BOOK

In 2018, John’s first book Reflecting Jesus in the City: Christ-like Ministry in Urban Immigrant Contexts was released through Urban Loft Publishers.

The purpose of the book is to look to Jesus as the true reflection of our life and work, particularly for those living in the city.  Each chapter identifies a trait or practice of Christ and puts it in historical and contemporary contexts. Using camera imagery, Zoom-in, Zoom-Out, and Capture His Image, the title and chapter sections are set up to give the reader a chance to look at the words and deeds of Christ in depth, to reflect on the current urban mission scene, and to practice each character trait in their own communities. You can purchase the book here.

Endorsements:

“Drawing from his rich experience in immigrant communities and his rooting in Scripture, John Trotter has written a book that is filled with practical wisdom, honest reflection, and prayerful insight. By focusing on the character and practices of Jesus and on how they can shape life, ministry, and mission in urban America, Trotter offers a fresh and welcome way of approaching the challenges and blessings of following Jesus in the city. This book is the good fruit of one who has lived the material he addresses.” –Christine D. Pohl, Professor of Christian Ethics, Asbury Theological Seminary; Author of Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition

“John Trotter’s new title Reflecting Jesus in the City: Christlike Ministry in Urban Immigrant Contexts is an excellent new contribution to the field of “diaspora missiology.” The author’s passion for ministry in urban context and his professional expertise came through. I am privileged to preview the pre-publication manuscript and my experience in reading it has been both easy (in terms of style and lack of technical jargon) and hard (the challenge of its content) at the same time. Practitioners will enjoy the author’s insights and researchers will be inspired by the message of this book.” –Enoch Wan, Research Professor and Director of Doctor of Intercultural Studies Program, Western Seminary; Founder/Editor, globalmissiology.net and Former President of Evangelical Missiological Society

“How can a blind man have bifocal vision?! John Trotter with his visual impairment shows us: zooming in on the one hand into the life of Jesus in its first century context and then zooming out on the other hand into the lives of Asian immigrants to 21st century USA. Trotter’s work with Bhutanese-Nepali refugees means that his bifocality extends to the ends of the earth, even, so that those of us Americans who have a heart for the city and the mission of God can better see (pun intended!) not only how to reflect Jesus’ image in the urban spaces within which we currently live and work but also to do so in ways that may have an impact, in our ever-increasingly shrinking global village, on the other side of the world as well. That the Holy Spirit can call and empower every follower of Jesus onto mission, no matter what the obstacle or impairment, is evidenced in this book.” –Amos Yong, Director of the Center for Missiological Research and Professor of Theology and Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary; Author of The Bible, Disability, and the Church: A New Vision of the People of God

“John Trotter, in Reflecting Jesus in the City, calls us to reflect carefully on important characteristics of Christ’s image as we do ministry in urban immigrant communities. He doesn’t give the reader easy answers, but rather provides, in each chapter, some tough questions about both our ministry approach and the context in which we operate which are meant to lead to deep reflection and evaluation. The book skillfully provides a very helpful case study from the author’s own experiences of urban ministry both in the U.S. and Asia with immigrants and refugees from Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar. Yet, the author does not provide formulaic approaches or advocate for any specific ministry model. Rather, the book calls the reader to carefully, within the context of ministering together in a team, to ask whether the approaches they are using truly reflect the image of Christ as they seek to live out the Gospel in community. As one who continues to wrestle with doing wholistic and Christcentered ministry within immigrant communities, and especially amongst newly arriving refugee families, I highly recommend this book because it has made me think, afresh, of what does it mean to walk with and amongst those we serve as we seek to reflect the image of Christ.” –Robert Oehrig, Executive Director, Arrive Ministries (World Relief Minnesota)

“When migrants, also referred to as diaspora people, cluster in large scale, they give birth to Mega Cities, pluralistic and multicultural societies. John Trotter gives us a “GPS” for migrant ministries to ensure that we can find our way in increasingly culturally complex
ministry contexts. This book is anchored in solid biblical and theological foundations. Its moorings are strongly tied to Christ’s missions and ministry models among the “people on the move.” The author employs a case study of Bhutanese-Nepali diaspora and immigrants in the USA, but the ministry models are transferable to other diaspora and migrants in all metropolitan areas. This book is a welcome addition to the growing body of diaspora missiology literature. I gladly recommend Trotter’s volume to both researchers and practitioners.” –Sadiri Joy Tira, DMin; DMiss; Catalyst for Diasporas, The Lausanne Movement

“This is a book for our times. Urbanization and international migration are essential issues for Christian mission today, but too few of us know what it means and looks like to engage them in the way of Jesus. Reflecting Jesus in the City  is a potent, accessible vision for doing just that. Bringing together sound biblical principles with real time stories by someone who is living this vision out himself makes Trotter’s contribution on this subject one of the most important you are likely to find.” –JR Rozko, DMiss; Co-Director, Missio Alliance

“John Trotter is clear — whatever we are up to in the city, we are not the Messiah sent to save our city, but God’s people, reflecting Jesus in our context. He fleshes this out according to various themes in the life of Jesus, each one giving us a rich lens in how the life of Jesus can be reflected in our cities. John wonderfully weaves the stories of Jesus with immigrant stories from our cities and takes us far deeper in what it means to follow and reflect our Lord.” –Jude Tiersma Watson, Associate Professor of Urban Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary; Co-Editor of God So Loves the City and Co-Leader of InnerCHANGE Los Angeles

“If you are contemplating ministry or engaging in the inner city, this collection of reflections, prayers, poetry, and thoughts is especially for you. John authentically invites us to find and reflect God as we serve, learn, and abide in the city.” –Dina González-Piña, MA
Ethnic and Gender Equity Specialist, MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) and Board Member, CCDA

“John Trotter wrote a book for those seeking to do ministry in the new America–one full of immigrants and refugees, people of color and a multitude of faiths and backgrounds. The stories Trotter tells are ones that are familiar to me, as is his premise: Jesus is found in these shifting, changing, glorious and troubled cities. The Holy Spirit is on the move in the forgotten apartment complexes struggling to survive in a culture built around inequality. Are we willing to listen? This book explores communities that are not often profiled (or invited to speak at Christian conferences), and it is a profound and vital and challenging word to slow down and listen to the people that God is using to bring his kingdom into the world.” –D.L. Mayfield, Author of Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith

“Reflecting Jesus in the City is rich with both theological insights and dozens of practical examples from years of urban ministry, particularly among refugees and other immigrants. It is a super resource for those seeking to ministry holistically in urban contexts.” –Matthew Soerens, US Director of Church Mobilization, World Relief; coauthor, Welcoming the Stranger and Seeking Refuge