Buy new:
-15% $13.63
FREE delivery October 4 - 8
Ships from: kozybooks85
Sold by: kozybooks85
$13.63 with 15 percent savings
List Price: $16.00
The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
FREE delivery October 4 - 8. Details
Or fastest delivery Tomorrow, October 3. Order within 9 hrs 16 mins. Details
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$13.63 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$13.63
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
kozybooks85
Ships from
kozybooks85
Sold by
kozybooks85
Sold by
kozybooks85
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$8.92
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Pages and cover are intact. Used book in good and clean conditions. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Ships directly from Amazon. Pages and cover are intact. Used book in good and clean conditions. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Ships directly from Amazon. See less
FREE delivery Monday, October 7 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Friday, October 4. Order within 20 hrs 16 mins.
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$13.63 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$13.63
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

John Pavlovitz
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community Paperback – October 6, 2017

by John Pavlovitz (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 661 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$13.63","priceAmount":13.63,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"63","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"B5zMKAPsoyl%2FF4wKtaGNWSqvCqQ8KGL02pjMZTIwKgEYYdN%2FFdGYAW9R53qwvNR8QOaitViVmbLm91rDVPjAR4ZOiOhLFWBI%2BOcDWM50ATeckXtjmmyLFk5AniG1je3dooOp6ykG1xUF%2BMHuwDY2Ialz8SvayZTAW%2Bg7OlXTpa42KF73KEgB5g%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$8.92","priceAmount":8.92,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"8","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"92","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"B5zMKAPsoyl%2FF4wKtaGNWSqvCqQ8KGL0ZvOSYRSDQyLBjnzJTg2Iu8%2BIYUT9gjpm6nEFT7YvGWblUjSLjSkaUy624znhjfaaPF%2Br5jN7lq73haO4dNrkJjfnhYCCsOj0V%2Fa3wj8I%2F7BKNZCm8CdLYNuDZ8jQDCzi1R9Cy9NnwQQ%2BAtIHaN7Z5u8ziyx9c93l","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

No one likes to eat alone; to approach a table filled with people, only to be told that despite the open chairs there isn't room for you. The rejection stings. It leaves a mark. Yet this is exactly what the church has been saying to far too many people for far too long: "You're not welcome here. Find someplace else to sit." How can we extend unconditional welcome and acceptance in a world increasingly marked by bigotry, fear, and exclusion?

Pastor John Pavlovitz invites readers to join him on the journey to find—or build—a church that is big enough for everyone. He speaks clearly into the heart of the issues the Christian community has been earnestly wrestling with: LGBT inclusion, gender equality, racial tensions, and global concerns. A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, Hopeful Spiritual Community asks if organized Christianity can find a new way of faithfully continuing the work Jesus began two thousand years ago, where everyone gets a seat.

Pavlovitz shares moving personal stories and his careful observations as a pastor to set the table for a new, more loving conversation on these and other important matters of faith. He invites us to build the bigger table Jesus imagined, practicing radical hospitality, total authenticity, messy diversity, and agenda-free community.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    188 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Westminster John Knox Press
  4. Publication date
    October 6, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.75 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0664262678
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0664262679
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community
This item: A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community
$14.70
Get it as soon as Monday, Oct 7
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Michigan treasures resale and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk: Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans
$10.99
Get it as soon as Monday, Oct 7
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Worth Fighting For: Finding Courage and Compassion When Cruelty is Trending
$15.99
Get it as soon as Monday, Oct 7
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Pavlovitz takes pains to ground his arguments in scriptural references and writes with an eloquence and deep sense of care toward the church as an institution. Regardless of what theological stance readers live by, Pavlovitz will inspire reflection with valid points on the importance of going directly to God's word for marching orders."&mdashPublishers Weekly

About the Author

John Pavlovitz is a pastor and blogger from Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Relevant Magazine, ChurchLeaders.com, and The Good Men Project. He also writes for his popular blog Stuff That Needs to Be Said at johnpavlovitz.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Westminster John Knox Press (October 6, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 188 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0664262678
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0664262679
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.75 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 661 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
John Pavlovitz

John Pavlovitz

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

John Pavlovitz is a pastor, writer, and activist from Wake Forest, North Carolina.

In the past four years his blog Stuff That Needs To Be Said has reached a diverse worldwide audience. A 20-year veteran in the trenches of local church ministry, John is committed to equality, diversity, and justice.

In 2017 he released his first book A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community, and his forthcoming book Hope and Other Superpowers: A Life-Affirming, Love-Defending, Butt-Kicking, World-Saving Manifesto, arrives November 6th, 2018.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
661 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book filled with great wisdom, insight, and profound revelations. They also appreciate the clear and relatable writing style. Readers describe the journey as truthful, refreshing, and authentic on many levels.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
InsightWriting styleAuthenticityEase of use
66 customers mention "Insight"66 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, inspiring, and life-affirming. They say it touches their hearts and experiences. Readers also appreciate the author's noteworthy job of detailing his faith development and interesting view points.

"...down-to-earth style and found his point of view understandable and instructive...." Read more

"...He offers a vision of hope, inclusion, and unconditional love. He answers the question, “What would Jesus do?”..." Read more

"...Pavlovitz does a most noteworthy job of detailing his faith development and how this has been woven into his own church experience and commitment...." Read more

"...The experiences you share throughout the book are inspirational and well needed in today's society...." Read more

37 customers mention "Writing style"37 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style clear, inspiring, and easy to read. They say the book is relatable, thoughtful, and brave. Readers also appreciate the messages that hit hard.

"...In his new book, “A Bigger Table,” these thoughtful, pointed essays have been distilled into a guide for rediscovering what it truly means to live..." Read more

"John, this book is such an eye opener. The experiences you share throughout the book are inspirational and well needed in today's society...." Read more

"...Well written, a personal perspective of life as a Pastor who wants all to be welcome to the table of Jesus...." Read more

"...It was well worth the wait. I found it surprisingly personal...." Read more

7 customers mention "Authenticity"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book authentic, truthful, and refreshing. They also say it's relatable on many levels.

"...feelings - humor, anger, joy... John's story is thought provoking and honest, and it spoke to my feelings of unrest in my spirituality, as well as..." Read more

"...Humble. Authentic. Vital. Respectful. He shares a vision of how we can connect across disparate points of view and in doing so become more human." Read more

"...It was inspiring, life-affirming, inclusive, authentic and utterly Christ-like in its ministry and modeling. May I strive always to be the same...." Read more

"...His journey is real, truthful, and inspiring! Brings humanity back to religion. My "table" is expanding every day!" Read more

3 customers mention "Ease of use"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to use. They mention it's full of road signs, tutorials, and anecdotes.

"...It is easy – and very hard. As John says, “Pull up a chair …” and get to work." Read more

"This book was full of roadsigns, tutorials, and anecdotes leading to a place of increased inclusion...." Read more

"...”, Christian and otherwise, and articulates them elegantly, simply and passionately...." Read more

"Ask anything, say everything..."
5 out of 5 stars
"Ask anything, say everything..."
One of the most reaffirming books I've recently read is "A Bigger Table". With all the unrest in the world today, it's reassuring to know that a) I'm not insane, and b) I'm not alone. This is an interesting perspective, filled with real feelings - humor, anger, joy... John's story is thought provoking and honest, and it spoke to my feelings of unrest in my spirituality, as well as rekindling the fires of my activist self. Time and again, I found myself highlighting passages, re-reading them, and continuing to think about them for hours and days afterwards. His words have allowed me to reconnect to parts of myself that had gotten overwhelmed with all of the needs in the world today, and I'm ready to get back into the fight with renewed energy. After you read the book, be sure to look up his blog for further inspiration.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

LeeLee8081
5.0 out of 5 stars Making the case for inclusiveness, and how to achieve it
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2017
Verified Purchase
Pastor-author-blogger John Pavlovitz has been calling out hypocritical, illogical, uninformed, bigoted thinking for years through his blog, “Stuff That Needs to be Said.” In his new book, “A Bigger Table,” these thoughtful, pointed essays have been distilled into a guide for rediscovering what it truly means to live like Christians. I appreciated his down-to-earth style and found his point of view understandable and instructive. The clear way that he presented his ideas helped to validate, organize and solidify my own random, disorganized thinking. His no-nonsense message stands in sharp contrast to the all-nonsense diatribes coming from those who are full of hate and fear. Unchristian “Christians” have corrupted the meaning of the term. This book strips away the rampant hypocrisy that has warped Christianity into a hostile, judgmental, exclusionary force that Christ would find unrecognizable. John advocates a welcoming environment of inclusiveness, acceptance, open-mindedness and authenticity – expanding our tables to make room for all. He describes the ‘Table’ of the title as being supported by four legs -- Radical Hospitality, Total Authenticity, True Diversity and Agenda-Free Community -- and repeatedly stresses the hard work that will be required to achieve and consistently live by those tenets. Building a bigger table requires us to honestly love all our neighbors as we love ourselves. By embracing diversity rather than fearing and condemning it, we make our lives richer, more fulfilling, and more “Christian.” We have only to examine, reflect on and live by Christ’s teachings in order to set a bigger table. It is easy – and very hard. As John says, “Pull up a chair …” and get to work.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Janice Eastburn
5.0 out of 5 stars Amen To This Book!
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
This book is exactly the message that needs to be heard during this turbulent time. So much of what we hear from the most outspoken (self-proclaimed) representatives of Christianity these days serves to divide, rather than unite, us. God’s children are seemingly ranked in terms of worthiness, with too many being demonized and treated as “other” rather than “brother”. This is not the larger vision Jesus gave to the world and it is a big reason why so many people are turned off by “Christianity” right now. Mr. Pavlovitz, himself a Christian minister, invites us to, instead, live a life of love and authentic acceptance. He invites us to walk the path that Jesus walked. He invites us to openly engage and know those we view as “different”, to demonstrate genuine hospitality, to build spiritual communities that reflect the true diversity of God’s children. He invites us to roll up our sleeves and truly know and accept one another; to not just break bread with those who butter it the same way we do. He offers a vision of hope, inclusion, and unconditional love. He answers the question, “What would Jesus do?” by giving us practical steps to create the spiritual community that is worthy of Jesus’ name. Thank-you, and bless you, Mr. Pavlovitz!
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Gingergaie
5.0 out of 5 stars AN IMPORTANT BOOK FOR THE TIMES
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
The title "A BIGGER TABLE..." immediately captured my attention, I had to read this. Pavlovitz does a most noteworthy job of detailing his faith development and how this has been woven into his own church experience and commitment. I highly encourage everyone to read John's story as a the story of one man's faith seeking understanding in today's world. Following John's social media connections on FB and Instagram will keep you in the loop of faith abiding and thriving inside and along side current events. This is a guy to watch and follow.

Our church has been living out the kind of Christian hospitality Pavlovitz embraces. And it is messy and unbridled, but also surprising and inspirational; and those faith-filled surprises are what imotivate us all. No cookie cutter Christianity here. Welcoming others without strings attached and being with them in their moments without expectation certainly has its challenges. In these moments as we bet on God's generosity and grace, our own attitudes and generosity are changing and growing and that is AMAZING! This is not easy and is best done in community. John's writing melds people's experiences and faith [or not-so-much faith] into the context of this fast changing, post-modern world. His evidence and testimony assure, God's grace abounds beyond our imaginations.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind and Heart opening from page #1
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
John, this book is such an eye opener. The experiences you share throughout the book are inspirational and well needed in today's society. The one word I used to describe what I read was "GRATITUDE".grat·i·tude
/ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/
noun
1.
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness:
"she expressed her gratitude to the committee for their support"
synonyms:
gratefulness, thankfulness,

Your book projects the Love you feel about others and how opening your mind and heart will ensure your "Bigger Table" will need more and more settings. Understanding the BIG PICTURE is exactly what you have here, in simple words. Some people open their minds and close their hearts where others open their hearts and close their minds. You have opened both at once and it's Astounding. I have read this book, "A Bigger Table", 3 times and each time I learn and see things more clearly. I have never been so Inspired by any other book, like this one. It is the Change we need today. The Change in the Right direction as Humans.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

valerie dyck
5.0 out of 5 stars This book shows a more loving way
Reviewed in Canada on March 18, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book is just what the evangelicals need in this hour. The concept of the bigger table is not a new one, but in the present climate of hostility and small thinking, this book shows a much more loving, Christlike way to move forward
Report
Sian yates
5.0 out of 5 stars Inclusive church
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
An excellent discussion starter for all who really seek to live out a Gospel of inclusivity and love.....and to transform the church into the body we need to be.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Bob
5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking the barriers
Reviewed in Australia on September 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
At a time when there is much talk about diversity and not much action, this book comes as a timely reminder to all of us.
Report
Elizabeth
5.0 out of 5 stars Find faith again
Reviewed in Canada on November 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
I came across John Pavlovitz blogs on social media. The first one I read, brought me to tears. I kept reading more and then ordered his book. Wow. A person of faith, who finally speaks to those that may have given up on it. If you want to read a powerful book, with a message that will touch you, and restore your outlook. This is the book.
Report
Robert John May
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2018
Verified Purchase
No problems!!
Report