Thanks to contributions from generous donors, more than 1,000 copies of Jesus Matters: Good News for the 21st Century, a new book from Mennonite Publishing Network (MPN), have been given to pastors of Mennonite Church USA congregations.
About $10,000 was donated by a number of individuals to give away the book, which explores why Jesus still matters for young adults today.
The money was raised by the books co-editors, David Shenk and James Krabill.
“We just mentioned the idea to a few people, and the funds came in,” says Shenk. “It was a touching and humbling experience.”
About $1,000 of that amount was personally donated by Lancaster Mennonite Conference bishops.
“They dug into their own pockets to make it available to their pastors,” says Shenk.
The donated funds were also used to give copies to all members of the Mennonite World Conference Global Missions Council, as well as the Mennonite World Conference Executive Council. In addition to the donations, Mennonite Mission Network bought copies for 450 youth leaders at the Mennonite Church USA convention in Columbus, and Eastern Mennonite Missions bought 100 copies for missionaries and church planters.
The mailing to pastors was accompanied by a letter from Ron Byler, acting executive director of Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership.
Jesus Matters “is filled with important stuff for people who take Jesus seriously,” said Byler, adding that it “can be a valuable resource for small groups, Sunday school classes, youth and young adult groups, new believers’ classes, leadership training and more.”
Jesus Matters consists of 16 chapters on topics such as Jesus and creation, Jesus and the cross, Jesus and salvation, Jesus and mission, and Jesus and the future. Each chapter is a collaborative effort between authors such as Shenk, Krabill, Stanley Green, Michele Hershberger, Mark Thiessen Nation, Willard Swartley, Jack Suderman, April Yamasaki and others, along with young adults in Canada and the United States.
“There are gale force winds blowing in our culture that challenge our commitment to Christ,” says Shenk. “The goal of this book is to show that Jesus continues to be relevant and surprising good news today.”
Jesus Matters is available at your local Christian bookstore.
Mennonite Publishing Network is the publishing agency of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.