George A. Mason’s ‘The Word Made Fresh’ is an invitation to the warm embrace of faith for every body.
You’ll enjoy this multimedia collection of George A. Mason’s inspiring wisdom for our times.
George Mason embodies great courage and graciousness
Brian McLaren, best-selling Christian author
Today, our publishing house is honored to reveal the cover of George A. Mason’s new book, The Word Made Fresh: Preaching God’s Love for Every Body. This week, readers can begin pre-ordering copies of this inspiring and thought-provoking book, which they will receive upon the book’s release in June.
And, as we unveil this cover to the world, we are especially proud of the visually striking design by our Art Director Rick Nease. The three mosaics are from the large tapestry that Mason’s Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, commissioned to hang in the center of their sanctuary. They are a constant reminder that the Holy Spirit, God the Creator and Jesus are at the core of the Christian faith that inspires this community to welcome everyone.
Or, as the wording of the sub-title emphasizes: Mason has been “Preaching God’s Love for Every Body.”
There is a reason that those two words—Every Body—stand separately on the cover of this master teacher’s new book. Those two words are a key part of the church’s five-word mission statement: “A Church for Every Body.” Those words also appear on the church’s colorful banners and in Wilshire Baptist’s social media presence, as well.
Does that sound quite unusual for a large Baptist church? It is! Through a courageous journey toward full inclusion, Wilshire Baptist has become a national landmark among religious communities that have successfully chosen to fully love everyone.
Or, as they say at Wilshire: Every body.
And that is only one of many reasons to read the Rev. Dr. George A. Mason’s inspiring—and often thought-provoking—new collection of talks on everything from the stewardship of our planet, the importance of interfaith relationships, the need to include the most vulnerable in our community life, and the importance of peacemaking.
What are these “talks”?
The chapters of this book are the most memorable and thought-provoking of Mason’s sermons over his decades at Wilshire—and, because sermons are such a dynamic art form, half of the sermons in this new collection include QR codes so readers can click a smartphone on those codes to see and hear the original video of the sermon.
With that click on your phone, Mason literally begins talking to you.
Who is George A. Mason?
In recommending this new book to readers, the best-selling Christian author and theologian Brian McLaren says, “In the struggle for the future of Christianity in America, George Mason embodies great courage and graciousness as he continues to preach that we must welcome the most vulnerable among us.”
The Rev. Dr. George A. Mason is the Founder and President of Faith Commons and Senior Pastor Emeritus of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. He is a nationally recognized religious leader whose legacy includes innovations in clergy apprenticeship, interfaith initiatives and community service. For many years, George has served as an op-ed contributor to The Dallas Morning News and has written for publications nationwide. He is a co-founder of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and teaches at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.
Wilshire Baptist Church is Christian by conviction, Baptist by tradition and ecumenical in spirit—an inclusive Christian community that welcomes every body. Faith Commons is an interfaith nonprofit organization that amplifies diverse faith voices for the common good. Its programs include George’s podcast Good God, featuring conversations about faith and public life.
George was born in New York City and has lived in Texas for many years. He and his wife Kim enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren. More information and additional multimedia resources are at GeorgeAMason.com.
Early Praise for The Word Made Fresh
Greg Garrett, another best-selling Christian author, writes in his Preface:
George Mason is one of the Christian world’s most accomplished preachers and pastors. A writer, teacher, activist, and media figure, during thirty-plus years as senior pastor at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, he modeled a Christian love of and advocacy for the marginalized, the disdained, the set aside, that feels absolutely like the Jesus I know, love, and serve.
Readers and viewers will be glad they encountered Mason’s mastery in these pages, writes Allen Walworth, Teaching Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida:
George carefully selects words like jewels, and then polishes and sets them in sentences designed to reflect light into the secret places of the heart. Sometimes his words of invitation to faith are a warm embrace, and at other times they are a poke in the ribs.