Books with author W. Kent Smith

If you've ever wondered why The Bible is full of so many apparent contradictions, you're not alone. If you're afraid you might betray the God of The Bible if you question centuries-old traditions, you won't, as long as you let Scripture speak for itself.We know Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, but we're not sure how to address this issue without denigrating the miraculous events that clearly surrounded the Birth of Christ.We know the notion of a loving God Who also condemns human souls to suffer unspeakable agony in Hell for all eternity defies all logic. But we're not sure how to reconcile this obvious contradiction because tradition insists that to believe otherwise is to betray God's word.And we know that the way minorities, women, and animals have suffered at the hands of Bible-thumping crusaders is wrong, but we're not sure how to respond to their claims without appearing to defy the claims of Scripture.These perplexing issues, and many more, are precisely what Fish Tales (From the Belly of the Whale): Fifty of the Greatest Misconceptions Ever Blamed on The Bible, a book by W. Kent Smith, seeks to address by way of the very thing that inspired such ideas in the first place: The Bible.To that end, Fish Tales (From the Belly of the Whale) plunges you headlong into an unrelenting search for biblical truth that will forever change how you think about the word of God. Along the way, you'll find that Fish Tales not only exposes the origins of such misconceptions, but it also restores The Bible's original message of hope and inspiration, which once made it humanity's brightest light in a darkened world.

Contrary to the modern view that The Bible depicts a time period of 4,000 years from Adam to Christ, there is a great deal of evidence that this chronology is at odds with the real facts of biblical history. To demonstrate this, Tales of Forever lays out an alternate history, which is supported by biblical texts, both canonical and non-canonical, as well as biblical artifacts, both sacred and profane. In contrast to the 4,000 year-chronology, established in the seventeenth century by Bishop Ussher, the greater weight of evidence points to a 5,500-year chronology from Adam to Christ.Readers of Tales of Forever will encounter two interwoven storylines: The first deals with the question of why the facts of this hidden history became so obscured in the first place, and the second, analyzes the reasons why it is so important that genuine believers in Scripture learn the truth of this alternate chronology.To begin with, a knowledge of this 5,500-year chronology can only be understood in light of evidence found in parabiblical books that tell of a primordial promise, as integral to prophetic history as the one speaking of the seed of the woman one day crushing the seed of the serpent. As such, this chronology confirms the fulfillment of a little-known promise of God to rescue Adam and his descendants after Five and a Half Days—or 5,500 years from God’s perspective—at which time One would come in human form to made good on said promise.And finally, the importance of this shift in our view of biblical chronology constitutes more than a mere shift in historical timetables. That’s because the 4,000-year chronology does absolutely nothing to support the idea of God’s control over history and faithfulness to His promises; whereas a proper understanding of the 5,500-year chronology does everything to provide the most vital truth to be grasped by a humanity yearning to behold the majesty of God—a clear-cut and verifiable proof of God’s control and faithfulness.

If you've ever wondered why The Bible is full of so many apparent contradictions, you're not alone. If you're afraid you might betray the God of The Bible if you question centuries-old traditions, you won't, as long as you let Scripture speak for itself.We know Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, but we're not sure how to address this issue without denigrating the miraculous events that clearly surrounded the Birth of Christ.We know the notion of a loving God Who also condemns human souls to suffer unspeakable agony in Hell for all eternity defies all logic. But we're not sure how to reconcile this obvious contradiction because tradition insists that to believe otherwise is to betray God's word.And we know that the way minorities, women, and animals have suffered at the hands of Bible-thumping crusaders is wrong, but we're not sure how to respond to their claims without appearing to defy the claims of Scripture.These perplexing issues, and many more, are precisely what Fish Tales (From the Belly of the Whale): Fifty of the Greatest Misconceptions Ever Blamed on The Bible, a book by W. Kent Smith, seeks to address by way of the very thing that inspired such ideas in the first place: The Bible.To that end, Fish Tales (From the Belly of the Whale) plunges you headlong into an unrelenting search for biblical truth that will forever change how you think about the word of God. Along the way, you'll find that Fish Tales not only exposes the origins of such misconceptions, but it also restores The Bible's original message of hope and inspiration, which once made it humanity's brightest light in a darkened world.

Contrary to the modern view that The Bible depicts a time period of 4,000 years from Adam to Christ, there is a great deal of evidence that this chronology is at odds with the real facts of biblical history. To demonstrate this, Tales of Forever lays out an alternate history, which is supported by biblical texts, both canonical and non-canonical, as well as biblical artifacts, both sacred and profane. In contrast to the 4,000 year-chronology, established in the seventeenth century by Bishop Ussher, the greater weight of evidence points to a 5,500-year chronology from Adam to Christ.Readers of Tales of Forever will encounter two interwoven storylines: The first deals with the question of why the facts of this hidden history became so obscured in the first place, and the second, analyzes the reasons why it is so important that genuine believers in Scripture learn the truth of this alternate chronology.To begin with, a knowledge of this 5,500-year chronology can only be understood in light of evidence found in parabiblical books that tell of a primordial promise, as integral to prophetic history as the one speaking of the seed of the woman one day crushing the seed of the serpent. As such, this chronology confirms the fulfillment of a little-known promise of God to rescue Adam and his descendants after Five and a Half Days—or 5,500 years from God’s perspective—at which time One would come in human form to made good on said promise.And finally, the importance of this shift in our view of biblical chronology constitutes more than a mere shift in historical timetables. That’s because the 4,000-year chronology does absolutely nothing to support the idea of God’s control over history and faithfulness to His promises; whereas a proper understanding of the 5,500-year chronology does everything to provide the most vital truth to be grasped by a humanity yearning to behold the majesty of God—a clear-cut and verifiable proof of God’s control and faithfulness.

Young Toby spends his days exploring the backwoods surrounding his UK country home. His imagination not only supplies adventure but also the exciting promise of lustful embraces and kisses with the handsome field hand. When Toby's mother, a nurse, brings home a sickly yet handsome youth, Cymon, to recuperate, Toby finds himself drawn to the older boy. Their friendship, awkward at first, blossoms as each offers the other much-needed comfort. Cowboys Can Fly presents a classic story of gay adolescence, one that is as heartbreaking as it is triumphant in spirit.“Woods and boys were born to be together; born to share each other’s unquestionable beauty. A woods is that special place where a boy’s quest to be spiritually free is born, a place of magic and mystery, a wonderful place to fall in love.” --Ken Smith

Three children. One prince. A mysterious treasure as ancient as the world, itself. Lauren, Ben, and Charlie lead normal lives until the day an ailing, old army captain knocks on their door. He has a secret that he refuses to take to the grave with him. It's a secret that has the potential to unlock the past and change the future; a treasure that must never fall into the wrong hands. The lives of Lauren, Ben, and Charlie are destined to never be the same, especially when they drop in for a visit with one history's most famous conquerors, Alexander the Great. A single, burning question remains: Will they make it back home before time runs out?

You are special and original! God has a great plan for your life, and no one is an accident. God loves you so much, and He wants you in His family. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Whosoever means you! This book shares God’s love and the message of salvation.

William is a typical 5th grader, except for one important thing: He is the not-so-proud owner of a failing heart. It doesn't help that he has an overprotective mom and little hope of ever getting any better. So what does William do? He runs away, of course, and crosses paths with some very unique characters, including a mysterious man who seems to know the future, a girl that catches dreams, and his very own doppelganger. But William's heart only has so much running left in it. And what began as an adventure quickly turns into a matter of life-and-death.

Serendipity and innovative collaboration turned The Bonesetter's Daughter, Amy Tan's best-selling novel, into a pioneering opera, which debuts in 2008 at the San Francisco Opera before touring the world. In their own words, captured by Ken Smith, Amy Tan and composer Stewart Wallace describe an incredible journey that took them to China, where local village traditions, as well as singers, musicians, and designers became an integral part of the creative process. This one-of-a-kind book includes the complete libretto for the opera, written by Amy Tan.

Three children. One prince. A mysterious treasure as ancient as the world, itself. Lauren, Ben, and Charlie lead normal lives until the day an ailing, old army captain knocks on their door. He has a secret that he refuses to take to the grave with him. It's a secret that has the potential to unlock the past and change the future; a treasure that must never fall into the wrong hands. The lives of Lauren, Ben, and Charlie are destined to never be the same, especially when they drop in for a visit with one history's most famous conquerors, Alexander the Great. A single, burning question remains: Will they make it back home before time runs out?