Showing results by author "Barry Clay" in All Categories

The writer of the book of Hebrews in the Bible refers to "elementary teachings." This title explores those "elementary teachings" that Mr. Clay hasn't already explored in other "Solid Ground" titles: repentance from dead works and faith in God, instructions about washings (baptism?), and laying on of hands. Whether your feel these topics are elementary or not, you're sure to benefit from reading Mr. Clay's explanation of them.

In this controversial excerpt from his book "Solid Ground," Mr. Clay enters territory on which, he says, angels fear to tread, and attempts to answer the question: are there God-designed differences between a man and a woman, and, if so, what are they? No matter your opinion on this topic, you are sure to benefit from Mr. Clay's explanation of what the Bible says about men and women, and how their differences are designed to forward the family and the kingdom of God.

Has someone ever told you (generally with a sneer) that the Bible endorses slavery and then asks how you can believe the Bible because of that? In this excerpt from his book, "Solid Ground," Mr. Clay demonstrates that what you've heard about the Bible and the question of slavery isn't quite true and presents a full picture of what the Bible says, and God really wants.

In this novelette, Baron Rokosky is faced with one of the few surprises of his very long life: his castle has been invaded by mysterious intruders who have somehow disappeared. His chief of security urges him to move to a secure location, but the Baron make an unusual decision that will have far reaching and unexpected consequences. This novelette has also been collected in the Anthologies "A Little Bit of Everything" and "Brushes with the Supernatural".

When young Thomas Packer returns from work to his rooms on the third story of his apartment building, he finds the dead body of a woman and becomes the prime suspect in the investigation of her murder. With evidence mounting against him, his only hope seems to be the rough-edged, hard smoking Lt. Browne, who believes him innocent. But with all the clues leading to him, will Lt Browne's opinion be enough to exonerate him from a capital crime? Winner of the 1984 Samuel Freiburg Memorial Award for Mystery. This novelette has also been collected in the anthology "A Little Bit of Everything" by ...

The moon is a very religious place. The year is 2242, and Armstrong City, the largest city on the moon, maintains a precarious balance between the old United States of America and the upstart, self-proclaimed Free States of America that broke away in 2126 in protest of government policies they deemed oppressive. The majority of the population on the moon consists of Christian and cultural conservatives, the former having fled the United States to worship and act out their faith freely and the latter to pursue their own agenda free from centuries of policies that they believed had burdened ...

From the author of "The Darkened Village: a Sherlock Holmes adventure" comes a new, different novel that blends fact and fiction into a compelling story that speaks to us today about faith, humanity, and compassion ... and about the clash of cultures and religions that can result in implacable sorrow. Shortly before the turn of the 20th century, the Tehuchian family lived in Turkish controlled Armenia. Their father, a barber, served the residents of the town of Marishka and the soldiers of the nearby Turkish garrison, walking a fine line between the Muslim oppressors and the Christian ...

Given how hard life can be, who couldn't use a dollop of humor? This collection of stories -- inspired by actual events -- provides more than a dollop. Several bushel fulls of humor are contained in its pages. And the stories are all the more amusing because they are slices of actual events -- or nearly so. "The Dip Takes a Plunge" relates just how badly a weekend visit can go... and just how deadly a bowl of avocado dip can be. "My Life of Crime" tells the sordid (but very funny) tale of four normally God-fearing, obedient boys who decide to exact revenge on their own when one of their ...

Almost every Christian denomination practices at least two sacraments: communion and baptism. In this excerpt from the book "Solid Ground", Mr. Clay discusses the different modes of water baptism, and what is important -- and not important -- for the believer to understand. As in all the "Solid Ground" titles, Mr. Clay tackles a difficult topic in a book small enough to be read in one sitting, and yet he discusses the topic thoroughly enough that no other book may be necessary!

In the title "Predestination and Free Will", Mr. Clay explored the tension between two seemingly irreconcilable theological positions. He explained that there were two main camps, and he explained why they disagree, and how he believed the two positions could be combined to a more correct understanding of the scriptures. In this chapter taken from his book "Solid Ground", Mr. Clay talks about the Reformed doctrines of eternal security, total depravity, irresistible grace, limited atonement, and the preservation of the saints. He contrasts them with the opposing positions and explains which ...

Ever since Christianity began, the Bible has had a special place in the Christian religion. Its teachings span centuries and consist of histories, poetry, laws, proverbs, and letters. No one can understand Christianity without an understanding of the book Christians call the Word of God. This excerpt from the book "Solid Ground' explains the Bible for believers and unbelievers alike, covering who wrote it, under what circumstances, translations, and how to read it to obtain the most benefit from it. Mr. Clay warns against the pitfalls that many unwittingly fall into when trying to read the ...

Melissa Nelson understands that she is being unreasonable. Her husband is no doubt correct when he says that teenage boys, bored in the rural community that is their new home, are moving the scarecrow as a prank on their new city slicker neighbors. But as she looks out in the field of corn and sees the scarecrow looking at her, she can't convince herself that she is being irrational. Is she losing her grip on reality? And then a neighbor informs her that the scarecrow is indeed more than it seems .... This novelette has also been collected in the anthology "Brushes with the Supernatural."

While the "Solid Ground" titles which were taken from the book "Solid Ground" discuss various aspects of biblical doctrine and why they are important, "Meat and Drink Issues" explore those differences among Christians that aren't really important, how we should handle those differences, and how we can tell the difference between what's important and what isn't.

It should come as no surprise to hear than God had a plan when He created the world. This excerpt from the book "Solid Ground" discusses that plan. It begins with His temporary plan, Moses and the Old Covenant, and ends with the glorious good news of the Gospel. And we talk about the Man who made it possible to move from animal sacrifice and the Ten Commandments to faith in God, Jesus Christ. If you want to understand Christianity better, do not miss reading this excerpt. This is the central portion of the Christian faith. Everything either leads here or comes from here, and every Christian...

Jesus famously said "You cannot serve God and Mammon." But how do we serve God and not serve Mammon? Don't we work for money and purchase the necessities of life with it? What exactly did Jesus mean? What do we do with our money? This chapter from the book "Solid Ground" explores this topic in a way that is sure to astonish many a Christian. Mr. Clay challenges each believer to return to the Bible and discover what it really says about God and Gold. The answer may surprise you.

The people of Tyemon's land consider the Antrix a myth -- a story to tell around the fire to frighten children. But Tyemon has discovered that, far from a myth, the Antrix is very real. To his sorrow, he also learns that the stories told of her are not as accurate as he would have liked, and he must now deal with the consequences of approaching her. But correcting his mistake may be impossible. Or is it? This novelette has also been collected in the anthology "Brushes with the Supernatural."

Can we believe anything we want? Does what we believe matter? This edition is an excerpt from the book "Solid Ground." It explores the importance of belief and how it affects our lives even while it discusses how belief in doctrine is, by itself, limited. It was written with both believers and unbelievers in mind, and it forms the foundation on which the "Solid Ground" series is built. It also discusses "cults", what they are, and how we should react when they come knocking at our doors.

Can one high school English class devolve into crime, and, if so, into what kind of crime? In This novelette, Fred Dorflinger and his friends discover that one bad decision can result in "repetitive embarrassment" for the rest of their lives. Can they ever live it down? Perhaps they could, if everyone would stop laughing. This novelette has also been collected in the anthologies "A Little Bit of Everything" and "Molded by Humor", by Barry Clay

Family. Faith. Fantasy. For generations, the kingdoms of Vaniar and Sylvanlund have been at war over the mineral-rich mountainous region between their two kingdoms. Sylvanlund has proposed a marriage between the only children of their monarchs, a marriage that will end the war and the loss of lives it has meant for both kingdoms. The king and queen of Vaniar accept the proposal and begin negotiations, but someone with unknown motives has begun machinations – machinations of incredible sorcery – to prevent the marriage from occurring. Or so it appears. Identical twins Ian and Tad ...

Ten years have passed since the Princess Endinara, now queen of Sylvanlund, was saved from a mystical illness by an unlikely band of men and women, led by Quentin Bregard, the man who is now her husband and joint monarch. Ian and Tad Tomulson have both married, as has their sister, Vanessa. Like Quentin and Endinara, they are raising their children in the relative calm of the two prosperous, peaceful kingdoms in which they live. The sorcerer Dovar and his evil sister, Ulava, are dead, and the RavenDisc halves are safe with the former sorcerer’s apprentice, Mok Halim. Or so they think. For...