God's Forever Family : The Jesus People Movement in America

Winner of the 2014 Christianity Today Book of the Year First Place Winner of the Religion Newswriters Association's Non-fiction Religion Book of the Year The Jesus People movement was a unique combination of the hippie counterculture and evangelical Christianity. It first appeared in the famed "Summer of Love" of 1967, in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, and spread like wildfire in Southern California and beyond, to cities like Seattle, Atlanta, and Milwaukee. In 1971 the growing movement found its way into the national media spotlight and gained momentum, attracting a huge new following among evangelical church youth, who enthusiastically adopted the Jesus People persona as their own. Within a few years, however, the movement disappeared and was largely forgotten by everyone but those who had filled its ranks. God's Forever Family argues that the Jesus People movement was one of the most important American religious movements of the second half of the 20th-century. Not only do such new and burgeoning evangelical groups as Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard trace back to the Jesus People, but the movement paved the way for the huge Contemporary Christian Music industry and the rise of "Praise Music" in the nation's churches. More significantly, it revolutionized evangelicals' relationship with youth and popular culture. Larry Eskridge makes the case that the Jesus People movement not only helped create a resurgent evangelicalism but must be considered one of the formative powers that shaped American youth in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Jesus People Movement Was A Unique Combination Of The Hippie Counterculture And Evangelical Christianity. It First Appeared In The Famed Summer Of Love Of 1967, In San Francisco's Haight-ashbury District, And Spread Like Wildfire In Southern California And Beyond, To Cities Like Seattle, Atlanta, And Milwaukee. In 1971 The Growing Movement Found Its Way Into The National Media Spotlight And Gained Momentum, Attracting A Huge New Following Among Evangelical Church Youth, Who Enthusiastically Adopted The Jesus People Persona As Their Own. Within A Few Years, However, The Movement Disappeared And Was Largely Forgotten By Everyone But Those Who Had Filled Its Ranks. God's Forever Family Argues That The Jesus People Movement Was One Of The Most Important American Religious Movements Of The Second Half Of The 20th-century. Not Only Do Such New And Burgeoning Evangelical Groups As Calvary Chapel And The Vineyard Trace Back To The Jesus People, But The Movement Paved The Way For The Huge Contemporary Christian Music Industry And The Rise Of Praise Music In The Nation's Churches. More Significantly, It Revolutionized Evangelicals' Relationship With Youth And Popular Culture. Larry Eskridge Makes The Case That The Jesus People Movement Not Only Helped Create A Resurgent Evangelicalism But Must Be Considered One Of The Formative Powers That Shaped American Youth In The Late 1960s And 1970s. -- Publisher's Website. Introduction: Remembering The Jesus Generation -- God Knocked Me Off My Metaphysical Ass: The First Jesus Freaks In San Francisco -- Jesus Comes To Haight-ashbury -- -- And Your Sons And Your Daughters Shall Prophecy: The Jesus People Movement In Southern California, 1968-1969 -- Unto Seattle, Milwaukee, New Jersey, And The Uttermost Parts: The Jesus People Movement Goes Nationwide -- It Only Takes A Spark: The Jesus People Movement In The National Spotlight -- The Jesus Kids: The Jesus People Movement Becomes Evangelical Youth Culture, 1971-1974 -- Division In The Camp: The Jesus People Vs. The Children Of God -- Sweet, Sweet Song Of Salvation: Music And The Jesus People -- I Wish We'd All Been Ready: The Jesus People Fade From View -- God's Forever Family: The Long-term Impact Of The Jesus People Movement. Larry Eskridge. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Winner of the 2014 Christianity Today Book of the Year First Place Winner of the Religion Newswriters Association's Non-fiction Religion Book of the YearThe Jesus People movement was a unique combination of the hippie counterculture and evangelical Christianity. It first appeared in the famed "Summer of Love" of 1967, in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, and spread like wildfire in Southern California and beyond, to cities like Seattle, Atlanta, and Milwaukee. In 1971 the growing movement found its way into the national media spotlight and gained momentum, attracting a huge new following among evangelical church youth, who enthusiastically adopted the Jesus People persona as their own. Within a few years, however, the movement disappeared and was largely forgotten by everyone but those who had filled its ranks.God's Forever Family argues that the Jesus People movement was one of the most important American religious movements of the second half of the 20th-century. Not only do such new and burgeoning evangelical groups as Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard trace back to the Jesus People, but the movement paved the way for the huge Contemporary Christian Music industry and the rise of "Praise Music" in the nation's churches. More significantly, it revolutionized evangelicals' relationship with youth and popular culture. Larry Eskridge makes the case that the Jesus People movement not only helped create a resurgent evangelicalism but must be considered one of the formative powers that shaped American youth in the late 1960s and 1970s. A unique combination of the hippie counterculture and evangelical Christianity, the Jesus People movement first appeared amid 1967’s famed Summer of Love in San Francisco and grew like wildfire in Southern California and in cities like Seattle, Atlanta, and Milwaukee. In 1971, the growing movement found its way into the spotlight, attracting a great deal of contemporary media and scholarly attention. In the wake of publicity, the movement gained momentum and attracted a huge following among evangelical youth who enthusiastically adopted the Jesus Freak persona. The movement spread across the country and coffeehouses, Jesus music singers, and “One Way” bumper stickers blanketed the land. Within a few years, however, the movement faded and was largely forgotten by everyone but those who had filled its ranks. God’s Forever Family is the first major attempt to reexamine the Jesus People phenomenon in over thirty years and reveals it was one of the most important American religious movements of the second half of the twentieth century. Not only did the movement produce burgeoning new evangelical groups like Calvary Chapel and The Vineyard but also it paved the way for the contemporary Christian music (CCM) industry and revolutionized evangelicals’ relationship with youth and popular culture. God’s Forever Family makes the case that the Jesus People movement not just helped create a resurgent evangelicalism but—alongside the hippie counterculture and the student movement—must be considered a major formative influence shaping American youth in the late 1960s and 1970s **Winner of the 2014** **Book of the Year** First Place Winner of the Religion Newswriters Association's Non-fiction Religion Book of the Year The Jesus People movement was a unique combination of the hippie counterculture and evangelical Christianity. It first appeared in the famed "Summer of Love" of 1967, in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, and spread like wildfire in Southern California and beyond, to cities like Seattle, Atlanta, and Milwaukee. In 1971 the growing movement found its way into the national media spotlight and gained momentum, attracting a huge new following among evangelical church youth, who enthusiastically adopted the Jesus People persona as their own. Within a few years, however, the movement disappeared and was largely forgotten by everyone but those who had filled its ranks.__God's Forever Family__ Introduction : Remembering the Jesus generation "Jesus knocked me off my metaphysical ass" : the first "Jesus freaks" in San Francisco Jesus comes to Haight-Ashbury "And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy" : the Jesus People movement in southern California, 1968-1969 Unto Seattle, Milwaukee, New Jersey, and the uttermost parts : the Jesus People go nationwide It only takes a spark : the Jesus movement in the national spotlight The Jesus kids : the Jesus People movement becomes evangelical youth culture, 1971-1974 Division in the camp : the Jesus People versus the Children of God Sweet, sweet song of salvation : music and the Jesus People movement I wish we'd all been ready : the Jesus People fade from view God's forever family : the long-term impact of the Jesus People movement The Jesus People movement of the late 1960s and 1970s was an important force in the lives of millions of American Baby Boomers. This unique combination of the hippie counterculture and evangelical Christianity first appeared amid 1967's famed 'Summer of Love' in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district and grew like wildfire in Southern California and in cities like Seattle, Atlanta, and Milwaukee. This title re-examines the Jesus People phenomenon. It reveals that it was one of the most important American religious movements of the second half of the 20th-century The Jesus People were an unlikely combination of evangelical Christianity and the hippie counterculture. God's Forever Family is the first major examination of this phenomenon in over thirty years.