Dear Friend ,

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.