by 
Unarmed Empire: In Search of Beloved Community by Sean Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve been following Sean Palmer’s work for a while now. I’ve read his earlier blog posts. I’ve heard him speak on different occasions and to different audiences. The modern church is blessed to have pastors and authors like Palmer.
In “Unarmed Empire” Palmer lays out a clear, inspiring vision of what the church can be – and is in some cases. Our world seems to be divided and partisan now more than ever in recent history. That division and partisanship has bled over into the church, too. Palmer gives me hope that there is a way out of the political quandary in which we’ve found ourselves.
If you are a church leader – official or layperson – this book is a must-read. Take it and see how your church stacks up. Are we loving? Are we open and welcoming? Are we living life together? Are we emphasizing community rather than the individual?
The church is going to survive our mess. I am confident that God is faithful in that regard. But if our church leaders don’t wake up to the realities of the situation and lay down the weapons of war handed to us by the world, then it’s going to be a real struggle in the coming decades.
Daniel N. Lee 