Christian Church

Morehouse Publishing 9781640654686 $22.95 paper | 6 x 9 | 208 pages November 16, 2021

Radical Welcome

Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation Stephanie Spellers For the fifteenth anniversary of its publication, this revised edition features a new introduction from the author on the state of the church and its “radical welcome” today, along with new reflections on how it continues to reshape the church. This book is at once a theological, inspirational, and practical guide for congregations that want to move beyond diversity and inclusion to present a vision for the church of the future: one where the gifts, voices, and power of marginalized groups bring new life to the mainline church. Based on two years of work and over 200 interviews with people in congregations all around the United States—in urban, suburban, and rural settings—it asks the question: How do we face our fears and welcome transformation in order to become God’s radically welcoming people? Each chapter introduces a particular congregation and the challenges it faced, and lays out the theological underpinnings of tackling fears head-on to embrace change as a welcome part of community life. STEPHANIE SPELLERS serves as Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s Canon for Evangelism and Reconciliation. The author of The Church Cracked Open and The Episcopal Way, she has directed mission and evangelism work at General Theological Seminary and in the Diocese of Long Island. A native of Kentucky and a graduate of both Episcopal Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School, she lives in Harlem, New York.

Related Titles

The Church Cracked Open Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community Stephanie Spellers “If you are looking at the landscape of the church and wondering, ‘How’d we get here?’ and what’s next, I invite you to board Rev. Spellers’s plane and take in the big picture with her. Take in the history, the theology, the pain, the beauty, and the hope that her view from thirty thousand feet offers. When she lands the plane, you’ll realize—there’s simply no better guide out there.” —Nadia Bolz-Weber, author 9781640654242 | $16.95 | paper

Who Is My Neighbor? A Little Book of Guidance Samira Izadi Page Who Is My Neighbor? puts a human face on a politically charged issue: refugees. It tells stories about refugees to challenge us all to reconsider our definition of “neighbor.” 9781640652149 | $8.95 | paper

Church Publishing 9781640653474 $16.95 paper | 5.5 x 8.5 | 128 pages Available Now

How to Try

Design Thinking and Church Innovation Lorenzo Lebrija What if tried and true methods from the corporate world could raise your ministry’s probability of success by a considerable margin? Lorenzo Lebrija, director of TryTank, a lab for church growth and innovation, has developed a fresh and straightforward framework for experiments in new ministry based on research and interviews. With three clear steps, this framework can have a lasting impact on any church that uses it. You can even start innovating today, using this specific and actionable process within your church community. “Church is obligated by the temporal necessity to innovate, think, revise, and revisit. In short, the church is obligated to be an organized entity that is constantly ‘trying’ new ideas. . . . This book comes out of a place of deep faith and commitment.” —The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Dean and President, Virginia Theological Seminary LORENZO LEBRIJA is the founder and director of TryTank, the experimental lab for church growth and innovation. He was the chief development officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, and served as pastor at St. John’s in San Bernardino and priest associate at St. Athanasius in Los Angeles. He has been a frequent speaker on development, community involvement, the arts, business strategy, and marketing.

Church Publishing 9781640653221 $16.95 paper | 5.5 x 8.5 | 128 pages August 17, 2021

Open Arms, Safe Communities

The Theology of Church Security Jeanie Garrett How do we reconcile the need to create safe places for worship and community with a theology of welcome and inclusion? Most houses of worship know they need a safety plan, but leadership often resists the tough conversations of restricting access and locking more doors. This seems contrary to proclaiming that church is a welcoming, open place for all. There are books, manuals, guides, and articles advising how to create a safety plan for faith-based institutions, but none of them wrestles with the theological questions that come up during the process. By exploring these questions, faith-based institutions of all kinds can better tackle the challenges of creating a safety plan with more thought, insight, and confidence. “Jeanie Garrett empowers the reader to release fear and embrace the theology of a loving God who walks with those of us who wrestle with what a safe church should look like. She does an amazing job encompassing safety, gun violence, and systemic racism.” —The Rev. Kathleen Walker, missioner for Black Ministries, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina JEANIE GARRETT created and led St. David’s Safety Task force in Austin, Texas, and has trained with the Department of Homeland Security and the Austin Police Department. She has led volunteer trainings, and created staff safety manuals and volunteer guidelines. Prior to her work at St. David’s, she spent ten years as a television news reporter.