0The locus of God's change and transformation in the world is through local groups of believers immersed in relationships among those directly impacted by injustice. Movements for justice throughout history have always been powered by grassroots people with shared passion and vision for concrete change in the face of injustice. This book is geared to help local churches to engage in the transformative and missional work of justice. Based on the first four chapters in Esther and drawn from real stories of real people creating real change, this book is perfect for small groups, Sunday school classes, student groups, or mission teams that want to be inspired and find practical steps to take to mobilize people in their local churches to participate in God's call to change the world. Be a part of the movement among God's people for justice. Join the Fig Tree Revolution ""The journey into social justice activism begins with the first step--and with an experienced guide to lead us. Always a warm-hearted communicator and a passionate activist, Bill Mefford brings the wisdom of years to congregation-based social justice leadership, and deep faith to the challenge and joy of standing with the least and the left-behind. Read, The Fig Tree Revolution and learn from the best. Then get busy. You have a long road ahead "" -- Gregory Leffel, Author of Faith Seeking Action: Mission, Social Movements, and the Church in Motion ""Through a fresh study of the book of Esther joined together with the experiences of his long years of organizing, Mefford teaches us how to truly be people of Christian faith. He challenges Christian leaders who strive to advocate for justice to examine human suffering from the perspective of those most impacted by evil through an incarnational presence. Such leadership is never easy for those shaped by the institutional church because of its comfortable detachment. In response to the serious systemic ills of the world he calls us to be fearless people of faith, and shows us how. His witness to God's justice stings sometimes, but always sounds true to the Gospel."" --Minerva G. Carcano, San Francisco Area, The United Methodist Church Bill Mefford has spent more than a decade with United Methodists and all people of faith building grassroots movements on the issues of immigration, mass incarceration, religious freedom, and gun violence. Bill has a master of divinity and a doctorate in missiology from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He is a member of the Fig Tree Revolution (www.figtreerevolution.com), a network of progressive dreamers, thinkers, writers, activists, and organizers dedicated to building justice movements.