Podcasts about unc-tv

In this pilot episode of Best Part of the Book, a personal nod is given to the small rural town of Ashe County where McFarland has called home since it was founded in 1979. Host Mark Perzel talks with Janet Pittard, author of A Hospital for Ashe County: Four Generations of Appalachian Community Health Care. Janet shares favorite stories she uncovered in the extensive research and over 100 interviews she performed in the writing of the book. You don’t have to be from Ashe County, North Carolina to appreciate these hometown stories surrounding a small hospital in a rural Appalachian community. BOOK DESCRIPTION: When Ashe County Memorial Hospital opened in November 1941, it was the realization of a dream for the poor, sparsely populated county in the mountains of northwestern North Carolina. Building a hospital is a major undertaking for any community at any time. Accomplishing this in the waning days of the Great Depression and on the brink of World War II, while scant local resources were taxed by catastrophic floods and severe snows, was a remarkable feat of community organization. This is the story of the generations of supporters, doctors, nurses, emergency personnel and others whose lives are interwoven with regional health care and the planning, building and operation of (the “new”) Ashe Memorial Hospital. This legacy, brought to life through 114 photographs and personal interviews with 97 individuals, traces the development of health care in a remote Appalachian community, from the days of folk remedies and midwives, to horseback doctors and early infirmaries, to the technological advances and outreach efforts of today’s Ashe Memorial Hospital. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on any of Janet's titles published by McFarland with coupon code BESTPART. BOOKS BY JANET PITTARD A Hospital for Ashe County: Four Generations of Appalachian Community Health Care, McFarland, hardback (2016), softcover(2019) - https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/a-hospital-for-ashe-county-2/ The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F. Long IV, McFarland, 2021, co-authored with David Chiswell. https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-ashe-county-frescoes-of-benjamin-f-long-iv/ Stephen Shoemaker: The Paintings and Their Stories, McFarland, 2013, co-authored with Stephen Shoemaker. https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/stephen-shoemaker/ ABOUT JANET PITTARD Janet was born and raised in Southern Pines, North Carolina and has always loved writing stories. Her love of stories came from her father, who entertained his little girl with stories he thought up while driving the state’s winding mountain roads for his job. That is where Janet’s love of western North Carolina originated. Now she combines her love of writing with her love of her mountain home in West Jefferson, generating stories and books set in the High Country. Janet began her career as a freelance writer after retiring from the North Carolina Governor’s Office with 30 years of service. She wrote over 100 stories for Our State Magazine from 2003 to 2009 and also wrote for several projects with UNC-TV’s Our State program. Later she contributed stories to two published anthologies related to Ashe County and wrote for an online newspaper called Ashe County Line. Janet is a regular participant in Wordkeepers, a local writing group. ABOUT MCFARLAND McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.com

What can you do to improve your garden's soil to reduce failures? In this episode 160 - The Soil Solution: Unlocking Your Garden's Potential with Bryce Lane, we discover how understanding soils influences abundant plant growth. This is a remix and encore presentation. They discuss the foundational role of soil in gardening success and how adding organic matter can vastly improve soil quality. The conversation covers the importance of understanding soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties, debunking myths about soil management, and practical tips for gardeners of all levels to enhance their garden's soil, leading to healthier, more resilient plants and a thriving ecosystem.Bryce discovered his passion for plants, and telling others about them while working at a small Massachusetts garden center through high school and college. After earning his BS and MS degrees in Horticulture, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as an Instructor and Undergraduate Coordinator. He spent 34 years teaching and advising over 20,000 students. Bryce retired in 2014, but still teaches part-time in the department. For 11 seasons, from 2003 to 2014 he hosted and produced a three-time, Emmy winning, UNC TV public television show called “In the Garden With Bryce Lane”.  Time Line:0:00 Welcome to The Garden Question Podcast01:02 Meet Bryce Lane: A Gardening Expert's Journey02:14 The Importance of Building Healthy Soil04:28 Understanding Soil: Components and Functions07:43 The Biological World Beneath Our Feet16:33 The Magic of Organic Matter in Soil Building27:46 Choosing and Applying Organic Matter32:53 The Truth About Fertilizers: Organic vs Synthetic34:20 The Journey of Peruvian Seabird Guano35:20 Choosing the Right Fertilizer for Your Garden36:47 Improving Clay Soil: Sand vs Organic Matter38:11 Maximizing Organic Matter in Your Soil39:28 Gardening Tips: Soil Building and Planting Strategies42:34 Redefining Garden Design: From Holes to Whole Beds45:26 A Horticulturist's Journey: From Garden Center to TV53:34 Gardening Mistakes and Learnings58:17 Future Plans and Funny Stories from the Garden01:01:12 The Philosophy of Gardening01:03:12 Connecting with Bryce Lane

View complete show notes at BRYCE LANE BIOBryce Lane discovered his passion for plants and telling others about them working at a small Massachusetts garden center through high school and college. After earning his BS in Plant Science at the University of Massachusetts and MS in Ornamental Horticulture at The Ohio State University, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as a lecturer in 1981. Bryce also served as the department's Undergraduate Coordinator from 1987 to 2014. He spent 34 years teaching and advising over 20,000 students. He was the recipient of numerous local, regional, and national teaching awards. Bryce retired in 2014, but still teaches part-time in the department.From 2003 to 2014 Bryce hosted and produced a three-time, Emmy winning, UNC TV public television show called In the Garden With Bryce Lane. The show focused on all things home gardening and served all levels of gardeners.He now spends his time giving horticulture talks, doing leadership, and communication training, teaching part-time at NC State, and at the JC Raulston Arboretum. He has worked closely for years with North Carolina Extension and the NC Nursery and Landscape Association. An avid gardener, Bryce has gardened on the same one quarter acre plot for 40 years. He and his wife of 46 years also spend plenty of time with their 6 grandchildren. You can find out more about Bryce by visiting his website.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing! flower×home and garden×gardening×garden×garden designer×science×nature×gardener×plant science×horticulture×landscape architect×plant×plants×

What can you do to improve your garden's soil to reduce failures? In this episode 061 Sustainable Soil Success with Bryce Lane, we discover how understanding soils influences abundant plant growth.Bryce discovered his passion for plants, and telling others about them while working at a small Massachusetts garden center through high school and college.After earning his BS and MS degrees in Horticulture, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as an Instructor and Undergraduate Coordinator.He spent 34 years teaching and advising over 20,000 students. Bryce retired in 2014, but still teaches part-time in the department.For 11 seasons, from 2003 to 2014 he hosted and produced a three-time, Emmy winning, UNC TV public television show called “In the Garden With Bryce Lane”. 

North Carolina lost a really important citizen, Kel Landis. Kel was a North Carolina zealot. Someone who lived a life where, as our farmers would say, he “plowed to the end of the row.” He was, in a very real way, a doer. He was CEO of Centura Bank, cofounded the Foundation of Renewal for Eastern North Carolina, Trustee of UNC Chapel Hill and ECSU, NC Community Foundation, and Golden LEAF Foundation. We wanted to replay our First in Future interview we did with him on UNCTV back in October 2017. In it we focused on his life, his thoughts about the future of small town North Carolina, and on a book he had just written. He called it “The Little Book of Do.”

App1800 is a thirty-minute interview program focusing on a member of the Boone community. However, on today's episode of App 1800, we are going to share with you part one of the North Carolina gubernatorial debate held earlier this month, between Governor Roy Cooper and Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest. Next week we will share with you, part two, the final half hour of that hour-long debate on App 1800. This original broadcast was presented by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation, as broadcast on UNC-TV. Questions asked of the candidates were provided by the Radio and Television Digital News Association, with follow up questions from moderator Wes Goforth. This forum provided the only time these two candidates met face to face prior to the election in November. Please join us again next Monday as we present part two, the final half hour of that hour long debate on App 1800.

App1800 is a thirty-minute interview program focusing on a member of the Boone community. However, on today's episode of App 1800, we are going to share with you part two of the North Carolina gubernatorial debate held in October between Governor Roy Cooper and Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest. Last week we aired part one, the first half hour of that hour-long debate on App 1800. This original broadcast was presented by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation, as broadcast on UNC-TV. Questions asked of the candidates were provided by the Radio and Television Digital News Association, with follow up questions from moderator Wes Goforth. This forum provided the only time these two candidates met face to face prior to the election in November. Thank you for listening to the debate on App 1800. 90.5 WASU reminds you to vote tomorrow, November 3, on Election Day.

Travis Mitchell is senior vice president and chief content officer at Maryland Public Television (MPT). In this position, he oversees all content created, acquired, and aired on the statewide public television network.  Travis brings more than two decades of media experience to his role at MPT.  Prior to his current role, he was chief content officer for the University of North Carolina Television (UNC-TV) where he provided editorial vision and guided UNC-TV content on its four TV channels and in its online properties. The post 598: Why to Ask African American Professionals How They’re Really Doing With Travis Mitchell, Maryland Public Television [K-Cup DoubleShot] appeared first on Time4Coffee.

LaShanda Henry is the founder of SistaSense Online business training, mentorship, and networking community for women entrepreneurs. With a degree in Computer Science from Columbia University, LaShanda has had a long-standing love of all things tech. She has been featured in Essence, BlackEnterprise.com, and UNC-TV for her expertise in blogging and social media. Over the past 15 years, Ms. Henry has reached thousands of people online through her work as both a web designer and mentor to start-up entrepreneurs. Her mission is to inspire others to actualize their personal dreams and business goals through the use of technology. Today her desire to connect with other like-minded women has turned into a thriving community of successful business owners reaching, teaching, and empowering others to live their best lives. Find out more at www.sistasense.com and follow her at https://www.facebook.com/sistasense --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chouhallegra/support

Ep 128 [S6-14] Robert Inman Political Intrigue with “The Governor’s Lady” In today’s episode, we visit with Robert “Bob” Inman, author of “The Governor’s Lady,” and other novels. Library Journal says of “The Governor’s Lady” that "Inman beautifully blends old-fashioned Southern storytelling with tense political drama. Readers with an interest in American politics, fierce women, or family relationships will enjoy this novel, whose strongly developed characters and plot suspense will keep them from putting this book down until the very last page." D.G. Martin, host of "North Carolina Bookwatch" on UNC-TV says its "...a terrific story with a cast of unusual characters" and Lee Smith, author of Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-Eyed Stranger says that “Robert Inman hits the ground running and keeps up the pace in this suspenseful page- turner, which takes us behind the headlines as a Southern governor’s wife assumes the office herself so he can run for president. The real question is, how does Robert Inman know so much about state politics, public marriages, and human nature? And how did he come up with such believable characters—not only the ambitious ex-governor and his plucky, likable wife, but also the fascinating hangers-on who attach themselves to any rising political figure? The Governor’s Lady—a heady mix of sex and sexism, politics and greed, trust and perfidy—is as timely as the morning’s news.” Bob starts the show reading from the beginning of “The Governor’s Lady,” a good place to start. Engage with the show here: https://linktr.ee/CharlotteReadersPodcast Detailed show notes here: https://charlottereaderspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlottereaderspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlottereaderspodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/charlottereader Charlotte Readers Podcast is a proud member of the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network and the Queen City Podcast Network.

As local leaders search for solutions to challenges, it can be helpful to hear about how other communities have successfully addressed similar problems. A new initiative spearheaded by the University of North Carolina School of Government and public media organization UNC-TV is doing just that with a regular series called ncIMPACT. On this episode, we talk with series host and UNC professor Anita Brown-Graham.

Bob Garner of UNC-TV and The Daily Reflector joins Dave Richmond to talk about his career in broadcasting.  Along the way, they will talk about life, food, sports and so much more.  Bob Garner has many years of broadcasting, including over twenty years at UNC-TV.  He now has a column in the Daily Reflector in Greenville, North Carolina.  Bob is an author and expert on BBQ.  He has written several books on Barbecue in North Carolina.  You can get them on Amazon or Barnes and Noble..anywhere where books are sold.  Like the Sports Objective Facebook page or Follow us on Twitter at TheSportsOBJ.

How To Create An Online Business That Makes Money 24/7 with LaShanda Henry LaShanda Henry is the founder of SistaSense Online business training, mentorship and networking community for women entrepreneurs. With a degree in Computer Science from Columbia University, LaShanda has had a long standing love of all things tech. She has been featured in Essence, BlackEnterprise.com and UNC TV for her expertise in blogging and social media. Over the past 15 years Ms. Henry has reached thousands of people online through her work as both a web designer and mentor to start-up entrepreneurs. Her mission is to inspire others to actualize their personal dreams and business goals through the use of technology. Today her desire to connect with other like-minded women has turned into a thriving community of successful business owners reaching, teaching and empowering others to live their best lives. “My life’s mission is to motivate, inform, inspire and connect. With my mother in mind, I do what I do for parents looking to better their children’s lives and for women striving to live their dreams. I love to share information and build communities online. It’s what I do and who I am.”

How To Create An Online Business That Makes Money 24/7 with LaShanda Henry LaShanda Henry is the founder of SistaSense Online business training, mentorship and networking community for women entrepreneurs. With a degree in Computer Science from Columbia University, LaShanda has had a long standing love of all things tech. She has been featured in Essence, BlackEnterprise.com and UNC TV for her expertise in blogging and social media. Over the past 15 years Ms. Henry has reached thousands of people online through her work as both a web designer and mentor to start-up entrepreneurs. Her mission is to inspire others to actualize their personal dreams and business goals through the use of technology. Today her desire to connect with other like-minded women has turned into a thriving community of successful business owners reaching, teaching and empowering others to live their best lives. “My life’s mission is to motivate, inform, inspire and connect. With my mother in mind, I do what I do for parents looking to better their children’s lives and for women striving to live their dreams. I love to share information and build communities online. It’s what I do and who I am.”

The concept of race is a complex matter, and often it is difficult to have a real conversation about race and ethnicity without tensions rising and offenses being launched. Deborah has a dialogue about the definition of race and more with Dr. Candis Watts Smith of UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Mark Anthony Neal of Duke University, and Samone Oates-Bullock, a student at UNC-CH.

The concept of race is a complex matter, and often it is difficult to have a real conversation about race and ethnicity without tensions rising and offenses being launched. Deborah has a dialogue about the definition of race and more with Dr. Candis Watts Smith of UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Mark Anthony Neal of Duke University, and Samone Oates-Bullock, a student at UNC-CH.

November 10, 1898 was an important and tragic day in Wilmington's and North Carolina's history, yet very few people know about what took place on that fall day all those years ago. Filmmaker Christopher Everett explores this crucial historical moment in his new documentary, Wilmington on Fire, and Deborah sits down with him to learn more about why he wanted to tell this story.

November 10, 1898 was an important and tragic day in Wilmington's and North Carolina's history, yet very few people know about what took place on that fall day all those years ago. Filmmaker Christopher Everett explores this crucial historical moment in his new documentary, Wilmington on Fire, and Deborah sits down with him to learn more about why he wanted to tell this story.

The concept of "home" can mean so many different things, and artists in particular choose to express their feelings towards their homes in various ways. Deborah sits down with filmmakers and artists Hope Azeda, Naimah Fuller, and Destini Riley to figure out just how these creative women show their audiences the role that their homes play in their everyday lives.

The concept of "home" can mean so many different things, and artists in particular choose to express their feelings towards their homes in various ways. Deborah sits down with filmmakers and artists Hope Azeda, Naimah Fuller, and Destini Riley to figure out just how these creative women show their audiences the role that their homes play in their everyday lives.

This week's program highlights the US Justice Department's ruling that "House Bill 2" violates the US Civil Rights Act. House Democratic Leader, Rep. Larry Hall, discusses HB 2. Some Democrats propose using lottery revenue to relieve teachers' college debt. A bi-partisan bill could see anti-overdose drugs be made available without a prescription

We have a special treat for you this week! We are all about the Art of Cool Festival in Durham for this program, and Deborah sits down with co-founders Cicely Mitchell and Al Strong to learn what makes this gathering so popular. Plus, Al Strong and his bandmates gear up for not one but two amazing song performances, recorded at UNC-TV's studio. Join us as we get our groove on!

We have a special treat for you this week! We are all about the Art of Cool Festival in Durham for this program, and Deborah sits down with co-founders Cicely Mitchell and Al Strong to learn what makes this gathering so popular. Plus, Al Strong and his bandmates gear up for not one but two amazing song performances, recorded at UNC-TV's studio. Join us as we get our groove on!

Deborah sits down with Mickey Fearn, Professor of Practice in the School of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University; Marilynn Marsh-Robinson, Partnership and Alliances Manager with the Environmental Defense Fund; and Thomas Easley, a Professor at NCSU, all experts in environmental justice and the importance of going outside and enjoying nature for African-Americans.

Deborah sits down with Mickey Fearn, Professor of Practice in the School of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University; Marilynn Marsh-Robinson, Partnership and Alliances Manager with the Environmental Defense Fund; and Thomas Easley, a Professor at NCSU, all experts in environmental justice and the importance of going outside and enjoying nature for African-Americans.

Every day, we see homeless individuals and families in our neighborhoods, but, more often than not, we don't know how to effectively help them. Gene Nichol of the NC Poverty Research Fund, Earline Middleton of the Food Bank for Central & Eastern NC, and Sam Whitted of Housing for New Hope teach us the best ways to help our brothers and sisters in need this holiday season.

Every day, we see homeless individuals and families in our neighborhoods, but, more often than not, we don't know how to effectively help them. Gene Nichol of the NC Poverty Research Fund, Earline Middleton of the Food Bank for Central & Eastern NC, and Sam Whitted of Housing for New Hope teach us the best ways to help our brothers and sisters in need this holiday season.

Patrice Gilmore, the Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at Holt Brothers Construction, and Shelton Russell, the publisher of American DBE Magazine, sit down with Deborah to talk about what minority business enterprises should be doing in order to take full advantage of every opportunity and how to make sure that they are granted those opportunities in the first place.

Patrice Gilmore, the Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at Holt Brothers Construction, and Shelton Russell, the publisher of American DBE Magazine, sit down with Deborah to talk about what minority business enterprises should be doing in order to take full advantage of every opportunity and how to make sure that they are granted those opportunities in the first place.

Simon Johnson, Co-Founder of Quality Education Academy, Don McQueen, Co-Founder of Torchlight Academy, and Eugene Slocum, Co-Founder of Alpha Academy Public Charter School, seek to dispell misunderstandings about charter schools, and they explain the rewards that African-American students in particular reap by choosing to go to a black-led charter school.

Simon Johnson, Co-Founder of Quality Education Academy, Don McQueen, Co-Founder of Torchlight Academy, and Eugene Slocum, Co-Founder of Alpha Academy Public Charter School, seek to dispell misunderstandings about charter schools, and they explain the rewards that African-American students in particular reap by choosing to go to a black-led charter school.

Trust has been fractured between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve in the wake of increasing reports involving the questionable death of an unarmed African-American citizen at the hands of police. UNC-TV gathers leaders in justice, policing, community, and media before an audience at The Carolina Theatre of Durham for an unprecedented, open dialog to help rebuild trust.

Whether it's making carpet from plastic bottles or protective gear from high strength polymers, science allows North Carolina’s traditional textile industry to create new fibers to meet high tech needs.

Scientists harness naturally occurring microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, to replace or complement traditional fertilizers, which is helping farmers produce greater yields while fighting drought and disease.

Whether it's making carpet from plastic bottles or protective gear from high strength polymers, science allows North Carolina’s traditional textile industry to create new fibers to meet high tech needs.

When it comes to aging water infrastructure, North Carolina is in deep water. It's estimated we need to spend billions of dollars by 2030 to upgrade aging pipes and equipment throughout the state. But wastewater treatment is mostly invisible to us. How does it get treated and where is our money going? Kelley McHenry continues her series on water with a look at wastewater treatment.

When it comes to aging water infrastructure, North Carolina is in deep water. It's estimated we need to spend billions of dollars by 2030 to upgrade aging pipes and equipment throughout the state. But wastewater treatment is mostly invisible to us. How does it get treated and where is our money going? Kelley McHenry continues her series on water with a look at wastewater treatment.

Water is essential, but we don't think about it much until we have too much, in a flood, or too little, in a drought. But do you ever wonder where your tap water comes from? Kelley McHenry begins a series of reports tonight on one of society's most crucial needs--a clean, safe water supply.

Water is essential, but we don't think about it much until we have too much, in a flood, or too little, in a drought. But do you ever wonder where your tap water comes from? Kelley McHenry begins a series of reports tonight on one of society's most crucial needs--a clean, safe water supply.

Scientists harness naturally occurring microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, to replace or complement traditional fertilizers, which is helping farmers produce greater yields while fighting drought and disease.

The informative and thought-provoking discussion features some of North Carolina’s top CEOs, including David King with LabCorp, former N.C. Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker and Dave Phillips with Phillips Industries Inc. This is the second consecutive week that UNC-TV

The informative and thought-provoking discussion features some of North Carolina’s top CEOs, including David King with LabCorp, former N.C. Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker and Dave Phillips with Phillips Industries Inc. This is the second consecutive week that UNC-TV

DG Martin interviews Dr. Gerald Bell - The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons From a Life in Coaching Play together. Play hard. Play smart. Those three goals, which Coach Dean Smith taught all of his teams, are among the mantras he shares in his new book, The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons From a Life in Coaching. In this episode,co-author Dr. Gerald Bell appears on North Carolina Bookwatch, to explain the ins and outs of Smith's legendary coaching philosophy and how anyone can apply it to team building and leadership challenges in business and in their personal lives. The experienced speaker and adjunct professor at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School shares how this all-new account from college's winningest coach can create ambitious, energetic, and loyal team players in us all.

William Friday sits down with UNC Chapel Hill Head Basketball Coach Dean Smith.

William Friday sits down with UNC Chapel Hill Head Basketball Coach Dean Smith.

William Friday sits down with UNC Chapel Hill Head Basketball Coach Dean Smith.

William Friday sits down with UNC Chapel Hill Head Basketball Coach Dean Smith.

William Friday sits down with UNC Chapel Hill Head Basketball Coach Dean Smith.

William Friday sits down with UNC Chapel Hill Head Basketball Coach Dean Smith.

I. A Tale of Two Conquerors: Alexander and Christ Remarkable things from the book of Daniel, we've seen the sovereignty of God, we've seen his knowledge of the end from the beginning, the meticulous and careful way in which he's laid that out in the book of Daniel. And we come now to Daniel 8 and one of the most remarkable prophecies in the book in terms of how it lines up with popular secular knowledge of history. We come to an account of Alexander the Great. In the year 323 BC, the life of a 33-year-old man, the most successful, the most powerful, the most talented, the most visionary leader of the world had ever seen, and some people think has ever seen ended in a bout of drunkenness, in the city of Babylon. The very same place where Belshazzar's life, 200 years before, had ended in a fit of drunkenness. Alexander the Great, died because he drank too much. Move ahead three centuries or more. 30 AD, city of Jerusalem, the life of a 33-year-old man ends on a cross and whereas Alexander's death ended his reign over his earthly kingdom, Jesus death on the cross began his reign and the advance of a kingdom, which will never end. Today as we look in Daniel 8, we look at a tale of two conquerors, and one anti-Christ. We look at the tale of Alexander the Great and his successor after 200 or so years, Antiochus, an anti-Christ figure and then we look at Jesus Christ, the greatest conqueror the world has ever seen, and we're going to compare their methods and their achievements, and we're going to see the eternal kingdom of God again. The thing that's remarkable about Daniel Chapter 8 is how specific it is about the coming of a man that most people know. And I'm going to give you today a tool right in your hands that you can take into your work places and with other people in this truth questioning age that we live in and say, there is a supernatural evidence of the truth of the Bible right here in Daniel 8. Have you ever heard of Alexander the Great, well, 200 years before he was born, his kingdom and his death and the division of his kingdom was all laid out in prophetic perspective by the Prophet Daniel. Remarkable thing that I came across in my research for this sermon, about the year 330 Alexander the Great had not yet completed his conquest of the Persian empire. He was in the middle of it. He was seeking to conquer Gaza and he took a side tour up to the city of Jerusalem. The account of this is in Josephus, a first century historian, Jewish historian and he went to Jerusalem and there the high priest came out and met him in their robes, and he was so impressed with their appearance because he had had a vision. Alexander had had a vision, a dream (so the account goes) before he had ever left Macedonia, that he would come to a city in which people dressed in certain robes would come out and show him a prophecy. He had a dream, and that had encouraged him and exhorted him to begin his conquest of Asia. And now these men were coming out in these robes and it was the Jewish priest and the high priest in particular. And he brought out a copy of the Book of Daniel and he showed Alexander in Chapter 8, what we're going to study today, what was written in there about him. Alexander believed these kind of oracles. He was always going to this or that or the other oracle for predictions or prophecies about him. But here is one that have been written 200 years before he had been born and according to that prophecy he would conquer the Persian empire. I think that the high priest stopped reading too soon because it also gave a clear warning of his death at the height of his power and perhaps the high priest should have taken a moment to warn him, to make himself right with the God of heaven before he died. All of us today are facing our own mortality, and no matter how much we achieve in this world, no matter how great we are as Alexander was great in the world side, we need a savior, and we need to enter the kingdom, that we've been learning about in the Book of Daniel, namely the kingdom of Jesus Christ. God’s Purposes: Vision & Interpretation Now as we come to Daniel 8, you have to wonder why did God spell out something like this? Why is this important to God? I think, first of all, that we understand God knows the end from the beginning. He knows the future in detail and He delights to reveal some of it to us. Now, we don't know it all but we know enough to see that God holds the future in his hand. And secondly, why does he reveal it in this way? If you look and read through Daniel 8, you'll see the confusion in Daniel's mind. Daniel, one of the wisest man that ever lived. He could not understand it unless God sent Gabriel or some way to explain it and so it is also with the wisdom that comes from God. God knows all things. We know nothing unless God is pleased to reveal it to us. And so we come to Daniel 8 and what I like to do is take it in parts so that we don't get overwhelmed by what's in here. Let's look at verses 1-8 and see the vision described and then we'll interpret it. Beginning at verse 1. "In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, had a vision after the one that had already appeared to me and in my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa, in the province of Elam. In the vision, I was beside the Ulai canal. I looked up and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal and the horns were long, one of the horns was longer than the other, but grew up later. I watched the ram as he charged toward the west, and the north, and the south. No animal could stand against him, and none could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great. As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He came to towards the two horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at him in great rage. I saw him attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him. The goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power. The goat became very great, but at the height of his power, his large horn, was broken off and in its place, four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven." II. The Vision Described and Interpreted Context: Time, Place, Circumstances (vs. 1-2) The context, the time, place and circumstances of Daniel's vision are given in verse 1-2, it's the third year of Belshazzar's reign. Remember, Belshazzar is the one that had had the writing on the wall. The one I described to you earlier, the one who was the final ruler of the Babylonian Empire. The one who drank a toast to the gods of wood and iron and stone from the vessels taken from the temple of the Lord, this Belshazzar. The time was probably 553 BC, about 200 years before Alexander the Great and he said that this vision came after the previous vision. Well, what vision was that? It's the vision, we just discussed over the last two weeks in Daniel chapter 7, the vision of the four beast that came up out of the disturbed and turbulent sea. And we saw that these were four great world empires; the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire and then the Roman Empire. We also saw the vision of one like a son of man coming on the clouds of heaven to bring in a kingdom that will never end. And we saw that this was Jesus Christ, the Son of Man whose kingdom will never end. The place of the vision is given as the citadel of Susa. Now, this is visionary language, and so we're really not sure if he was physically in Susa or just traveled there in the Spirit as Ezekiel from time to time, would travel in the Spirit or as the Apostle John would travel in the Spirit to see visions, of heaven, but he may have been physically there because he was a high-ranking official in the Babylonian Empire, and Susa was an important city. It was the capital of the Elamites, the ancient capital of the Elamites about 250 miles east of Babylon. It would later become the capital of the Persian empire, it was the home of Nehemiah, for example, and of Queen Esther wife of King Xerxes. And as he was standing there, he was by the Ulai canal. It says this was a wide artificial canal connecting the Choaspes and the Coprates river. This is a physical place and that's where he was in his vision, so in the vision he's kind of tied to an actual city and a little detail of the city, a small canal and that's where he has his vision and what does he see in the vision? The Ram with Two Horns (vs. 3-4, 20) Well, he sees a ram with two horns. In verse 3 and 4, "I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns standing beside the canal and the horns were long, and one of the horns was longer than the other, but grew up later." Well, this must be the Medo-Persian Empire, and we know it because it says so down in verse 20, look down at verse 20, the two horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation, but will not have the same power. So we get Gabriel, the angel coming and telling us literally what this means. So we don't have any doubt at all. This is the Medo-Persian empire. And one horn is longer than the other because the Persian power was greater than that of the Medes, very specific, and then suddenly the conquests, are described in verse 4, of the Medo-Persians, "I watched the ram as he charged toward the west and the north and the south, no animal could stand against him, and none could rescue from his power, he did as he pleased," it says, "And became great." So the Medo-Persian empire was the greatest empire that the world had seen, up to that time. It spread from northern Ethiopia, all the way to the Black Sea. It spread from the Asian or the Aegean Sea near Greece, all the way as far as the Indus River almost to India and China. It was an incredible empire, it traveled westward, northward, southward and it was totally dominant. Nobody could stand against its power. It says of the kings of Medo-Persia that they did as they pleased, or he, the goat, did as he pleased and became great. This is the ultimate desire, isn't it of human beings in vaunting themselves against God. We want to do as we please and we want to become great. We want to be worshipped like gods. That was the original temptation in the Garden of Eden. And so we see its fulfillment in these human empires, these tyrannical reigns, these kings who want to do as they please and conquer and dominate; the essence of human rebellion, against God. The Goat with One Horn (vs. 5-8, 21-22) Well, as he's watching all of a sudden comes this goat. Now, you think in a contest between a goat and a ram, the goat has no chance. The ram is bigger, it's more imposing, it's more powerful and it's got these strong horns. And along comes this goat with just one horn. Look at it again in verses 5-8. "As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He came toward the two horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at him in great rage. I saw him attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him. The goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power. So Daniel is pondering this ram with the two horns, he's intensely interested, the Hebrew is very strong, he was very interested in this vision of the ram, he's mystified by it and not sure what it is. And then all of a sudden comes this goat and it's moving fast. I mean, it's flying, it's almost like a missile, it's a goat missile. Can you imagine a goat missile? And it's coming fast from the west. Versus 5 and also 21 describes him with a single prominent horn coming up from between its eyes and the origin of the goat, it says it's from the west. Well, it just so happens that Macedonia is from the west, it's coming from Greece. The Persians were never able to settle the Greeks down, there was an ongoing struggle between the two, and they never quieted them down and there was a great deal of bad blood between the Greeks and the Persians, a lot of history there. And so from the west came this goat and it's moving fast, it says it's crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. Remember in Chapter 7, what represented the Greek Empire. It was a leopard with four wings, speed, agility, that was the picture. It moved fast and it conquered fast. There's an enraged charge of the goat in verse 6-7, and a complete conquest by the goat in verse 7, and then at the height of his power, that prominent horn is cut off and the kingdom is divided into four, four equal parts, a four-fold division of the kingdom. This is the vision. III. Detailed Fulfillment #1: Alexander the Great Now, what is the fulfillment? Well, you don't read the fulfillment in scripture, you have to go to secular history, classical history to understand what happened and there is no shortage of accounts of the life of Alexander the Great. You see, Alexander was intensely interested in his legacy. He was intensely interested in history. He knew who he was or at least who he thought he was. And so it came about, his father Philip II of Macedonia had organized a coalition of Macedonian troops and they began to conquer Greece. His first conquest was over a small mining town, right near his area. This is Phillip now, his father, changed the name of that town to Philippi and we have the book Philippians from Alexander the Great's Father Philip, that was the first conquest, but at the height of his power, he was assassinated and his young son, Alexander, a mere 19 years old, took over Greece at that point. So in effect he was the first king of a united Greece because the conquest wasn't completed yet and Alexander took over. Rise to Power Now, Alexander had been born July or August perhaps 356 BC. After Alexander's life, there are lots of myths that grew up about him, about supernatural birth and other things like that but he was just a man, human being, his father was obviously wealthy and powerful and had him tutored with the best tutor available who happened to be Aristotle. So Aristotle tutored Alexander. Aristotle, one of the most famous philosophers of ancient Greece, and he tutored him in the ways of Greek culture and he became, in effect, a disciple or an apostle of Greek culture and everywhere Alexander went, he spread the Greek language and Greek culture. He had a vision of the supremacy of Hellenism of Greece and he got that from Aristotle. When he was eight years old, his father bought him a mighty war horse, a charger, a steed named Bucephalus. Nobody could even get near the horse. It was a very proud and powerful horse. Alexander was just eight years old, and he watched for a while, and he said, "Father, I'd like to try to ride him," and his father just stared at him and he said, "You're going to get hurt." He said, "I want to do it." And so, he got down there and he took the horse and turned it toward the sun and it kind of blinded it, right in the sun, and then while it was blinded and somewhat confused, he jumped up, he jumped up on his back and he conquered that horse just like that. Bucephalus rode with him everywhere he went. He became his horse and as he conquered, he went everywhere he went and his father Phillip said to him after that you'll have to find another kingdom. Macedonia, won't be big enough for you. So from the very start of his life, he was kind of groomed with visions of grandeur and conquest. Vengeance on the Persians The time came for him to invade Asia. I don't know if it was because of that vision I had mentioned earlier, where he had a dream of somebody saying, "You will conquer," but off he went. His armies crossed the Dardanelles, and they spread over into Asia Minor. Alexander the Great, went to Troy, ancient Troy, the enemy of the Greeks and he went there and he took the shield of Achilles that ancient Greek hero and he carried that with him everywhere he went, he had delusions of grandeur, always thinking of himself in this way and everywhere he went, he wanted eternal glory. That's what his biographer said, he was seeking eternal glory. In lightning fashion, he went down, he conquered down the coast down into Egypt, went back up and defeated Darius the King of the Persians in two key battles; Issus and Gaugamela, two battles. And within three years, the whole world lay at his feet. Three years. Lightning conquest. Lightning Warfare, Lightning Conquest He continued to march for another 10 years, went all the way to the Indus River. His army marched with him for 20,000 miles in 10 years. Think about that 20,000 miles in 10 years. Average of 2,000 miles a year, that's a full army marching with all their equipment, incredible speed. And everywhere he went, he had victories. He never lost a battle, never a single battle. Finally, his men said, "Enough is enough. What we're going to go on into the Himalayas? We're going to go, going to continue going east?" They wanted to stop, they wanted to go home, enough was enough, and he sat down and wept because there was no where else for him to conquer. Incredible speed of assault, three years Persia destroyed, 10 years the known world, conquered. Some days he pushed his army to march 36 miles in a single day. Zeus-Ammon: the Symbol of the Horn While he was in Egypt, he was crowned Zeus Amun, the son of Zeus. On the cover of your bulletin, there's a coin there, a picture of Alexander the Great and coming out of the side of his head is a horn. This is an ancient coin from Alexandria, Egypt, the city that he established. It's still the finest port in Egypt. It's named after himself. And by the way, everywhere he went he planted cities which he named Alexandria. There are 30 Alexandrias that he started but Alexandria Egypt is the most famous of them all and there he was crowned Zeus Amun and he was declared to be a God, the son of Zeus. Do you see the horn coming out? It looks a little bit like the hair. You have to look at it a while but you see it curving around, it represents his power. It's remarkably like the vision that Daniel had had 200 years before hand. World Domination And so, he conquered from Yugoslavia to the Himalayas, 3200 miles about the distance from LA to New York and he organized an efficient Empire, and he had future dreams to build a thousand warships and conquer North Africa beyond Italy, all the way to Gibraltar; to build a road supply along Southern Mediterranean coast for all of his ships. He had a vision of a harmony of all of Asia and Europe, an intermingling of all peoples and languages and tribes. He wrote about this often. A vision of one world and one culture under the Greeks, and he would be its eternal king because he believed himself to be a God. And then he came to Babylon. Came to Babylon. No where else for him to conquer just to organize his empire that would be the seat of his power. Self-Destruction Verse 8, "The goat became very great, but at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off." Well, this is how it happened. They were having a feast and somebody brought to him. So it goes, the story goes, the Hercules bowl, a huge bowl and no one had ever been able to drink a whole Hercules bowl of wine, and so he was challenged and he never backed down from a challenge, that's what his pride was, his ego and so he drank it to the bottom in order it to be filled again and always filled the second time, and he drank it to the bottom and died several days later from alcohol poisoning. He conquered the world, but he couldn't concur himself. Kingdom divided The height of his power is cut off now, he left no heir and so his foremost powerful generals divided the kingdom among themselves. Cassander ruled in Macedonia and Greece. Ptolemy in Egypt, Selecus in Babylonia and Lysimachus in Thrace in Asia Minor. This is a clear fulfillment of prophecy maybe the clearest detail of this entire vision, the fact that his kingdom was divided into four parts, the goat became very great verse 8, but at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off and in its place, four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. Verse 22, The four horns that replaced the one that broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power, clear fulfillment of prophecy. Impact Now, what is the significance of Alexander the Great to us as Christians? Well, he's unified the world under Hellenism and therefore all of you who have studied the Bible know that the New Testament is written in what language? In Greek and why is that? Because Alexander conquered Palestine. And so many Jews were Greek speakers and the New Testament was written in Greek. Above Jesus' head when He was crucified, there was written, this is Jesus, the King of the Jews, in what languages? In latin because that was the power language of the time. In Hebrew, Aramaic because that was a religious language, and then in Greek, because that was the language of commerce and culture, and why because of Alexander the Great. But he did not leave an empire that endured for ever rather he died and his empire was divided and was never that powerful again. IV. The Vision Extended: The “Little Horn” (vs. 9-12, 23-26) The Description and Rise of the “Little Horn” (vs. 9-12, 23-36) Now, in verses 9-12, we have another vision, a vision of a little horn. "Out of one of those four horns the four kingdom that was divided, came another horn, which started small, but grew in power to the south and the east, and toward the beautiful land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens and it threw down some of the starry host to the earth and trampled on them. It set itself up to be as great as the prince of the host. It took away the daily sacrifice from him and the place of his sanctuary was brought low, because of rebellion the host of the saints from the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did and truth was thrown to the ground." This rise of the little horn parallels that we've already seen in Daniel 7, the description and rise of the little horn also seen in verses 23-26. In the latter part of the rein, it says in verse 23, "when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern faced king, a master of intrigue will arise. He will become very strong but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the prince of princes. Yet, he will be destroyed but not by human power. The War on the Saints and the Desecration of the Temple So there is a horn to grow up, out of this, one of these four Greek sub-empires, this little horn and who is this little horn? Well, it is Antiochus IV called The Ephiphanes. He lived in the 2nd century BC, he was not a mighty conqueror. Rather, he was a usurper, a master politician. He had the ability to work intrigue and to gain positions of power, and influence for himself. In the year 175 BC, he secured the high priesthood from the Jews and he pressured the Jews to show loyalty to Greek culture and to idolatry. Many Jews were persecuted, and put to death. Antiochus then was guilty of blasphemy, he ascended himself up to be an incarnation of Zeus, just as Alexander before him acclaimed to be, and not only that, he went into the holy of holies, into the temple itself, he cut off all animal sacrifices, all the sacrifices of God for 2300, it says mornings and evenings. Now, some people think this was 1150 full days, 1150 mornings, 1150 evenings. I think that fits better with history. We know that the Jews were commanded to offer morning and evening sacrifices and Antiochus cut those off. God had no sacrifices because of Antiochus. Rather Antiochus wanted to be worshiped. He set himself up as an incarnation of Zeus. He had an idol put in the holy of holies and even worse, he had pigs taken into the sanctuary and sacrificed, and pigs blood anointed all over the altar and in the holy of holies. Can there be a greater defilement of the temple than that? Antiochus totally usurping power, setting himself up to be worshiped and then desecrating the temple. This was a direct assault on God Himself, and the scripture says very plainly that he also will be cut off but not by human hands. Now we're going to learn more about Antiochus in Chapter 11 in Daniel 11. The Hanukkah Story: The Reconsecration of the Temple But basically what happened was he was on a trip and God struck him dead with a disease. He was dead within a week, suddenly he died. God will not forget this kind of open rebellion, and in 164 BC, just three years after he had desecrated the temple, Judas Maccabeus, (this is written in the apocryphal I Maccabeus) reconquered Jerusalem, took over the temple, had it cleansed ceremonially from all the pigs blood, and the idolatry. Re-established worship to God and they found in one part of the temple, a little vial of oil that had not been desecrated, a little bottle of oil that they could use for the burning for the light within the Holy of Holies, just enough for one day. But yet, so the story goes that, miraculously burned for eight days. And so, our Jewish neighbors celebrate Hannukah every year. Eight candles for eight days, the eight days that the temple that that oil burned miraculously after the temple had been cleansed. Specific fulfillment. V. The “Little Horns” of Daniel 8 & 7: Type and Fulfillment Now, as you look at Daniel 8 and Chapter 7, who are these little horns? Well, you have to compare them. There are some similarities. Both of them arise out of Gentile kingdoms coming from one of these beasts. There is a similar career a conquest of rivals, war against the saints, blasphemy against God, desire to be worshipped in God's temple and its demise not done by human hands, but there's some significant differences too, aren't there? This one arises out of the third beast, doesn't it? The Daniel Chapter 8 horn arises out of Greece, but the Daniel Chapter 7 horn arises out of the fourth beast. And so, what is the relationship between the two? I think it's a relationship between pattern and fulfillment. Things were acted out in history, in the 2nd century BC that we will see again at the second coming of Christ. Things were acted out by Antiochus IV fourth called epiphanies which means manifestation of God that's what he claimed to be, acted out in a small scale just in a little part of the world, that it's going to happen again at the second coming of Christ with the true anti-Christ. Type and fulfillment. It says in 1 John 2:8, "Dear children. This is the last hour. And as you have heard that the anti-Christ is coming, many anti-Christ, have now come." And so this pattern is set and it would be replayed again, just one generation after Jesus Christ when the temple that Jesus visited was destroyed and he called it the abomination of desolation. We'll learn about that in Daniel 9. But the Romans came in that fourth beast, and they destroyed and desecrated the temple, and it has never been rebuilt. Some scholars believe that the temple will be rebuilt. II Thessalonians 2 says, The anti-Christ, the man of sin will sit in God's temple and make himself out to be God in God's temple, II Thessalonians 2. And so we have a pattern, a kind of an acting out in history by Antiochus of something that's going to happen, yet in the future. VI. Application Now, as we look at this, Daniel 8, all these details, you think, "What does this have to do with me? What does this have to do with my life?" Well, first of all, I think we have to understand it relates to God's ability to know in detail the future. Does it matter to you what happens to you in the future? Does it make a difference? Would it make any difference to you to know whether you're going to heaven or hell? Would that make a difference to you? I think it would make a difference to me. I don't think it's possible to live until you're ready to die. And we know that death is coming for all of us. It came to Alexander the Great and it's coming to us. Are you ready for that? But God has given us specific promises, whoever trusts in Jesus Christ will have eternal life, and no one can take that life from us, and so God has declared the future before it has even happened. Further more, it says that some day he will return in glory to set up his kingdom. Are you waiting for that? How can you pray the Lord's prayer, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done," without believing in a God who knows the future. And say, it absolutely will happen, and so we can pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come." And know it will certainly happen, because God has shown his track record, his specific performance in the past. I think we also need to realize that history matters. Only a handful of you are really that interested in Alexander the Great. Some of you would watch a documentary about him in UNC-TV or something like that. Others couldn't be bothered. But I think the fact of the matter is, that God cares intensely about history, he cares a lot. This is Christianity, the only religion that's woven together through historical events. Do you realize that it? It makes a difference whether Adam and Eve ever lived. It makes a difference whether there was someone named Abraham, who was called out and promises were made to him. It makes a difference whether the Jews ever lived in Egypt and were slaves, and then led out by Moses. It makes a difference. It makes a difference whether there ever was a Joshua, conquered the promised land, whether there was or was not a king David makes a difference. It makes a difference, whether there was a Jesus of Nazareth born in Bethlehem of a virgin, lived for 30, some odd years, ministered, died on the cross, rose from the dead. It makes a difference. History matters because if Jesus has not been raised from the dead, we're still in our sins. History makes a difference but your personal history makes a difference too. Remember, last week we talked about in Daniel 7, the court was seated and the books were open or what's in the books? Your history, every word you've ever spoken, everything you've ever done, it's all written down. God is a meticulous and careful historian, he cares about history and so we need a savior. Because we could look at that. Daniel said very clearly that the Alexander the Great came and was cut off in the height of his power. He needed a savior, and so do you. Jesus Christ said, "What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul. What would a man give in exchange for his soul?" Has there ever been a man who came so close to conquering the whole world as Alexander the Great and yet he could not conquer himself. But Jesus Christ came to give eternal life to all those who claimed him. I want to finish by giving a comparison. VII. The contrast between King Jesus and King Alexander: Alexander crushed His enemies, leaving them shattered and poverty-stricken Jesus saved His enemies, leaving them eternally blessed and wealthy Alexander boasted and exalted Himself Jesus was meek and lowly of heart and laid His majestic glory down in order to save us Alexander claimed to be the son of Zeus Jesus was the Son of God Alexander wept that there were no more peoples to conquer Jesus wept when Jerusalem would not believe in Him Alexander died in his early thirties in a drunken feast of pride and dissipation Jesus died in his early thirties on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for sins Alexander’s body rotted in a grave Jesus’ body rose from the dead on the third day Alexander’s soul was eternally judged for his sins Jesus is Alexander’s judge Alexander built a world-wide empire... all that remains is the reputation Christ is still building His world-wide empire... it will last eternally