Steven A. Pomeroy has authored the first history of the American mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a technology the United States spent four decades and billions of dollars creating but never deployed. An Untaken Road showcases how the evolution of a technology that ultimately never existed and the politics that surrounded it end up significantly shaping American nuclear strategy and forces for decades. Utilizing recently declassified documents, years of experience, and an unrivaled passion for the history of military technologies, Pomeroy has created a new framework on the nature of strategic weapons technology innovation. This thorough study of a ""road not taken"" is a must read for those seeking to understand the challenges and constraints on U.S. military weapon programs, especially when inter-organization competition, domestic politics, strategic needs, and new technologies collide.
Most of us have several key influential people in our lives as we are growing up. The impact of their opinion and ideas cannot be minimized as they shape us as we mature. David was no exception. Several key players in David's ministry years, or the years that David served as King affected and influenced David both on and off the battlefield but none were as influential as Joab, David's General and Absalom, David's son.Because of David's character - or lack of it - these individuals and the spirits that they allowed to control and manipulate them destroyed David's most effective ministry years as a leader and as a father.Both Joab and Absalom held positions of great influence with David. He gave them an audience and listened to their thoughts and opinions. Their opinions mattered to David and their close relationships cloaked a devastating spirit of hidden agendas, malicious intentions, hatreds, jealousies and murderous sentiments.In what should have been trusting relationships that would strengthen and encourage David, we find destruction disguised behind the loving, caring and good. This is David's Ministry years (Part 1) ChurchBuster episode.
It is impossible when writing about the spirit of discouragement to not have all Hell break loose against us. As you read this you may find yourself facing every distraction possible. Even if you've locked yourself in isolation, the quiet may distract. Keep plugging away Press in to the truth God wants to show you. Pray for focus and protection and for God to speak to you as you face this spirit.There is much need for pastors and leaders to understand the spirit of discouragement and how this spirit works on multiple levels and can destroy a ministry swiftly and certainly.This spirit does not play fair. There is much deception in this spirit and this spirit operates from a system of smoke and mirrors leaving leadership unsure of where the attack is coming from until the hits are unmerciful and the damage is done.When we fight the spirit of discouragement it is a lie of this spirit that we don't know how things will work out. We do know. God wins. If God wins and God is for us then who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)This is Nehemiah's ChurchBuster Episode.
Growing up is not always an easy thing to do, especially if we do not have godly influences surrounding us. It is all too easy to succumb to the world around us and to be conformed in its image. David represents an adolescent king, even though he was 30 when he took the throne and reigned for 40 years. He never wanted to grow up. He never let God perfect and mature his character as a man and he never accepted responsibility for his actions or the actions of those under his leadership. The Word of God declares that "many are called, but few are chosen." How many times do we see those who have been "called but not yet installed" in to ministry office? How long will we wait knowing that we have been "anointed but not yet appointed"? In those times of waiting, while the Lord is at work behind the scenes preparing us for what He has destined us to be and to do, it can be hard to be patient and remain faithful because we do not see what the Lord is doing and we do not understand His ways. The walk of faith is an arduous one and testing severely the limits of our endurance and resolve. It is rarely easy nor is it often comfortable. But trusting in the One who is the Author and Finisher of our faith bring comfort and peace that passes all understanding. This is David's Early Years ... Anointed but not Appointed.
David had refused to accept responsibility for the actions of his men. His refusal to hold Joab accountable for deceiving David and going around the king's authority and killing Abner in alleged retribution for the death of Joab's brother provoked unforeseen consequences. While it seems that life went on and there were no extending consequences to David's lack of accountability, there were. On the sidelines, David's son, Absalom watched his father rule without authority and do nothing to right wrongs inside the kingdom as well as inside of David's own house and family. David's decisions and the way he refused to be responsible and responsive as King, led Absalom to rebel. David's lack of responsibility allowed a spirit of sedition to come upon Absalom that would lead not only to Absalom's death but the destruction of David's ministryIt would be this visual of injustices that would lead Absalom to challenge David's throne. This is David the Ministry Years (Part 2) ChurchBuster episode.
Moses was in the wilderness for 40 years in preparation for what God had for him. He spent a lot of time with God. But was he really ready to do what the LORD would be calling him to do?Moses suffered from over-extension, self-reliance and did not trust others enough to delegate even menial tasks. As a result, his ministry nearly died in its infancy.His people were under the oppression of a spirit of slavery and it was difficult for them to trust in the LORD and looked to Moses as their leader and provider.Moses wanted the best for his people, but even Moses had a hard time in "letting God be God". In spite of his short-comings and his nursing father mentality, Moses learned how to let God's people grow and to experience not only the freedom of the Spirit but the consequences of their corporate and individual actions.This is Moses' the Nursing Father: A Study of Smothering Love and the Coming of Age.
What do we do when we see one of our beloved leaders failing and falling? Do we ignore the sins and the faults or do we confront the sins directly? Or do we simply "pray" and hope for the best? What do we do when a leader refuses to repent from hidden sins? What happens to those around this leader when unconfessed and unrepentant sins continue to lead from the pulpit? Many times in ministry and in Church we have been told to "touch not my anointed" (1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalms 105:15) by those who are supposed to be watching over us, and yet there seems to be little or no balance with the Scriptures that promise us that there is wisdom in the council of wise men. Without debate, God is the ultimate and final Judge of all things. Only He truly knows the heart and intentions of a man. No one can continue to violate the principle and precepts of a Holy God for ever and not suffer the consequences. Through His Word and through the examples given to us to study and apply we can learn how to rule and reign in victory in life. Here is Samson's ChurchBuster episode .... Power Without Purity Is A Dangerous Illusion
Eli exemplifies a person in ministry leadership who knows that there is wrongdoing and corruption but refuses to take care of business and instead attempts to ignore it. Suffering from disappointment in his offspring and with no one qualified to leave his legacy to, Eli opted to ignore the issues and the very obvious and well publicized sins of his family and allowed his life's work to crumble before his very eyes. When things fall apart an "Eli" acts surprised that things were so bad. To say that Eli "turned a blind eye" would be an understatement when compared to the damage that was allowed to continue not only in his family but in the Temple of God and in the lives of the people as a result of Eli's denial. Eli's ChurchBuster was justification of his actions instead of sanctification of his life. Eli also justified the sins of his sons instead of admonishing them to sanctify themselves and be holy. In his disappointment and self-indulgence along with an unwillingness to do what he had been called to do by the LORD, Eli failed to rule in his own house as well as in his own ministry and lived just long enough to see the judgement of the LORD upon his house and ministry. Let's allow Eli's failures to be lessons by which we learn to do things in truth and righteousness.Here is Eli's ChurchBuster Episode.
Churches are the prime target of cults. In order to minister to the people within our church there can be no mistake - Christianity is directly and indirectly under attack. Direct attacks are seen in areas and countries where God is not served and worshipped and other gods have displaced Him. Indirect attacks come from people, even Christians, who dabble in the occult and the mindset of New Age Spirituality and may not even realize it. Whether direct or indirect, known or unknown, the Spirit of Cult Worship is clear and at work in our churches, desiring to destroy them. This is Simon's ChurchBuster episode.
Sun Tzu in the Art of War wrote one of the most widely used but unaccredited lines of relationships - Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. This is a cute proverb, and although it is not necessarily a Biblical proverb, it presents a good principle we should all endorse. Jesus kept his friends close and his enemies closer. Jesus knew the heart of men and women. Jesus knew the truth about people. He knew all about Judas. He knew what Judas was going to do, but still He kept him very close to His side. When dealing with the Spirit of Judas inside of the church there is a distinct before-Judas timeline and an after-Judas timeline. The spirit of Judas chisels at the strength of relationships inside of a church. Before the ultimate betrayal, the spirit of Judas sabotages and operates through manipulation trying to gain desired place, power and possession. This spirit blurs the lines between God's purpose within a church and a manmade purpose. In the aftermath of Judas, those remaining behind must deal with trust issues, being vulnerable and remaining faithful to the work within the Kingdom of God in spite of their hurt and betrayal. Who was this spirit's namesake? How did a man whose name paralleled the meaning of the name Judah, the name of one of the 12 sons of Abraham and another name for the God's chosen people get selected by God to be part of His ministry? It was through the linage of Judah that Jesus was born. Why did God use Judas, whose name, like Judah, also meant "praise and thanks" to be the one we now know as a traitor or betrayer? This is Judas' ChurchBuster episode.
If we have been set free, then "why" are we still struggling? Why are our families, our Churches and our societies in such a mess? We know that the things that God has given us in His Word record the good and the bad, the strengths and the weakness of men and women in the Bible. We know that they are accurately recorded that we may learn from what others have done. A spirit of slavery is still prevalent in both our cultures and in our churches. Even after we have come out of our darkness and are living in the Light of His Word, old ways of doing things can keep us chained to our past. The life of Moses depicted in the Book of Exodus is the story of Moses and the Israelites rescued from the spirit of slavery. The poignant truths revealed in a walk through Moses' life teach us how to live within the inheritance of Christ, as sons and daughters of the living God, not in a spirit of slavery. "Moses: The Spirit of Slavery" is an in-depth Bible Study of something that is not-so-easily identified in Churches today but its impact can be clearly seen.
David's life was really separated into three time periods; the Early Years, the Wilderness Years and the Ministry Years. Many of us can relate to the patterns and the principles that God is using here in David's life. It is important to recognize the different characteristics of the spirits that rise up against the work of God. If we can discover what they are, what they do and how they manifest then we can apply kingdom principles and ultimately know how to address and deal with those kinds of spirits principles to be victorious in the work of the Kingdom of God. We can then deal with the men and women that are manipulated by those spirits and help them. This is David's Wilderness Years: Times of Preparation before the Palace episode.
Fitness Facility Management provides an in-depth look at the challenges and rewards of managing contemporary health and fitness facilities. Using real-world expertise garnered from many types of fitness facilities, the authors and their contributors deliver practical insights and advice for the management and operation of health and fitness facilities, programs, and employees. Case studies and examples depict real-world scenarios encountered by modern health and fitness club managers. The latest guidelines and information on the skills needed to provide world-class experiences for members, guests, and clientele of many kinds make Fitness Facility Management the authoritative guide for current professionals as well as students studying for a future career in the industry. Beginning with reflections on how the COVID-19 pandemic changed exercise habits, client behavior, and the fitness industry itself, readers progress to the fundamentals of organization development and business operations. They will learn about staff recruitment, hiring, and retention through employee engagement as well as the skills needed for talent offboarding and creating a positive employee exit experience. Coverage then moves to the operational management functions, such as facility design, standard operating procedures, equipment purchasing and maintenance, and development of member programs. The final section consists of the business practices needed for success, including attracting and retaining members, managing risk and preparing for emergencies, and optimizing profitability through business strategy and marketing plans. Throughout the book, checklists and graphs provide easy-to-understand guidance on concepts. Think It Through elements at the end of each chapter present reflective questions for readers to consider, aiding with retention of key points and practical understanding of how to apply guidance and knowledge within fitness facilities. The applied approach and practical information throughout Fitness Facility Management make this text the most up-to-date guide for current professionals-whether they work in boutique fitness centers, corporate fitness facilities, campus recreation centers, community recreation centers, or franchised fitness clubs-as well as for students preparing for a management career in the health and fitness industry.
