Book Review

Live Faith, Shout Hope, Love One Another

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by M. Kathryn Armistead, PhD

As the world gropes for answers, Christians say they have one. It's God. God is the answer. God brings hope. God is love. God cares for creation, and God is ever-present. But then comes the retort: "Where is the proof? Show me." Wrecked by disease, decimated by disaster and war, the world has good reason to ask: "Where is God-really? Where's the hope? Show me." One thing is for sure, the deeper our relationship with God, the more our lives will puzzle the world.

In Live Faith. Shout Hope. Love One Another, author Kathryn Armistead uses passages from the Gospel of Matthew to guide us and frame our conversation. This is fitting because, for centuries, the church used Matthew to teach the basics of the faith. These fundamentals can help us put our faith into practice as Jesus intended.

Armistead’s book contains seven chapters. Each chapter focuses on one aspect of Christian living taken from the Gospel of Matthew, so that we can fully live a life that lives faith, shouts hope, and loves others. At the end of the chapter, there are reflection questions. These are meant to be a reality check and are suitable for individual or group study. These reflection questions are designed to help you reach the next level in living out your faith so that when others see you, perhaps they will also get a glimpse of Jesus. In addition, there are suggestions how you can "bring it home," this is how you can do to put your thoughts and heartfelt insights into practice and make them part of your daily living.

“Too many contemporary Christians think that faith is private, personal. Prodded by the Gospel of Matthew, Kathy Armistead shows that the Christian faith is public truth, good news announced and lived before all people. Here’s lively, engaging encouragement for witness, for living our faith so that others can see and hear Christ through us. Kathy’s book can help you to shine in a darkened world that needs Christ’s light.”

- Will Willimon

Lead a Church That Cares

- by Prince Rivers, Editor ©Alban at Duke Divinity School

One of the early Christians’ distinguishing characteristics was their care for one another. The first disciples did more than offer each other social niceties and superficial piety. Their affection was not restricted to the borders of biological family. These early Christians reoriented their lives to demonstrate genuine interest in each other’s wellbeing. The New Testament describes a people who worked to ensure everyone in the community had adequate food and shelter (Acts 2:45; 4:34), personal support (Philippians 2:25) and financial resources (Philippians 4:18).

In an increasingly post-Christian world, some might argue that the church should put all its energy in connecting with those outside the community. But does this external focus need to be at the expense of meeting the pastoral and priestly obligations within the Christian community? Can’t we be missional and priestly at the same time? Besides, the way that we care for one another within the church might even offer a profound witness to those outside the church.

Today, the demands of modern life stretch us and our people more than most of us want to admit. The call to lead a community to care for its members remains a vital part of faithful Christian ministry. For example, as more adults find themselves caring for their aging parents, who in the church can care for the caregivers? Additionally, as political extremism becomes more prevalent domestically and abroad, perhaps the church can model a counter-narrative of trust, reconciliation and compassion.

Care that is Christian is rooted in a genuine concern for one another’s welfare. Who’s hurting in your church? How can the congregation care for them?

It’s important for congregations to pay attention to the needs of those within the community. We must pray for one another, share with one another and strengthen one another. Doing so requires wise, discerning leadership so that the practice of ministry does not become self-absorbed. The root of many dying congregations is the fatal turn inward that causes the church to lose its vision and compassion for anyone or any need beyond its own. However, to truly be a Christian community, we don’t need to choose between serving the community and caring for members of the congregation. To be the people God has called us to be, we will do both to the glory of God.