Dear Unity
Description
It began with the breaking of the bread and became a movement.
During a global Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Australian entrepreneur Philip Ryall and his wife Jennie invited more than sixty church leaders from various Christian backgrounds and denominations into their home.
Like yeast leavening a loaf of bread, out of that meal grew a deepening inspiration for the book Dear Unity: Overdue Love Letters to Heal a Divided Church, a collection of thoughts from over thirty prominent Christian leaders around the world. This powerful compilation of personal reflections, teachings, back stories, and cross-denominational letters brings a whole new perspective on the way we view our fellow believers. What they all share in common is a desire to see the rich diversity of the church become one body in Christ, as Jesus so wanted us to be.
Dear Unity is both a book and a movement centered on building a culture of honor between brothers and sisters in Christ through shared experiences and overdue expressions of love. Starting with influential figures within the global church, it's designed to involve everyone from the leaders to the layperson, to move beyond any past walls of division to embrace what unites us at our core.
Among the authors are Randy Clark, president of Global Awakening; Cardinal P. Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher emeritus to the papal household; singer-songwriter Darlene Zschech; Francis Chan, founder of Crazy Love Ministries; Nicky Gumbel, pioneer of Alpha; Heidi Baker, CEO of Iris Global; Bo Sanchez, founder of Light of Jesus Family; Dr. Jerry Pillay of the World Council of Churches; and Bill Johnson, senior pastor of Bethel Church.
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Persons
Randy Clark (president of Global Awakening): Recalls that his spirit was joyous when his children played well together, loved each other, spoke words of life to each other--and how it grieved his spirit when they spoke ill of each other, were mean to each other, and didn't play well together. He says feels the same way about us.
Bo Sanchez (Filipino Catholic megachurch pastor and author): With his Facebook audience of over 3 million followers and known affectionately as the "preacher in blue jeans," he takes us on an intimate walk through his life and insists that unity must be born of humility and not uniformity.
Darlene Zschech (world-renowned Pentecostal singer/songwriter): A pioneer of the modern worship movement, she implores her many followers to bend any past selfish ways to a higher way of maturity. She calls us to foster a godly confidence that is not threatened to honor another above oneself.
Nicky Gumbel (Anglican pioneer of the Alpha movement): He offers reminders that we are indeed living in a time of great crisis, which presents the church with a massive opportunity to stand together and fight together, not against each other. He claims that unity around Jesus is the key to the evangelization of a nation.
Francis Chan (American Protestant author and global evangelist): With contagious humility, this renowned world evangelist's stunning insights will provide a fresh openness to the real power of Christ at the communion table. He challenges us to join with him in his concluding cry to all separated Christians: "Please forgive me...I need you."
Bill Johnson (senior pastor of Bethel Church, Redding, California): He reminds today's Christians of the importance to connect together and be built up as a family, united around fathers and mothers of the church, to give a powerful sign of unity that the world is so desperately looking for.