It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the injustices that we see in the world. We don't know what to do and might think that we don't have anything to offer. But by using our gifts in collaboration with others, we can do more together than we ever could on our own. Activist Terence Lester knows it's hard to change the world. But mobilizing and acting together empowers us to do what we can't do as isolated individuals. Lester looks at the obstacles that prevent us from getting involved, and he offers practical ways that we can accomplish things together as groups, families, churches, and communities. He helps us find our place in the larger picture, discerning the unique ways we can contribute and make a difference. By connecting with our neighbors and discovering our own paths of service, we can drastically change how we follow Christ and see God moving in the world. Togetherness and community give visible testimony of the power of the gospel. In this broken world, the body of Christ can transform society-when we stand together.
"Terence invites us to embrace a love that is without measure and without regret. It connects us. . . . We are meant, after all, for kinship and connection. We are grateful to have been reminded. In precisely this, Terence Lester is the shape of God's heart."
From the foreword by Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries
"Through vulnerability, conviction, and empathy, Terence Lester clearly lights a path to what togetherness can look like on this never-ending journey to justice. When We Stand invites us to see ourselves the way God does: as a unified body, with each person having a specific and valuable role to play in the larger story. A breath of fresh air and a needed push in the right direction, this book will leave readers encouraged and equipped for hard, holy work."
Danielle Coke, digital illustrator and activist
"When We Stand is both an intimate and intentional work, infused with personal reflection as well as community recruitment to action. It teaches us that with the advent of the cellphone, we have all been exposed to injustice (both concerning race and resources) and therefore have been called to action. This provocative piece by my friend and colleague Terence Lester is both a motivational journal of his personal call to action and events that he could not ignore, and a model journeyinto a collective call that we can share. Now is the time to act, and When We Stand is the pathway to action."
William K. Gravely, lead pastor of Refuge Community Church, Austell, Georgia
