Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon - Hardcover

David Kinnaman; Matlock, Mark; Hawkins, Aly

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801013151 ISBN 13: 9780801013157

Publisher: Baker Books, 2019

Synopsis

Discover What's Working and Find Hope
Negative perceptions. Church dropouts. Prodigals and nomads. It's easy to get discouraged by all that's going wrong when it comes to Christianity and the emerging generation. Yet what's going right? In fact, signs of hope are springing up all around. In Faith for Exiles, the author of unChristian and You Lost Me unveils major new Barna research that uncovers what's working--five practices that contribute to resilience. Enter the world of resilient young adult Christians and learn how they are sustaining faith. Finally, you can find hope in all that God is doing among young disciples today.

Caught Between Cultures
In a world where always-connected smart devices and search algorithms educate and entertain, digital Babylon is the new context for discipleship. Faith for Exiles reveals findings from a groundbreaking three-year research study of young Christians whose faith remains resilient even in exile. Barna president David Kinnaman teams up with former executive director of Youth Specialties Mark Matlock to help you:

• Make sense of chaotic cultural changes and respond with compassion to the next generation of believers
• Recognize the biblical concept of exile as an essential framework for following Christ today
• Discover five research-based practices that cultivate faithfulness in digital Babylon
• Prepare young Christians to be on mission with Jesus in the world
• Empower Jesus followers of all ages to thrive in our current exile

About this title

About the Authors

David Kinnaman is coauthor of unChristian, You Lost Me, and Good Faith. He is president of Barna Group, a leading research and communications company that works with churches, nonprofits, and businesses ranging from film studios to financial services. Since 1995, David has directed interviews with more than one million individuals and overseen hundreds of U.S. and global research studies. He and his wife live in California with their three children.

Mark Matlock is Senior Fellow at Barna and a facilitator of innovation and impact. As the founder of WisdomWorks, he has been a consultant for many national and international faith-based organizations, helping them adapt to changing times by turning data and research into strategy and action. Having guided many projects with Barna, Mark's research provides insights into understanding younger generations, cultivating resilient disciples, and knowing the pulse of your city. Mark most recently coauthored Faith for Exiles with David Kinnaman and is currently working on Emotionally Healthy Discipleship for teens with Pete Scazzero.

ALY HAWKINS and her husband, Bryan Ashmore, live, write, and make music in Southern California. Aly is the author of Shine: Beautiful Inside and Out, as well as numerous articles. Married for five years, Aly and Bryan are passionate about living at the intersection of faith, art, and culture.

From the Back Cover

Discover what's working and find hope.

Negative perceptions. Church dropouts. Prodigals and nomads. It's easy to become discouraged by all that's going wrong when it comes to Christianity and the emerging generation. Yet what's going right? In fact, signs of hope are springing up all around. In Faith for Exiles, the author of unChristian and You Lost Me unveils major new Barna research that uncovers what's working--five practices that contribute to resilience. Enter the world of resilient young adult Christians and learn how they are sustaining faith. Finally, you can find hope in all that God is doing among young disciples today.

Praise for You Lost Me

"The next generation is leaving institutional Christianity, but they are drawn to movements of God that invest in relational discipleship. Kinnaman sounds the alarm while providing savvy advice on connecting with disaffected youth."--Leadership Journal, Top Book of 2011

"Kinnaman is unafraid to criticize in the name of reform, and he bolsters his research arguments with concrete suggestions for improvement. A must-read for anyone concerned about the future of Christianity."--Publishers Weekly, starred review


Praise for unChristian


"unChristian could be a milestone on the way to a changed church--one that represents Christ in humility, love, grace, and service toward all. Essential reading for all Christian leaders."--CBA Retailers

"An engaging, challenging, and morally compelling study."--Library Journal

"This is a wonderful, thoughtful book that conveys difficult truths in a spirit of humility. Every Christian should read this, and it will likely influence the church for years to come."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

From the Inside Flap

Screens disciple.

The lighted rectangles in our pockets--smartphones and their bigger siblings, tablets and computers--have redefined so much about our lives, including spirituality and the pursuit of God. The ubiquity and power of the interconnected, digital age is affecting how we shape our souls. In other words, screens disciple.

In a world where always-connected smart devices and search algorithms educate and entertain, digital Babylon is the new context for discipleship. That means we are all exiles now.

This practical and thought-provoking book reveals findings from a groundbreaking three-year research study. Barna president David Kinnaman teams up with former executive director of Youth Specialties Mark Matlock to help you

· make sense of chaotic cultural changes and respond with compassion to the next generation of believers
· recognize the biblical concept of exile as an essential framework for following Christ today
· discover five research-based practices that cultivate faithfulness in digital Babylon
· prepare young Christians to be on mission with Jesus in the world
· empower Jesus followers of all ages to thrive in our current exile

Just as Scripture says, we can remain confident that God has a bigger picture in mind for those in exile. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'"*


* Jeremiah 29:11

Edition details

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801013151
• ISBN 13: 9780801013157
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240