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Follow Me to Freedom: Leading As an Ordinary Radical

Follow Me to Freedom: Leading As an Ordinary Radical
By John Perkins, Shane Claiborne

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Re-imagine Leading and Following in a World Longing for True Justice, Compassion and Freedom Followers of Christ yearn to see the world changed in compassionate, positive, effective ways. As prophetic voices, Shane Claiborne and John Perkins lead the way in this move to be the hands, feet and heart of Jesus. One is young, a self proclaimed reformed redneck who grew up in the hills of Tennessee and now lives in inner city Philadelphia and the other is decades older, an African-American civil rights leader who was almost beaten to death by police in Mississippi, and went on to found a reconciliation movement and counsel three American presidents. Claiborne and Perkins draw on more than a century of combined following and learning, activating and leading. Together they craft a timely message for ordinary people willing to take radical steps to see real change happen. In Follow Me to Freedom, Claiborne and Perkins lead the way toward justice for all, unfolding a proven strategy as ancient as the patriarchs of faith and as fresh as the needs of every human heart. Starting with Moses as a model, they re-imagine leading and following in a world desperate for true social justice, compassion and freedom. They offer practical ways to internalize and live out God’s promise of freedom in the twenty-first century. Followers of Christ will not only be inspired but also catalyzed into action, and the world will never be the same.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #8637 in Books
  • Published on: 2009-09-15
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 224 pages

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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Shane Claiborne and John Perkins know the hopes and longings of this age. One is young; the other is decades older. One is a self-proclaimed reformed redneck who now lives in the inner city and has become a voice for compassionate change; the other is an evangelical African-American voice for civil rights who once was almost beaten to death by police inMississippi, and went on to counsel three presidents and launch a reconciliation movement. You would be hard pressed to find a more unlikely duo, yet Claiborne and Perkins now lead the way toward freedom for all. In a world hungry for radical hope, their stories, lessons learned and wisdom will guide us as we walk down the rugged road to another world. Followers of Christ will not only be inspired, but also catalyzed into being the hands, feet and heart of real change—and the world will never be the same.
Come along as we live out this conversation . . . there are many obstacles—so much suffering, poverty and violence. But our God is familiar with suffering. Our God can swallow up armies and pour out bread from the heavens. Wall Street may fail us, but the God who takes care of the lilies and the sparrows will never let us down. Our Savior has stared evil in the face and overcome it with love. And now we are invited to join the triumph of the cross . . . and to lead others on the narrow, rugged road to freedom.”

About the Author

Shane Claiborne, bestselling author of The Irresistible Revolution and co-author of Jesus for President, is a prominent activist and sought after speaker. He is one of the founding members of The Simple Way, a community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped birth and connects radical faith communities around the world. Shane serves on the board of directors of the Christian Community Development Association.  John Perkins has ministered among the poor for nearly 50 years. He founded Mendenhall Ministries, Voice of Calvary Ministries and the Harambee Christian Family Center and Preparatory School, and was cofounder of the Christian Community Development Association. He was publisher of Urban Family Magazine and is the author of nine books, including the civil rights classic Let Justice Roll Down, one of the top 50 books of the last half of the twentieth century, according to Christianity Today. Despite dropping out of school before he was 10, he now holds 8 honorary doctorates. John has served on the boards of directors of World Vision, Prison Fellowship, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), Spring Arbor College, and others. He is an international speaker and a teacher on the issues of racial reconciliation, indigenous leadership development and community development. Seattle Pacific University recently opened the John Perkins Center for Reconciliation.

Customer Reviews

Practical, brilliant leadership for today's church5
Most books used in church leadership today come from the market place, which can work, but this book is laser focused on church leadership. To me, most of the other leadership books drift away from being the church and find their strongest points in small circles of leadership that take place behind closed doors. This book, by two people leading from the streets, takes us into the hearts and lives of the people who desire to be the church if the church would just lead. The reader is invited to be a great, learned follower as we learn to be a great leader. Who we are following is as important, and can be more important, than who we are leading.

Shane and John take you right into their context with personal stories, which help give the reader very practical insights and lessons for our own church communities. You will find leadership in a grassroots way, living among the people and yet constantly empowering the people to learn to lead. For myself, leading in an impoverished, small church, this was a much needed read. In a time when it is sort of the trendy thing to do, church planting in an impoverished area, John and Shane call churches far beyond trends and into the grittiness of deep leadership. This book helps remove the rock star pastor from authority and moves them in with the people, where leadership can be raw and painful, but so necessary. More than in the highs and lows, leadership takes place in what seems mundane, the daily journey with people.

I would recommend that this book be placed in the hands of each person considering church planting, or any church leader who is looking to take their church out of the palace and into the streets. John and Shane's knowledge and experience is honest, helpful, and at times painful in stripping you of pride. Freedom indeed.

A call to action5
The Christian community has several talented members and I was reminded of that when I read this book. I am glad that these two guys found each other, for together they demonstrate faith in action. This book comes highly recommended for a variety of reasons. Let's consider who they are quoting. Examples included Gandi, St. Benedict, Henry Nouwen, George Barna, Tony Campolo, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Harold Reed, Rick Warren, Bob Lupton, Tertullian, MLK, Jacque Ellul, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, C. Peter Wagner, The Pope (see pg. 174 in reference to his conversation with St. Francis) The Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ. Also noteworthy are many scripture references in the book. (I think I stopped counting after twenty).

Over time this book will serve as the social justice handbook for a new generation of activists. Read it in conjunction with the NIV Stewardship Bible and Fasting, by Scot McKnight. Both John and Shane are experts on this subject and the book leaves me with a variety of questions. Namely, what should we do? With that I am just recycling the Liberation Theology question but it is still relevent. I would encourage those who read it to join the Christian Community Development Association and network with like minded Christians. After that, buy some new clothes for a homeless person and sponsor a child through Compassion International. Reread the book then give it to a friend.

B.T.W. let's remember to count our blessings too. I have met John Perkins and I am looking forward to the day when I meet Shane Claiborne. I appreciated his stories from the Simple Way. I didn't know much about that community until I read this book. Maybe someday in the future the three of us can take the day off and go to the circus. Shane and John are to social justice what Tom Brady and Randy Moss are to the New England Patriots offense! (i.e. a winning combination)