2020 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Finalists - Ecology and Environment Jesus' command is clear: we are called to feed all of God's children. But is that possible? Twenty-five years ago, 23.3 percent of the world's population lived in hunger. Today, that number has dropped to 12.9 percent-giving rise to the renewed hope that what once seemed unthinkable is now within reach. The challenges are great, but the fight to eliminate malnutrition and hunger is one we can win. The End of Hunger brings together activists, politicians, scientists, pastors, theologians, and artists on this urgent topic. Here is a comprehensive picture of the current situation-the latest facts and figures are presented alongside compelling stories, both from those engaged in the fight against hunger and from the hungry themselves. Here too are clear steps for action by individuals, families, churches, and communities. This book is designed to inform and inspire you to get involved in the gospel work of eradicating global malnutrition and feeding the hungry. It is Jesus' command-and together, with God's help, we can do it. Contributors include Chef Rick Bayless David Beasley The Rev. David Beckmann Congressman Diane Black Tony Campolo, PhD Senator Bob Corker Jeremy K. Everett Cathleen Falsani Kimberly Flowers Senator William H. Frist, MD Helene Gayle, MD Amy Grant Ambassador Tony P. Hall Rudo Kwaramba-Kayombo Nikole Lim Jonathan Martin Mike McHargue Angel F. Mendez Montoya, PhD Will Moore Samuel Rodriguez Jeffrey Sachs, PhD Gabe Salguero Mark K. Shriver Ron Sider Rachel Marie Stone Steve Taylor and Family Roger Thurow Elizabeth Uriyo and Christopher Delvaill Kimberly Williams and Brad Paisley

In his nearly four decades of pastoral, parachurch and nonprofit ministry leadership Steve Macchia has come to understand his own brokenness. He writes: "I've experienced great success and a few embarrassing failures. . . . In essence, as much as I like to view myself as a good or even a very good leader, I'm more truthfully a blessed and broken leader, one who is daily in need of being . . . redeemed by the Spirit of God who resides in me." In these pages Steve offers the gifts of love found in 1 Corinthians 13 as the antidote to our brokenness. He writes with personal transparency from his own experience. Each chapter concludes with a powerful spiritual assessment tool to use in reflecting on our own leadership strengths and weaknesses. By embracing and befriending our own brokenness we can find true wholeness in God's strength. In these pages you will discover a new way to live in freedom and joy.

The political dogma of toleration is little more than a tool of the modern state in its drive for power and wealth. In "The Long Truce," A. J. Conyers shows that by banishing questions of ultimate meaning from public life, the modern version of toleration has debased our politics and undermined social cohesion. He argues provocatively for a return to the authentic toleration found in pre-Reformation Christianity.

Completely revised and updated for the postmodern age, So What's the Difference? gives you easy-to-understand, nonjudgmental answers to the question, "How does orthodox biblical Christianity differ from other faiths?" Here Fritz Ridenour explains the basic tenets of Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, New Age, Mormonism, and other religions and belief systems of the world. You will also learn why relative thinking--the idea that there is no objective, absolute truth--has become the predominant mindset in our culture, and how you can respond. This bestselling guide will help you recognize the real differences between the Christian faith and other viewpoints and make it easier for you to explain and share your faith with others.

In this highly provocative investigation, C. John Sommerville examines common linguistic uses of the terms ""religion,"" ""religious,"" ""spiritual,"" and ""secular"" in order to discern understandings of these words in contemporary American culture. For example, he finds that, in English, ""religion"" is our word for a certain kind of response to a certain kind of power (the power and the response both being beyond anything else in our experience). Sommerville then uses these definitions to examine the ways that institutions in the fields of education, science, law, politics and religion are affected--often in unexpected ways--by a shared set of assumptions about what these words mean.

Offering dramatic evidence of the transformative power of forgiveness, No Enemy to Conquer shares the stories of people of diverse faiths and cultures who, despite all odds, found the courage to reconcile with their enemies. Gathering the voices of Desmond Tutu, Benazir Bhutto, Rajmohan Gandhi, Jonathan Sacks, the Dalai Lama, and others, Henderson's masterful anthology is an inspiring step toward a geopolitics of mercy.

Acclaimed "Internet Theologian" Tom Breen has written a satirical, tongue-in-cheek exploration of pop Christianity. Whether pondering why there are so many Christian rock bands but so few good Christian rock songs or providing helpful tips on writing hip translations of the Bible (hint: lose the boring parts and constantly mention celebrities), Breen offers whip-smart, non-stop fun, along with a side-splitting send-up of our contemporary obsessions.

Challenging a widespread belief that religious people are politically intolerant, Marie Ann Eisenstein offers compelling evidence to the contrary. In this surprising and significant book, she thoroughly re-examines previous studies and presents new research to support her argument that there is, in fact, a positive correlation between religious belief and practice and political tolerance in the United States. Eisenstein utilizes sophisticated new analytical tools to re-evaluate earlier data and offers persuasive new statistical evidence to support her claim that religiousness and political tolerance do, indeed, mixaand that religiosity is not the threat to liberal democracy that it is often made out to be.

FEMA Community Preparedness Award When disasters happen, people turn to local churches as centers for response and assistance. When floods or tornadoes devastate an area, or when shootings and violence shock a community, knowing what to do can be the difference between calm and chaos, courage and fear, life and death. But few churches plan in advance for what they should do-until the storm hits. Don't get caught unprepared. If a natural disaster or human tragedy strikes your community, your church can minister to the hurting. Jamie Aten and David Boan, codirectors of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute, provide a practical guide for disaster preparedness. Disaster ministry is a critically important work of the church, preparing for the unthinkable, providing relief to survivors, caring for the vulnerable and helping communities recover. Filled with resources for emergency planning and crisis management, this book provides best practices for local congregations. By taking action in advance, your church can help prevent harm and save lives during a disaster. The time to plan is now. Be prepared.

The healing powers of medicine and prayer are often media headlines. Not explored is how media itself has shaped popular ideas about religion and health. Prescribing Faith traces the confluence of medicine, media and religion from mid-nineteenth century American culture to the present day. Badaracco examines how media portrays the relationship between religious faith and medicine, showing that the relationship is one fraught with conflict of interest, controversy, and paradox. Prescribing Faith offers valuable insight into deconstructing religion and medicine as shaped by today's media.

Pilar Hogan Closkey and John Hogan have brought together the annual Archbishop Oscar Romero Lectures (2001-2007) to consider the life and death of Archbishop Romero and the daily struggles of the poor in our world, especially in the city of Camden, New Jersey-one of America's poorest cities. Romero's 'dangerous memory' provides the background, while urban poverty and the option for the poor are the foreground. Romero's commitment to the poor compels us to look at ourselves, and the authors of each chapter remind us of Romero's dangerous memory and his undying hope in the promised future. Taken as a whole, the book reminds us of the tough questions behind the real meaning of the 'option for the poor.' Can we as a faith community and institution move beyond high-sounding slogans and really opt for the poor? What are the costs? What are the risks? Especially in these difficult times of war, terrorism, and scandal, can we in the Church rebuild trust and be a sign of a future of justice and peace announced by Jesus?

Named one of the Top Ten Books of 1994 by the Academy of Parish Clergy Hundreds of books, tapes, workshops and seminars promise to answer these impossible questions. Some offer a set of practical guidelines; others suggest a system or pattern to follow. Some stress various ministry functions; others feature case studies as models of success or failure. Some are helpful. Others are not. But in The Art of Pastoring, David Hansen turns pastoral self-help programs on their heads. He tackles the perennial questions from within his own experience. From the Inside Out Hansen's fresh, bold narrative grows from nearly a decade of ministry. He draws you into his life and into the lives of Florence-Victor Parish in the mountains of Montana, including unforgettable encounters with unforgettable people--a stubborn pioneer woman who still chops her own firewood though she's blind and 90 years old, a championship rodeo cowboy who was baptized in his boots, and many more. Hansen's goal is to help you discover "that pastoral ministry is a life, not a technology . . . that] life as a pastor is far more than the sum of the tasks I carry out. It is a call from God that involves my whole life." From Calling to Living Parable Every pastor has encountered those who struggle to hear God's voice in a hospital room, who reach for Jesus in the sacraments. No systematic answers can meet their deep, eternal needs. What can touch them, Hansen contends, is a life itself, a life lived as a parable of Jesus. "As a parable of Jesus Christ," Hansen writes, "I deliver something to the parishioner that I am not, and in the process I deliver the parishioner into the hands of God." It is this knack for getting to the heart of things that makes The Art of Pastoring valuable for pastors in any setting--rural, suburban or urban. Parachurch workers, missionaries, church leaders and ministry volunteers will also find inspiration here. In this significantly revised new edition, Hansen includes new insights into his view of pastorate as parable and adds a new postlude in which he comes clean on his "constant attempts to leave the ministry."

This volume demonstrates that the Christian Right has a surprising past. Historical analysis reveals that the countercultural movements and evangelicalism share a common heritage. Shires warns that political operatives in both parties need to heed this fact if they hope to either, in the case of the Republican Party, retain their evangelical constituency, or, in the case of the Democratic Party, recruit new evangelical voters.

This work assembles the best of Todd's (available) speeches and provides an analysis of their rhetorical and political significance. Sir Garfield Todd's (1908-2002) lifelong support of African rights earned him initial political success, subsequent imprisonment, and, finally, rightful recognition. Often labeled a liberal in the British political tradition, a closer study of Todd's rhetoric demonstrates that his politics flow directly from his religious heritageaand not from political liberalism.

This volume investigates some of the most visible issues in American politics today, including gay marriage and race, along with ongoing concerns that often fly below the radar of the mass media, such as healthcare and homelessness. The book uncovers and explores the political motivations, effectiveness, and interplay of organized religious interests as they confront public problems in their local communities.

The church says 'no' in a thousand ways, squelching and constraining creative people who want to use the gifts God has given them to serve and lead. Sometimes our 'no' is explicit and other times we restrain innovation in more nuanced and even unintentional ways. And everyone in the church is guilty of 'no-saying'--pastors, laity, and staff. In some corners it seems like nearly anything new is eyed with suspicion. Just Say Yes! shows how to unleash disciples, giving them permission and encouragement to be bold and fruitful followers of Christ. It helps pastors and other leaders examine the systems, attitudes, and dynamics that restrain, control, and diminish ministry. It provides insights and practical help for those who want be more adept at initiating ministry, more open to innovation and experimentation for the purposes of Christ.