Compassion Resources

Additional reading and viewing on the cover-theme of this issue

Available from NextStep Resources at (800) 444-BOOK or www.nsresources.com

General compassion resources

Editorial by D.A. Carson in Themelios: An international journal for pastors and students of theological and religious studies, September 2008 (www.thegospelcoalition.org/publications/33-2/editorial)

The Tragedy of American Compassion, by Marvin Olasky ($21.60). William J. Bennett once called it “the most important book on welfare and social policy in a decade. Period.” It influenced the Clinton Administration’s welfare reform and deeply affected then-Governor George W. Bush’s policies in Texas. But with the war on terror, the ideas in The Tragedy of American Compassion have taken a backseat.
Olasky’s research reveals that the real problem of modern welfare is not its cost but its stinginess in offering the true necessities: challenging, personal and spiritual aid rather than entitlement and bureaucracy.

Just Courage: God’s great expedition for the restless Christian, by Gary A. Haugen, president and CEO of International Justice Mission (IJM), a human-rights organization based in Washington, D.C. ($14.40). There are profound aspects of God’s call and character that we cannot grasp, until we enter into the suffering of others.

Divided by Faith: Evangelical religion and the problem of race in America, by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith ($17.95). The authors argue that evangelicals have a theological world view that makes it difficult to perceive systematic injustices in society. In particular, the evangelical emphasis on individualism and free will seems to predispose them to believe that most racial problems can be solved if individuals will only repent of their sins. Therefore, many well-meaning strategies for healing racial divisions (such as cross-cultural friendships) carry within them the seeds of their own defeat.

United by Faith: The multiracial congregation as an answer to the problem of race, by Curtiss Paul DeYoung, Michael O. Emerson, George Yancey and Karen Chai Kim ($13.56). A multiracial team of sociologists and a minister of the Church of God argue that multiracial Christian congregations offer a key to opening the still-locked door between the races in the United States. They note, however, that a belief persists—even in African-American and Latino churches—that racial segregation is an acceptable, even useful practice. The authors examine this question from biblical, historical and theological perspectives.

The Church of Irresistible Influence: Bridge-building stories to help reach your community, by Robert Lewis with Rob Wilkins ($11.99). How a church can become an irresistible influence on its neighborhood, community and world through showing the love of God in action.

The Externally Focused Church, by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson ($15.99). Practical and inspiring book for understanding our call as Christians to apply faith and works together. The authors challenge us to service, where good deeds and good works intersect, where mercy and justice meet.

Beyond the First Visit: The complete guide to connecting guests to your church, by Gary McIntosh ($12.79). Church consultant Gary McIntosh invites readers to take a look at their church through the eyes of visitors and potential visitors. This practical book offers sound advice on assessing and improving the ways in which churches attract people, welcome them, do follow-up and bring them into the church family.

Starting a Nonprofit at Your Church, by Joy Skjegstad, executive director of the Sanctuary Community Development Corporation in Minneapolis. A must-read for any church thinking about forming a 501(c)(3).

* Stay tuned for A Heart for the Community, by Dr. John Fuder, coming out in spring/summer 2009 from Moody Publishers—a compendium of valuable information on city ministries written by people who are currently ministering in the city, including pastors, Christian school administrators and directors of homeless missions. EFCA Pastor Marty Schoenleber is participating in the project and will be contributing a chapter.

Reading and viewing on issues of illegal immigration

(Some address biblical issues; some introduce you to the human side of the immigration equation; all will stimulate your thinking.)

Enrique’s Journey: The story of a boy’s dangerous odyssey to reunite with his mother, by Sonia Nazario ($11.96). A Los Angeles Times journalist offers her 2003 Pulitzer Prize-winning story in book form—a timely account of a young Honduran boy’s perilous quest to reunite with his mother in the United States.

The Next Christendom: The coming of global Christianity, by Philip Jenkins ($11.96). Christianity, the “religion of the West,” is rapidly expanding south into Africa, Asia and Latin America, and the author predicts that by the year 2050, only about one-fifth of the world’s 3 billion Christians will be non-Hispanic Caucasian. But the Christianity of 2050 will be very different from that molded by the 1,300 years during which Christianity was the faith of a rapidly developing Europe. It will revive Christianity’s root emphases on healing and prophecy because its adherents will resemble the poor and oppressed who first embraced the redemption, the healing and the blessing that Jesus promised.

Christians at the Border: Immigration, the church, and the Bible, by M. Daniel Carroll R. ($13.59). This accessible book provides biblical and ethical guidance for readers who are looking for a Christian perspective on the immigration issue. As both a Guatemalan and an American, the author speaks to both the immigrant culture and the host culture, arguing that both sides have much to learn about the debate.

Underground America: Narratives of undocumented lives (part of the Voice of Witness series), edited by Peter Orner ($12.80). This book focuses on undocumented workers from around the world trying to make it in the United States. Many suffer violence and injuries or end up doing forced labor, but few complain or seek medical attention because of the constant fear of deportation. The first book in the series was Surviving Justice, accounts of exonerated prisoners who were wrongfully convicted. It was followed by Voices From the Storm, the collection of Hurricane Katrina survivors’ voices. The fourth Voice of Witness book is Out of Exile: The abducted and displaced people of Sudan.

“Blessed Are the Courageous” and “Blessed is the Law—Up to a Point,” April 2006 Christianity Today editorial and follow-up article regarding U.S. immigration policy and Christians’ responses.

Maria, Full of Grace (film, 2003)—a Colombian teenager, eager to escape the poverty of three generations of her family, agrees to smuggle drugs into the United States. Rated R.

Bordertown (film, 2007)—drama based on the 15-year serial-killing spree of Mexican women working in factories in the Mexican border town of Juárez—factories that assemble TVs and computers for the U.S. market. Rated R.

Bella (film, 2007)—a story of love, sacrifice, family and redemption, and winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival. Rated PG-13.

Under the Same Moon (film, 2007)—a 9-year-old boy in Mexico undertakes a dangerous journey to find the mother who left for the United States four years earlier, trying to make a living for her family. Rated PG-13.

The Visitor (film, 2008)— an unlikely friendship between a middle-aged American in New York City and a pair of homeless, illegal aliens is overshadowed by the threat of deportation. Rated PG-13.