Love. Period.

NO LIMITS ON LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, AND SECOND CHANCES FOR HOUSTON PASTOR

Revolutionary Pastor Challenges the Church to Throw Open Its Doors

Nashville, Tenn., March 31, 2014— In response to headlines dubbing America as the “entitlement nation,” hustler-turned-pastor Rudy Rasmus of St. John’s Methodist in Houston calls Christians to love, give, and serve—no matter what.  “How do we dare stand and say we know better than God who is worthy of love and who isn’t?” asks Rasmus.  As the number of working poor and food stamp beneficiaries continues to rise, the plight of the homeless explodes, and churches become alarmingly more exclusive rather than inclusive, Rasmus, contends that love – not judgment, not apathy, not willful ignorance – is the only way anything will change.

In his new book, Love. Period. (Worthy Publishing, July 2014), Rasmus asserts that when Jesus called His followers to love one another, He meant that Christians are to love regardless of class, race, gender, orientation, or past deeds.  Rasmus challenges readers to admit they may be afraid of people who are different from them and then actively seek to build bridges across those divides.

Rasmus knows firsthand the power of love to unite, as one-third of his 9,000-member congregation are or were homeless.  He is also the cofounder of Bread of Life, a nonprofit organization that distributes nine tons of food to the hungry each week and provides Houston families with education, counseling, HIV/AIDS testing, and housing.

“I will not be a part of an institution or religion that judges or marginalizes a person based on race, abilities, gender, orientation, identity, or social status,” declares Rasmus.  “But I will be a part of a Love Revolution that fights for the right of people everywhere to love and be loved by God.”  Love. Period. signals to readers that a new day is rising, where hate and apathy are refused and people live instead in the most daring way possible— loving, period.

Rudy Rasmus has led St. John’s United Methodist Church in Houston with his wife, Juanita, for more than 20 years. St. John’s has more than 9,000 members and is one of the most culturally diverse congregations in the country.  A former columnist for O Magazine and the author of Touch, Rasmus attributes the success of the church to a congregation that embraces the vision of tearing down walls of classism, sexism, and racism, and replacing them with unconditional love.  Rudy and Juanita have two daughters.

Worthy Publishing Group (www.worthypublishing.com) is a privately held, independent voice in Christian and inspirational publishing, based in Nashville, Tennessee, comprised of three divisions.  Worthy Books publishes a boutique list of trade titles across a broad spectrum of genres, including current events, biography, fiction, devotionals, spiritual and personal growth, and specialized Bibles.  Ellie Claire is a line of gift and paper expressions, and Worthy Inspired is a value-priced, impulse book imprint.