Dictum Classics – serie

This is an unusual book, gathering wisdom on leadership from around the world, across a century. The material has been curated for its quality, and its reach. It will stretch the minds of younger leaders to help them see what they could do; and help them to think in new categories. The material is profound, but all lucidly expressed. It would be as accessible to an undergraduate student as to a pastor or business leader. The Appendix on good governance comes at a time when sad stories of poor governance have had detrimental effects on the ministries or publishing houses they are meant to have protected. This is unique to our knowledge. We trust it will enable trustees and board members to better understand their roles, and to be able to call out bad practice.

This is a book for our times as Pol Pot's lust for control in Cambodia has been re-enacted over and over again by Putin, Assad, Kim Jong-un, the Ayatollahs...While Cambodia is best known for Angkor Wat and tourism, its enchantment hides a recent history and a poignancy beyond imagining. In the mid-1970s, starting with political, military and religious leaders, the entire nation was turned into a death camp.Don Cormack entered Phnom Penh five months before its fall to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975. He mastered the language, and worked in the border refugee camps for years after the nation fell. As he spoke Cambodian fluently, he is able to give voice to Cambodians themselves. Here in this book, the only one of its kind, we hear first-hand accounts of endurance and faith under one of the most barbaric regimes in modern history. The book opens with the early beginnings of the Protestant Church in 1923. From here Cormack traces the lives of several families up to, and through, the genocide under Pol Pot, and then on to the present day.How did the mass torture, and mass killing start? Paris-educated Pol Pot and his bourgeois colleagues returned to Cambodia as Marxist zealots, and in April 1975 declared 'Year Zero'. Inspired by Mao's Cultural Revolution and Red Guards, they formed the Khmer Rouge, setting in motion the auto-genocide of the 'Killing Fields'.Here we gain a wide sweep across decades of turmoil, while drilling down into personal stories of courage and resolve, of epic journeys, of survival; of finding the Way, the Truth and the Life.At the time of publication only one of the Khmer Rouge leaders is still alive, in prison in Phnom Penh, now aged 93. He remains defiant. Astonishingly, the story is also told (first broken by the Far East Economic Review in 1999) of Comrade Duch, the chief executioner, becoming a Christian in the early 1990s and being baptised. He was personally responsible for the torture and liquidation of tens of thousands. He remained faithful to Christ, and died in 2020 in prison, with a Bible and a hymnbook beside his bed. Cormack tells of his own meeting with Duch, unawares, in a refugee camp.Index, Timeline, and three Photo Galleries. This is the eighth and final edition of a contemporary classic. It is beautifully written.

These ten stories are 'powerful, riveting, compelling, even overwhelming'. They come straight from the Christian believers who endured one of the most brutal periods of mass killing in modern history. Here we glimpse profound spiritual truth through their lives, courage and faithfulness. They are stories for our own times, as evil tyrants continue to emerge. Includes photos, timeline and maps.

For a board to bring insight and foresight, what facets of wisdom and experience are needed? How should new members be selected? How will financial and theological integrity be guarded? How does the board best work in partnership with the CEO and senior staff? These seven rules are gold. There is no eighth rule, but you can't get by on six.'Full of seasoned wisdom. Brief, sane and practical.' (Charles Clayton of Oxford Leaders. From the Foreword.)To our knowledge, this is the only handbook of its kind and length. We have seen too many tragedies allowed to happen as a result of inexperienced or weak governance. Following these seven rules will enable you to be effective as a board — and to pass on the organization or ministry in an effective and spiritually-healthy state.It is for Board Chairs and board members; CEOs and their senior staff; and with transferable principles for church leaders and church councils.There is advice on setting agendas, on conducting discussion, on handling major issues. It will help board and staff better understand their roles, and their rightful expectations of others.It is priced so each member of the board / senior staff can have a copy.

Generosity is part of the Christian life. And the money we give has to be looked after with integrity. The apostle Paul teaches on both these aspects of handling money. Money is a risky business, always with temptation.John Stott looks at the Apostle Paul's teaching (1 Corinthians 16 and 2 Corinthians 8,9) on Christian giving. How do we decide what to give? Is it ever right for our giving to go down, if circumstances change? For general use in church life, or with particular reference to a giving appeal or building project.Chris Wright takes the same passages, and opens out the Apostle's teaching on how to handle money with integrity and transparency. For Treasurers or for anyone who is responsible for special appeals. We are not aware of any other publication which does this job.Questions included for personal reflection or for group discussion.

A critical book for anyone in ministry who wants to run the race well, and keep running to the end. Pablo Martinez is a psychiatrist who has helped many people in ministry. For church leaders, church apprentices, student workers, staff of mission agencies. Questions included for personal reflection or for group discussion.