3AngelsLCI, Global Community Development and the 1 Million Page Challenge

I grew up in a society which lacked a strong reading culture. However, in my quest to become an extraordinary Adventist, a responsible global citizen, a seasoned business consultant, impactful social entrepreneur, and an effective global leader, I became convinced of the importance of a robust reading habit. I came across the following quote by Dr. Pipim: "Those who read are those who lead. But those who write challenge the leaders to do right."

In 2011, I challenged myself to read one million pages or 2,500 books in 10 years. I desire to use the nuggets I gain through this challenge to make the best of my life and to become a committed and loving Adventist, husband, friend, employee, and global leader.

This readathon has now become a 3AngelsLCI initiative for extensive information collection to gather nuggets that are likely to be useful in global community development. The initiative was initially scheduled to start in 2011 and end in 2020. It now has been relaunched in 2015 to align it with the VISION 2025 timeline. Click here to read about 3AngelsLCI's VISION 2025.

Feel free to tweet or email me (see top right) with any books you recommend for my readathon.

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The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism 3rd Edition (2007) by Russell Roberts

Book's pages:  132

This is a easy and short read for anyone interested in understanding the basic operations, assumptions and even impacts of Capitalism. The author effectively uses a hypothetical example to show the different economic aspects and concepts of Capitalism.

A careful reading can help the reader also identify what I consider the limitations and even dangers of capitalistic thinking and prioritization. I recommend this book for anyone who feels economics is too complicated to understand. You may be amazed how well you many understand capitalism and its economic assumption after reading this book. For example, you will understand the principles advocated for international taxation from a capitalistic worldview.

Click here to buy a book of the The Choice:  A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism 3rd Edition (2007) by Russell Roberts 

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The Called... The Chosen: God Has Always Had a People (2006) by Ken McFarland

Book's pages:  160

McFarland traces the origin of the Advent Movement. He differentiates between the many called groups and the select group which become chosen to finish the work. This book is targeted at Seventh-day Adventists to clarify their identity and indicate their cause of their existence. The author aims to identify the reasons why Adventists have a special work and continue to have a relevant calling which they have been chosen to fulfill in the 21st Century.

The foreword was written by Elder Ted Wilson, the current President of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Click here to read for FREE the book The Called... The Chosen: God Has Always Had a People (2006) by Ken McFarland

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Face to Face With the Real Gospel (2008) by Dennis E. Priebe

Book pages:  89;

The following quotation from the book is probably a good summary of what the author hopes to impress in the reader: "We can actually have a sinless character in a sinful nature." This short book advocates what Pastor Priebe terms the "The Real Gospel." He endeavors to differentiate between two streams of beliefs which he argues leads to very different conclusions about the gospel. The definition of sin, he believes, influences the whole stream of one's gospel.

The book advocates that sin is not by nature but it is by choice. From this foundation, he leads the reader from this point to show how opposing views develop depending if a person agrees or disagrees with this premise of "choice." He argues that this foundation determines whether one would believe in infant baptism or not, whether Jesus had a sinful nature or not, whether one believes that individuals can be perfect or not in this lifetime, etc. 

The author insists that there are four different types of perfection that one needs to keep in mind. 

1. Absolute perfection. The author indicates that only God himself has absolute perfection. To support this, he quotes Ellen G. White who wrote, "Angelic perfection failed in heaven [Lucifer and the fallen angels]. Human perfection failed in Eden [Adam and Eve]." (Our High Calling, p. 45). Human decision has no control on this type of perfection because it only exists in God.
2. Nature perfection. According to the author, this was the nature Adam had but he lost it after eating the fruit in the Garden of Eden. This nature will be restored at the Second Coming of Jesus. Here also, human decision has no control. Pastor Priebe states that, in order to be our example, Jesus Christ adopted an imperfect nature but he maintained a perfect surrender and a perfect character (see below). According to the author, Jesus Christ gave up omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience. Although it is unclear in the book, it appears that the author may thereby conclude that, Jesus Christ gave up absolute perfection which he had possessed  before he became a human being.
3. Character surrender. An individual is able to make a choice to allow this to happen. At the point of conversion, our character surrender is accounted perfect by God. A person has to continually practice this surrender to maintain it at the level of perfection.
4. Character maturity. Humans have the ability to make choices that bring about this character perfection. The author believes character perfection can happen in this lifetime.

The author believes an individual is able to experience the last two types of perfection in this lifetime. Our choices in surrendering to the power of Jesus Christ are key in doing so. 

Click here to buy a copy of the book Face to Face With the Real Gospel (2008) or click here to buy the DVD series based on this book by Dennis E. Priebe

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