Messy Truth
How to Foster Community Without Sacrificing Conviction
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
From the author of Messy Grace, a former pastor raised by gay parents, comes a compassionate playbook to help Christians, church staff, and ministry leaders create a culture of belonging without sacrificing theological convictions.
What should we do? This is a question many Christians are asking as they face shifting societal norms, conflicting opinions, and often inaccurate scriptural interpretations regarding those who identify as LGBTQ+.
Caleb Kaltenbach believes there’s a more helpful question:What am I willing to do to keep and build influence with ______________?
Caleb knows our love for others is best measured by the lengths we’ll go to help them. He also recognizes that people find and follow Jesus better in community than in isolation. As a child raised by three activist gay parents, Caleb experienced firsthand the outrage of some Christians. That’s why he is committed to creating a sense of belonging for all people.
True community can happen only when Christians are intentional in infusing their attitudes, systems, and values with grace and truth. This hopeful, practical book offers tools for encouraging church involvement, strengthening personal relationships, increasing empathy, and engaging in pivotal conversations about grace and truth with our whole community.
Fostering a culture of belonging is a messy process, but it holds a massive possibility for everyone involved: a growing relationship with Jesus.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this compassionate guide, pastor Kaltenbach (Messy Grace) urges Christians to "make room for people not like them" in order to create a community of acceptance. Raised by three gay parents and accustomed to judgmental reactions from some Christians, Kaltenbach emphasizes that biblical convictions do not have to be sacrificed to foster a sense of belonging. He unravels misconceptions and erroneous interpretations of scriptures pertaining to LGBTQ people and encourages readers to engage in dialogues with those whose beliefs are different than theirs. He shares examples of how to broach difficult topics (as well as what not to do) and emphasizes the role personal connections and open conversation play in directing others toward Jesus, posing the question: "What are you willing to do to build and keep influence with" those you respect? He contrasts people he terms "gatekeepers" of Christian communities (those who use scare tactics and name calling) with those willing to be guides (who lead by example) and concludes that, while conversations about strongly held convictions may seem daunting: "God's truth is pure, trustworthy, altogether right, and best discerned when lived out with others." Pastors, teachers, church leaders, and anyone wishing to develop a more welcoming Christian community should take a look.
