Results narrated by "David B. Smith" in All categories

A farmer went out to sow his seed. With these eight words, Jesus gives His church planting instructions still vibrant with meaning in this 21st century of satellite-guided tractors and wind farms. This colorful book by veteran radio scriptwriter David B. Smith shares fifteen fresh slices of truth about how we can relate to the four types of soil: pathway, stony, thorny . . . and sometimes good. Smith, a recently retired math professor from San Bernardino Valley College, is a collector of spicy illustrations: West Wing, Law & Order, Everybody Loves Raymond.

How do we cope when faith threatens to slip away? The most durable of Christian heroes often succumb to the numb specter of doubt. "Are the things I once believed still true?" Pillars like John the Baptist, Mother Teresa, and Billy Graham have confessed that there were times in their walk with God where atheism and an empty universe seemed increasingly probable scenarios. The author refers to a recent media exchange between liberal provocateur Bill Maher and the late Charlie Kirk. Both men confessed that their chosen life philosophy brought unanswerable questions, chasms of logic.

Nattaporn has a new teaching credential in hand, but also an abrupt break-up letter to absorb. She’s embarrassed but grateful by her brother Khemkaeng’s graduation gift: the offer of a gig at Bangkok Christian School. Even though she’s still just a nominal Buddhist, not a Christian like the rest of the teaching staff. Okay. But after a fainting spell on her first day puts her in the hospital, it looks like God’s providence when amateur chaplain Gino Carington pays her a visit.

“Shultz, stop! You’re gonna kill us!” Jonathan hesitated, punched the accelerator, and hurtled through the red light. Immediately an eerie wail from a patrol car filled the air, sending a thrill of fear through Bucky. Was this his lab partner’s idea of fun? Taking his foot off the gas, Jonathan eased the van to the side of the road. Suddenly there was a squeal of tires, and the vehicle shot forward. “What are you doing?” Bucky demanded. “I’m drivin’, baby.” “You’re crazy, Shultz! It’s only a traffic ticket. Pull over!” Just ahead railroad warning lights began to ding. “There we go!

It’s Bucky’s senior year of high school and his last chance to play baseball. But Coach Brayshaw’s history now. And the new coach doesn’t think devout Jesus-freak Christians like Bucky and Dan have the competitive juices necessary to compete on the varsity level. Bucky wants every opportunity to share his faith before leaving for college. And leading the Panthers to victory would open that door. Especially if his newly discovered fastball becomes a weapon for the home team. Will he get the chance to prove his love for the game and his even greater loyalty to God?

“Litton, look!” Bucky’s words came out almost as a scream. In one of the windows Dan could see a group of terrified kids. “We’ve got to get them out!” “Up on floor five? Are you kidding?” “We’ve got no choice!” Dan sucked in his breath. The fire was edging closer and closer to the outside stairway. In just a few minutes the whole side of the hotel would be engulfed in flames. There was a quick popping sound and a flash as all the lights in the building suddenly blinked off. “What do you think we should . . .” “Come on!” Bucky gave him a push toward the stairs.

Counselors at summer camp? You gotta be kidding! Why would two intelligent guys intentionally surround themselves with 150 little monsters each week? For Dan and Bucky the temptation to reach kids with God’s love and get paid for playing is enough to lure them to beautiful Sierra Pines. But the summer isn’t going to be all fun and games for Bucky. Lisa hasn’t called in ages. Tracy’s determined to break his resolve not to date non-Christians. He’s got just a week to learn how to water ski and become an instructor. And one of his campers has a painful secret that will suck him into a major mess.

Despite her secular mindset, Rachel Marie’s cousin, Samantha Kidd, is drafted to join the Bangkok Christian School team to fill in for a semester teaching calculus. Recently divorced and seething with bitterness, she arrives with seven-year-old Paloma in tow, and struggles to meet the Thai cultural norm of soft-spoken tranquility. Not entirely sure she’s ready to embrace Christianity, Samantha soon begins to fall for Tommy Daggett, the school’s joke-loving choir director.

Is it really free? Unlimited? Can it save “a wretch like me”? A few years ago I was invited to write a series of radio essays on this greatest of all Bible topics: Amazing grace. I had a lot of fun with it! It’s always been my job, during my radio years, to dig and claw and scratch and find the most memorable illustrations possible. So I went to a lot of Dodger games. I didn’t exactly turn in my receipts, including parking and popcorn, but it was a wonderful experience to try to find ways of making this wonderful theme in Scripture come to life here in the 21st century.

Resurrected Love is yet another dramatic love story set in exotic Thailand where Buddhist harmony and Christian miracles flow in co-existing streams. And sixth-grade kids the world over are very fond of teasing their beloved American teacher when they suspect Miss Giske has a new fan.

What do Bob Uecker and Sandy Koufax have to do with your success as a Christian? What on earth do Dodger Stadium and Boston’s “Green Monster” left-field wall have to do with heaven? And is Kirk Gibson’s miracle homer in the ’88 World Series–“High fly ball, into right field, she is . . . GONE!”–a foretaste of the joy we will experience at Jesus’ second coming? Bible writers often used the ordinary things of life to illuminate their lessons about eternal life. James spoke to us about ships’ rudders and olive trees. Paul wrote about soldiers’ armor and training hard for the OIympic Games.

In his bestseller, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry,” John Mark Comer suggests that a Christian can best celebrate the joy of “Sabbath” in two delicious ways. First, the family must bake a foot-square chocolate-chip cookie, smother it with ice cream, then joyously devour said cookie. But I love Idea #2: curl up on Sabbath afternoon with a great novel. I assume he means winsome adventures where the protagonist has heaven as their ultimate goal, and the Body of Christ as their highest passion! Which is where these Bangkok love stories come into play.

Volume Six is a tight thriller, with our young Christian hero fighting sinister underworld sports betting mob guys. Can he expose the rigging of a varsity championship basketball game without getting himself killed?

It takes adept multitasking for Ratana to thrive as a third-year med student who also does church concerts throughout Bangkok. Then one more thing threatens to explode her frantic schedule at Chulalongkorn U. His name is Jaidee: a heart-melting two-year-old orphan who needs a new mommy.

Bucky Stone’s dream mission trip has turned into a nightmare. He’s 9000 miles from home, hopelessly lost on the streets of Bangkok. Panic screams at his senses, making it difficult to think. He’s got no money. This adventure happened before T-Mobile cellphone plans that work in Asia, so he can’t call his pals for help. He can’t speak a word of Thai. And he’s running out of time and options. Somewhere in this huge steaming city with its traffic jams and go-go bars is a group of Christian friends he’d give anything to see again.

Crack! The malicious pitch leaves Bucky in excruciating pain. It’s only the first day of practice, and already his baseball season’s over. But a broken arm is just the beginning of his troubles.

"Outcast on the Court" is the third action-packed story in the Bucky Stone adventure series. After a cheating scandal threatens to blow up his friendship with fellow athlete Dan Litton, Bucky is able to reconcile with Hampton High's superstar basketball forward. And Coach Litton reluctantly agrees to allow the two players back onto the JV squad. But all the other Panthers don't think much of the Jesus freak addition to the roster. Despite his interest in God, Dan has a lingering problem with booze. The team's best shooting guard has a drug habit no one else suspects.

This volume represents one of my favorite career challenges: creating this radio adventure for the Voice of Prophecy ministry. Our broadcast team always envisioned the national audience reached by our scripts: thoughtful Christians and seekers longing for a better life empowered by the gospel. Paul’s epistle to the Philippians is among the richest of scriptural gifts to the world! Believers everywhere have been encouraged by his exhortation: “I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me.

“Man, Stone, what is it with you anyway?” He’s a nice enough guy, but students at Hampton Beach High figure out pretty quick that this newcomer is definitely a Jesus freak. Bucky’s dad isn’t ready to send his son to a Christian academy, so he’s about to set foot on a high school...

Hey, it’s not that hard for a cop to solve crimes if he can time-travel back a week and apprehend crooks before they even walk into the bank. Detective Aaron Mathews, the iPod’s new unsuspecting victim, sniffs around to track down its former owners, and begins to realize God is demanding a whole lot more of him than just lucky junkets to Atlantic City. His hard-boiled agnosticism begins to thaw as he witnesses the Columbine killings up close, and is sorely tempted to undo America’s first mass shooting.