The "elephant in the living room" pictures a serious family problem that is being ignored. Is there an elephant in the church? I asked my brother if there is a war in the church. He said, "Yes." But he said that nobody wants to talk about it. That is why I call it "The Silent War in the Church." Why should I write about something that no one wants to talk about? It is because of what the term "elephant in the living room" implies: it is too important to ignore. The Bible does not ignore it! We cannot avoid this war; but we can learn to fight it God's way. This book was written over many years and has benefitted from much rich input. My Christian life started in May 1968 at San Jose State College in California. I had spent 27 years chasing the wind, as it says in the biblical book of Ecclesiastes. My brother Lynn had just returned from Viet Nam where he had become a born-again Christian. My life was going both downhill and nowhere. I knew that Lynn had something I didn't have. Three weeks later, after talking to some Christians on campus, I too invited Jesus Christ into my life. The last 50+ years has been filled with lasting friendships and wonderful ministry experiences. I continue to be amazed as I reflect on the story after story that has become my life. The most heavenly experience is the 52 years of marriage to my hard working and compassionate wife Shirley. My website Essential40.com contains a wealth of spiritual gold mined during my 50 years of ministry. Enjoy!