Welcoming Community

New in the "Living Church" series, this volume by pastor and popular speaker Douglas Avilesbernal acknowledges the dramatic changes in culture and congregational life in the twenty-first century, particularly as it relates to church growth in an increasingly multicultural world where communities are often in transition. Using the biblical story of Jesus' journey through Samaria, which led to a transformational encounter between Jesus, a Jewish rabbi, and a Samaritan woman, the author offers a model for learning to welcome the community in which a congregation finds itself by becoming a welcoming community of faith in itself. A creative and constructive approach to fostering true congregational diversity in a way that honors all members of the community and celebrates the unique gifts each brings to life and ministry together.