Ted Brown

In some churches, burned out pastors and frustrated laypersons have tried to create change but have accomplished little. In other churches, change is thrust upon them and they have little idea how to lead and manage the change in a fruitful way. Meaningful and lasting change in congregations is best achieved when laity and pastors join as partners in the hard work of discerning and addressing the underlying culture that so often inhibits change but is often ignored. This book describes how to empower laity, achieve a Godly purpose & identity throughout the organization, increase the relevancy of the church within the community it serves, and provide healthy responses to barriers and resistance to change. The authors explore each of these processes and provide specific tools for each area to guide congregations to a more vibrant future. This is a book that can change your life and the life of your congregation. Access to free downloads of tools used throughout the book

In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an autism alarm, estimating that one in 150 children may be affected by autism spectrum disorder. Autism has been treated mainly with technical approaches: principally applied behavior analysis and psychopharmacology. The findings in this book implicate oxidative stress as a common feature in autism, and support the claim that oxidative stress and intracellular redox imbalance can be induced or triggered in autism by exposure to certain environmental agents. Such findings could point the way to new treatment approaches in autism. Autism: Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Immune Abnormalities brings together a wealth of cutting-edge evidence that is already influencing how we treat this serious condition. It looks at the role of neuropathological abnormalities, genetics, and those factors common to oxidative stress such as inflammation, immune dysfunction, aberrant cellular signaling, and gene-environment interactions. Among dozens of research topics, this volume — Looks at interactions between genetic and environmental factors such as the maternal immune environment and prenatal/postnatal environmental stressorsSummarizes evidence for oxidative damage and inflammation in autismIntroduces a PDD behavior inventory as a tool for assessing autismConsiders autism as an aberrant adaptive response to neuroinflammation and oxidative stress Examines the role of abnormal calcium signaling and the hypothesis that it may represent a target for novel therapeuticsPresents a hypothesis that autism arises from the dysregulation of a unified gut/brain system rather than originating in the brain alone Proposes the utility of using a biopsychosocial method to treat autismThis book shows us that autism is not only developmental but also a chronic condition based on active pathophysiology, and that it is not only behavioral but also presents somatic and systemic features. The findings in these chapters support the theory that oxidative stress plays an important role in autism. They also point to the value of conducting in-depth mechanistic studies as a way to uncover new targets for therapeutic intervention in autism.

Evidence-based education is an attempt to find, critique and implement the highest quality research evidence that underpins the education provided to students. This comprehensive book presents concepts key to evidence-based education, learning and teaching, analysing a wide range of allied health professions in depth. It introduces unique, inspirational practice models, ideal for practical application, and highlights ways in which healthcare educators can make use of existing education-related research to improve their teaching and also generate learning environments to promote optimal student experiences. Whilst fostering knowledge and understanding between various health professions, it also improves student outcomes and increases student satisfaction. This edited text is an invaluable resource for healthcare professionals along with experienced clinical and university-based educators such as practice education supervisors, academic educators, educational researchers and doctoral students in a range of areas including nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, radiography, occupational therapy, speech therapy, audiology, paramedics, nutrition and dietetics, and pharmacy who want to ensure their teaching and learning strategies are underpinned by sound empirical evidence.