A Conversation Guide for A Language of Healing for a Polarized Nation: Creating safe environments for conversations about race, politics, sexuality, and religion

When you combine courage with compassion, the world can change.

Many of you were challenged and refreshed by the hope that our society is not as polarized as our media and political leaders would like us to believe.
Having read A Language of Healing for a PolarizedNation you asked us to help find ways to share its content with family and friends as well as to develop new relationships with others who don't look or think like you.
In response, the authors developed this conversation guide for small groups of people to have safe conversations about race, religion, politics, and sexuality in a way that can illuminate and transform the way you live in a divided world.
This guide can help you and people you know:

• to speak your own language of healing in your corner of the world
• to reach out to people beyond our regular sphere of relationships, and
• to think proactively about how you might respond in difficult situation to disarm the tension and build bridges of honest dialogue and compassion.

Wayne Jacobsen travels the world as an author and speaker on themes of spiritual intimacy and relational community, especially were people are in crisis. Some of his popular books include He Loves Me, Finding Church, and A Man Like No Other, He was also a co-author and publisher The Shack. Self-effacing and best-selling author aren't often used together, but Wayne's insight and humor have opened doors around the world whether it means resolving religious-liberty conflicts in public education, helping starving tribes in Kenya build a viable economy, or helping people find a vibrant spiritual life.

A former pastor, Wayne now hosts Lifestream.org, which provides resources for spiritual growth and a podcast at TheGodJourney.com to encourage people thinking outside the box of organized religion, both have inspired countless people to a more vibrant faith and a greater understanding of living in the church Jesus is building in the world. He lives in Southern California with Sara, his wife of 44 years, where they both enjoy their adult children and grandchildren.

Wise, practical, resourceful, and fun, Arnita relates to diverse people and helps them maximize their potential. She has an inspiring way of equipping people as a leader, minister, mentor, and coach. She is known for her gregarious personality and warm hospitality to guests in her home.

From Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Arnita graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Medical Technology and earned her Master of Science in Leadership from Walden University. Her professional background runs from clinical laboratory science to small groups pastoral ministry.

As the founder of EIGHT Leadership Development Group, Arnita Willis Taylor serves leaders by assisting individuals, teams, and organizations. She is a passionate communicator who helps enrich and empower others, and because she intentionally places herself in diversified settings she regularly teaches across racial, denominational, and gender lines.

At home in Keller, Texas, she is the wife of thirty-one years to Michael and the proud and grateful mother of two sons, Evan and Nolan.

Bob Prater is a lover of God and also a lover of - and advocate for - people. With a background in business, media and ministry, he is half of the podcast, A Christian & A Muslim Walk into a Studio alongside American-Muslim leader, Emad Meerza. He spent several years in full-time ministry as both a pastor and an administrator.

He has started businesses as diverse as developing and producing for television to selling whatever he can find online and has been in the top three percent of online sellers in the world. Bob married his high school sweetheart, Danette, in Eugene, Oregon over forty years go. As the Dad to three daughters, three son-in-laws and Grandpa to ten grandchildren, he leads a small army as Santa each year to the forgotten and abandoned places where the poorest reside. He also functions as an "Elder at Large," helping people connect dots in his hometown of Bakersfield, California.