Shane had the privilege of meeting his long-time hero: civil rights leader, and minister, John Perkins. Little did he know that we would form a friendship and John would become a mentor. Over a series of years they had numerous conversations as Shane wanted to know from John what leading a life faithful to Jesus Christ actually looks like. What followed was a series of vulnerable and heartfelt conversations between John and Shane and their reflections on those conversations. John's words a...

Written with poetic rhythm, a prophetic voice, and a deeply biblical foundation, this loving yet fearless “must read”(Glennon Doyle, New York Times bestselling author) urges today’s church to move beyond man-made restrictions and fully welcome women’s diverse voices and experiences.A freedom song for the church.Sarah Bessey didn’t ask for Jesus to come in and mess up all her ideas about a woman’s place in the world and in the church...

God once declared everything in the world “very good.”Can you imagine it?A Vision of Hope for a Broken WorldShalom is what God declared. Shalom is what the Kingdom of God looks like.Shalom is when all people have enough.It’s when families are healed.It’s when churches, schools, and public policies protect human dignity.Shalom is when the image of God is recognized in every singl...

Winner NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARDS in Contemporary Jewish Life & PracticeMyra H. Kraft Memorial AwardA crucial new lens on repentance, atonement, forgiveness, and repair from harm—from personal transgressions to our culture's most painful and unresolved issues.American culture focuses on letting go of grudges and redemption narratives instead of the perpetrator’s obligations or recompense for harmed parties. As survi...

According to recent surveys and studies, race relations in the United States are the worst they've been since the 1990s, and many would argue that life for most minorities has not significantly improved since the civil rights era of the 1960s. For so many, the dream of true equality has dissolved into a reality of prejudice, fear, and violence as a way of life.John M. Perkins has been there from the beginning. Raised by his sharecropping grandparents, Perkins fled Mississippi in 19...

Dear White Peacemakers is a breakup letter to division, a love letter to God’s beloved community, and an eviction notice to the violent powers that have sustained racism for centuries.Race is one of the hardest topics to discuss in America. Many white Christians avoid talking about it altogether. But a commitment to peacemaking requires white people to step out of their comfort and privilege and into the work of anti-racism. Dear White...

America's problem with race has deep roots, with the country's foundation tied to the near extermination of one race of people and the enslavement of another. Racism is truly our nation's original sin."It's time we right this unacceptable wrong," says bestselling author and leading Christian activist Jim Wallis. Fifty years ago, Wallis was driven away from his faith by a white church that considered dealing with racism to be taboo. His participation in the civil rights movement bro...

ECPA 2010 Christian Book of the Year Award Winner! What Does God Expect of Us?Is our faith only about going to church, studying the Bible, and avoiding the most serious sins—or does God expect more? Have we embraced the whole gospel or a gospel with a hole in it?More than twenty years ago Rich Stearns came face-to-face with that question as he sat in a mud hut in Rakai, Uganda, listening to the heartbreaking story of an orphaned child. Stearns’s jo...

God does not suggest, he commands that we do justice.Social justice is not optional for the Christian. All injustice affects others, so talking about justice that isn't social is like talking about water that isn't wet or a square with no right angles. But the Bible's call to seek justice is not a call to superficial, kneejerk activism. We are not merely commanded to execute justice, but to "truly execute justice." The God who commands us to seek justice is the sam...

Many Christians today feel overwhelmed as they try to live faithfully in a culture that seems increasingly hostile to their beliefs. Politics, marriage, sexuality, religious freedom--with an ever-growing list of contentious issues, believers find it harder than ever to hold on to their convictions while treating their friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even family members who disagree with respect and compassion. This isn't just a problem that affects individual Christians; if left unaddre...

Daniel Hill will never forget the day he heard these words:*"Daniel, you may be white, but don't let that lull you into thinking you have no culture. White culture is very real. In fact, when white culture comes in contact with other cultures, it almost always wins. So it would be a really good idea for you to learn about your culture."*Confused and unsettled by this encounter, Hill began a journey of understanding his own white identity. Today he is an active participant in addressingand ...

From the UK Church's complicity in the transatlantic slave trade to the whitewashing of Christianity throughout history, the Church has a lot to answer for when it comes to race relations.Christianity has been dubbed the white man's religion, yet the Bible speaks of an impartial God and shows us a diverse body of believers.It's time for the Church to start talking about race.Ben Lindsay offers eye-opening insights into the black rel...