All Together Different: Upholding the Church’s Unity While Honoring Our Individual Identities

Can we all just get along?

E Pluribus Unum "Out of many, one." This motto is emblazoned on the Great Seal of the United States, but it could be the church's model, too. Unfortunately, the daily experience of many Christians and churches feels like the opposite: out of one, many. We are increasingly aware of what makes us different from others, and it is hurting the church and its witness.

All Together Different will help readers understand why we find it so difficult "to just get along." Drawing from research on personal and group identity, it equips readers to navigate a culture that often pays lip service to the value of diversity, but struggles to foster constructive dialogue and mutual respect. With clear writing and real-life stories, All Together Different translates social identity theory for pastors, church leaders, and ministry practitioners, exposing it to the light of biblical and theological reflection.

DR. J. BRIAN TUCKER (BS, Lee College; MA, Liberty University; MDiv, Michigan Theological Seminary; DMin, Michigan Theological Seminary; PhD, University of Wales, Lampeter) is Professor of New Testament at Moody Theological Seminary and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David in the United Kingdom. He is co-editor of The T & T Clark Handbook to Social Identity in the New Testament and the author of Reading Paul in Context: Explorations in Identity Formation, edited by Kathy Ehrensperger; Remain in Your Calling: Paul and the Continuation of Social Identities in 1 Corinthians; and You Belong to Christ: Paul and the Formation of Social Identity in 1 Corinthians 1-4. In his spare time he enjoys science fiction and playing and listening to jazz.

JOHN KOESSLER serves as chair of the Pastoral Studies department in the undergraduate school of the Moody Bible Institute where he has served on the faculty since 1994. Prior to joining the Moody faculty, John served as pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, IL for nine years. He is an award winning author who has written thirteen books and numerous magazine articles. He writes the monthly Thelogy Matters column for Today in the Word and is a frequent workshop leader at the Moody Pastor’s Conference. John is married to Jane and they have two adult sons. They live in Munster, IN.