No Ceiling to Hope

Servants of Christ are in the transformation business. This kind of transformation will only happen if we refuse to be seduced by false idols like success, money, fame and security - to be the church we were called to be. We need to take ownership of the problems around us and work with people who are suffering in order to find solutions and offer lasting change.

Patrick travels the globe to find examples. In Bolivia he reports how Christian backing for education projects is allowing families to find a way out of poverty. In London XLP is mentoring young people to turn aside from violence. In Los Angeles a new future is being offered to gang girls. In high security prisons in the UK and US the Spirit is turning lives around. In Belfast's Shankill Road area a group of elderly ladies is cooking meals for men who sit all day in local pubs ... the list is extensive, and inspiring.

The common element is that in all circumstances Christ is offering hope.

'As Christians there is no ceiling to the hope we can bring, even when things look bleak,' Patrick says. 'Extreme poverty has been halved in the last 30 years. This book encourages and challenges the church to think and act creatively to eradicate all types of poverty and suffering.'

Contents
Foreword 9
Acknowledgments 11
About XLP 13
1. The Chance of Hope 15
2. Hope in Bolivia 29
3. Hope for Young People 40
4. Hope for Gangs 54
5. Breaking the Cycle 64
6. Hope for the Homeless 72
7. War and Peace 87
8. Hope in Ghana 102
9. Hope for People with Addictions 114
10. Hope in Politics 127
11. Heaven and Hell in Trenchtown 143
12. Hope for the Marginalized and Voiceless 155
13. Hope for Our Own Lives 167
14. Hope for Eternity 182
Notes 189