David Shearman

"I make no claims to being a theologian, but charge me with being a lover of the Bible and I plead guilty......Profound yet simple, subtle but supernatu-ral, it is always able to surprise us and reveal its truth in new ways. A fathomless source of wisdom, comfort, direction and example ... it is the most valuable book in the world "From the Introduction. The Bible speaks today into the issues of our lives as loudly as it ever has, spanning love, integrity, humility, justice, peace, compassion, grief, life's storms, financial advice and eve-rything in between.Author David Shearman brings decades of reading God's Word alongside wisdom and experience in 52 devotional studies. Each wraps itself around a scripture that is close to his heart and part of who he is - every verse a truth we can build our lives upon. These devotionals will refresh your spir-itual life and give you a bigger vision of what God desires to do in and through you. The author's prayer is that you would be inspired to become more like Je-sus.About the author: David Shearman has led a growing church, established a network of churches, is an Ecumenical Canon, a director of CSW, and has inspired leaders and congregations across the globe. Beyond any of that, how-ever, he has been a pilgrim for over 60 years - and still considers himself one.

"In my life and ministry in Iraq, nothing is more important to me than the immediacy of the presence of God. Without His presence we are truly lost. Here David provides an all-important compass for us to find and abide in The Pres-ence. I highly recommend it." CANON ANDREW WHITE In Presence Carriers, David Shearman presents a compelling argument that demonstrates how dwelling in God's pres-ence can, and should, be integral to every aspect of our lives.Taking exam-ples from the journeys of various biblical characters, and sharing his own personal journey, he shows how committed God is to shaping each of our lives by His pres-ence. No event or circumstance is wasted in His diligence to form Christ in us. We will, however, need to be open to embrace change as a constant factor in our lives.Written in two parts, the first half of this book teaches the importance of finding alignment with God's presence. The second half explores multiple aspects of God's presence in the light of Him preparing us for our desti-ny. About the author: DAVID SHEARMAN has been the Senior Minister of the Christian Centre since 1977 - a thriving, city church in the heart of Nottingham. As well as his commitment to the Christian Centre, Da-vid maintains a busy schedule of preaching and teaching around the world. He is recognised for his strong apostolic and prophetic anointing which sharpens, shapes and impacts leaders around the globe.

This provocative book presents compelling evidence that the fundamental problem behind environmental destruction—and climate change in particular—is the operation of liberal democracy. Climate change threatens the future of civilization, but humanity is impotent in effecting solutions. Even in those nations with a commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions, they continue to rise. This failure mirrors those in many other spheres that deplete the fish of the sea, erode fertile land, destroy native forests, pollute rivers and streams, and utilize the world's natural resources beyond their replacement rate. In this provocative book, Shearman and Smith present evidence that the fundamental problem causing environmental destruction—and climate change in particular—is the operation of liberal democracy. Its flaws and contradictions bestow upon government—and its institutions, laws, and the markets and corporations that provide its sustenance—an inability to make decisions that could provide a sustainable society. Having argued that democracy has failed humanity, the authors go even further and demonstrate that this failure can easily lead to authoritarianism without our even noticing. Even more provocatively, they assert that there is merit in preparing for this eventuality if we want to survive climate change. They are not suggesting that existing authoritarian regimes are more successful in mitigating greenhouse emissions, for to be successful economically they have adopted the market system with alacrity. Nevertheless, the authors conclude that an authoritarian form of government is necessary, but this will be governance by experts and not by those who seek power. There are in existence highly successful authoritarian structures—for example, in medicine and in corporate empires—that are capable of implementing urgent decisions impossible under liberal democracy. Society is verging on a philosophical choice between liberty or life. But there is a third way between democracy and authoritarianism that the authors leave for the final chapter. Having brought the reader to the realization that in order to halt or even slow the disastrous process of climate change we must choose between liberal democracy and a form of authoritarian government by experts, the authors offer up a radical reform of democracy that would entail the painful choice of curtailing our worldwide reliance on growth economies, along with various legal and fiscal reforms. Unpalatable as this choice may be, they argue for the adoption of this fundamental reform of democracy over the journey to authoritarianism.