As though blowing oxygen upon the dying embers of a fire, pastor Jim Cymbala revived a broken-down church in a rough-shod inner-city neighborhood through Christian faith. Twenty-five years ago, the Brooklyn Tabernacle could barely draw 26 people to a Sunday service. Nowadays the congregation is 6,000 strong--filled with converted prostitutes, pimps, drug addicts, and homeless people, as well as yuppies and wholesome families. Although he's quick to give God credit for this miraculous success story, Cymbala admits that there may be a few human decisions that led to this Christian triumph. Most significantly, he made sure his church community embraced everyone, from all walks of life--no matter how distasteful or foreign. "Christians often hesitate to reach out to those who are different," according to Cymbala. "They want God to clean the fish before they catch them. If someone's gold ring is attached to an unusual body part, if the person doesn't smell the best or the skin color is not the same, Christians tend to hesitate." Thus, Cymbala encouraged his congregation to adopt the very same tolerant and accepting attitude as their God does. The results? Let's just say a church thrives in Brooklyn. Accomplished cowriter Dean Merrill helps this tender true story stay satisfying and highly readable. --Gail Hudson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

辛杰米（Jim Cymbala）在布鲁克林会幕教会担任牧师已有25年之久。在这段期间教会原本只有25个会友，却得以成长到愈6000名会友。他与妻子凯萝（Carol Cymbala）现居于纽约市，凯萝所指挥的布鲁克林会幕教会诗班曾6次MTV格莱美大奖（Grammy Award）和11次大奖提名。

梅定恩（Dean Nerrill）曾写作10本书，并曾担任福音出版协会（Evangelica Press Association）总裁，及爱家机构（Focus on the Famliy）前副总裁。他与妻子目前居于科罗拉多州。