Over the past fifteen years, associations throughout the U.S. have organized citizens around issues of equality and social justice, often through local churches. But in contrast to President Bush's vision of faith-based activism, in which groups deliver social services to the needy, these associations do something greater. Drawing on institutions of faith, they reshape public policies that neglect the disadvantaged. To find out how this faith-based form of community organizing succeeds, Richard L. Wood spent several years working with two local groups in Oakland, California—the faith-based Pacific Institute for Community Organization and the race-based Center for Third World Organizing. Comparing their activist techniques and achievements, Wood argues that the alternative cultures and strategies of these two groups give them radically different access to community ties and social capital. Creative and insightful, Faith in Action shows how community activism and religious organizations can help build a more just and democratic future for all Americans.

Faith in Action offers quick dives into a range of topics, from racial justice to environmental concerns, from LGBTQIA equality to Native peopleÕs rights, from womenÕs equality to disability rights, from mass incarceration to immigration. Each topic includes informative visuals and data, as well as practical suggestions for what you can do to make a difference in your community.

In Faith Seeking Action, author Gregory Leffel links a description of the church as a global movement with a description of contemporary social movements that are actively challenging today's societies, such as the environmental, global justice, and identity movements. Not surprisingly, Christian communities and communities of social activists share much in common as they each work to enrich their societies. It is natural then to ask what missionally-concerned Christians may learn from social movements about the public role of their churches, the connection of their beliefs to social change, and the mobilization of their people. It can also be asked how these often divided communities may find ways to collaborate around common actions rooted in such shared values as peace, justice, life, and the integrity of the environment. Building on growing interest in the field of missiology and its "missional church" concept, Leffel has created a dialog between the church as a social actor and social movements. Along with introducing movement theory to mission studies, Leffel introduces a new way of addressing the issues involved in the church's engagement with society, a concept he calls missio-ecclesiology. Of interest to those seeking vital ways to live out their faith in the world—missiologists, missional church leaders, and street-level workers alike—this work fuels fresh thinking about the church's role in cultural and social change.

The book title of part 2 is Identity. The heart, mind, and will of God is that we as the peoples around the globe know who God is, understand the love of God in that He deeply and faithfully loves you without bias, and that God wants you to come to a place of sincere faith where you stop running from God and take responsibility for your sins right now! How do we get our identity in the first place? By faith in God (Heb. 11:1-6 and John 3:1-18). Henceforward, it is by faith, trust, and hope in the LORD Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-10) by calling upon His holy name (Ps. 18:1-3), confessing (Rom. 10:9-17) and repenting (Prov. 28:13 and Matt. 4:17 and Mark 1:15) of your sins. True repentance (willfully and decisively forsaking our unholy anti-God thinking, believing, habits, speaking, and behavior) is the fear of the LORD in being sorry for your sins deliberately and turning to God asking for forgiveness while declaring with audible speaking that Jesus Christ is the living Son of God, raised from the grave on the third day. This is salvation, and it is free! Do you know my friend Jesus? Identity found in Christ and explained in Part Two helps us to answer the following critical questions that our teenagers and millions of peoples around the world are asking right now: Who am I? What is my identity? What is my name that no one seems to know or care about? Why was I even born in the first place? Why am I alive today? What's the point to my life, and what is my purpose? Where do I fit in? Where am I? Why should I keep living? Why should I care? Why should I not take all these drugs or slit my wrists/throat right now? Does anyone love me? Does anyone care about me? Does God see me? Does God care about me or love me? Where is God right now? The solution to our global identity crisis is found in the love of God through the cross of Jesus Christ. The power, grace, mercy, and compassion of Christ is the only solution that can even begin to answer the above listed identity questions. The identity scream is horrifying and real! Peoples around the world are screaming in their souls right now: "Just bring me to Jesus!" Only Jesus Christ can fill our souls. Not money, sex, drugs, alcohol, or anything in this world can save our souls from sin or fulfill us with true peace and happiness. Pray before and during the reading of Part Two. Ask God what He wants to do with and through your life (Luke 8:21 and Luke 9:23). Praise the LORD (Ps. 150:1-6).