John Hunt Desk Reference Collection (4 vols.)

by Mark Water; Richard M. Gagnon

Publisher:

John Hunt

, 2000–2002

Overview

The John Hunt Collection represents thousands of hours of careful collation, winnowing, organization, and fact-checking. In the age of Internet-induced information overload, it's hard to overstate the value of such editorial craft. The needles have been collected from the proverbial haystack, carefully identified, and organized for your convenience.

These titles comprise a set of four essential desk references every Christian should keep handy:

• Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations
• The New Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs
• The Christian Book of Records
• Footsteps Through the Bible: A 52-Week Chronological Reading Plan and Study Reference

The first three titles are rich compilations of quotations, facts, events, historical figures and more. Never be caught searching the Internet frantically for just the right fact or quote you need. They're all here!

Need a quotation on "faith" for your sermon/paper/Bible study? Within seconds you have gems from sources such as Oswald Chambers, John Piper, Soren Kierkegaard, Elizabeth Oakes Smith, or Max Lucado.

The final work in the collection--Footsteps Through the Bible--consists of a reading plan with accompanying outline notes, arranged according to the order of events described by the Bible. Reading through the Bible chronologically is a great exercise for any person, whether a new believer, longtime Christian, or someone investigating the Bible. (We recently posted a case study relating one church's experience with reading the Bible chronologically together.)

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Product Details

• Title: John Hunt Desk Reference Collection (4 vols.)
• Publisher: John Hunt Publishing Ltd
• Volumes: 4
• Pages: 2,534

The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations

• Editor: Mark Water
• Publisher: John Hunt Publishing Ltd
• Publication Date: 2000
• Pages: 1,230

"Like apples of gold in settings of silver" is the beautiful image the Bible uses to describe a word well spoken. This encyclopedia is just what you need to put a finger on precisely the right words and ideas for the occasion.

The comprehensive and up-to-date volume features more than 1 million words, with 20,000 quotes from over 2,500 sources. The vast majority of quotations are from Christian sources, culled from sermons, prayers, letters, statements of faith, books, hymns, diaries, journals, commentaries, and speeches. Some secular sources have been included as well for their value in reminding Christians of the non-Christian worldview.

Most of the entries are one-liners, including well-known and rarely found proverbs from a variety of languages and cultures. In addition to these short quotes, there are many paragraph-long entries that give greater context for the quote, as well as 39 "feature pages" written by Christian theologians to explicate basic Christian teachings. These extended quotations, scattered throughout the book, include important Christian documents, such as the Westminster Catechism and Luther's 95 Theses.

Anyone wanting a comprehensive, well-organized, thoughtful collection of Christian quotations—covering multiple topics and many occasions—will find this encyclopedia invaluable. Preachers, speakers, writers, church and school librarians, and students will especially value this ideal resource.

Pastors, teachers, librarians, or people who love to read the wisdom of the ages will find here an abundant supply of food for thought.

Mark Water was born in Devon, England and trained for the Anglican ministry at the London College of Divinity. He was ordained as an evangelical minister in 1966. For the past 20 years he has been engaged in the ministry of Christian literature as writer, editor and advisor. He is the author of the Bible Made Easy series; the Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations; the Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs, and many other volumes.

The New Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs

• Editor: Mark Water
• Publisher: John Hunt Publishing Ltd
• Publication Date: 2001
• Pages: 984

"The history of Christian martyrdom is, in fact, the history of Christianity itself."
—William Bramley-Moore, introduction to Foxe's Book of Martyrs.

The New Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs includes thousands of stories of faithful Christians who gladly gave their lives for the Lord and Master--from Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to those martyred in our day.

• Accounts of over 200,000 martyrs
• Drawn from over 50 countries
• From Biblical Times through Today

The New Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs testifies to the faith of Christian martyrs over the past 2,000 years. In this volume, readers find accounts--sometimes horrific, always disturbing, often inspiring--of many who died for their faith. Stories are arranged in chronological sections: Bible times, the Roman Empire, the fifth through the fifteenth centuries, the Reformation era, and the seventeenth through the twenty-first centuries.

Special feature pages throughout the book explain Christian teaching on martyrdom and persecution, prayers and famous quotations of the martyrs, famous quotations about martyrdom and persecution, and historical details.

The electronic version of this book will be especially useful for instantly locating biographical information about historical and contemporary figures who died for their faith. Browse using the hyperlinked table of contents or search for a name and you will be able to instantly open to valuable information!

Pastors, teachers, Bible study leaders, librarians, and any Christian who desires to learn about the persecuted Church will find a wealth of information in this volume.

History

Persecution and martyrdom of Christians dates back as far as the stoning of Stephen in the Book of Acts, and continues today. Researchers estimate nearly two thirds of Christian martyrs died in the twentieth century! This companion volume to The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations offers a comprehensive history of Christian martyrs from New Testament through modern times.

The word martyr comes from the Greek word for witness. During the history of the Christian church, martyr came to mean "blood-witness." Persecution of Christians is more widespread in this century than it was in the time of the Roman Empire...more than an estimated 160,000 believers were martyred in 1996 alone. Hebrews 12:1 includes martyrs in the "great cloud of witnesses" and encourages Christians to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Organization

Stories are arranged chronologically. Historical features are interspersed throughout, describing related subjects such as tortures of first-century Christians, and providing added insight into the reasons for persecution. While we may know, for example, that the early Christian were martyred for "not sacrificing to the gods" we may have little idea about what "sacrificing to the gods" entailed. The historical feature "Sacrificing to the gods" enlightens the reader on this topic.

Horrific physical and mental tortures were often the prelude and means of Christian martyrdoms. The Encyclopedia does not dwell on these tortures, but neither does it ignore them. For example, we may read that a Christian martyr was "tortured with a currycomb on the hobby-horse" but without some explanation we would have little idea what actually happened. Eight historical features detail the tortures Christian martyrs were subjected to in the early centuries, which were often used in succeeding centuries as well. For this reason the book is upsetting as well as challenging and inspiring.

Other special features include Christian teaching and statements on martyrdom and persecution, as well as prayers, diaries, and famous quotations of martyrs.

Sources

In most cases the descriptions of martyrdoms in this book come from eye-witness accounts or from compilations of written records concerning the martyr's death. Sometimes this will be Foxe's Book of Martyrs, at other times the Passions, or Eusehius (who wrote On the Martyrs of Palestine as well as entries in his Ecclesiastical History), or one of the other reliable accounts of Christian martyrdoms found in Christian writings of recognized credibility, such as Prudentius, Chrysostom, Basil, and Augustine. In the case of martyrdom in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, details have been drawn from the records of international missionary societies, and such reliable sources as the Keston Institute, Unevangelized Fields Mission (UFM), Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF), Worldwide Evangelization Crusade (WEC), Wycliffe Bible Translators, and Africa Evangelical Fellowship.

Readership

Pastors, teachers, and others interested in the history of the persecuted church will find this book a valuable source of historical information. More importantly, readers will be encouraged to hold fast to the convictions that inspired unwavering strength, even in the face of death.

Mark Water was born in Devon, England and trained for the Anglican ministry at the London College of Divinity. He was ordained as an evangelical minister in 1966. For the past 20 years he has been engaged in the ministry of Christian literature as writer, editor and advisor. He is the author of the Bible Made Easy series; the Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations; the Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs, and many other volumes.

The Christian Book of Records

• Editor: Mark Water
• Publisher: John Hunt Publishing Ltd
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 192

The Christian Book of Records is a rich compendium of facts and events shaping Christianity over the past 2000 years. The work unfolds a detailed collection of historical fact, mapping of ministry, and biography of believers.

This colorful handbook is both a resource for knowledge and a sourcebook for enlightening entertainment. Browse through mottos and sayings, trivia, little-known facts, statistics and hundreds of facts on Christianity, the Bible, Christian leaders, and more!

Topics cover a wide and exciting selection--archaeological discoveries, famous personalities, great martyrs of the faith, visions, conversions, church buildings, and a century-by-century chronological overview of the development of Christianity. Expand your knowledge of the Bible, church history, Christian doctrine and practices through this accessible and easy-to-read reference.

Delve into Christian Book of Records and unveil the testimony of faith through the centuries...you won't be able to put it down!

Topics include:

• The Bible: statistics, translations, archaeological discoveries . . .
• The Spread of Christianity: first apostles, missions, 20th century evangelism . . .
• Christian Thought: writers, mottoes, science . . .
• Christian Experience: conversions, prophesies, visions . . .
• Christian Groups: traditional, modern, service, and mission groups . . .
• Christian Practices: music, hymns, prayers, signs, and symbols . . .
• Christians Under Fire: martyrs, persecution . . .
• Potpourri: Christmas, Easter, church buildings, mystery of the shroud . . .
• Century-by-Century Chronology

Mark Water was born in Devon, England and trained for the Anglican ministry at the London College of Divinity. He was ordained as an evangelical minister in 1966. For the past 20 years he has been engaged in the ministry of Christian literature as writer, editor and advisor. He is the author of the Bible Made Easy series; the Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations; the Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs, and many other volumes.

Footsteps Through the Bible: A 52-Week Chronological Reading Plan and Study Reference

• Author: Richard M. Gagnon
• Publisher: John Hunt Publishing Ltd
• Publication Date: 2000
• Pages: 128

Reading through the Bible is a tremendous asset to one’s spiritual walk, but without some guidance it can be a difficult and confusing task. Richard M. Gagnon provides a helping hand with Footsteps Through The Bible, a one-year chronological reading plan and study reference born out of his own desire to better understand the Scriptures.

Footsteps is easy to use on a daily basis, and helps the reader move through the Bible in a systematic, chronological sequence. Not to be confused with a chronological Bible, this chronological reading guide allows the reader to use his or her favorite Bible version to complete the reading assignments.

• Each day's readings contain easy-to-understand outline notes for that day.
• The readings Monday to Friday are from the Old Testament and average 86 verses per day. The weekend readings are from the New Testament and average 77 verses per day.
• Daily and weekly readings are logically grouped, listing all Scripture pertinent to the theme, topic or historical sequence of events.
• Old Testament laws and regulations are harmonized by subject matter and logically grouped with the historical events they complement.
• The parallel books of Kings and Chronicles are synchronized into one reading, as are the Gospels in the New Testament.

Many users of Logos Bible Software have asked for a reading plan that walks through the Bible chronologically. Footsteps meets that need and provides a great springboard for further study. When you click on the day's reading your preferred Bible (sold separately) will open to the desired passage--no shuffling pages and hunting for the right verse. From there you can use the outline notes provided or dive in deeper using additional tools and texts you may have in your digital library.

Richard M. Gagnon is a member of a nondenominational church in Ottawa, Ontario. He works for the Canadian Space Agency, where he is a technical writer and editor. With his technical and computer background, he has been able to develop a unique and useful chronological Bible reading guide.