Everyone Belongs To God

A pastor's frank advice for Christians who want to bring the gospel to their neighbors. Gold Medal Winner, 2016 Illumination Book Award in ministry/mission, Independent Publishers How can Christians represent the love of Christ to their neighbors (let alone people in foreign countries) in an age when Christianity has earned a bad name from centuries of intolerance and cultural imperialism? Is it enough to love and serve them? Can you win their trust without becoming one of them? Can you be a missional Christian without a church? This provocative book, based on a recently uncovered collection of 100-year-old letters from a famous pastor to his nephew, a missionary in China, will upend pretty much everyone's assumptions about what it means to give witness to Christ. Blumhardt challenges us to find something of God in every person, to befriend people and lead them to faith without expecting them to become like us, and to discover where Christ is already at work in the world. This is truly good news: No one on the planet is outside the love of God. At a time when Christian mission has too often been reduced to social work or proselytism, this book invites us to reclaim the heart of Jesus' great commission, quietly but confidently incarnating the love of Christ and trusting him to do the rest.

2020 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards, Gold: Religion/Spirituality 2020 Living Now Book Awards, Gold: Children's Picture Books 2020 Catholic Press Association, 2nd Place: Children's Books Inspired by the USCCB's statement "Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, A Pastoral Letter Against Racism," Everyone Belongs empowers young readers to reflect on the reality of racism in our society, to see it through the lens of history and faith, and act towards respect, understanding, and friendship. In this fully illustrated book for children ages 5-12, Ray Ikanga is a young boy whose family fled violence in their home country to come to the United States as refugees. The family moves into a new neighborhood and Ray begins making new friends. His excitement is interrupted, however, when someone spray paints a hurtful message on their garage: "Go home!" Everyone Belongs is a book about recognizing the value of our differences, respecting each other, and forgiveness. ​

"No doubt, it is common to hear Christians today declaring their allegiance to God's kingdom. But what does this actually entail, and what difference does it make? In his characteristically provocative and daring way, Christoph Blumhardt articulates a vision of God's kingdom that turns much of our understanding of modern Christianity upside-down. In the present volume, available in English for the first time, Blumhardt leads readers to look at the gospel anew, challenging us to follow Jesus in a way that makes God's reign a reality, here and now. Bypassing vague notions of spirituality, as well as transcending simplistic approaches to faith, Blumhardt inspires us to actually live under the rule and reign of God."

The author starts with God's plan to create a new world and guides the child through the six days of Creation, and ends up with God's plan for a new earth. In between, children solve many of life's lesser mysteries (do fish sleep?) and think about a few of the greater ones (why am I here?). And every fascinating fact about the world we live in becomes a doorway to big truths about life.

A child learns a lot of things primarily at home, from his parents. The child invariably looks upon his parents for reassurance, protection, and support. If the parents argue loudly and quarrel with each other, fear and uncertainty develops in the child's mind. It affects the entire personality of the child.

Presents one bible story for every Sunday of the year, which is paired with an activity suitable for small children which reinforces the moral or lesson appearing in each story.

Nourish the spiritual life of your catechists and teachers with a copy of Sunday Prayer for Catechists! Sunday Prayer for Catechists invites catechists and teachers to develop a habit of personal prayer and reflection on the Word of God. This annual resource provides Gospel texts from the Sunday lectionary and reflections that connect the message of Scripture to working with young people in order to help catechists grow spiritually through their ministry. Sunday Prayer for Catechists will be a source of spiritual insight and encouragement for catechists and teachers as they carry out the important work of handing on faith to the next generation.

The evil prosthesis of Captain Hook, the comical speech of Porky Pig, and the bumbling antics of Mr. Magoo are all examples of images in our culture which can become the basis of negative attitudes and subliminal prejudice towards persons with disabilities. These attitudes influence and underlie discriminatory acts, resulting in negative treatment and segregation. A teacher's ability to recognize and counter such images may well determine the success of inclusion and mainstreaming programs in our schools and society. Well-researched and well-written, this book offers practical guidance as grounded in solid research to schools that are wrestling with how to mainstream children with disabilities.