Where Are The Christians?

Sometimes, people come into my life

through the backdoor, so-to-speak.

Meaning, I don't see them coming

or expect the impact that they will make

once I get to know them.

It is in the getting to know them

that I come to wonder how it is

that I am so fortunate and privileged

to have crossed paths with them,

as they exceed my expectations.

Eric Shuster is my backdoor friend.

I first met him through an opportunity wherein

I was assigned to find a Guest Speaker at a special event

and his name was recommended to me.

That was three years ago.

Since that time, I have had the great pleasure 

of coming to know and love him and his beautiful wife, Marilyn

and their family.

As the best friendships are created,

we have been as blessed by this union as they have.

Our daughter Diana was their nanny before her mission,

as they adopted a set of twins and their older brother.

In the process, 

they became her "second parents" and I cannot say 

how much we truly appreciate their great capacity to love

and the profound influence they've had,

and continue to have

upon our family.

*Marilyn and Eric with our Nana on her first trip to the temple.

Eric and Marilyn are lovely, intelligent truth seekers and sharers--

as he shared in his first book, 

"Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest"

and then 

The Biblical Roots of Mormonism.

Eric's latest offering is here and I am so stinkin' excited to share it here 

with my family and friends!

Here is the thought-provoking introduction to his marvelous work:

"Ponder if you will the state of our world; and in particular the condition of America. Although one can easily argue the United States is still the greatest nation in the world and a country so many desire to come to—even risk their lives to enter into—there is no denying America’s social, moral and spiritual fabric continues to deteriorate at an accelerated pace. For many this is an alarming and discouraging trend.
Now consider the fact that 76% of Americans claim to be Christian, making the United States one of the highest per-capita Christian nations in the world. A nation full of Christians in a deteriorating society? If this indeed be the case then WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIANS? To solve this conundrum author Eric Shuster gives us a book that bears this question as its title with the promise of answers and unique journey for readers.
Where are the Christians? uses the classic format of who, what, where and how to explore Christianity and the dynamics that unite and divide the religion into the unrealized potential it suffers from today (thus the subtitle of the book—the Unrealized Potential of a Divided Religion). The book enlightens readers as to who the Christians are from a historical perspective; what a Christian is from a spiritual perspective; where the Christians are from a behavioral perspective; and how Christianity can be strengthened and more united from a societal perspective. Where are the Christians? examines hundreds of Biblical and scholarly sources, analyzing data from a multitude of studies leading to unique perspectives and solutions to the challenges facing Christianity in the modern era.
Where are the Christians? contains 17 chapters arranged into four sections:
* SECTION 1: WHO ARE THE CHRISTIANS?—a history: 4 chapters providing a concise history of Christianity spread across four distinct periods: Evangelization and Formation, Legitimacy and Codification, Corruption and Division, and Reform and Denominational Proliferation.
* SECTION 2: WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?—a definition: 4 chapters examining the definition of a Christian from the perspectives of the world, the Bible, landmark religious studies, and what Shuster refers to as Modern Day Pharisees.
* SECTION 3: WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIANS?—a categorization: 5 chapters profiling the five types of modern Christians including a unique and enlightening exercise to help readers understand what type of Christian they are among the five.
* SECTION 4 – HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE?—a vision: 4 chapters describing the ways Christians in America can unite into a force for good by focusing on individuals, families, churches and communities.
For the next 4 weeks author Eric Shuster will take us on a tour through each of the four sections of Where are the Christians? providing a glimpse of what the book is all about—the questions it will answer in each chapter, the insights it will provide, and the vision it lays out in bringing together a deeply divided religion into realizing its true potential for America. This is one tour you won’t want to miss!
Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book."

I am honored to have been asked to participate in the release of his new book and enthusiastically encourage
the reading and sharing of it!  Thanks, Eric!