Why do people follow a leader, particularly a religious leader? And why, given that Americans are still an overwhelmingly religious people, is the clergy declining in influence? Byron Sherwin argues that what is missing is the perception that religious leaders today are capable of working wonders. Sherwin leads the reader through five periods of Jewish history: the era of biblical prophets, Jesus and first-century Israel; Babylonian rabbis of the third and fourth centuries; the east European Hasidic Masters of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and twentieth century North African rabbis. In all cases, the moral authority of the leaders came primarily from popular belief in their power to work wonders for the people. Sherwin applies history to the current situation. If the clergy is to be re-empowered, to reclaim leadership and authority as holy people, they must reassert the ability to work wonders. This is a book that every member of the clergy and every religious leader should read, ponder and take to heart.

A Caldecott Honor winner! Micha Archer's gorgeous, detailed collages give readers a fresh outlook on the splendors of nature. When two curious kids embark on a "wonder walk," they let their imaginations soar as they look at the world in a whole new light. They have thought-provoking questions for everything they see: Is the sun the world's light bulb? Is dirt the world's skin? Are rivers the earth's veins? Is the wind the world breathing? I wonder . . . Young readers will wonder too, as they ponder these gorgeous pages and make all kinds of new connections. What a wonderful world indeed!

As the COVID-19 crisis took our world under siege, essential workers worldwide kept their heads up and extended their hearts to keep us safe at home. From our neighborhood mail carriers and grocery store cashiers to the truck drivers, farmers and manufacturers who make essential goods available to the millions of us around the globe, we say THANK YOU! You've kept our bellies full and minds at ease. We love you for all that you've done and continue to do for us every day.

What does "holistic" mission really mean? If you are engaged in Christian mission, this question is extremely important to you. Chances are, you have already embraced a definition of holism and applied it to your ministry. In this groundbreaking book, the author brings you several examples of holistic mission from Asia, Europe and Latin America and encourages you to compare these cases against your own ministry. We often limit our understanding of holistic mission to a linking of evangelism and social action. If this is true of you, then this thought-provoking book will broaden your idea of holism and challenge you to reflect on a wide range of issues relating to mission. McAlpine seeks nothing short of reframing the way in which the question of holism is put and expanding the range of issues it involves. He also skillfully analyzes studies from the journal "Transformation," which has pioneered much of today's thinking on holism. Through the exciting cases and analyses presented in this new work, we begin to see the emerging shape of holistic mission.