Combines empirical data and original analysis to offer a uniquely detailed account of Christianity in North America Profiles of Christianity in every country in North America, coupled with attractive presentations of statistical and demographic information Analyses of leading features and current trends in regard to Christianity in North America, written by local scholars with expertise in their field Essays examining each of the major Christian traditions as they are finding expression in North America Essays assessing the direction of Christian faith in North America in relation to such key themes as faith and culture, worship and spirituality, theology, social and political engagement, mission and evangelism, religious freedom, gender, inter-faith relations, immigration and xenophobia, Christian nationalism, ecology, and media Building on the success of EUP's highly acclaimed Atlas of Global Christianity, this volume is the seventh in a series of reference works that takes the analysis of worldwide Christianity to a deeper level of detail. It focuses on Christianity in North America, covering every country and offering both reliable demographic information and original interpretative essays by locally based scholars and practitioners. It maps patterns of growth and decline, assesses major traditions and movements, analyzes key themes, and examines current trends. As a comprehensive account of the presence of Christianity in every part of North America, this volume will become a standard work of reference in its field.

Yes, It's Possible to Build a Business around Your Expertise, Ideas, Message, and Personality. But First You Need to Realize - YOU ARE THE BRAND.It's no secret that more people than ever before are building thriving businesses around their personal brands. But why do some create six- or even seven-figure businesses while so many others strive to make a consistent income? Much of the personal brand space plays out in two ways. The first group of people sells a false version of themselves, thinking that image or perception alone will get them the results they seek. These folks don't realize that attention isn't owed, it's earned. The flip side of presenting a false version of yourself is oversharing in the name of authenticity. They talk nonstop about their issues, sometimes revealing way more than what is even comfortable to read about. It's as if these people are trying to sell their struggles, and it doesn't work in the long run. Like a car wreck, these folks garner attention, but it's short-lived. Here's a simple question that can serve as a litmus test for you: "Can I build a campfire around what I'm sharing?" Is there warmth? Are you building something that is attractive and inviting to others? Can you build a community around it? Are you someone whom others want to invite onto their stages, in front of their employees, or into their lives? In You Are the Brand, Mike Kim shares his proven 8-step blueprint that has helped build the brands for some of today's most influential thought leaders - as well as his own personal brand. In this practical and inspiring book, you will learn: How to identify and showcase your unique expertise How to gain clarity on your message, market, and business model Why the most effective marketing strategy is to simply tell the truth How-To-Preneur vs. Ideapreneur - Which one are you? The three kinds of personal stories that ensure you stand out in your market The simple "9-Box Grid" that shows you how to price your products and services How to cultivate "rocket ship relationships" that skyrocket your revenue, and influence

A bewitching look at nonnative species in American ecosystems, by the heir apparent to McKibben and Quammen.

Mosquitoes in Hawaii, sea lampreys in the Great Lakes, mountain goats in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State—not one of these species is native to the environment in which it now flourishes. Kim Todd's Tinkering with Eden is a lyrical, brilliantly written history of the introduction of exotic species into the United Sates, and how the well-meaning endeavors of scientists, explorers, and biologists have resulted in ecological catastrophe. Todd's assured voice will haunt her readers, and the stories she tells—such as the druggist who brought starlings to America because he wanted the landscape to feature every bird mentioned by Shakespeare—will forever change how we see our increasingly afflicted landscape and its unanticipated inhabitants.

"You really can't fool Mother Nature, as Kim Todd vividly shows in her fascinating, cautionary first book."—New York Times Book Review

"A fascinating narrative enhanced by Todd's far-reaching research and story-telling abilities."—Bookpage

Innocent. Invader. Lover. Thief. Sparrows are everywhere, in many guises. They are cherished pets, subject of elegies by Catullus and John Skelton, listed as 'pretty things' in Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book. They're grimy, urban vermin with shocking manners, so reviled that during the 1950s Mao placed them on the list of 'Four Pests' and ordered the Chinese people to kill them all. In many countries they are appallingly successful non-natives, attacking indigenous birds and ravaging ecosystems. Able to live in the Arctic and the desert, from Beijing to San Francisco, the house sparrow is the most widespread wild bird in the world. In Sparrow, award-winning science and natural history writer Kim Todd explores the complex history, biology and literary tradition of this bird that embodies the word 'common'. In literature, the New Testament claimed that not a sparrow falls without God noting it; the idea of the precious sparrow developed from Hamlet to twentieth-century gospel hymns; the bold, defiant sparrow appears in many folk and fairy tales. The author explores Old World sparrows, like the house sparrow, which can nest in a garage or in an airport, and New World sparrows, which often stake their claim to remote islands or meadows in the high Sierra. Todd looks at the nineteenth-century 'Sparrow War' in the USA - a battle over the sparrow's introduction - which set the stage for decades of discussions of invasive species. She examines the ways in which sparrows have taught us about evolution, and the recent decline of house sparrows in cities globally. This disappearance of a bird that seemed hardwired for success remains an ornithological mystery. With lush illustrations, ranging from early woodcuts and illustrated manuscripts to contemporary wildlife photography, this is the first book-length exploration of the natural and cultural history of this cheeky and ubiquitous bird.

Preaching's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible Reference The Reformation was a call to return with renewed vigor to the biblical roots of Christian faith and practice. Still, for the Reformers, the truth of the Bible could never be separated from the true community of God's people gathered by his Word. In the book of Acts, they found God's blueprint for how the church should participate with the Holy Spirit in accomplishing his purposes in the world. In the latest Reformation Commentary on Scripture, we watch as the diverse streams of the Protestant movement converge on the book of Acts. As we return with the Reformers to this vision of Spirit-filled community, we are given a lesson in the nature of biblical reform from those who bore it out for the first time. Authors Esther Chung-Kim and Todd R. Hains present a vivid portrait of the Reformers? views on the contemporary church?s faithfulness to its God-given identity and calling. The Reformers approached the narrative account of the early church in the book of Acts from diverse viewpoints. Commentators like John Calvin and the Swiss Reformed Heinrich Bullinger elaborated on the theological implications of the text with a great deal of historical detail. Others like reform-minded Catholic Johann Eck evoked episodes in Acts in response to pressing concerns of the day. Sermons upheld notable characters in Acts such as Peter, Stephen, Paul, Lydia and Apollos as examples of robust faith and of life in Christian community. Anabaptists in their apologetic works focused heavily on the necessity of believer's baptism. The commentators' interactions range from irate disagreement to irenic concord, but all exhort their readers not to dissolve "the holy knot" of the plain history of Christ's works and their lasting fruits. For them, Acts is certainly history, but it cannot be mere history.