Books
Compassionate Community Work
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In Compassionate Community Work, Dave Andrews has provided a truly remarkable and comprehensive resource for teaching and learning about community development. This “introductory course on community work for churches” is much more than a text book. It is an invitation to participate in an experiential, highly practical, spiritually rich, and potentially life-changing learning process. This exceptional resource is the product of someone who has dedicated much of his life to nurturing in himself and others a commitment to work with those whom society so easily ignores, neglects, and sometimes even despises. Dave’s course is utterly unique. Prayer, meditation, vigorous engagement with Biblical material, private and communal reflection are all central activities. Behind it lies a love and respect for the church, but also a longing to see churches, in whatever shape they take, develop as rich communities where we love God, love and sustain one another, and truly love our neighbour. For user-friendliness, this course ranks highly. Explanations and instructions are given with great clarity. Moreover, the material would be easy to adapt to different contexts. In producing this manual, Dave has done us a great service. Review by Steve Bradbury. Contact TEAR Australia to purchase a copy. |
Plan Be: Be the change you want to see in the world
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Dave Andrews, author of Compassionate Community Work, has published a book entitled Plan Be: Be the change you want to see in the world. Plan Be rescues the ‘beatitudes’ from their obscurity as a poetic introduction to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and reframes them as a set of radical ‘Be-Attitudes’ that can enable us to ‘be the change we want to see in the world’. According to Dave Andrews, the ‘Be-Attitudes’ are an original, imaginative and brilliantly do-able set of realistic ideals that introduce us to Jesus’ ingenious way of engaging our world of poverty and violence. Plan Be has an introductory price of AUD 15. Email angie@lastfirst.net for details on how to obtain a copy.'Plan Be is a simple practical easy-to-use manual for a do-it-yourself global ethical revolution. In 8 concise punchy chapters Dave Andrews unpacks the hidden dynamics in the 8 Be-Attitudes and shows us how they can help us reshape our personal-political worlds’. Eden.co.uk ‘The essence of Jesus’ teaching is the Sermon on the Mount. Yet Christians have not taken this seriously. Dave Andrews reminds us that we edit out this teaching at our global peril.’ Tim Costello, CEO, World Vision Australia ‘Dave Andrews helps us to emancipate the Beatitudes from the too-hard list, and embrace them as prime ingredients in God’s recipe for a grace-full revolution.’ Steve Bradbury, Micah Network‘Plan Be is a call to live against the tide of violence, vengeance and unforgiveness, in order to nurture into being a world that reflects the radical love and justice of the One who uttered the words of the beatitudes so long ago. This book is to be read, internalised and lived!’ Dr Charles Ringma, Theologian. 'Dave Andrews continues to be a major inspiration. (Dave’s) important prophetic voice deserves global attention. I think Plan Be will be his most widely-read book yet. It’s high time for Plan Be spirituality.’ Brian McLaren, author of ‘The Secret Message of Jesus’ and ‘Everything Must Change’ |
Hey, Be and See
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Hey, Be And See explores how we can incarnate the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth by practicing the Be-Attitudes.
Email angie@lastfirst.net for details on how to obtain a copy. |
See what I mean?
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See What I Mean? tells eight great stories about how I try to actually practice the eight Be-Atitudes in my own life.
Email angie@lastfirst.net for details on how to obtain a copy. |
People of Compassion
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'This is a collection of 40 stories about ordinary people throughout history who have embodied Christ's extraordinary spirit of compassion. The book is intended as a starting point for group discussion or individual reflection on what it means to follow Christ's commandment to love our neighbour. Each story is short, easy to read, and has a few questions for discussion or reflection at the end.' Naomi Waldron, Review, Journey Magazine With the support of the Qld Bible Society, Capacity Builders have helped develop some great campaign resources for individuals, groups, schools, colleges, churches and all kinds of print and electronic media to use along with Plan Be. They include:
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A Divine Society
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A Divine Society published by Frank Communications available from www.lastfirst.net ‘The doctrine of the Trinity — that God is one yet three and three without ceasing to be one — is for many people the most perplexing of all beliefs. How does one make sense of it? Dave Andrews…has meditated long and hard on what this most mysterious and beautiful of religious beliefs means, not just at a theoretical or speculative level — but also at a practical, down-to-earth level. An indispensable paradigm for living together…in a cruel, violent and lonely world.’ Dr Chris Marshall, Senior Lecturer in Christian Theology, Victoria University |