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.
Follow Me to Freedom
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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.”
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
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.
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.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Brandon Vogt
Format:Paperback
John Perkins and Shane Claiborne are two of my heroes. Well-known social activists, they are also modern-day prophets. John is an African-American Christian who was active in the civil-rights movement, later founding the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). Shane has been described as a contemporary John the Baptist--right down to the scraggly hair, home-made clothes, and radical lifestyle. Both men, following the great Biblical prophets, call people to repent, love the poor, and embrace a life of simplicity. Their faith isn't merely an interior piety, but is embodied through compassionate, radical lifestyles.
John and Shane have dialogued about leadership and social justice over the years, and this eventually led to the publication of "Follow Me to Freedom" (Regal Books, 214 pages, paperback). Social justice and leadership are the book's main themes, but the content isn't somber as those subjects may seem. Reading John and Shane's dialogues is like sitting on the front porch with two close friends, rather than listening to a lecture in a sterile classroom. The tone is informal, as jokes are cracked throughout the pages.
This light tone helps balance the book's difficult message. Encouragement to "love as Jesus loves" often leads to guilt, but Shane and John avoid condemnation. Instead of decrying your current lifestyle, they present an alluring vision for what it could be. In their discussions they guide you toward a radical lifestyle through fascination.
The dialogue in "Follow Me to Freedom" is mainly practical, although there is some theology and history scattered throughout. John and Shane don't just tell you how to live; they show you through their stories.... Read more ›
John and Shane have dialogued about leadership and social justice over the years, and this eventually led to the publication of "Follow Me to Freedom" (Regal Books, 214 pages, paperback). Social justice and leadership are the book's main themes, but the content isn't somber as those subjects may seem. Reading John and Shane's dialogues is like sitting on the front porch with two close friends, rather than listening to a lecture in a sterile classroom. The tone is informal, as jokes are cracked throughout the pages.
This light tone helps balance the book's difficult message. Encouragement to "love as Jesus loves" often leads to guilt, but Shane and John avoid condemnation. Instead of decrying your current lifestyle, they present an alluring vision for what it could be. In their discussions they guide you toward a radical lifestyle through fascination.
The dialogue in "Follow Me to Freedom" is mainly practical, although there is some theology and history scattered throughout. John and Shane don't just tell you how to live; they show you through their stories.... Read more ›
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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.
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.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is simply a beautiful book. I'm starting the process to become an ordained minister and I read this book. It has encouragedm me and challenged me to be a better leader so I can then become a better pastor. I felt I was getting a clear image of Jesus' heart as I read this conversation. Amazing. Truly a must read for anyone in a leadership position.
By R0D3R1CK
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The book is pretty good. Worth reading, but not what I expected from Shane. The back and forth dialogue is....different.
By D. C. Smith
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am a fan of Shane Claiborne; I admit that. He is one of several authors (Tony Campolo being another) who helped me return to the Church after basically losing my faith. He can be a bit preachy at times and overly assured in the exact correctness of what he does. That's ok with me. He has a good strength of his convictions which, unfortunately, comes very close to sounding like a know-it-all. Perhaps it is his youth, I hope. Most readers can hopefully see beyond this.
Why I only gave this book 3 stars is that much of the material has been recycled from other books or writings from Claiborne. It is the same stories over again. To me, this is a big disappointment. It seems like a lazy effort, or worse, squeezing every dime out of a limited life experience. And, I must admit, 3 stars is being generous. If I did not like Claiborne so much and give him some of the credit for helping me to understand Christianity as the faith where the followers of Jesus are engaged in the world, this book would get 1 or 2 stars.
Why I only gave this book 3 stars is that much of the material has been recycled from other books or writings from Claiborne. It is the same stories over again. To me, this is a big disappointment. It seems like a lazy effort, or worse, squeezing every dime out of a limited life experience. And, I must admit, 3 stars is being generous. If I did not like Claiborne so much and give him some of the credit for helping me to understand Christianity as the faith where the followers of Jesus are engaged in the world, this book would get 1 or 2 stars.
By Logan M.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Not even done yet. Loving it. It's the kind of book that makes you really, really want to be following Christ as He wants you to be.
It's changing my priorities and making me rethink the way that I want to live and the direction I want to take.
before you read this, read "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane claiborne. Even better.
After this, I'm reading John M. Perkins' autobiography.:-)
Good one for sure.
It's changing my priorities and making me rethink the way that I want to live and the direction I want to take.
before you read this, read "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane claiborne. Even better.
After this, I'm reading John M. Perkins' autobiography.:-)
Good one for sure.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
I Cautiously Recommend this Book
I have just finished the book Follow Me to Freedom by Shane Claiborne and John Perkins. I have definitely learned a lot from this book about the nature of poverty and injustice. Read more
Published on May 8, 2010 by M. P. Rowley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good content, narration by the authors would have made it better.
The idea of Follow Me to Freedom is that in order to be a good leader, you first have to be a good follower (of Christ). Read more
Published on April 21, 2010 by Adam
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eye opening!
Great insight to both leaders and followers from two who are both leaders and followers. Highly recommend
Published on February 27, 2010 by W. Wolfe
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