One Another

Here is a memoir written for our increasingly impersonal, lonely, and distrustful age. Author Ken Lottis demonstrates that it is possible to develop strong, intimate, long-term friendships. One Another--written with humor, spiritual insight, and transparency--will inspire readers to live for what matters most: the people in our lives.

In the mid-1960s, Ken and his college friend, Jim Petersen, along with their wives and small children, embarked on a surprising Brazilian adventure. Moving from the United States to Brazil, they settled in the southern city of Curitiba during an era of deep political and social turmoil. Overcoming false suspicions that they were CIA agents, Ken and Jim began to develop friendships with university students. They presented the students with an authentic opportunity to learn more about Jesus through the Scriptures-without any connection to traditional religious practices or structures.

This freedom gave their Brazilian friends the space to think about life's biggest questions and to strengthen friendships within the context of normal Brazilian routines. Gradually, these relationships extended organically to include classmates, hometown sweethearts, and relatives. What emerged--and continues today--is a simple but powerful expression of friendship and faith. Ken and Jim learned that the New Testament model for church is entirely relational. The Brazilians taught them that our deepest human needs are best served when we love one another and live for God in daily life.

One Another will fill your mind with ideas for how to invest in your relationships and deepen your faith in God without religious structures.

Ken Lottis was born and raised in Salem, Oregon. He is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he earned a BA in history. After graduation in 1958, Ken served with The Navigators on college campuses and servicemen's centers. In 1963, he and his wife, Carol, accepted an invitation to team up with Jim and Marge Petersen in Brazil. Together they embarked on a two-decade adventure that resulted in profound, lasting friendships and a vibrant expression of Christian faith. Ken died in 2015. Carol continues to serve her family and friends where she lives in the state of Washington.