- and many more- at Balkanalysis.com

Ever wondered why the UN "failed" in Bosnia, only to be replaced by NATO? Ever thought about what causes UN missions to fail in some situations (as in Bosnia) and succeed in others (as in East Timor)? From historical evidence it appears that there is no inherent institutional flaw in the UN structure but that the Security Council, by assigning different mandates and rules of engagement, determines the likely outcome of various missions. Who interests does this kind of "peacekeeping" serve?

This book adds to our understanding of the critical role of outside factors in the partition of Yugoslavia. It sheds some light on the reasons for (intended? ) failiure of UNPROFOR and the subsequent insertion of NATO. It is required reading for anyone trying to understand the Yugoslav mayhem beyond superficiality of mainstream media coverage.

This book gets the job done, and it gets the job done well. It displays much-needed stats, and also has some general pointers. Nothing groundbreaking, but if you're stuck on MMVI, this will definitely help.

If you are stuck halfway through the game or at the beginning, this guide gives you just enough info to have fun. You still get to figure out how certain things work, but this guide can give you a great head start. It doesn't give too much away (unless you read ahead) but it gives you ways to get things (spells, weapons, training) you might never have gotten before. The equipment descriptions can save you from having to pay to get them identified. Also, the "Minor Quests" section isn't teally detailed, but the book would weigh 50 lbs. if it did! Everything you could ever need for Major Quests is here and you get an additional edge on your enemies. At $15.99, this book is a great addition to your game.

I found it rather useful. Mostly I referred to the maps, and in several cases, was able to locate a section of dungeon I'd missed behind secret doors or stuff like that... The minor quest section could've stood a little more detail, and as mentioned the item and NPC sections were totally inane, but other than that I had little to complain about. As for plot spoilers -- if you don't resort to the book until you're truly stumped, you shouldn't be getting plot spoilers, because it's a pretty linear game, so a clue for a section of the game you're in doesn't mention stuff from somewhere in the future. At least that was my experience, FWIW, YMMV.

This was one of the worst-written books I have read on Israel. Segev seems to take inordinate joy in character assassination regarding anyone who may be an exception to his politics. The hopelessly inaccurate information he gives regarding Orde Wingate, the brilliant British military commander, and ardent Zionist and friend of the Jews is a case in point. Since Segev attempts to paint the British in general as pro-Israeli, he must perforce cast the aruably greatest friend the Jews had during the Mandatory years. On the whole, a very questionable piece of pseudo-scholarship that I would advise against wasting time on. Good only as a reference on how distorting this new breed of 'revisionist' historian is.

Tom Segev's history of Palestine from the last years of World War I to the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 reads like an epic novel. He introduces the reader to an extraordinary cast of real life characters - Arabs, Jews and British - certainly as rich and varied as anyone met in great fiction. Gripping historical and personal accounts of life in this long disputed land are documented from Khalil al-Sakakini's near fatal decision to harbor a Jewish family in 1917 Ottoman Palestine, to many accounts of the British liberation, (just days later), and a description of General Sir Edmund Allenby's entrance to Jerusalem, on foot, along with Lawrence of Arabia and representatives of France, Italy and the United States. Segev fills his pages with the documented actions and thoughts of history's movers and shakers - Chiam Weizmann, Lloyd George, David Ben Gurion, Haj Amin al-Husseini, Muhammed, Iz-al-Din-al-Qassam, as well as those of "everyman" caught-up in the whirlwind of history in-the-making. These accounts, along with anecdotes like the visits to the holy land by the likes of Rudyard Kipling, Albert Einstein, etc., make this book such a terrific and worthwhile read.

However, although Segev's historical documentation is impressive, his interpretation of history is most unusual. He maintains that the British were highly supportive in the formation and creation of the Jewish State, with some resistance during the period of the British Mandate. He also discounts the importance of the Holocaust in facilitating Israeli Statehood. His interpretations of Great Britain's pro-Zionist stance and motivation is highly controversial, and to be perfectly frank, I have to read more from other historians before I can put Mr. Segev's ideas into perspective. Don't be put off by the author's historical conclusions, however. The narrative does make for an interesting read.

Tom Segev is one of Israel's most notable historians and journalists and offers here a dramatic and well written account of two nationalist movements that will hopefully form the basis of two separate countries and populations, living side-by-side, and flourishing in peace one day. From my pen to God's ears.
JANA

This is a colorful montage of various people's experiences under the British Mandate. Lots of intriguing characters and entertaining stories. The unpublished letters and journals Segev draws on, as well as published memoirs, are mostly by relatively obscure Arabs, Jews, and Brits--and this is the book's greatest strength.
But you'll have to look elsewhere if you're interested in a competent description and analysis of British rule. Segev apparently couldn't be bothered to do much background reading on British politics. When he strays from his diaries and memories, he blunders repeatedly. Lloyd George, he writes, was an "Englishman" who was "elected prime minister" in Dec. 1916. (L.G. was Welsh and there were no elections between 1910 and 1918.) Herbert Samuel, when he went into politics, "joined Lloyd George's Liberal Party"--two decades before any such entity existed.
There are a great number of other trivial mistakes, but more disturbing is Segev's persistent, if low-key, anti-Zionism. This is particularly evident in his treatment of Arab attacks on Jews. To take only the first, at Tel Hai on March 1, 1920, Segev concludes, without any evidence, that the Jews may have opened fire, and w/o provocation. He then starts referring to the "myth" of Tel Hai, as if the shootings were a figment of Zionist imagination. (He meanwhile accepts uncritically the myth of "the Arab Revolt" during WW I, discredited for decades.) Segev's treatment of subsequent violence is even more distorted. The role of the Grand Mufti, Haj Amin al Husseini, is suppressed and, in the case of the Arab Rebellion of 1936-8, the focus is almost entirely on British countermeasures rather than the terror that inspired them.
But the book's claim to fame is its argument that the British were pro-Zionist because they feared the Jews. In a volume of about 600 pp., the evidence for this consists of four or five scattered, out-of-context quotations, and a distorted interpretation of Prime Minister MacDonald's "Black Letter" of 1931. Conspiracy theories about Jews circulated widely in the '20s (thanks to the success of the Bolsheviks) and Zionist spokesman Chaim Weitzman always emphasized the clout of U.S. Jews, but Segev simply never makes his case.
As for the claim that the British running the Mandate were pro-Zionist, Segev quietly abandons this. He himself provides a mountain of evidence refuting the idea, and no serious historian would try to argue it. Most British officials shared High Commissioner Chancellor's view that the Balfour Declaration was a "colossal blunder."
Particularly as the narrative winds down, there are instances of bias that would make any fair-minded historian wince--Segev's treatment of the White Paper of '39, of Bevin, of the immigration of Jews from Arab countries into Israel, etc. Still, the book is worth reading for the light it sheds on daily life in Palestine under the Mandate. You really appreciate how much of today's conflict is deja vu all over again. Some readers might want to go directly to the original sources--like the memoirs of one of Segev's favorite characters, Khalil al-Sakakini, a Christian Arab educator, nationalist, and Nazi sympathizer. But anyone interested in a thorough and accurate history of British rule in Palestine should look elsewhere, and preferably to an historian rather than a leftist journalist. There are good general histories by C. C. O'Brien and H. Sachar. On the Mandate, take a look at E. Kedourie, E. Karsh, D. Fromkin, B. Wasserstein, John Marlowe, and Christopher Sykes.

Reading this book shows that the British army seemed to have had a pretty good life in the region. The captain goes from one sight seeing trip to another. Basically he shows that the average British soldier at the time had no idea of the issues or problems in the region.

Comments are quoted with no factual evidence to back them up. For example Jews were driven out of Egypt because of the actions of the Zionist. If so why were Greeks also driven out!
When the British hang a man that is okay when someone else hangs a British soldier in retaliation that is terrible.

Zionist are described as bad people, Arabs generally as okay (obviously our commander missed the fun earlier when the Arabs were the main terrorist in the region) and the British were knowing, stupid and caring.

He thinks that the UN solution was wrong because it was undemocratic. If so what were the British there at all because the local did not want them? If Britain was so concerned about democracy why not do something about it long before they left! At the end, he shows how the British walked out of a mess they created with no regrets.

Philip Brutton's A CAPTAIN'S MANDATE is a serious tome, written with flair and attention to detail worthy of Churchill. I ate it for lunch on a flight from Paris to New York, 2 days before the destruction of the World Trade Towers, amazed now at how relevant it was and how necessary it is now to evaluate our history of religious aggression in a forum ostensibly without bias, collusion or any undercurrent of abhorrence directed towards either camp. Brutton achieves this. A Captain's Mandate leaves room for discussion. It's one man's story. It's also the story we all have to consider. Philip Brutton's voice is clear and original. Read up on your WWII era history first though. This book is not for neophytes.