Review

Baptist Standard, January 25,1981:"Her persistent efforts in interpreting each scripture within its biblical context adds a decisive dimension to the accuracy."

A New Testament View of Women contains a detailed exegesis of all of the New Testament passages that deal specifically with the role of women. In many cases the author translated the Greek for a clearer understanding. The content has been carefully researched from commentaries, as well as historical sources. Shirley Stephens has related the Scriptures to the social structure of the New Testament era, especially the Apostle Paul's “problem” passages, in which he seems to place drastic limitations on the freedom of women. Her goal was to present a solid biblical view, based on valid exegetical methods that are accepted and practiced by evangelicals. While scholarly in content, the book is written in a popular, non-academic style.

Chapters include:

Women in the Kingdom
Women in Jesus’ Earthly Ministry
Women in the New Testament Home
Women in the New Testament Church
Women and Problems in the New Testament Church
Women: Equal in All Relationships
From This Point On

About the Author

Shirley Stephens is a graduate of Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D.; M.Div.). She is a long-time editor and the author of five other books and countless articles. Other books to her credit: My Daughter Susan Smith, the story of a troubled young mother who sent her children to their deaths in a South Carolina lake; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the gripping, true-life story of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; Under the SS Shadow, the true story of a former Hitler Youth and the son of an SS major; Great Truths from Jesus’ Conversations With Women, nine conversations from the life of Jesus; From the Cell to the Cross, an update of Breaking Crime’s Vicious Cycle.

From the Cell to the Cross is a gripping true-life story. Sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, Don Dennis was a man without hope. Nothing short of a miracle could turn his life around. Of Don Dennis, Charles "Chuck" Colson said: "I first met Don Dennis in Walla Walla prison. . . . He was a tough, hard con who gave his heart to the Lord and has been just as tough ever since--but now as a warrior for Christ. A wonderful example of God's grace: the One who can save a Don Dennis or a Chuck Colson can save anyone."

A portion of this book, in somewhat different form, was originally published by Broadman Press in 1993 under the title Breaking Crime’s Vicious Cycle.

Excerpt from the book From the Cell to the Cross:

In 1977 Don Dennis stood at attention before a judge in a Seattle, Washington, courtroom.

"Mr. Dennis," the judge began, "you have been in and out of prison for more than twenty years. After reviewing your history of felonies, escapes, forgeries, and other crimes against society, I am sentencing you to life in prison.

That was Don Dennis, the habitual criminal. Then, he looked at life this way: "It was me and my prison buddies at war against the police, guards, society. We were like blood brothers."

Don was more comfortable behind prison walls than in free society. Each time he went back into prison, it was like "going home." That's where his friends were; that's where people understood him, or so he thought.

More than twenty years later that Don Dennis was no more. He was a man with a different kind of mission. Rather than tearing down, he was building up by helping prisoners and ex-prisoners find a new way of looking at life.
In August 1989, I spent a week with Don and Carol Dennis and their three dogs and two cats. It was a time of painful probing into the mistakes of the past. I saw a man who accepted personal responsibility for his attitudes and actions.

But there was more. Along with probing into the past, it was a time of looking to the future with expectant hope. I saw a man determined to help others overcome the same mistakes he made. I saw a man who wanted to make a positive difference in this world by pointing prisoners to a better way of living-inside, as well as outside, prison. I saw a man determined to help ex-convicts make it in the free world.

This is the story of how Don Dennis got from there to here. It is nothing short of a miracle.

Shirley Stephens, who joined Don Dennis in telling his compelling story, holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary. She has years of writing and editing experience. Other books to her credit are: Under the SS Shadow, the true story of a former Hitler Youth and the son of an SS major; A New Testament View of Women, a biblical study of all of the New Testament passages that relate specifically to women; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the gripping, true-life story of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; My Daughter Susan Smith, the story of a troubled young mother who sent her children to their deaths in a South Carolina lake; Great Truths from Jesus’ Conversations With Women, nine truths that Jesus taught in dialog fashion.

Great Truths from Jesus’ Conversations With Men presents eleven conversations from the life of Jesus. These conversations reveal great truths about the Christian faith and what Christians should be and do as disciples of Jesus Christ. The dialogues dramatically picture Jesus’ special ability to relate to each person as an individual. The author presents Jesus' conversations in dialog fashion, using fiction techniques to enliven the text while remaining true to the biblical account. The presentations take into account the cultural and political background of the period and places.

Following the account of each conversation are interactive learning exercises that can be completed individually or in a group setting.

This book is a handy tool for group and individual Bible study. Available in digital download and Amazon Kindle. Printed version available at Amazon.com and at ABN.

Contents:

Conversation 1: Are You the Coming One? (John the Baptist)
Conversation 2: Born Again? How Can This Happen? (Nicodemus)
Conversation 3: Who Do You Think I Am? (12 Disciples)
Conversation 4: Who Caused This Tragedy? (Disciples)
Conversation 5: Dialog with Demons: What Have I to Do with You? (Demoniac)
Conversation 6: Why Don’t Your Disciples Wash Their Hands? (Pharisees)
Conversation 7: Why Don’t You Control Your Disciples? (Pharisees)
Conversation 8: Where Do You Get Your Authority? (Pharisees)
Conversation 9: Is It I? (Judas)
Conversation 10: What Do You Teach Your Disciples? (High Priest)
Conversation 11: Feed My Lambs (Peter)

The On-going Response
Scripture Index
Subject Index
Glossary of Terms
About the Author

Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Pharisees presents ten conversations of Jesus with the Pharisees and their scribes, who were considered to be experts in the interpretation of the Old Testament Scriptures. The conversations reveal Jesus' passionate attempts to connect with these leaders who opposed his teachings and his mission from the moment he arrived on the religious scene. While he conversed with the Pharisees, Jesus taught great truths about the Christian faith that continue to inform and inspire. The author presents Jesus' conversations in dialog fashion, using fiction techniques to enliven the text while remaining true to the biblical account. The presentations take into account the cultural and political background of the period and places. Following the account of each conversation are interactive learning exercises that may be completed individually or in a group setting. This book is a handy tool for group and individual Bible study.

Contents:
Conversation 1: Why Am I Here?
Conversation 2: When Will the Kingdom of God Come?
Conversation 3: What Must I Do to Obtain Eternal Life?
Conversation 4: Is It Lawful to Heal on the Sabbath?
Conversation 5: Why Do You Eat With Sinners?
Conversation 6: Why Don't You Wash Your Hands?
Conversation 7: Who Is My Neighbor?
Conversation 8: What is Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
Conversation 9: What Sign Will You Give Us?
Conversation 10: Born Again? How Can This Happen?
What Happened Next?
Scripture Index
Subject Index
Glossary of Terms
About the Author

About the Author
Shirley Stephens is seminary trained and has written extensively over a period of thirty-plus years. Other books to her credit are: Under the SS Shadow, the true story of a former Hitler Youth and the son of an SS major; A New Testament View of Women, a biblical study of all of the New Testament passages that relate specifically to women; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the gripping, true-life story of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; My Daughter Susan Smith, the story of a troubled young mother who sent her children to their deaths in a South Carolina lake; From the Cell to the Cross, an update of Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women, nine truths that Jesus taught women presented in dialog fashion; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Men, ten truths that Jesus taught men presented in dialog fashion.

Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women presents nine conversations from the life of Jesus. These conversations reveal great truths about the Christian faith and about Jesus' special relationship with women and their place in the work of his kingdom. The author presents Jesus' conversations in dialog fashion, using fiction techniques to enliven the text while remaining true to the biblical account. The presentations take into account the cultural and political background of the period and places.

Following the account of each conversation are interactive learning exercises that can be completed individually or in a group setting. This book is a handy tool for group and individual Bible study.

Shirley Stephens is a graduate of Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D.; M.Div.). She is a long-time editor and the author of five other books and countless articles. Other books to her credit: A New Testament View of Women, a biblical study of all of the New Testament passages that relate specifically to women; My Daughter Susan Smith, the story of a troubled young mother who sent her children to their deaths in a South Carolina lake; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the gripping, true-life story of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; Under the SS Shadow, the true story of a former Hitler Youth and the son of an SS major; From the Cell to the Cross, an update of Breaking Crime’s Vicious Cycle.

Susan Smith was never a violent person, never abused her children. She never committed an act of any kind that those close to her could point to later as an omen of the killing of her children. She loved them dearly. They were her life. But she sent 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex to their deaths in John D. Long Lake in South Carolina on a dark October night in 1994.

My Daughter Susan Smith is the story of this infamous tragedy told by Susan's mother. For nine days her family desperately hoped for the safe return of Michael and Alex. Susan's confession left her family to deal with why it happened. This book is Linda Russell's answer. In addition to details of the case as contained in court transcripts, newspapers, and behind-the-scenes experiences,she includes previously unpublished struggles of the family then and now. She also reveals details of Susan's background that both help us understand her and indict some men in her life.

UNDER THE SS SHADOW is a true story of a Hitler Youth, an SS major's son, who runs for his life in war-torn Europe. He sees his father shot down by guerrillas, rebuilds his life from the ruins, leaves Hitler's SS emblem for another symbol.

Excerpts from UNDER THE SS SHADOW:

* “In an official declaration, my father stated that he and his family had left the state church. We were Gottglaubig. The SS symbol became the point of reference for our family.”
* “We of the Hitler Youth were going forward with Hitler, we were sure. Several years later, as I huddled in a foxhole, I wondered where we were going or where we could go.”
*“I feel like a man sitting in a car that's going down a hill," my father said, "but it's too late to get out.”
* “May 7, 1945, Germany officially surrendered to the Western Allies. On May 9, Russian troops marched into Berlin. I could not even guess what the future held for me.”
*“Augsburg is about fifty miles from Dachau, location of the infamous concentration camp. Only after the war did we discover what had happened at our doorstep.”

About the Authors

Traugott Vogel, born in Heidelberg, Germany, is the son of a former SS officer. He came to the United States in 1974 to become pastor of a church in Texas.

Shirley Stephens, with whom Traugott collaborated in writing his story, is a graduate of Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D., M.Div.) She is a long-time editor and the author of five other books and countless articles. Other books to her credit: My Daughter Susan Smith, the story of a troubled young mother who sent her children to their deaths in a South Carolina lake; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the gripping, true-life story of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; A New Testament View of Women, a biblical study of all of the New Testament passages that relate specifically to women; Great Truths from Jesus’ Conversations With Women, nine conversations from the life of Jesus; From the Cell to the Cross, an update of Breaking Crime’s Vicious Cycle.