Tom Lin

Fundraising can be one of the most stressful parts of ministry. Budget needs are daunting, prospects seem limited, and the cycle is unending. How do we get off of the treadmill of crisis-driven fundraising to more sustainable ministry funding? Professional fundraiser Brad Layland revolutionizes fundraising and transforms it into a relational process where donors truly become partners in ministry. With decades of expertise in leading multimillion-dollar capital campaigns and working with major donors, he offers a more strategic and personalized yet less labor-intensive approach. Practical insights include ten essential elements of a case and four key steps that lead up to making an ask. Ultimately, fundraising is best done in community, and this book will help you develop a community of people who enjoy giving and want your organization to succeed. Fundraising can become a life-giving, energizing experience of developing partners who fuel your ministry's vision. Discover how you can become fully funded and accomplish the work that God has given you to do.

Winner of the Carnegie Medal for ExcellenceFinalist for the Young Lions Fiction AwardOrphaned young, Ming Tsu, the son of Chinese immigrants, is raised by the notorious leader of a California crime syndicate, who trains him to be his deadly enforcer. But when Ming falls in love with Ada, the daughter of a powerful railroad magnate, and the two elope, he seizes the opportunity to escape to a different life. Soon after, in a violent raid, the tycoon's henchmen kidnap Ada and conscript Ming into service for the Central Pacific Railroad. Battered, heartbroken, and yet defiant, Ming partners with a blind clairvoyant known only as the prophet. Together the two set out to rescue his wife and to exact revenge on the men who destroyed Ming, aided by a troupe of magic-show performers, some with supernatural powers, whom they meet on the journey. Ming blazes his way across the West, settling old scores with a single-minded devotion that culminates in an explosive and unexpected finale. Written with the violent ardor of Cormac McCarthy and the otherworldly inventiveness of Ted Chiang, The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu is at once a thriller, a romance, and a story of one man's quest for redemption in the face of a distinctly American brutality." In Tom Lin's novel, the atmosphere of Cormac McCarthy's West, or that of the Coen Brothers' True Grit, gives way to the phantasmagorical shades of Ray Bradbury, Charles Finney's The Circus of Dr. Lao, and Katherine Dunn's Geek Love. Yet The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu has a velocity and perspective all its own, and is a fierce new version of the Westward Dream." -Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn

This is the first in-depth examination of the important ongoing fusion of activism, capitalism, and social change masterfully told through a compelling narrative filled with vivid stories and striking studies. Today, corporations and their executives are at the front lines of some of the most important and contentious social and political issues of our time, such as voting rights, gun violence, racial justice, immigration reform, climate change, and gender equality. Why is this sea change in business and activism happening? How should executives and activists engage one another to create meaningful progress? What are potential pitfalls and risks for each side? What can they learn from each other? What first principles should guide leaders moving forward? The Capitalist and the Activist offers an engaging and thoughtful look at the new reality of corporate social activism--its driving forces, promises and perils, and implications for our businesses and personal lives. Weaving deep research and fascinating stories that span business, entertainment, history, science, and politics, Tom Lin provides an insightful road map for how society arrived here and a practical compass for moving forward. Drawing together examples from the civil rights movement, campaign finance litigation, gun regulation, Black Lives Matter, the Confederate flag controversy, the Trump presidency, and other historical events, Lin brilliantly reveals and charts the course for a changing society of capitalists and activists seeking both profit and progress. The Capitalist and the Activist is a must-read for anyone trying to understand the emerging future of activism, business, and politics.

Orphaned young, Ming Tsu, the son of Chinese immigrants, is raised by the notorious leader of a California crime syndicate, who trains him to be his deadly enforcer. But when Ming falls in love with Ada, the daughter of a powerful railroad magnate, and the two elope, he seizes the opportunity to escape to a different life. Soon after, in a violent raid, the tycoon's henchmen kidnap Ada and conscript Ming into service for the Central Pacific Railroad. Battered, heartbroken, and yet defiant, Ming partners with a blind clairvoyant known only as the prophet. Together the two set out to rescue his wife and to exact revenge on the men who destroyed Ming, aided by a troupe of magic-show performers, some with supernatural powers, whom they meet on the journey. Ming blazes his way across the West, settling old scores with a single-minded devotion that culminates in an explosive and unexpected finale. Written with the violent ardor of Cormac McCarthy and the otherworldly inventiveness of Ted Chiang, The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu is at once a thriller, a romance, and a story of one man's quest for redemption in the face of a distinctly American brutality." In Tom Lin's novel, the atmosphere of Cormac McCarthy's West, or that of the Coen Brothers' True Grit, gives way to the phantasmagorical shades of Ray Bradbury, Charles Finney's The Circus of Dr. Lao, and Katherine Dunn's Geek Love. Yet The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu has a velocity and perspective all its own, and is a fierce new version of the Westward Dream." -Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn

Over 300,000 Copies SoldThere is joy and triumph in the Christian life. But victory often comes through struggle. John White knows this tension well, and he gives us encouragement to persevere. The Fight is an accessible, classic guide to the basics of Christian living: faith, prayer, temptation, evangelism, guidance, Bible study, interpersonal relationships, and work. Beginning with an exploration of what happens at conversion, White offers refreshing insights into the challenges and joys of freedom in Christ that will benefit both new and experienced Christians. Along with numerous stories from White's own journey of faith, each chapter includes suggested Bible study passages and questions. Now redesigned as part of the IVP Signature Collection, with a new foreword by Tom Lin, The Fight has for more than forty years served as a powerful resource to help thousands of Christians fight the good fight of faith.

Faith-based organizations are sometimes known for what we're against--and all too often that includes being against each other. But amid growing distrust of religious institutions, Christ-centered nonprofits have a unique opportunity to link arms and collectively pursue a calling higher than any one organization's agenda. Rooting for Rivals reveals how your ministry can multiply its impact by cooperating, rather than competing. Peter Greer and Chris Horst explore case studies illustrating the power of collaborative ministry. They also vulnerably share their own failures and successes in pursuing a kingdom mind-set. Discover the power of openhanded leadership to make a greater impact on the world." I love the African quote, 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' I'm grateful to Peter Greer and Chris Horst for celebrating Christ-centered teamwork and collaboration in Rooting for Rivals."--RICHARD STEARNS, president of World Vision U. S. and author of The Hole in Our Gospel

Raised as one of only a handful of Asians in my Chicago suburb, I did not want to be part of the Asian culture. It did not seem relevant. Besides, I thought, "Other than skin color, we're all the same, right?" I remember hearing comments from friends such as "I don't think of you as Asian, but just like the rest of us white]." These were meant as compliments (and I often took them as such), but they were confusing, since I, no matter how much I might have tried to deny it, was Asian and different. Though self-confident and socially adept on the outside, in my heart I felt ashamed of my parents' culture at times and ashamed of myself for being a part of that culture. At home my Western ideals of expressing love were not being met by the less physically and verbally expressive ideals of my parents' culture. Feeding me and checking up on my grades seemed to be all that they cared about. I felt as though I didn't belong in my parents' world or in my white friends' world. Where did I belong as an Asian-American? Face and grace. These are the themes that weave through Tom Lin's journey (recounted above) and the lives of many Asian-American Christians. How do we escape the trap of trying to earn our salvation? How do we handle the expectations of our parents in light of God's calling in our lives? What do we do with the shame that threatens to overtake our self-image? The inductive Bible studies in this guide explore these questions and much more. You'll find help and hope in Scripture--and you may even find yourself.