Larry Duggins

Rooted in Grace is a collection of essays, liturgies, and spiritual exercises focused on staying connected during difficult discussions. Each essay includes questions for discussion for ease of use in small groups and Sunday School lessons. While the collection was designed to be helpful in congregational discussions of the 2019 UMC General Conference and the discussion of The Way Forward, it does not specifically address questions around human sexuality. Rather, it addresses the vanishing art of disagreeing without devolving into animosity. The book has applications well beyond the current issues within the UMC. Rooted in Grace was written by people connected to the Missional Wisdom Foundation. The authors are young and old, male and female, gay and straight, and the opinions and perspectives are varied. The result is a book that speaks to all people without regard to their political party or position on human sexuality issues.

Many have experienced Christianity as a confusing list of restrictive rules designed to wring all of the joy out of life. Others seek to live as Christians without a clear understanding of what the focus of a Christian life should be, leaving them to wonder if Jesus had more in mind than regular Sunday morning worship attendance. What does a healthy Christian life look like? Larry Duggins has molded three anchor scriptures into a simple model of balanced Christian life using the Celtic cross as an illustration. Duggins believes that the Greatest Commandment, the Hymn of Kenosis, and the Prayer of Unity combine to guide a life of worship, sharing, service, and community that leads to a closer relationship with God. This simple, engaging book includes questions for reflection and discussion, and is appropriate for both the curious and the committed. This second edition includes a new introduction and two new chapters addressing the question of balance and the nature of the ""other."" ""This accessible, clear guide to four discipleship practices can help congregations move from Sunday morning Christianity to experiences of genuine community, missional engagement, and lifelong spiritual growth."" --Elaine A. Heath, Dean, Professor of Missional and Pastoral Theology, Divinity School, Duke University ""Simple and shallow--that's foolish. Simple and deep--that's wise. Larry Duggins' new book, Simple Harmony, is wise. His words are simple and few, and they become a portal into a beautiful vision of what it means to live life in the way of Christ, which is the way of love."" --Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration Larry Duggins is a Leader and Executive Director of the Missional Wisdom Foundation, which experiments with and teaches about alternative Christian community. Dr. Duggins is an elder in full connection in the United Methodist Church.

Many have experienced Christianity as a confusing list of restrictive rules designed to wring all of the joy out of life. Others seek to live as Christians without a clear understanding of what the focus of a Christian life should be, leaving them to wonder if Jesus had more in mind than regular Sunday morning worship attendance. What does a healthy Christian life look like? Larry Duggins has molded three anchor scriptures into a simple model of balanced Christian life using the Celtic cross as an illustration. Duggins believes that the Greatest Commandment, the Hymn of Kenosis, and the Prayer of Unity combine to guide a life of worship, sharing, service, and community that leads to a closer relationship with God. This simple, engaging book includes questions for reflection and discussion, and is appropriate for both the curious and the committed. This second edition includes a new introduction and two new chapters addressing the question of balance and the nature of the ""other."" ""This accessible, clear guide to four discipleship practices can help congregations move from Sunday morning Christianity to experiences of genuine community, missional engagement, and lifelong spiritual growth."" --Elaine A. Heath, Dean, Professor of Missional and Pastoral Theology, Divinity School, Duke University ""Simple and shallow--that's foolish. Simple and deep--that's wise. Larry Duggins' new book, Simple Harmony, is wise. His words are simple and few, and they become a portal into a beautiful vision of what it means to live life in the way of Christ, which is the way of love."" --Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration Larry Duggins is a Leader and Executive Director of the Missional Wisdom Foundation, which experiments with and teaches about alternative Christian community. Dr. Duggins is an elder in full connection in the United Methodist Church.