June 9, 2014
Love is both a noun and a verb is the main message Rasmus (Touch), pastor of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Houston, conveys in this concise inspirational guide. Rasmus, who leads St. John’s with his wife, Juanita, is a community-minded leader who has enlisted the help of Beyoncé and Tina Knowles, among others, to aid his hunger ministry. Rasmus’s handbook for pastors and congregations who are contemplating the challenges and benefits of following God’s example to love others unconditionally concentrates on the details of the Bible’s “love chapter,” Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, and draws on biblical stories and personal experiences to encourage readers to pursue the love they dream about in life, faith, and community. Chapters centered on different aspects of love include questions and lists to promote reflection and nudge readers away from their conventional understandings. The combination of good storytelling and memorable acronyms (for example, PIMP, which stands for “People Indulged in Materialistic Pursuits”) make this a thoughtful read.