Books

Mending the Divides: Creative Love in a Conflicted World
by Jon Huckins and Jer Swigart, forward by Lynne Hybels
Buy it on Amazon

Conflict, hatred, and injustice seem to be the norm rather than the exception in our world, our nation, our communities, our homes. The fractures and fissures run so deep that we’re paralyzed by our hopelessness, writing off peace as a far-fetched option for the afterlife. Even if there was the possibility of peace, where would we begin? Instead of disengaging, Jon Huckins and Jer Swigart invite us to move toward conflict and brokenness, but not simply for the sake of resolving tensions and ending wars. These modern-day peacemakers help us understand that because peacemaking is the mission of God, it should also be the vocation of his people. So peace is no longer understood as merely the absence of conflict―peace is when relationships once severed have been repaired and restored. Using biblical and current-day illustrations of everyday peacemakers, Mending the Divides equips disciples of Jesus to move toward conflict and seek the restoration of our relationships, our communities, and our world, offering practical steps to engage in the kingdom-building work of waging peace.

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Thin Places: Six Postures for Creating and Practicing Missional Community
by Jon Huckins with Rob Yackley, forward by Mark Scandrette
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There is currently an abundance of conversation and resources advocating for the Church to move from her congregational and attractional models towards more holistic, missional embodiments of the Church that submerge deep into the neighborhood.  While conversations and resources are often valuable, it is essential that we move from conversation to tangible practices and practical application that enlivens our kingdom imagination for shared mission that is rooted in community and place.

NieuCommunities is a collective of missional-monastic communities scattered around the globe that have been living this out for the past 10 years.  In this book, we share our “field notes” — through theology, story and experience – as a way to offer a tangible framework of rooted practices that develop apprentices of Jesus to live on mission in the unique soil of their local context.

While standing on a hill overlooking his community on the Island of Iona, the Celtic monk St. Columba began to pray.  He described his experience as a thin place, a place where heaven and earth were only thinly separated.  We hope this book sparks the imagination and practice of individuals and communities across the globe to cocreate their own unique thin places that aren’t simply a dream, but a daily and transforming reality.

“I thoroughly loved this book and found myself saying ‘Amen’ at every page. A primer in incarnational mission by those who have lived it and taught it for well over a decade.”  — Michael Frost, author, The Shaping of Things to Come and The Road to Missional

“This book is a winsome yet dangerous invitation into a better dream to be awake to all that God is doing in and around us, and to ‘learn the unforced rhythms of grace’ (Matthew 11:28, MSG).”  — Mark Scandrette, Author of SOUL GRAFFITI and Practicing the Way of Jesus, Cofounder of ReIMAGINE!

For full description, sample video & endorsements CLICK HERE. 

To order the 6-Session DVD Small Group Edition CLICK HERE.

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Teaching Through the Art of Storytelling: Creating Fictional Stories that Illuminate the Message of Jesus
by Jon Huckins, forward by Dan Kimball
Buy it on Amazon

As communicators in a culture saturated with storylines, we have the profound opportunity to invite our students into the masterful Story of God. There are a variety of ways to invite our students into this Story, but this book discusses and explores how to teach through one of Jesus’ most powerful modes of communication–fictional storytelling. Rabbinical storytelling (otherwise known as Jewish Agada) embraces the narrative of Scripture and invites its listeners into understanding and participation. Our Rabbi, Jesus, employed this mode of communication through his parables. Approaching the topic as a theologian, philosopher and artist, Jon invites and teaches how to create modern-day parables that illuminate the message of Jesus. These stories do not simply illustrate the message; they are, in fact, the message. Whether hoping to articulate deep theological concepts or relevant topics, teaching through the art of fictional storytelling has the potential to engage and invite our students into The Story.

“Teaching the Bible through the art of storytelling is, in fact, how the Bible was originally taught—and that’s what Jon wants from us: to become master storytellers like first-century rabbis and create our own modern-day parables.”  — Dan Kimball, author of They Like Jesus but Not the Church

“As we seek to find the most helpful ways to reveal the message and mission of Jesus, locating storytelling in the center of our methods will remain of primary significance. This book will inspire you towards firing the imagination of your youth in very reachable, experiential and practical ways.”  — Chris Folmsbee, author of A New Kind of Youth Ministry

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Good News in the Neighborhood: A 6-Week Curriculum for Groups
by Jon Huckins and Adam McLane
Buy it from Youth Cartel

This 6-week series will deep dive your students into the practical realities of a radical life with Jesus. Built around six themes of community life, students will gain an understanding of their role in their community and be challenged by a series of simple experiments they can try. More than a series that teaches your students about being Good News in their community, Good News in the Neighborhood offers practical application based on the life of Jesus and the 1st century Church. Our hope is that your students begin to see how God has called them to become good news in their homes, schools, and neighborhoods.

“Instead of providing random theories from the author, the curriculum plops us down in front of scripture, and then prompts us to pull application from it to walk as Jesus walked and serve as Jesus served.”  — Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth Ministry

TRAILER LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3D07SQb84o&feature=player_embedded