Faith in Community : Practices that Strengthen Churches and Neighborhoods

In the face of polarization and disconnection in American society, congregations remain vital for helping people create authentic community. This resource teaches pastors and church members how to strengthen their congregations through practices such as hospitality and small-group sharing and how to build up their neighborhoods through public service and faith-based community organizing. Stiltner provides inspiration and advice for Christians who still have hope for community.

Stiltner argues that America’s deepest crisis is a crisis of community. Drawing on six years of research in six congregations, Stiltner shows how churches can help rebuild social trust and strengthen civic life. Faith in Community offers a hopeful call for congregations to be the communities that God calls them to be, which will make their local communities stronger in the process.

Community is fragile these days, sometimes even in congregations. Stiltner contends that, in the face of political polarization and eroded social trust, Christians need to be very intentional about how they build community. What’s most important for doing so, both within the congregation and as the congregation reaches out, is nurturing relationships. With numerous examples from his research, Stiltner develops strategies for community building that are doable for any church.