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When Faith Catches Fire

Embracing the Spiritual Passion of the Latino Reformation

Samuel Rodriguez & Robert C. Crosby

About When Faith Catches Fire

God Loves a Heart on Fire
What can move your faith from a principle you learn to a passion you experience? According to Samuel Rodriguez and Dr. Robert Crosby, the answer might be found in a surprising place: the Latino church. As the fastest growing minority in America, Latinos are impacting church culture through vibrant worship, fervent prayer, and a commitment to change the world--one soul at a time.
 
As a follower of Jesus, has your soul been truly set afire?
 
Christian leaders are witnessing a remarkable phenomenon, kindled first in the Latino/Hispanic community and spreading like wildfire throughout the global church.
 
Latinos are much discussed in the United States for their dynamic political and socioeconomic impact, but not as much is said about their spiritual influence. In reality the effects of the Latino church are more akin to a spiritual awakening than a mere social trend. And there is so much all believers can learn from Latino Christ-followers.
 
At the core of this dramatic shift is a call to embrace a more soulful, passionate faith. In this powerful book, Christians will gain valuable insights on how to:
 
•     fully experience the joy of God and the passion of His Spirit
•     develop a true sense of unity amidst diversity in the body of Christ
•     make an eternal impact on their families, communities, and the world
 
Complete with discussion questions for individual reflection or small group use, this timely work will challenge the status quo of passionless Christianity and set the believer’s soul ablaze.
 
“When Faith Catches Fire is both an exploration and a celebration of the ‘salsafication’ of the church….God will use it in splendid ways.”
-John Ortberg, senior pastor and author of All the Places to Go
 
“The passionate fire from the heart of this book will serve as a rallying cry to all Latinos and beyond.”
-Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor, past president of the Southern Baptist Convention

Praise

“When Faith Catches Fire is both an exploration and a celebration of the ‘salsafication’ of the church—God’s work among Latinos and Hispanics in the United States and worldwide. This topic is prophetic and indispensable.”
—John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Church and author of All the Places to Go

“The growing Latino presence is widely recognized as a critical theme in the contemporary United States. But as Rodriguez and Crosby show so powerfully, that presence has a powerful and transformative religious dimension. When Faith Catches Fire is a timely and inspiring survey of the vibrant world of Latin faith. An exciting book!”
—Dr. Philip Jenkins, distinguished professor of history, Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University

“When Faith Catches Fire is the prophetic and unapologetic response to the passionate wave of change that is on the cusp of exploding from the church to the corridors of Washington. Rodriguez and Crosby have unearthed the undeniable sound of the forthcoming Latino era. It’s the dawn of a new day, and Latinos are leading the way.”
—Sergio De La Mora, founding lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Diego and author of The Heart Revolution

“In When Faith Catches Fire, Samuel and Robert bring us up close to this incredible growing movement of Latino Christians. Read it, and you will find your own faith enriched and reignited.”
—Roma Downey, producer, actress, and president and chief content officer of Lightworkers Media

“The Hispanic and Latino church is on fire! I recommend the reading of this book if you are looking to serve and serve well in the midst of our twenty-first century multicultural society.”
—Dr. Samuel Pagan, dean for Hispanic programs, Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies

“This carefully researched, balanced, and highly readable book provides a superb overview of one of the most important developments in the religion and culture of our times. The section on what a vigorous Argentine pope means for Latin American protestants is a jewel of clarity. The volume will be indispensable for leaders and laity alike in all denominations.”
—Dr. Harvey Cox, Hollis professor of divinity emeritus, Harvard University, and author of The Market as God

“Samuel Rodriguez and Robert Crosby provide a much-needed perspective on the global church.… Readers will be inspired to live out a more passionate and joy-filled faith, focused less on the rules of religion and more on cultivating a soulful relationship with their Creator and those in their community.”
—Bobby Gruenewald, founder of YouVersion, the Bible App

“For many, the Latino Reformation is unknown, unrecognized, and unimportant—three good reasons why every white and black Christian needs to read When Faith Catches Fire.”
—Dr. Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

“When Faith Catches Fire is a faithfully documented work which reflects the growing influence of the Latino people in the United States and the positive effects it has had upon this nation.”
—Rev. Alberto M. Delgado, MA, ThD, president of South Florida Hispanic Ministers Association

“The passionate fire from the heart of this book will serve as a rallying cry to all Latinos and beyond. Now is the time we must unify in the gospel of Jesus Christ and reach this world for Christ.”
—Dr. Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church and past president of the Southern Baptist Convention

“Samuel Rodriguez and Robert Crosby masterfully submerge us into the enthusiasm, passion, and hope of the Latino church.”
—Guillermo Aguayo, co-founder of Salvemos a la Familia (“Save the Family”), Lima, Peru

“Truly, God is at work today and the Hispanic and Latino church has caught fire. Rodriguez and Crosby have captured this divine work in a remarkable way in When Faith Catches Fire. These younger leaders and scholars have encapsulated the genuine key to living, uniting, and changing the world…with passion!”
—Dr. Robert E. Cooley, president emeritus, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

“When Faith Catches Fire shines an informed light on Latinos among us, a multiethnic population of Christian faith shaping the future of the American church.”
—Dr. Mark DeYmaz, pastor of Mosaic Church in central Arkansas and president of Mosaix Global Network

“In When Faith Catches Fire, the authors educate the reader on the flourishing Latino church in America and give us imagination for what’s possible when the church is less segregated, more multicultural, and embraces the beauty of different cultures.”
—Gabe Lyons, founder of Q-Ideas and author of Good Faith, unChristian, and The Next Christians

About Samuel Rodriguez

Samuel Rodriguez is the president of NHCLC/Conela, an international organization of more than 500,000 evangelical churches. He is a sought-after voice in White House and congressional meetings and is regularly featured on CNN, Fox News, NBC Telemundo, and other major news outlets. The author of The Lamb's Agenda, Rodriguez is the senior pastor of New Seasons Christian Worship Center in Sacramento, California, where he resides with his wife, Eva, and their three children.

About Robert C. Crosby

DR. ROBERT C. CROSBY is a pastor, conference speaker, and the co-founder of Teaming Life (www.teaminglife.com). He serves as Professor of Practical Theology at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. He has pastored multi-ethnic churches in New York, Boston, and Tampa. His most recent books include The One Jesus Loves, The Will of a Man & The Way of a Woman, and The Teaming Church.  He writes for Christianity TodayLeadership Journal, Outreach Magazine, and The Huffington Post.

Product Details

240 pages | Published by WaterBrook

On Sale Date: Jun 20, 2017

Trim Size: 5-1/2 x 8-1/4

Carton Quantity: 24

Sneak Peek

Click Here to download the first chapter of When Faith Catches Fire by Samuel Rodriguez & Robert C. Crosby 

About When Faith Catches Fire

God Loves a Heart on Fire What can move your faith from a principle you learn to a passion you experience? According to Samuel Rodriguez and Dr. Robert Crosby, the answer might be found in a surprising place: the Latino church. As the fastest growing minority in America, Latinos are impacting church culture through vibrant worship, fervent prayer, and a commitment to change the world--one soul at a time. As a follower of Jesus, has your soul been truly set afire? Christian leaders are witnessing a remarkable phenomenon, kindled first in the Latino/Hispanic community and spreading like wildfire throughout the global church. Latinos are much discussed in the United States for their dynamic political and socioeconomic impact, but not as much is said about their spiritual influence. In reality the effects of the Latino church are more akin to a spiritual awakening than a mere social trend. And there is so much all believers can learn from Latino Christ-followers. At the core of this dramatic shift is a call to embrace a more soulful, passionate faith. In this powerful book, Christians will gain valuable insights on how to: •     Fully experience the joy of God and the passion of His Spirit •     Develop a true sense of unity amidst diversity in the body of Christ •     Make an eternal impact on their families, communities, and the world Complete with discussion questions for individual reflection or small group use, this timely work will challenge the status quo of passionless Christianity and set the believer’s soul ablaze. “Your eyes will be opened to something phenomenal God is doing today in the Latino church.” --Robert Morris, founding senior pastor, Gateway Church

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Beverly Rykerd, VP, Publicity Director
brykerd@penguinrandomhouse.com
(719) 268-1935
 
Latino Christians Lead Tidal Wave of Change in Church, Communities, the World

“For many, the Latino Reformation is unknown, unrecognized, and unimportant—three good reasons why every white and black Christian needs to read When Faith Catches Fire.”
—Dr. Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

Latino Christians are blazing trails of local, national, regional and global change. In the next few years, their influence will only continue to grow and be felt in the church, in business, in government and politics, in the economy, in arts and sports and in the important and pressing issue of race relations.
 
This year the Christian church will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. In When Faith Catches Fire: Embracing the Spiritual Passion of the Latino Reformation (WaterBrook, June 20, 2017), Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and Dr. Robert Crosby, theology professor at Southeastern University, argue that the Latino Reformation has begun. A movement they call the “salsafication” of the church is poised to impact every area of culture.

According to Rodriguez and Crosby, the tipping point is here. Consider these facts:
·       Latino Evangelicals are the fastest-growing religious group in the United States
·       Latinos are turning not just to Protestantism but to its evangelical strain…more than 35% of Hispanics in America call themselves born-again
·       The massive Christian population in Latin America is becoming more Pentecostal or charismatic
·       Rodriguez was the first Evangelical Latino to participate in the inauguration ceremony for a U.S. president

“We believe the church’s greatest opportunities are now multiethnic and multigenerational…” write Rodriguez and Crosby. “Whether you’re a neighbor, pastor, teacher, government leader or businessperson who wants to reach out to Latinos, this is the book to help you do so, to help you understand more of the significance and immediacy of the opportunity.”

In When Faith Catches Fire, Rodriguez and Crosby unpack the reasons for the growing Latino influence on the Church, noting the phenomenon is more of a spiritual awakening than a social trend. This awakening is leading to what the authors see as a more passionate, spirit-filled faith sweeping throughout North and South America. Along with it comes changes in forms of worship, an emphasis on diversity and a growing concern to incorporate compassion into evangelism.

In addition, Rodriguez and Crosby address head on the Latino influence on many of the leading issues of the day for not only Latino Christians themselves, but for the direction of American society as a whole, such as:
·       Immigration
·       Race Relations
·       Politics
·       Sanctity of life
“This carefully researched, balanced, and highly readable book provides a superb overview of one of the most important developments in the religion and culture of our time,” says Dr. Harvey Cox, Hollis professor of divinity emeritus, Harvard University. “The volume will be indispensable for leaders and laity alike in all denominations.”

For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Samuel Rodriguez
is the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC)/CONEL, the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization, which represents more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals in nearly 500,000 churches in the U.S. and other countries. Rodriguez, who spoke at the inauguration ceremony for President Donald Trump, is the first Evangelical Latino to participate in a presidential inauguration.  He has served as an advisor to three presidents. Rodriguez is named on many lists of influencers in America’s religious and Latino communities. He is the author of The Lamb's Agenda and Be Light. He and his family live in Sacramento, CA. www.nhclc.org

Dr. Robert Crosby
is a pastor, conference speaker and the co-founder of Teaming Life. He serves as professor of practical theology at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. He has pastored multi-ethnic churches in New York, Boston, and Tampa. His most recent books include The One Jesus Loves, The Will of a Man & The Way of a Woman and The Teaming Church.  He writes for Christianity Today, Leadership Journal, Outreach Magazine and The Huffington Post. www.teaminglife.com
 

Contact Publicist

Beverly Rykerd