About the author

Alan Kern

<p>Alan Kern was a Full Gospel pastor and missionary in Canada and South Africa for over thirty years. While pioneering churches in Canada, he became acquainted with the excesses of the &ldquo;Toronto Blessing&rdquo; movement. Invited to preach on the subject in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, home of the 1950s Latter Rain phenomenon, he interviewed several of its elderly, disillusioned former members as a part of his extensive research into this movement.</p><p>Later, sent as a missionary to post-apartheid South Africa, he and his family established a tent church in the Port Elizabeth township of Zwide, during the Mandela transition years. Having personally experienced an uncontrollable &ldquo;laughing&rdquo; manifestation in a Cape Town church, he also witnessed first-hand the harmful effects on congregations seduced into the &ldquo;holy laughter&rdquo; movement. During his eight years of ministry in Port Elizabeth, he also hosted the live, radio talk show, <em>Talk Back</em>, which highlighted the dangers of the rapidly growing River Movement. <em>When Elephants Fight</em> is his first novel in a planned trilogy, exploring spiritual abuse and the challenges to overcome its devastating consequences.</p><p>The author spent thirty years in a heavy-shepherding, legalistic church organization. Later, he became a substance abuse counselor for a Gospel rescue mission. Now, retired from active ministry, he lives with his beautiful wife Laurie in Oregon, while they explore the Caribbean as often as possible. &nbsp;He is currently penning a sequel entitled, <em>Towards a Crouching Lion</em>. A third book: <em>A Monkey&rsquo;s Beauty Contest</em> will complete the trilogy.</p><p></p>