Peppermint-Filled Piñatas: Breaking Through Tolerance and Embracing Love (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Relationship evangelism is the message of this book from Bryant, "the bald white guy" on staff at the 80-nationalities multicultural Christian community Mosaic in Los Angeles. "Love is the new apologetic," writes Bryant. For too long, he argues, the world has been made aware of what Christians hate rather than whom they love; what they are against rather than what they support. Christians, he says, "have created an environment where we are seen as judgmental, irrelevant, mean, and hypocritical." Mixing scripture, humor and personal anecdotes (including a great one about a filling station clerk), Bryant invites Christians to develop a "party theology": invite others to share in your life, and accept invitations to participate in other people's lives, especially if they are different from you in some way. The content is familiar: look to connect through a common cause, hobby or passion. Learn conflict resolution and practice it. Break stereotypes, whether they are ethnic, economic, sexual, religious or political. Apart from one confusing anecdote about a schizophrenic who seems to get well through Christian service, this is a solid book for Christians who have "head knowledge" about relationship evangelism, but need encouragement rather than how-to steps to put that knowledge into action. (June)
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Product Description

How can we move our churches to become relevant, responsive, and reflective of the global community? That’s the question that Eric Michael Bryant poses in Peppermint-Filled Pinatas. With stories, observations, and thought-provoking suggestions, this book maps the way beyond ethnic, racial, and cultural barriers to the communities that Jesus wants us to have.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; annotated edition edition (June 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310273846
• ISBN-13: 978-0310273844
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #285,691 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discovering the uniqueness of those around you, August 4, 2007

By	Cheryl Russell "Book reviewer, writer" (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Most churches don't react well to diversity. The inclination is to turn inward and preserve what is familiar.

But is that the right way to react to those people that are different?

Not according to the author, a staff leader at Mosaic, an LA church known for its diversity. Using humor and personal stories, Eric re-introduces a better way, one that originated with a humble Carpenter over two thousand years ago.


People need to be seen as unique individuals, important in their own right. Love is the strongest apologetic there is, but has been lost in the plethora of programs and rules. Outdated ways that no longer work in this more diverse world.

But this new, yet not new, way is risky. Relationship building takes time. Stepping out of one's comfort zone is a frightening prospect for many. Pain can be the result when one's attempts at friendship are rejected. Most people are content to remain within the familiar, under the sometimes false assumption it is a safer place to be.

Eric speaks from experience. As a BWG (bald white guy) he's experienced rejection and criticism based on his looks and others' assumptions. But he hasn't allowed those experiences to make him bitter or cynical. Instead, he reacts with humor and grace, telling us of a better way to live and interact with those around us. This is a book that has a home on my keeper shelf.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Embrace Love, Love Your Neighbor, July 18, 2007

By	B. Hewitt "Trusting in my Savior" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Eric Bryant did a wonderful job showing, explaining, and encouraging the reader to love those and our neighbors we tend to overlook on a daily basis. He even shows us how to show love to those we might even dislike. And how we are to befriend everyone so we can help them to discover and experience what a true relationship with God is all about.

Isn't this what Jesus did? Isn't this Jesus' call to all of us?

Eric used first-hand accounts throughout his life and in his leadership role at Mosaic in Los Angeles to help the reader to show love and grace and to understand how to build relationships with those who hold radically different beliefs from dispite what their race or religious background may be.

I highly recommend this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, June 4, 2007

By	Dan (Florida) - See all my reviews

I highly recommend this book. Eric does a masterful job of reinforcing Jesus' call to love others, in a very practical way. He also reveals some of the "secrets" he has learned in his life and leadership role at Mosaic in LA that have helped people connect with Christ despite of ethnic, religious, political, and even moral differences. This book encourages us to love the people we might normally overlook or even dislike, befriending them and helping them to discover a true relationship with God.