We don't sell anything here. These are just some things that helped us along the way following Christ. If you need any help buying these, please let us know and we will help.

The Bible

Have you ever read the Bible? I mean, there's what everybody says the Bible says and then there's what it actually says. For years I just took everyone's word for it or relied on what seemed right to me, using logic or whatever.

Everytime I ever picked up the Bible and tried to brave its run-on sentences I soon found myself fighting sleep. It was like it was written in Greek! As I would later find out, much of it was written in Greek.

Different versions have emerged over the years. Each version is someone's attempt to tell you what is being said in your own dialect instead of Hebrew, Greek, or Old English! I like watching movies set in ancient times where people talk that way, but when I'm trying to read about how to save my eternal soul, I'd rather cut the thick accents and read it in English, the way I speak it!

This version made sense when I read it. The founding pastor of the church I was going to at the time has gone through and written little insights everywhere. Practically every time I didn't understand what I was reading in the scriptures, there was a note from Chuck, giving his take on the subject.

I found his commentary very helpful. Thanks to my commitment to read 2 chapters every day I finished reading the Bible this year! And I can honestly say that I was totally missing the point before. I encourage you to actually read it! Plan to do it and make it happen.

~John Hadwin

This book changed my life. After spending His entire ministry discipling them, Jesus told His disciples,

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

So what does that mean? He told us to make disciples. If we want to know what discipleship meant to Jesus we could simply look at what it meant in His life. How did he go about discipling His disciples? If that's the kind of discipleship He meant when He said, "make disciples", then the vast majority of us are completely ignoring the command of the one we call Lord.

What a wake up call this was for me.

~John Hadwin

Disciples Are Made Not Born

Pagan Christianity

"Millions of Christians throughout the world are leaving the old, accepted ways of 'doing church' for even older approaches... They ardently want their relationship with the Lord to be their top priority in life... They are weary of being sent off to complete assignments... and engage in simplistic practices that do not draw them into God's presence... They can no longer endure the spiritual teasing offered by churches... God is waiting for them. They want Him. No more excuses."

"In short, this book is dedicated to exposing the traditions that have been tacked onto God's will for His church. Our reason for writing it is simple: We are seeking to remove a great deal of debris in order to make room for the Lord Jesus Christ to be the fully functioning head of His church."

"We are also making an outrageous proposal: that the church in its contemporary, institutional form has neither a biblical nor a historical right to function as it does. This proposal, of course, is our conviction based upon the historical evidence that we shall present in this book. You must decide if that proposal is valid or not."

~George Barna & Frank Viola

Amen! The information presented in this book is of vital importance to the church. Think of the letters written to the 7 churches in Revelation. Think of this as the letter to the church of our time. If you have ever "gone to church" and you've read the Bible, READ THIS BOOK!

~John Hadwin

This is a great resource for learning how to transform a community for the better. It is written to Christians, scripturally emphasizing the expectations God has for His children to work to see God's will done on earth just as it is in heaven! It is also an exhilerating account of the author's many decades of experience doing just that.

Around 2010 the Holy Spirit began leading me to do all kinds of things I never imagined and could have never drempt up. What amazed me about this book is that it almost perfectly confirmed the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I gained a ton of inspiration and picked up a lot of important incites from its author.

However, I advise the Christian reader to filter the strategies taught within this book through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Non-Christians, use what this book teaches as you wish. But if what you are doing is in the name of the Lord, only let this book serve as confirmation of what the Holy Spirit is already telling you. Its shortcoming is that it does not do a very good job of clarifying that the transforming power being taught is only the result of the Holy Spirit, not the other way around. This kind of power is only one tool in the toolbelt of an all-mighty God, who has come to make His home with us! (John 14:23)

~John Hadwin

Transforming Power

Salt & Light
A guide to loving Knoxville

The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing. -Zechariah 8:5

This is no book, this is an actual guidebook for loving the city of Knoxville, Tennessee!

Prepare to be more encouraged than you know what to do with. If you know that God is calling you to love others, lay down your life, and follow Him, let those who have gone before you teach you.

The guidebook has two main parts. The first part, "A Vision for Being Salt & Light in Knoxville" and the second part, "Equipping the Church to Be Salt & Light in Knoxville." The printed book is supplemented by material on the Compassion Coalition website. There are also free online study guides designed to accompany selected chapters, to help you dig deeper into the implications of the subject at hand.

There is perhaps no better way to learn and plan how you and your church can serve the Lord, Jesus Christ.

~John Hadwin