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From the Introduction:

"God is real! God is real!"

It was 1993, and Bob had been coming to our Friday night worship services where I had been teaching an eight-week series on "The Work of the Cross." I had just completed the final message in the series, "Mission Accomplished." Bob had come to us as a skeptic, but now with tears in his eyes he came down the aisle—he came to the cross—knowing the God of the Bible is as real today as He was to the Levitical priests.
 

Many years later, Bob is still an integral part of our Ministry. He has impacted hundreds of lives through the "Jesus in the Steps" Ministry he founded along with his Ministry to AIDS patients.

Who would have imagined that a study on the book of Leviticus could so profoundly change a man's life—a wrecking truck driver who for 19 years had been a hard-core heroin-methadone addict! But that is the beauty of the Word of God—from Genesis to Revelation, it never goes forth void.

This book, based on that same teaching, is not intended to be a theological treatise or an exegetical examination of the book of Leviticus. Its intent, instead, is to stir up a passion for digging deep into the Word of God, to discover the unfathomable treasures of truth that lie within the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Its intent is to reveal that the God of the Scriptures—the God of ALL the Scriptures—is real.

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

In this world of complexities and challenges—where excellence battles with mediocrity, where vision and hope are robbed by lethargy and apathy—we need to know we are standing on the unsinkable foundation of our faith, which is the Word of God. Sadly, many Christians today are faltering in their faith because of biblical illiteracy and because they lack a love for truth. One John 4 tells us how critical it is to be instructed by the Word so we may discern between the truth and error.

My desire is to provoke readers to a hunger for the Word, to delve into Scripture, to extrapolate truth, and to glean from its perfect wisdom—not out of duty, or just to find a message for someone, but to know and to love the very One who IS a treasure embedded within and entwined throughout every word, chapter, and page, which is Christ himself.

As we watch this portrait of our Savior and the work of the cross unfold through the examination and dissection of the Levitical sacrifices, we begin to understand and share the apostle Paul's passion to "know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings ..." (Philippians 3:10).

"God is real!"

As we know Him and make known His passion, we restore the foundations of our faith, we walk in the power of His resurrection, and we become change-agents of hope to a world in desperate need.

My prayerful desire and hope for you is that you will experience a fresh revelation of the work of the cross and the power of the resurrection.

Introduction to Born to Die
by Doug Stringer

Dr. J. Doug Stringer is founder and President of Turning Point Ministries International, which birthed an international movement known as Somebody Cares, a network of organizations impacting their communities through unified grassroots efforts. The collaborative network has grown rapidly and now impacts cities around the world. What began as an outreach to the streets of Houston, Texas in 1981 has become a clarion call for the Church to cross-racial and denominational lines to be a tangible expression of Christ in our communities.

A licensed pastoral counselor and ordained minister, Doug Stringer holds a Ph. D. in leadership and human development. He is recognized for his contributions in both secular and sacred arenas, receiving Congressional recognition for the work of Somebody Cares in 2001 and the Barbara Jordan Leadership Award in 1995. He is co-founder of Global Compassion Network (GCN), a network of worldwide compassion ministries and serves as a director or advisor on a variety of organizational boards, including: Asian Task Force, World Blessing Foundation, Sentinel Group with George Otis Jr., Mission Houston, Youth-Reach Houston, and The Governor of Texas’ One-Star Foundation.
 

Endorsements

"This work has driven me to have a greater passion for understanding the foreshadowing of the Old Testament for today's living. This book, unlike most, will be a timeless piece of literature that should be on every Christian's shelf. This is material that will free up the church!"

Richard Gibson
Business Owner and Elder
Emmanuel Christian Fellowship
York, Pennsylvania


"Doug has done a phenomenal job in unpacking the work that Jesus Christ did for us. Born to die is a composite of both the Old and New Testaments knit together to form a wonderful tapestry of all that Jesus Christ did for us through His life, death, and resurrection. This book will help open the eyes of, and bring freedom to, believers and nonbelievers alike. Thank you, Doug!"

Jim Herbert
Senior Pastor
Emmanuel Christian Fellowship
York, Pennsylvania


"In his new book, Born to Die, Dr. Doug Stringer has skillfully reminded us of those truths the apostles and early church fathers clearly understood and fervently taught, that 'in the old covenant the new was concealed and in the new covenant the old is revealed.' All those wonderful signs, symbols, and sacrifices were completely fulfilled in the coming, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even before reading the first line of the first chapter, Dr. Stringer had my attention in his introduction and table of contents, especially the title Chapter 14, 'The Great Exchange.'

"There is no better way to sum up the power, purpose, and content of this book than by Doug's explanation that through the new covenant we participate in a supernatural exchange with Christ. We bring to Him what we have, no explanation necessary here, and He brings to us all that He has. This is a win-win exchange program, and we are reminded of this great Kingdom principle every time we participate in Holy Communion and we hear the minister recite the words of Christ when He raised the bread: 'take and eat: this is my body which is broken for you: do this in remembrance of me.' Then: 'this cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' As I then backed up and read from the beginning I could only say a resounding AMEN! Thank you, Dr. Stringer, for reminding us how Christ has so fully bridged the old and new covenants."

Dr. Charles Travis
President, Logos University
Jacksonville, Florida