Dream with Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win

by John Perkins; Randy Alcorn

Publisher:

Baker

, 2017

According to recent surveys and studies, race relations in the United States are the worst they've been since the 1990s, and many would argue that life for most minorities has not significantly improved since the civil rights era of the 1960s. For so many, the dream of true equality has dissolved into a reality of prejudice, fear, and violence as a way of life.

John M. Perkins has been there from the beginning. Raised by his sharecropping grandparents, Perkins fled Mississippi in 1947 after his brother was fatally shot by a police officer. He led voter registration efforts in 1964, worked for school desegregation in 1967, and was imprisoned and tortured in 1970. Through it all, he has remained determined to seek justice and reconciliation based in Christ's redemptive work.

"Justice is something that every generation has to strive for," he says. And despite the setbacks of recent years, Perkins finds hope in the young people he has met all across the nation who are hard at work, bringing about reconciliation in God's name and offering acceptance to all. Dream with Me is his look back at a life devoted to seeking justice for all God's people, as well as a look forward to what he sees as a potentially historic breakthrough for people of every race.

From the Back Cover

"There aren't many people--other than Jesus and my wife--who I can say changed my life. John Perkins is one of them."--from foreword by Randy Alcorn

"At a time when the racial divide in the United States is widening into a chasm, I cannot think of a more needed message than this book."--Philip Yancey, bestselling Christian author/speaker

"The light from within Dr. John Perkins shines so brightly that you can't help but be impacted."--Judah Smith, lead pastor of The City Church; New York Times bestselling author

"This book reveals a critical narrative that must be engaged."--Soong-Chan Rah, author of The Next Evangelicalism and Return to Justice

Contents

Top Highlights

“American society has lost its capacity for pluralism in many ways. We have begun to believe that if others don’t agree with us, then we don’t have to listen to them. We dehumanize people who don’t think like we do and, consequently, justify our violence against them.” (source)

“This illustrates a problem with black theology—or at least black Christian practice. Unfortunately, often the black community is very slow to forgive, expecting white people to prove their repentance by their works.” (source)

“Everyone wants to fight crime, fight violence, fight racism, and fight injustice, but love is still the final fight, and unless we have these communities of love, we will never see this dream realized.” (source)

“But I’ve come to understand that true justice is wrapped up in love.” (source)

“Even today, many church leaders maintain that it is inappropriate or even evil to organize their congregations to get them to protest injustice. Thus, the struggle to understand biblical truth about justice and redemption continues.” (source)

Product Details

• Title : Dream with Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win
• Authors:
  • Perkins, John M.
  • Alcorn, Randy
• Publisher: Baker
• Publication Date: 2017
• ISBN: 9781493406081

About the Authors

John M. Perkins is cofounder of the Christian Community Development Association and director of the John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development in Jackson, Mississippi. He is the author of many books, including Let Justice Roll Down, named by Christianity Today as one of the top fifty books that have shaped evangelicals.