Old Church

In the German country of Württemberg, where the beautiful acacia trees bloom beside the highways, and the apple and pear trees bend down in autumn under the weight of their ripe blessings, there lies the little town of Marbach. It belongs to the class of quite unimportant towns, but it is located in a beautiful spot near the Neckar, the river that flows swiftly past towns and green vineyards and old knights' castles, to join its waters with those of the proud Rhine.

Myla Alvarez, novice, walks into the Sonoran desert near Tucson, Arizona, and begins telling stories about the Old Mermaids who were washed ashore onto the New Desert when the Old Sea dried up. In this mystical new world, they lived, created, and walked in beauty. Myla finds sustenance and meaning in their lives and stories. But she worries that Homeland Security may discover the illegal immigrants she harbors at the Old Mermaid Sanctuary.

Writings of ancient prophets who acted under the influence of the Holy Spirit and who over many centuries testified of Christ and his future ministry. It also contains a record of the history of Abraham and his descendants, beginning with Abraham, and the covenant, or testament, the Lord made with Abraham and his posterity. The first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses. They are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Genesis refers to the origin of the Earth, mankind, languages, races, and the beginning of the house of Israel.

In a little house in Marbach, on the banks of the Necker river, lived a poor family. The day that their son was born, the church’s bell was rung to celebrate the newborn’s arrival. At the time, no one questioned the destiny of the child and still less that of the bell! - Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist.

Seasoned pastor and church leader Will Willimon excels at creating thought-provoking, accessible books for working pastors and seminarians. In Aging, he takes a theologically rich look at numerous aspects of growing old. Drawing on scripture, literature, current research, and his experiences as an aging adult, Willimon reflects on aging as a spiritual journey. He explores the challenging realties as well as the rewarding joys of growing old and shows pastors how to help their congregants grow old gracefully and in good Christian hope.

Are the Old Testament's messianic-era prophecies fulfilled in the church? Yes! Are these same prophecies fulfilled in Israel? Yes! The church does not completely "replace" Israel. How can this be? Because Israel fulfills these prophecies literally, and the church fulfills them spiritually (figuratively). Throughout her long history, the church has generally assumed that these prophecies describe the final, immortal, blessed ("saved") state, and thus can only be spiritually fulfilled in the church.