Ever since Max Weber started an argument about the role of Protestantism in jump-starting northern Europe's economic development, scholars have clashed over the influence of religion and culture on a society's (or an individual's) economic prospects. Today, many wonder whether the "explosion" of Protestantism in Latin America will effect a similar wave of growth and democratization. In this book, Sherman compiles the results of her field study and national survey of 1000 rural Guatemalan households. She offers persuasive evidence that, in Guatemala and throughout the region, religious world-views significantly influence economic life. Sherman explains how the change in attitude and behavior that accompanies conversion from animism to a Biblically orthodox world-view has improved the domestic welfare and economic status of many families. Further, she asserts that this new attitude, sympathetic to democratic-capitalism, has created a "moral cultural soil" in which freedom, personal empowerment, an enhanced status for women, and a desire to get ahead can be nurtured.

The Soul of Development: Biblical Christianity and Economic Transformation in Guatemala (Religion in America)

History

Sherman, Amy L.

Americas

Oxford University Press

Preferential Option: A Christian and Neoliberal Strategy for Latin America's Poor

Business & Money

Economics

Eerdmans Pub.Co.

<ul><li>A 2013 Christianity Today Book Award winner</li></ul> Imagine the scenarios: <ul>
<li>a CEO successfully negotiates a corporate merger, avoiding hundreds of layoffs in the process</li>
<li>an artist completes a mosaic for public display at a bank, showcasing neighborhood heroes</li>
<li>a contractor creates a work-release program in cooperation with a local prison, growing the business and seeing countless former inmates turn their lives around</li>
<li>a high-school principal graduates 20 percent more students than the previous year, and the school's average scores go up by a similar percentage</li>
</ul> Now imagine a parade in the streets for each event. That's the vision of Proverbs 11:10, in which the tsaddiqim―the people who see everything they have as gifts from God to be stewarded for his purposes―pursue their vocation with an eye to the greater good. Amy Sherman, director of the Center on Faith in Communities and scholar of vocational stewardship, uses the tsaddiqim as a springboard to explore how, through our faith-formed calling, we announce the kingdom of God to our everyday world. But cultural trends toward privatism and materialism threaten to dis-integrate our faith and our work. And the church, in ways large and small, has itself capitulated to those trends, while simultaneously elevating the "special calling" of professional ministry and neglecting the vocational formation of laypeople. In the process, we have, in ways large and small, subverted our kingdom mandate. God is on the move, and he calls each of us, from our various halls of power and privilege, to follow him. Here is your chance, keeping this kingdom calling in view, to steward your faith and work toward righteousness. In so doing, you will bless the world, and as you flourish, the world will celebrate.

Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good

Religion & Spirituality

McNeal, Reggie

Garber, Steven

Christian Books & Bibles

It's easy to get discouraged at the reports of continuing decay in our inner cities and impoverished rural areas. Yet in the midst of the dark realities, some churches are transforming lives and reclaiming communities through effective, holistic ministries. 'Restorers of Hope' tells their stories and identifies the keys to their success. And it goes further by challenging churches to take up Christ's command to love your neighbor and offering specific, practical guidance on how to reach out. By understanding the challenges of persistent poverty - and the opportunities afforded by welfare reform - you and your church will be better equipped to engage in redemptive ministry that presents the gospel as the true solution.

Restorers of Hope: Reaching the Poor in Your Community With Church-Based Ministries That Work

Crossway Books

Review\n"Narrowing the perilous Sunday-to-Monday gap may be the most urgent and compelling need for the church in our time. In Agents of Flourishing, Amy Sherman brilliantly presses into the implications and opportunities for organizations and local churches that are embracing a transforming vocational mission for the glory of God and the common good. Sherman's theological rigor and storytelling prowess prompt my imagination to soar and my heart to skip a beat in considering the wide-open door of gospel impact available to the church in our time. This is a book every pastor and Christian leader needs to read. I highly recommend it." -- Tom Nelson, author of The Flourishing Pastor and president of Made to Flourish\n"Amy Sherman does it again! She lands squarely on critical issues and practices that should demonstrate what it means to be Christ's people in the world for the common good. She always motivates and inspires me to follow in the Jesus way, to which she so ably points. Don't just read this book, let it guide you to live out its compelling, Jesus-shaped vision." -- Mark Labberton, president of Fuller Theological Seminary\n"The kingdom of God is his primary mission on earth: providing life as he intends―true, beautiful, just, abundant! Dr. Sherman has delivered a masterful tome of how the church has partnered with God in his kingdom work throughout history, along with contemporary examples of this partnership at work and practical strategies and insights for those who want to get in on what God is up to. What a gift, Amy!" -- Reggie McNeal, author of Kingdom Come and city coach with GoodCities\n"Amy Sherman has done it again! Her thesis this time is that the good news is way bigger than we could have imagined. And the church―those who collectively find themselves following Jesus of Nazareth―has the best chance of helping each person flourish in every area of life: spiritually, relationally, economically, educationally, artistically, and vocationally. Throughout history, parts of the church in different parts of the world have gotten parts of this flourishing framework right, which led to the abolition of the slave trade, the adoption of children, care for the sick, the establishment of public schools and public spaces, and job creation for the common good. Today we can see the complete ecosystem of a flourishing community and the role we can play in helping to bring that about. I believe Agents of Flourishing can serve as the systematic theology for advancing shalom in every community and will be the go-to source for those who find themselves captivated by Jeremiah's word to 'seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you.'" -- Eric Swanson, senior fellow with Leadership Network\n"When history looks back on the church in America at the start of the twenty-first century, it won't be a pretty sight. Division, scandals, unbelief, materialism, individualism, theological drift . . . the list goes on and on. We've simply lost our way. Fortunately, this latest work by Dr. Amy Sherman provides a road map to help us get back on track. Amy rightly focuses our attention on the central message of Jesus―the good news of the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43)―and provides readers with helpful prompts to improvise this story in their cities and neighborhoods. Miraculously, we are to do this―not by exercising worldly power but from a posture of humility, grace, and sacrificial love. This is the way of King Jesus, and it needs to be the way of the church once again." -- Brian Fikkert, president and founder of the Chalmers Center, coauthor of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself\n"Agents of Flourishing is a timely book loaded with expert guidance and amazingly practical insights for local churches (agents of God's inbreaking kingdom) seeking the flourishing of their communities. It presents captivating examples of local churches' engagement with six community endowments―th

Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society (Made to Flourish Resources)

Politics & Social Sciences

Philosophy

Restorers of Hope: Reaching the Poor in Your Community with Church-Based Ministries that Work

Wipf and Stock

Dramatic political, economic, and sociocultural changes are taking place in Latin America, opening up promising possibilities for improving the lives of the poor in that region. This book assesses current trends and argues that a market-friendly development model is the most legitimate, desirable, and feasible strategy for attaining a Biblically informed conception of holistic development.

Imagina el escenario: Un exitoso director ejecutivo negocia una fusión de compañías, y en el proceso evita cientos de despidos. Un artista completa un mosaico para exhibición pública en un banco, en el que retrata a héroes del barrio. Un contratista crea un programa de permiso laboral en cooperación con una cárcel local, aumentando el negocio y permitiendo que muchos expresidiarios enmienden sus vidas. Una escuela secundaria gradúa un 20 por ciento más de alumnos que el año anterior, y las notas promedio de la escuela aumentan en un porcentaje similar.
 Ahora imagina un desfile en las calles, alabando a Dios por cada suceso. Esa es la visión de Proverbios 11:10, donde los tsaddiqim las personas que ven todo lo que tienen como dones de Dios para ser administrados para sus propósitos realizan su vocación con miras al bien mayor.
 Amy Sherman, directora del Centro sobre Fe en Comunidades y estudiosa de la mayordomía vocacional, analiza de qué manera las tendencias culturales relacionadas con nuestra vida profesional amenazan con desintegrar nuestra fe y nuestro trabajo, y de qué manera la propia iglesia, de formas grandes y pequeñas, ha contribuido a la erosión de nuestra idea de la vocación. Sin embargo, cuando la iglesia mantiene la mirada en un llamado del reino, el pueblo de Dios administra su fe y su trabajo para la justicia. Al hacerlo, bendicen al mundo, y en tanto que ellos prosperan, el mundo celebra.

El llamado del reino (Spanish Edition): Mayordomía vocacional para el bien común

Proyecto Nehemias

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