These days, there’s no dirtier word than “divisive,” especially in religious and political circles. Claiming a controversial opinion, talking about our differences, even sharing our doubts can be seen as threatening to the goal of unity. But what if unity shouldn’t be our goal? In Holy Disunity: How What Separates Us Can Save Us, Layton E. Williams proposes that our primary calling as humans is not to create unity but rather to seek authentic relationship with God, ourselves, one another, and the world around us. And that means actively engaging those with whom we disagree. Our religious, political, social, and cultural differences can create doubt and tension, but disunity also provides surprising gifts of perspective and grace. By analyzing conflict and rifts in both modern culture and Scripture, Williams explores how our disagreements and differences—our disunity—can ultimately redeem us.

Despite Jesus' prayer that all Christians "be one," divisions have been epidemic in the body of Christ. Though we may think we know why this happens, Christena Cleveland says we probably don't. Learn the hidden reasons behind conflict and divisions, the unseen dynamics at work that tend to separate us from others. Here are the tools we need to build bridges.

In Befriending the Stranger, Jean Vanier reflects on who we are and how we build our communities, and in particular asks, can we be truly compassionate towards others if we are not compassionate towards ourselves? In a series of six meditative pieces, he opens up God's invitation to us today, in the midst of all the violence and corruption of the world, to create new places of belonging and sharing, of peace and kindness, where each one is loved and accepted with one's own fragility, abilities, and disabilities. +

Know the Spirit Through His Names Living Water. Helper. Lord. Many believers long for a clearer understanding of the Holy Spirit and the role He plays in our relationship with God. The good news is, when we study the Bible, the Spirit’s specific identity and work as a member of the Trinity is made clear. In The Power of The Holy Spirit’s Names, bestselling author and pastor Dr. Tony Evans examines 12 of the Spirit’s most significant titles and what they reveal about this powerful, present, and personal expression of the triune God. As you read, you’ll gain eye-opening insights into how the Spirit moves within the hearts of believers while learning how His indwelling of you shapes your unique faith. As we grow in our ability to love, revere, and relate to the person of the Holy Spirit, we also grow in our capacity to experience God. This book will help you internalize profound truths about the Holy Spirit’s character and transform how you understand the Trinity. Complete Your Experience The Power of the Holy Spirit’s Names DVD The Power of the Holy Spirit’s Names Workbook

The Upper Room Disciplines 2022: A Book of Daily Devotions helps readers become rooted in the teachings of God through meditations and scripture reading. A diverse group of 52 Christian thought leaders each contribute a week of topical devotions that reveal something new about God and humanity, sin and grace, revelation and humility, individual discipleship and life in community. Daily readings in The Upper Room Disciplines include a selected scripture passage, a meditation on the scripture, and a prayer or suggestion for reflection. Each week has 7 devotions focusing on a particular theme, engages readers with texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, and helps show how the ancient stories of the Bible relate to our lives today. Among the writers for 2022 are Patricia Raybon, Steve Harper, Lydia Wylie-Kellermann, Will Willimon, Gennifer Brooks, Ben Ingebretson, Layton E. Williams, Ben Yosua-Davis, Amy Oden, Juan Carlos Huertas, Kathy Khang, Derek Weber, Brandan Robertson, and Heather Murray Elkins.

Martin King said that the most segregated hour in America is Sunday morning, alluding to the fractured condition of the universal body of Christ's followers, the Church. From 2002 to 2010, I had the privilege of serving as the Executive Director of a nonprofit called Operation Breaking Through, serving the greater Hampton Roads area. The nonprofit was a network of over one hundred local churches. One of my primary responsibilities was to promote racial reconciliation and harmony between the diverse ethnic churches. In most cases, the demographics of these churches failed to reflect their community. Most congregations were monoethnic. Significant progress was evident after several years of pastoral internal and congregational external panel and group discussions. Church pastors were pulpit swapping, and churches were partnering in community outreach. Up to this point, I realized how much blood, sweat, tears, and time I had spent encouraging pastors and congregations to recognize, promote, and practice fellowship and communal service. Though good and somewhat effective, these efforts were all physical with very little thought of spiritual application. It wasn't until I was required to write a paper for a theology class at North Park that God opened my eyes to a deep understanding of the sacrament of Holy Communion. Realizing that all actual Christian denominations and non-dominations mandate practicing this sacrament, I gleaned from my studies the spiritual connectedness all believers share in this one sacred act and the binding blood ties all believers share with the author of this sacrament. In that one epiphany, the dividing wall of ethnicity, culture, and social Christian norms fell. Had Christ, by instituting this faithful act woven into the DNA of our born-again experience, the ability for His divine love and truth to break the chains we would inevitably erect through the weakness of our humanity, selfishness, and pride. What if this one DNA trait of holy communion could activate the true koinonia, which may lay dormant in believers because of historical traditions and practices erected by human-made religion? What if God allowed us to see and experience the depth of spiritual love for our brothers and sisters despite our differences? What if we saw communion as a remembrance of the greatest act of love known to humanity and allowed that remembrance to kindle and rekindle a spiritual intimacy between believers that overcomes our bias, prejudice, privilege, and any barrier to the believer's oneness in Christ? Holy Communion, a Spiritual Agent of Harmonious Diversity in Christ, explores this more profound understanding and revelatory power to breathe new life into the reading believer.

As pastors’ wives, the authors of this devotional personally have experienced or witnessed the issues with which women struggle: identity, marriage, children, work. Reading this devotional is like having a conversation with a trusted friend who knows what you are going through. Over 52 weeks, these authors share from their hearts using engaging Scriptures, real-life inspiration, and practical wisdom they have learned along the way. Each week focuses on one theme, and daily devotions include Scripture and a prayer.