In part one of this series I mentioned six historical reasons for the rise of ISIS. In part two I outlined six reasons for the expansion of ISIS. Today we'll look at three things you can do about ISIS.

We in Peace Catalyst International seek to be faithful peacemakers in a divided country. The following 11 guidelines describe our commitments and aspirations. May they guide, strengthen and encourage you as well in these tumultuous times.

Our great nation can and must continue to be pro-refugee, pro-security and pro-religious freedom. We can welcome the refugee and keep our country safe and uphold religious freedom. We must do all three if we want to make America great and be a model of freedom for the rest of the world.

In part one of this series we mentioned 6 historical reasons for the rise of ISIS. In short, ISIS came about due to a confluence of political instability brought on by war and human rights abuses and by a vision of a purified Islamic caliphate. Here we will look at 6 reasons for the expansion of ISIS.

For most people, it seems like ISIS literally exploded on the scene. But the birth of ISIS actually took a long, twisted road. This post and at least one other that I will write next week are based on two of the most well-researched books available on ISIS: ISIS: A History by Fawaz Gerges and ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror by Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan.

One of the best ways to acquire wisdom is through reading. The five books below describe Peace Catalyst International’s multifaceted approach to Jesus-centered peacemaking. Read them carefully and apply them practically to become a peace catalyst this year!  

This week's Peace Feast at Hoyo's Somali Kitchen in Columbus was a great success! We ended at 9pm and by 10:30pm we still had people talking and laughing and enjoying one another, and we've gotten responses like, “this was the best conversation I’ve had with a stranger in a while,” and “I really made friends Saturday night!” Others who weren't able to attend have asked for another event soon. 

Together we're making a difference in our world. Here are the kinds of things you make possible every day. Peace begins with us, and it begins with you. But it's multiplied when we work together. Thank you for waging peace with us and changing our world from one of hate to one of peace. Become part of the movement, and let the work continue in 2017! 

Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA and Secretary of Defense, and Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, just launched Turning Point: A New Comprehensive Strategy for Countering Violent Extremism. Turning Point summarizes the findings of interviews about violent extremism with hundreds of experts, along with surveys conducted in Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.