2014 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year ("Also Recommended," Justice) Slavery didn't end in 1833, when William Wilberforce's decades-long campaign finally resulted in the Slavery Abolition Act. It didn't end in 1863, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It didn't end in 1949, when the United Nations declared trafficking "incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person." The sad truth is, slavery never ended. It just went underground, where it continues to exploit powerless men, women and children in horrific ways throughout the world. Now for the good news: you have power. In Refuse to Do Nothing, "Abolitionist Mamas" Shayne Moore and Kimberly Yim share their stories of coming to terms with the power available to them in their normal, everyday lives to illuminate the shadows where those who traffic in people hide compel corporations to fight slavery in how their products are made motivate politicians to fight for human dignity mobilize friends and strangers alike to fight slavery at home and throughout the world Slavery doesn't end without a fight. But get to know Shayne and Kimberly and their abolitionist friends, and you'll find the power God grants to all who fight for the powerless, and the joy awaiting those who refuse to do nothing.

This book is an important contribution for all United Methodists concerned that their denomination is approaching irrelevance. Within its pages Dr. Lavender offers a Biblical, Wesleyan and means-tested approach that both saves the lives of millions of orphans and vulnerable children and inspires evangelical hope for the church.

Part narrative, part wartime dispatch, Hope for Ukraine transports you into the gritty reality of war-torn Ukraine--and the front lines of faith, survival, and miraculous intervention. From scrambling to escape the bombs leveling their neighborhoods to fleeing sex traffickers in the chaos of border crossings to rescuing orphans trapped by Russian tanks, these stunning firsthand accounts tell the stories of real Ukrainians enduring terrible hardships with grit and grace.

Join bestselling writer Kyle Duncan and his co-author Esther Fedorkevich--both with deep family ties to Ukraine--as they take you inside the conflict with dramatic boots-on-the-ground stories and eyewitness accounts of Ukrainian refugees, aid workers, soldiers, and families affected by the conflict.

As the world holds its collective breath, these stories reveal the unbreakable spirit of a nation under siege. Even amid the chaos and tragedy of Europe's largest war since World War II, God is indeed at work in redemptive ways.

Proceeds will go to helping Ukraine's refugees.

Is it possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally? The reaction of evangelicals to political and cultural shifts in recent years revealed what they value most. Lurking beneath our Bible-laced rhetoric, faith claims, books, and sermons is a relentless drive to WIN! But the church is not here to win. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On purpose. With a purpose. And we are his body. We are not in it to win anything. We are in it for something else entirely. That something else is what this book is about. You'll discover: How to take a stand the right way. You'll learn how to make your case with a posture of humility and understanding, rather than being fueled by the fear of losing something. How to view politics through the lens of faith. Learn curiously, listen intentionally, and love unconditionally. How the life of Jesus and his teaching applies to modern-day challenges in a fresh way. The "biblical" stand may not be what we've been taught. Jesus never asked his followers to agree on everything. But he did call his followers to obey a new command: to love others in the same way he has loved us. Instead of asserting our rights or fighting for power, we need to begin asking ourselves: what does love require of me?

Taking inspiration from the Spanish word for retirement--jubilacion-- veteran minister Bruce Epperly challenges and empowers clergy to see retirement as a celebration of new possibilities and not an inexorable diminishment towards irrelevance. Similar in spirit to the Jubilee year described in scripture, retirement can be a time of transformation and exploration, of freedom to try on new versions of yourself and new paths of service. In that spirit, clergy can embrace creative transformation in their relationships, neighborhoods, religious communities, and politics. No longer tethered to the politics and administrative duties of congregational leadership, they can now freely commit themselves to relational, intellectual, and spiritual growth. They can also focus on personal, community, and planetary healing and transformation. Retired clergy can become sages and wisdom givers sharing their insights and energy with seminarians and novice pastors, congregations, and communities. Bringing together the fruits of conversations with more than 100 retired clergy, theological reflection, and spiritual practices, this text provides a way forward for clergy considering retirement and retired clergy. Based on interviews from persons from diverse denominations, theological perspectives, and ethnic and racial backgrounds, this text garners wisdom from pastors on their retirement journeys, from personal preparation and public announcement to first steps following retirement and long-term adventures.

It has all the hallmarks of a best-selling fictional thriller:

Vroue speel nog altyd 'n sentrale rol in ons samelewing. Hul rol as versorgers word erken, maar wat van oa in die kerk of sakewêreld? Het die vrou se rol oor die jare verander? Bettina Wyngaard ontleed die kwessie in 'n gesprek tussen toeka en nou en Bybel en grondwet. Sy gaan kyk na die sogenaamde "text of terrors" en hoe die eerste vroue bygedra het tot die vryheid wat vroue vandag het in alle sfere van die samelewing geniet. Maak nie saak hoe stadig hul vorentoe beweeg nie, hul beweeg.

The largest group in American religious life may be the disillusioned--people who have been involved in the church, respect Jesus, but question what Christianity has become. In "If the Church Were Christian" Philip Gulley provides a profound picture of what the church could look like if it refocused on the priorities of Jesus.

Highly regarded preacher and teacher Bryan Chapell shows readers how he has prepared expository sermons according to the principles he developed in his bestselling "Christ-Centered Preaching." This companion volume provides concrete examples of how a redemptive approach to Scripture is fleshed out in various types of sermons and various genres of the Bible. The example sermons not only demonstrate different approaches but also are analyzed for pedagogical purposes, helping readers move from theory to practice. In essence, the book allows students and preachers to look over Chapell's shoulder as he prepares these messages to learn how to construct their own expository sermons that communicate grace and truth from both the Old and New Testaments.

Passing the Plate shows that few American Christians donate generously to religious and charitable causes -- a parsimony that seriously undermines the work of churches and ministries. Far from the 10 percent of one's income that tithing requires, American Christians' financial giving typically amounts, by some measures, to less than one percent of annual earnings. And a startling one out of five self-identified Christians gives nothing at all.
This eye-opening book explores the reasons behind such ungenerous giving, the potential world-changing benefits of greater financial giving, and what can be done to improve matters. If American Christians gave more generously, say the authors, any number of worthy projects -- from the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS to the promotion of inter-religious understanding to the upgrading of world missions -- could be funded at astounding levels. Analyzing a wide range of social surveys and government and denominational statistical datasets and drawing on in-depth interviews with Christian pastors and church members in seven different states, the book identifies a crucial set of factors that appear to depress religious financial support -- among them the powerful allure of a mass-consumerist culture and its impact on Americans' priorities, parishioners' suspicions of waste and abuse by nonprofit administrators, clergy's hesitations to boldly ask for money, and the lack of structure and routine in the way most American Christians give away money. In their conclusion, the authors suggest practical steps that clergy and lay leaders might take to counteract these tendencies and better educate their congregations about the transformative effects of generous giving.
By illuminating the social and psychological forces that shape charitable giving, Passing the Plate is sure to spark a much-needed debate on a critical issue that is of much interest to church-goers, religious leaders, philanthropists, and social scientists.

In the beginning, David's confinement to the cave of Adullam was out of desperation, as he lived in hiding from Saul, who sought to kill him. But this once cold, damp, and dark shelter became a place of earnest supplication for David. The Man Cave will explore how David turned his man cave into a "Center for Life Development" that God used to change not only his personal life but the lives of thousands.

Every year, an estimated 1.6 million Americans participate in short-term mission trips, spending over one billion dollars figures that have increased exponentially in the last two decades. About one third of U.S. congregations sponsor such trips each year. While they are referred to as mission trips, many trips focus not on conversion or evangelism, but on service projects building a playground, providing medical care, or serving free meals to the poor. Short-term mission participants have a genuine desire to transform conditions of poverty, yet they don't always know how to go about it; many people involved in short-term mission work virtually reinvent the wheel when they design and plan their service projects. Here is a guide for leaders of such trips presenting clear insight and research from anthropologists and development professionals that will help them have a greater impact on the communities they are serving. The framework for planning short-term mission trips outlined here provides a firm foundation for maximizing their effectiveness. Laurie A. Occhipinti draws in her reader with personal anecdotes, using case studies to illustrate her points, and engages them with thoughtful analysis of the work that is done during short-term missions. Filled with practical suggestions for creating effective volunteer opportunities, this handbook is a vital resource for any potential mission volunteer."

This book challenges the church to ask whether or not the gospel as we commonly interpret it today really embodies the jubilee vision of the Bible. Imagine a group of forty adults living in a community, assisting each other to buy houses, sharing material wealth and releasing the surplus to help others as a practical outworking of the biblical principles of jubilee.Kim Tan was part of this group and in The Jubilee Gospel seeks to unpack these principles of sacrificial generosity, stewardship and social holiness.Starting with the OT principle of jubilee and tracing the themes through the Bible, we discover a way of living that reflects Gods justice and compassion and embraces kingdom politics and economics.What may seem buried deep in the early parts of the OT is brought up to date as were confronted by Jesus teaching and principles of wealth distribution, cancellation of debt, hospitality and storehouses.

Many of us think of activism as signing petitions, attending rallies or marches, or engaging in political agendas. But what does it look like to be moved by the things that moved God's heart in the day-to-day? How can we live in such a way that we are always, out of habit, contributing to a more just society? In this inspiring and accessible book, pastor J.W. Buck shows you how to engage in 7 practices to be a faithful activist in the world today, including choosing * thoughtful resistance over thoughtless compliance * loving your neighbor over fearing your differences * seeking forgiveness over revenge * resting over endless working * practicing nonviolence over violence * and more If you've wanted to get involved in justice work but aren't sure where to start, this practical and visually engaging book will show you how you can develop everyday habits drawn from the life of Jesus that make the world a better place.

Working with new insights on the influence that Christian translations of Scriptures and catechisms into African languages had on cultural self-understanding, social awakening, religious renewal, reciprocity in mission, process, Sanneh shows that mission and translation were and continue to be integral parts of cultural renewal in the face of the relentless onslaught of imperialism in its classic and contemporary forms.

In this book, Christopher D. Rodkey asks how the brain worships and responds by engaging ideas from neurological science, philosophy, ritual theory, and religious education. From this exploration, two new paradigms for pastoral ministry emerge. First, Rodkey proposes a "pan-generational" principle, advocating an empathy-based approach for fostering faith communities, a principle that is radically inclusive to all generations. Second, Rodkey argues that worship and religious education should converge to include a shared goal of teaching individuals to "live liturgically." In The Synaptic Gospel, Rodkey argues that living and thinking liturgically are learned behaviors that may be promoted through pan-generational worship. The book concludes with a special emphasis on practical suggestions for youth ministry. The Synaptic Gospel will prove to be a useful theoretical tool for pastors, religious educators, youth ministers, church music professionals, and seminary students.

Heather Zempel oversees the community life at a multisite church in Washington, D.C., a challenging population with one of the highest relocation rates in the United States. And yet under her leadership, National Community Church has become a model for creative, dynamic, deep small group ministry. Drawing from her background as an environmental engineer (including such bizarre experiences as monitoring a pig lagoon and the unintended slaughter of a hundred innocent fish), Heather Zempel assesses the perils and possibilities inherent in small groups and other environments for Christian community. The book helps leaders begin to see the inherent "mess" of such gatherings as raw material for arriving at something beautiful. Read this book and discover fresh insights into how we can support one another's unique paths to maturity in Christ while maintaining cohesion as a community and blessing the world around us.

Alternatives to Economics outlines the Christian thought system and its value as an alternative to secular social science in the development of socio-economic policies. Co-authors, Clive and Cara Beed demonstrate how the Christian thought system could be applied to issues such as distribution of wealth and the growing unemployment problem. The Christian thought system provides an alternative way of describing, explaining, and formulating policies for socio-economic matters from that of secular social science. Alternatives to Economics finds the current state of economics severely flawed, with no set of value-free, objective "tools" that can be used to analyze the economy. This book seeks to present these Christian thought system "tools" to both Christians and non-Christians.

"God and Country" brings together significant writings on Christianity and patriotism for a post-September 11th world, granting special attention to the United States. This is an exceptional collection of writings for students and universities to use as a source for guiding and informing discussion about Christianity and patriotism.

In this addition to the award-winning Church and Postmodern Culture series, respected theologian Daniel Bell compares and contrasts capitalism and Christianity, showing how Christianity provides resources for faithfully navigating the postmodern global economy.
Bell approaches capitalism and Christianity as alternative visions of humanity, God, and the good life. Considering faith and economics in terms of how desire is shaped, he casts the conflict as one between different disciplines of desire. He engages the work of two important postmodern philosophers, Deleuze and Foucault, to illuminate the nature of the postmodern world that the church currently inhabits. Bell then considers how the global economy deforms desire in a manner that distorts human relations with God and one another. In contrast, he presents Christianity and the tradition of the works of mercy as a way beyond capitalism and socialism, beyond philanthropy and welfare. Christianity heals desire, renewing human relations and enabling communion with God.