About this item
A better story of faith exists, and it has the capacity to heal the world--if we only embrace, articulate, and live it more courageously.You know what you don't believe: about the Bible, the church, and God. You don't agree with the doctrines of an exclusionary, dominant Christianity. But what if someone asked you: "What do you believe?" In this primer on progressive, expansive, generous Christianity, writer and pastor Bruce Reyes-Chow helps us reconsider--or consider for the first time--what it means to choose faith. What if we could articulate the gospel of love, kindness, humility, and justice? What if the Christian narrative both embraces contradiction and lays claim to deep, historic truths? And what if everything good about God is actually true?With clarity, vulnerability, and wit, Reyes-Chow helps us learn a grammar of faith about God, Jesus, and the Spirit that breathes fresh meaning into old words like sin, confession, salvation, baptism, communion, and gratitude.
About the Author
Bruce is a pastor, author, consultant, and coach. A 3rd Generation Chinese/Filipino, armchair sociologist, and technology enthusiast Bruce speaks and teaches on faith, race, parenting, and technology in a variety of contexts from seminaries to conferences to congregations to pre-schools. While he speaks to both religious and secular audiences and is committed to living and expressing a Christian faith that is beautifully complex, unimaginably just, and excruciatingly gracious.Bruce has been a Presbyterian pastor for over 23 years and served as the founding pastor of Mission Bay Community Church in San Francisco from 2000-2012, a church of young, multicultural and progressive Presbyterians. He has served congregations that have been diverse in size, socio-economics, and ages in Portola Valley, Daly City, and San Francisco. In 2008 he was the youngest person ever elected as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) , the highest elected office of the then 1.8 million-member denomination.Bruce's main work with organizations has dealt with organizational systems, institutional change, and long-term visioning. With individuals he often addresses understanding authentic leadership styles, maintaining work-life balance, and helping people move from passion to implementation. He has experience working with the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Inventory, The Enneagram, as well as being a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths and trained in Organizational Transition Leadership and Pastoral Care and Counseling.Bruce was born, May 3, 1969 in Stockton, CA and his home church is Trinity Presbyterian Church, a church formed to support Filipino immigrants and farmworkers. After growing up in both Sacramento and Stockton, Bruce received his BA in Asian American Studies, Philosophy and Sociology from San Francisco State University (1991) , MA from San Francisco Theological Seminary (1995) and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Austin College (2010) . He was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2009.He is currently the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, Senior Consultant with the Center for Progressive Renewal, and a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. He extremely active on social media and can be found via @breyeschow on most social networks.Bruce and his wife, Robin Pugh, have raised three children along with multiple canines, rats, fish, and the occasional crawdad. He is an avid soccer fan, follows the Oakland Athletics Baseball Club, and photography feeds his soul. You can connect with Bruce via @breyeschow on most social networks visit his blog, www.reyes-chow.com, and/or see what others say about him on wikipedia.
