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About the Book
"A Man in Full" follows the story of Atlanta real estate developer Charlie Croker as he faces financial turmoil and personal challenges. The novel explores themes of race, masculinity, and power in the modern South, offering a panoramic view of contemporary American society. Through vivid characters and sharp social commentary, Tom Wolfe crafts a compelling narrative that captures the complexities of ambition, identity, and redemption.
Nik Ripken
Nik and Ruth, with 3 children, served for over 32 years obeying Christ’s command to share Jesus across the globe. After 7 years in Malawi & South Africa, they moved to Nairobi, Kenya to begin work among the Somali people (1991-1997). Since that time (1998-2013) they have journeyed globally among people whom, when they gave their lives to Jesus, faced increasing persecution for their faith.
The Ripkens and their teams served throughout the Horn of Africa within famine and war zones; resettling refugees, providing famine relief, and operating mobile medical clinics. Formerly Muslims, many Somali believers, suffered for their faith. Most were martyred. Near the end of the Ripken’s tenure among the Somalis, their 16-year-old son died of an asthma attack on Easter Sunday morning. He’s buried at the school from which the other Ripken children graduated.
One year later, the Holy Spirit led the Ripkens to begin a global pilgrimage to learn from believers in persecution how to recapture a biblical missiology of witness and house-church planting in the midst of persecution and martyrdom. Most of all, believers in persecution modeled for the Ripkens how to trust Jesus completely. Many of these lessons have been lost or forgotten by the church in the West.
Currently the Ripkens have interviewed over 600 believers in persecution, exceeding 72 countries. Sitting at their feet, the Ripkens learned from the suffering church how to thrive amidst suffering, not merely survive. The Ripkens, using everything they’ve learned from believers in persecution are creating resources as gifts from the church to the church. To date they have created articles, books, a music CD, a documentary, workshops, and other tools that allow the church in persecution to teach the church in the West about its biblical heritage of both crucifixion and resurrection. A teaching DVD is included in future plans. All these tools are designed to challenge believers to boldly follow Jesus, sharing their faith with others-no matter the cost.
seeing the future with god’s eyes
A hunter in a little village set out early in the morning with his twelve year old son for hunting. As they walked, the hunter envisioned a dinner of wild rabbits and squirrels with his family, he thought of the proceed he could make from the sale of an antelope or deer, and the possibility of getting a favorite meat for his mother-in-law. He also thought about giving Johnny a fine hunting lesson, letting him hunt a delicacy for himself, and perhaps something for his school teacher. Little Johnny strolled along. There weren’t so many things on his mind as are on his father’s; just his small couch back home and the present cold weather. He stumbled on every pebble, became thirsty often, and gave many sermons on how tomorrow and the day after are preferable hunting days. God brought the children of Israel out of slavery in the land of Egypt. He turned water to blood. He sent frogs, lice, hail, thick darkness, and slew the Egyptian firstborn sons. He parted a mighty sea, rained manna from heaven, and brought water out of a rock. He gave them the promise of a fruitful territory, and a spectacle kingdom for the rest of the world. The children of Israel saw the signs, the wonders, and the great works of God. They were healthy, free from oppression, and lacked nothing. They saw the glory of the God of heaven with their bare eyes. They had the proofs and the promises given to no other nation on the earth. However, when Moses, their leader, was absent for a few days, they made themselves another god, a molten calf, in place of the true God whom they had just met and experienced. Later, they desired another captain that would lead them back to Egypt. Today, we have the word of God, the way of salvation, and the promise of eternal life. We have the gospel, which shows us our true spiritual condition and the mind of God. It tells of the unending sufferings of the soul that dies without Jesus. It tells of God’s saving plan, in sending His Son to die for the sins of the world. It tells of the great escape and the heavenly city that awaits the one who believes in Christ and accepts God’s offer of grace. It tells of the need to strengthen our souls with Scriptures and communion with God. Nevertheless, like Johnny and like the Israelites, we are carried away with the things of the moment. Money, relationships, pleasures of life, placement in society, and many such pursuits. But these things will end someday, leaving us feeling unwise for prioritizing them above our never-dying souls.
