A New Loved & Sent Partnership

I wrote a book a few years ago.  I did it for my church and for pastors-in-training who were asking to take resources to their first churches.  The title is Loved & Sent.  In a narrative way, it explores the heart of Christianity through the lens of identity and purpose.  

These two words emerged through the hard knocks of life and ministry.  As a new pastor I was connecting with college students and young adults for whom the church was a liability and Jesus was merely an interesting dead guy.  I wondered, “Does this Christian thing even matter?  How much difference does it really make?  Should I get a real job?”

I discovered that one thing all people have in common is a quest for identity and purpose.  Everyone wants to belong, to be someone, to be accepted.  And everyone longs to have a compelling “why,” to matter, to find their unique calling in the world.

The words “loved and sent” emerged in a conversation with a friend over coffee as we were ranting about flaky Millennials. For Christians, “loved” and “sent” encapsulate our answer to identity and purpose. They are a simple way for us to get at the gospel and mission.  

One liability with writing Loved & Sent is that you might think it’s simply a book, a product, or a program when it’s actually a dynamic reality.  It is the movement of God in which we live, like inhaling and exhaling.

The gospel and mission.
Being and doing, who you are and what you do.
The interior life and the exterior life.
The harbor and the horizon. 
Receive from God; respond with action.  

The loved and sent dynamic has been a compass and guide to my local congregation for years.  I never expected more than that, except that others have found it helpful.  

As a self-published author, I have been shipping books out of my basement.  My wife loves it. (That’s sarcasm.)  So I’m grateful to have a new partner to distribute the book.  Not only that, but CTA (Christ to All) has helped me assemble a team to write and produce other resources to compliment the message (small group study guide, kids and youth materials, playbook for a community day of service, etc.).  
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You can always get the book on Amazon, but if you want to order a quantity, my basement is empty.  Just contact CTA and they’d be happy to help.