This book wrestles with the tension between a gospel that proclaims peace and love and a society that frequently chooses violence to resolve their differences. The novel enables us to put words on chaotic feelings and draw truths forward that can guide our lives.

Whether you read the open chapters of Genesis, or reflect on the discipline of therapy, or simply listen deeply to someone in deep pain, you will discover that when your world seems to be in deep chaos, the capturing that chaos in words can enable you to discover meaning and hope. A Star and a Tear is a fictional attempt to tell the story of racism in our country. In listening to the story and sharing your thoughts with others, you can discover meaningful ways to respond in a way that offe...

This book offers a positive perspective in the midst of tragedy, suffering, and despair. Recognizing that life experiences frequent setbacks, it demonstrates how facing those negative experiences but also anticipating healing possibilities helps one move forward with courage and expectation.

While clergy are continually surrounded by other people, they carry within themselves both stories of and experience of compassion, scandal, betrayal, joy, satisfaction, humor and most of the other emotions within the human species. In many cases those deep emotions cannot be shared. The result is a deep loneliness that frequently separates them from some of the treasures of true friendship.

The majority of people, both within and outside of the church, have only a vague understanding of the nature of ministry. In this series of short stories, the reader is invited to see the complexity of ministry that is encountered as a person seeks to be God's servant.

During his pastorate in Winston-Salem, the city experienced three major racial incidents that filled the city with fear and anxiety. Steve invited two Black colleagues to lunch to discuss how their churches should respond. Out of that discussion they formed the Presbyterian Inter-racial Dialogue. Over time it expanded into multiple churches and interfaith community. This book tells the twenty-year story of that multi-faith community. It demonstrates the power of faith communities who conne...

In an age of anxiety, where people have lost the ability to trust and live in community, the author challenges pastors to introduce the vision of hope contained in our faith. God's call in our current community is to provide ways that people can both rediscover meaning in their lives and live in hope trusting God will guide them as on their journey.

We live in an age of anxiety.Almost every institution that we depend upon to give our lives direction and purpose has betrayed us in the last several years. This book offers us an analysis of the chaotic society and steps to take to assist people to move beyond anxiety and rediscover the power of hope to heal and energize a community of believers. It is though visions of hope, like the Promised Land or the Kingdom come, that have enabled believers to continue in life's journey with...

This book seeks to guide churches in using the Internet to reach across both the individualism of our society and the geographical distance that separates our communities and rediscover the One Body of Christ. It offers creative exercises that enable members to rediscover the power of their own faith.

Given the ideologically divided, tension-filled world in which we live, imagine hearing someone tell you how God can work through these divisions in a way that offers hope and healing for the world. The author suggests that this is exactly what Matthew sought to do in his gospel. The Hebrew Scriptures tell the story of how God chose to accomplish a divine work of reconciliation through a chosen people who demonstrated the same strengths and weaknesses as most people in the world today. Mat...

A Star and a Tear is a mystery thriller with a spiritual edge. Frank Sessions is locked in a season of grief caused by the violent death of his wife during a convenience store robbery. He emerges out of his grief when a young reporter asks for his assistance in writing a story about a rape in the city and Frank realizes he has a strange connection with the anonymous rapist. It soon becomes clear that the city is confronting a serial rapist with a religious fixation. Racing against time, Fr...

In an age when many people are frustrated and leaving the church because of what they see as the church's hypocrisies and failure to be faithful, author McCutchan explores, with both Biblical examples and our current reality, how God chooses to work through imperfections. He explains, as a prime example, how God transformed the cross, which appeared to be a sign of people's rebellion against God, into a symbol of hope and healing. He describes, with examples, how the weekly gathering for w...