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Dear ,

I just finished visiting 20 cities with 30 events in the last
five weeks for my new book Christ in Crisis: Why We Need To
Reclaim Jesus. I spoke with pastors every day who are finding it
difficult to bring the person and teachings of Jesus into
the most dangerous electoral season in all of our lifetimes. Many
told me that their congregations and communities are so polarized
that any discussion of social justice is divisive. Many of them
have now read the book. They are finding in the core Jesus
questions at the heart of each chapter a path to a "new
conversation about Jesus" that goes deeper than our
political polarization. "What about Jesus?" becomes the most
important question that challenges all of our political biases.

This is so much more than just another election year coming up.
What is at stake is a test of democracy and a test of faith --
the future of the nation and the future of the church.

The stakes around which direction we go couldn't be higher, and
the church is in danger of losing the next generation if we
don't address the things they think are important. We already
see far too many young people turning away from religion in
disgust.

As pastors and leaders who can take the moral choice before us to
our congregations and denominations, your vision, voice, and
courage are needed now more than ever.

Christ is Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus is an urgent
call to put Jesus Christ back where he belongs: at the center of
our spiritual and public lives. 

Given the deep responses to the book we have received so far,
especially from so many pastors, my colleagues at Sojourners and
I want to now offer you additional tools to take these difficult
but necessary conversations about Jesus into the heart of our
churches at this critical time of religious, moral, and political
crisis.

That's why I wanted you to be the first to hear about
Sojourners' FREE conversation guide for Christ in
Crisis, Asking the Right Questions: How We Can Start
Reclaiming Jesus Now. 

It's a 10-part study guide designed for pastors, congregational
leaders, adult Sunday School teachers, those leading book clubs
and small groups, and more to facilitate conversations around the
core "Jesus questions" the church and the world urgently need
to be asking right now. I believe these Jesus questions are the
right questions for the right time.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE STUDY GUIDE

The book and this study guide are meant to be a starting place
with many easy to use resources (such as scripture, prayers, free
audio and video clips, and discussion questions) for those who
struggle to talk about issues that often feel too provocative or
polarizing to discuss in church. I believe they offer an
opportunity to go deeper, and discover how the questions Jesus
Christ built his calling to discipleship around -- the book and
guide cover one question per chapter/session -- are exactly the
questions that can provide clarity and courage in our current
crisis.

Let me be clear: if most white Christians support the dangerous
American brand of fascism which is now emerging and embracing the
worst of America, which has always been very painfully and
violently real especially for people of color, we will lose the
authenticity of our faith. This movement towards fascism and
white nationalism, which we also see around the world, is now
being led by Donald Trump  -- one of the best marketers of
America's worst instincts and demons (as opposed to how Lincoln
said that leaders should appeal to "the better angels of our
nature").

It's a hard time to be a pastor or ministry leader. But I
believe this moment of crisis offers an opportunity to speak to
those we shepherd with clarity and conviction on the issues we
face -- both for their lives, our country, and our world at this
moment of both danger and opportunity.

Most importantly, this crisis is an opportunity to bring people
back to Jesus.

In Christ,

Jim Wallis 

GET THE FREE 10-PART STUDY GUIDE FOR THE BOOK

P.S. If you find the study guide useful, we'd love to hear from
you. For a chance to have me come speak at your church or other
community organization between now and the 2020 election, email
us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #ChristCrisisStudyGuide
on social media and tell us how you're using the guide.

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