Sharing buildings with another ministry allows church members to engage other cultures, see a young ministry develop and thrive, and practice good stewardship. But these arrangements present unique challenges, too. Utility, maintenance, and renovation costs must be fairly divided. Personality differences arise and communication barriers may emerge, particularly with perceptions of turf and identity. 'Sharing Your Church Building' is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you navigate these often unfamiliar waters and avoid potential pitfalls. It offers management insights, specific problem-solving guidelines, and strategies for preparing a congregation to share its facilities--either as a host or as a guest. It will help with establishing healthy boundaries that allow all the ministries in the building to flourish.
Curtin, Ralph D.: - Doctor Curtin, originally from Long Island, New York, relocated in South Florida in 1987 to direct a large Christian ministry with its focus on Jewish evangelism. Within three years he resumed his ministerial studies, earning a B.S. and M.A. in Biblical Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. From there he went on to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree in Christian Counseling from the South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary in Deerfield Beach, Florida, where he presided as Academic Dean and professor of Biblical Studies. Dr. Curtin is presently an adjunct professor for Trinity College in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, as well as a pastor in a large denominational church. He and his helpmate of over fifty-six years, Kathy, have two children, seven grandchildren, and one son who is now with the Lord in glory.
His first work of prophetic fiction, The Agenda, published as one of six books in the Tribulation Series by OakTara Fiction chronicles the rise of the Antichrist through the discovery of the AIDS vaccine. This book was followed up by the sequel, The Lights of God that dramatizes the modern discovery of the ancient Biblical revelatory device used by the Hebrew high priest, the Urim and Thummim, and its role in the exposure of the Antichrist. The third book in the futuristic series, The Seven Seals, portrays life during the initial period of the Tribulation. The fourth book, The Seven Trumpets was published in 2009, and the final book in that series, The Seven Bowls, was published in 2011, both of these are dramatic views of the last years of the Great Tribulation period predicted by Christ in Matthew chapter 24. The Family Matter, a novel that addresses the plight of America's homeless and the call of the Christian Church to minister to them, was published by OakTara Fiction in 2012. The Family Secret, published in 2014 by Lighthouse Christian Publishing is a sequel to The Family Matter. Wipf and Stock have reprinted all but one of these titles in 2019.
The idea to write biblical fiction goes back many years; long before The Left Behind Series became popular. Unfortunately, his name was not as well known, so the prophetic fiction novel he wrote took a long time to be recognized. Many of the characters are composites of people in his life, while others are pure literary invention. His passion to write prophetic fiction emerged from his love for the Bible and its view toward the future. Remarkably, current events continue to intrigue him as he sees the fulfillment of the very prophecies God predicted. The Vaccine is a current example of the events foretold in Bible prophecy. Therefore, his writing takes on more of an admonition than just a fictional story. His desire to write contemporary fiction emerged from his observation of society's needs as he saw them. Meeting the needs of the hurting in our world is an obligation he believes should be met by those who are able, whether they are in the world or in the church.
Emerging from his ministry as the Senior Pastor of a church in So. Florida that hosts both a Brazilian and Haitian group is a church life book entitled, Sharing Your Church Building. This non-fiction book was originally published by Baker Books in 2002 and is currently a reprint of Wiph & Stock Publishing and will prove to be a valuable tool in the hands of the pastor experiencing the blessing of hosting divergent ministries under one banner in the Christian Church. His second non-fiction book entitled Waking the Sleeping Church (Lighthouse Publishing, 2009) is designed to provoke the Christian Church to action amidst the ongoing deterioration of values in our nation and the Church's calling to be a light in a darkening nation. Wiph & Stock published his third non-fiction book, Monuments, in 2020.
