Hugh Halter’s Brimstone Reimagines Christian Witness In America

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - May 6, 2015 - PRLog -- Pastor, author and incarnational ministry leader, Hugh Halter, invites readers to discover how to have a ministry of non-judgment by removing the category of judgment from their lives completely, patterning their holiness after that of Jesus instead of the church. In his new book, Brimstone: The Art And Act Of Holy Nonjudgement, releasing July 1 from David C Cook, he suggests that the point of incarnational living is to take away all the lines in the sand that keep others from being drawn to us, and even more importantly, to Jesus.

Written for church leaders, nonprofit leaders and anyone wrestling with the judgment they see in the church today, Brimstone navigates readers through the great law of love given by Jesus. The book is meant to guide people clearly and simply through the failures and sins they see in the world, by putting those things alongside the teachings of Jesus. It offers a disruptive invitation to be holy as Jesus was Holy, and engage the sinful world with a smile instead of a pointing finger.

“We may be more politically correct today, but whether it be the argument over same sex marriage, legalized abortion, immigration issues, views on poverty, race relations, or simply how your standard evangelical youth group pressures high schoolers to go share their faith before their friends burn in hell, the stench of this impending fire seems to consume every aspect of our faith today,” says Halter.

“I’ll let you know right now—Brimstone is not about how we can properly judge the world,” continues Halter. “Nor is this another book trying to pick a nice neat alternative for those who are caught between Rob Bell or Francis Chan. This book is about judging ourselves, the ones who have become the noxious fumes.”

In Brimstone, Halter dares to tackle the topic of judgment by asking hard questions, like, “Would Jesus bake a cake for a gay wedding?” “Why don’t his followers live like Jesus lived?” This book will cover how to process these and other issues biblically, following Jesus’ model. It will also talk about the difference between judgment through loving eyes and judgment from a sinful point of view, as well as why we should seek to remove judgment from our lives altogether.

“Let’s be honest, Christians have lost the culture war,” suggests Halter. “The Church in the West is in stark decline and our kids no longer find the message of judgement tenable in the real world. People can’t see God clearly because Christians keep creating a fogbank of failed legalism and self-focused religion that keeps the world at a distance.

“In Revelation 21:8, we learn of a day of final judgment where all the wicked people swan dive into a lake of molten fire. This fire is made from an actual rock called brimstone,” adds Halter. “It is this scripture, and several others, that have formed a theological framework by which many good hearted Christians gain justification to level complaints, fight against, preach at and point a finger in the face of people that don’t see the world, sin, God, or eternal life as many of our ranks do.”

In Brimstone, Hugh helps readers become an appealing presence, negating the overuse of poor judgment, underuse of right judgment, and misuse of the people who get caught in the middle.

About Hugh Halter:
Hugh has planted two churches, has authored numerous books, including Flesh, Sacrilege, The Tangible Kingdom and Primer, and speaks extensively, encouraging and equipping pastors in incarnational ministry and missional leadership. He is also the US Director of FORGE AMERICA. He and his wife Cheryl live in Denver, CO, and have three adult children. More information on Halter can be found at http://hughhalter.com/.

About David C Cook:
David C Cook is a leading nonprofit resource provider serving the global Church with life-transforming, Christ-centered materials. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with offices in Illinois, Canada and the United Kingdom, David C Cook’s resources are published in over 150 languages and distributed in more than 160 countries. Originally founded in 1875 as a curriculum publisher, today David C Cook publishes numerous bestselling fiction and non-fiction books from a variety of award-winning authors. It is also a leading provider of worship music through its Integrity Music label, which produces over one-third of the top 100 praise and worship songs sung around the world. Additional information can be found at www.davidccook.com.