Abstract
The author, associate professor of New Testament at Wartburg Theological Seminary, avoids clichés and trite solutions. The five chapters speak to common issues that Christians past and present have had to face: the relevance of sacred spaces (chapter one), the sense of community (two), social dynamics and leadership (three), core activities of faithful witness (four), and the call to bear a distinctive witness in a world of competing voices (five). Each chapter concludes with resources to move the reader from reflection to action: a list of manageable, concrete suggestions for local implementation; biblical references for further study; hymn suggestions (to help fold the educational component into worship); guided questions for further conversation; and a brief annotated bibliography of the recent research. [...]pastors and directors of Christian education will find in this book everything needed for an enriching, thought-provoking, and comprehensive conversation within their congregation.