The primary author was radically saved during the Jesus movement of the early '70s, and during his 45+ years in the faith has dipped his toe into almost every conceivable form of Christian training and ministry (e.g., Bible school, seminary, extensive language studies, street work, pastoring, youth-pastoring, rescue and gospel-mission work, foster-parenting, halfway-house supervision, evangelism, expository teaching, apologetics (writing/speaking/debating), Bible study leadership, cell-group leadership, jail ministry, home-churches, discipleship and missionary outreach). He has also fallen into many of the same traps that have snared most "professional Christians" throughout the ages, and thus is intimately familiar with their nuances, rationalizations, compromises and dangers.

One of these compromises has to do with formal academic religious education and training. Toward the end of his final year at the California Graduate School of Theology, during an in-depth review of John 5, the Lord made it clear to him that, should he proceed with his plans to append those coveted initials to the end of his name, it would change him forever, and not in a good way! This was not the first time the Lord had spoken to him about this matter, but it was the last. He dropped out, just 12 units short of his Master's in Theological Studies, despite his own ambition and desire to teach, write, and speak authoritatively about the central figure in his life. Fortunately, his greater commitment to truth and his desire for the Lord's continued guidance rescued him.

You can imagine the flak he took for this decision. "Are you crazy??!! You'll never be able to work in the Church without a Master's degree! Not as a pastor!" "You're throwing your career away! All that talent, education and gifting down the drain! Not to mention money!" "You're completely off-base here! No one will hire you now! You can just kiss ministry goodbye!!" and the like. Everyone he knew opposed him: his colleagues, his professors and advisors (of course), his closest friends, and his family. Nevertheless, to this day he believes with absolute conviction that it was the best decision he's ever made and perhaps the one most effective at putting distance between himself and Pharisaism. It may also be the one reason he continues to hear God's heart on this issue without confusion. What he's learned can rescue you, too--if you have ears to hear!

The fact that God began challenging him on this subject in the mid-1970s and has continued to fine-tune his understanding of this topic for over four decades is what qualifies him to write this book, not a seminary degree. Whether God will do anything with it, or whether it will bear much or little fruit, is of little consequence to him personally. He is simply speaking what God has given him to speak. The rest is up to the Lord, and to those who read it.

In addition to his years in Christian work, the author recently completed a stellar 25-year career in county corrections, most of that in a supervisory capacity in one of the nation's finest facilities, and continues to offer his expertise in a local public-safety advisory capacity, on tri-city and tri-county disaster coordination teams, county search-and-rescue teams, and scenic wilderness volunteer groups, for which he recently received the U.S. Forest Service Volunteer of the Year award in his region. He is also a skilled photographer and avid hiker, kayaker and overall nature-lover. And last but not at all least, he is a devoted and much loved grandfather and husband.