Antioch Worship Leadership Podcast

We are in a series where we are giving Biblical Counter-Narratives to anti-Christian messages being increasingly pushed in America. We are calling this series our “RILED” series, where we talk about Racial Justice, Immigration, Leadership, Economic Justice and Diversity. We are talking about them, because the Bible has a lot to say on these topics, … Continue reading Episode 330: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “There Is No Immigrant Invasion.”

It is not uncommon for people to have some level of apprehension about the unknown. I recall the first time I ate sashimi – beautiful slices of raw fish served in sushi restaurants. I had never eaten raw fish before, and had a suspicion that eating any uncooked fish would make me sick. However, I … Continue reading Episode 329: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Immigrants are a Blessing.”

As a therapist, I spend my week listening to people’s stories. I’ve heard thousands of stories, and from listening to these stories, I have a number of thoughts about what makes certain stories powerful to people, and other stories more incidental. Often, it isn’t the events of the story that are most important, it is … Continue reading Episode 328: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “The Importance of Counter-Narratives.”

What does it mean to be a podcast about Biblical Antiracism during a time when every week it seems that civil rights are attacked, people are being rounded up and arrested, and disagreement and speaking out is met with increasing levels of suppression. While some faith leaders are boldly speaking out, others are timidly wringing … Continue reading Episode 327: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Scriptural Truth vs. Christian Nationalism.”

Since January, we have been discussing Jemar Tisby’s latest book “The Spirit of Justice”, looking at the stories of Black Christians and their allies who were inspired by scripture to work for racial justice. Today, our team gathered around the mics to talk about what we have learned so far on our journey though this … Continue reading Episode 326: The Spirit of Justice – “Stories of Strength.”

Harriet Tubman is one of the most recognized and celebrated figures in American History. After escaping from slavery, she returned across the Mason Dixon line 13 times to free individuals from slavery. Estimates range from 70-300 people who were freed because of her efforts, with dozens of others who found freedom following her instructions. In … Continue reading Episode 325: The Spirit of Justice – “Harriet Tubman”

John Williams is a frequent guest and friend of the Antioch Podcast known for his deep Christian faith and commitment to healing the church in America through truth telling, racial justice and repair. As the executive director of The Center for Restorative Justice in Pasadena, California, we are honored to have John join us today … Continue reading Episode 324: John Williams – “Restorative Racial Justice in the Age of Trump.”

What is worth fighting and dying for? For many people, it is the prospect of safety for those they care about which is more likely to happen when someone has the liberty to live in freedom from oppression. Captain Thomas Higgenson, a white abolitionist, led a nearly all-black unit in the Union Army. Writing in … Continue reading Episode 323: The Spirit of Justice – “Fighting for Freedom.”

Listen to Psalm 36, the lyrics of which contrast the way evil people use power with that of God. 1 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to … Continue reading Episode 322: The Spirit of Justice – “Radicals.”

Have you ever tried to read the Bible from cover to cover? I know that when many try, they do pretty well getting through the stories of Genesis and Exodus, but lose interest as they start Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books of laws can seem archaic and difficult to understand to the contemporary reader, … Continue reading Episode 321: The Spirit of Justice – “Resisting Unjust Economies.”

How long can you walk? I have a desk job, and because of that, I don’t get an opportunity to move around much. But I do walk when I’m not at the office, though when I am walking alone, I often grow bored and want to head home to be with people. I really want … Continue reading Episode 320: Sustainable Solidarity – “Considering Capacity.”

Have you ever been so moved by something in the news that you felt powerful emotions afterwards? In the age of social media and 24-7 news coverage, we may find that we have an overload of information that make us feel those emotions. But in the period leading up to the American Revolution, words similarly … Continue reading Episode 319: The Spirit of Justice – “The Language of Liberty Part 2.”

Words change people. I remember when I was a young social worker, I was assigned to meet with a new client whom I had a strong bias about. I was convinced that this person and I had very little in common, and that this individual was someone potentially dangerous. So I was guarded as I … Continue reading Episode 318: The Spirit of Justice – “The Language of Liberty Part 1.”

Dates tell a story. My wife and I will often calculate the decades that we have known each other, and reflect on the fact that at this point in our relationship, we have been together longer than we have lived with our families of origin. As an inter-racial couple, sometimes this prompts questions about how … Continue reading Episode 317: The Spirit of Justice – “1619.”

What does it mean to be Black? From the time of Columbus to the time before the American Revolution, people with ancestry from Africa were present through every era of American history. Yet, what this meant varied over time. During the colonial period before the American Revolution, while ideas of superiority and inferiority were a … Continue reading Episode 316: The Spirit of Justice – “The Making of Race.”

Today, we are going to be talking about whitelash. What is whitelash? According to Jemar Tisby, it is like a social version of Newton’s Third Law: for every antiracist action there will be an equal (or disproportionate) and opposite reaction. Historical examples: after the civil war freed slaves, Jim Crow laws oppressed these newly freed … Continue reading Episode 315: The Spirit of Justice – “Whitelash.”

We are entering a season where many people who care about justice, equity and oppression may feel discouraged and hopeless. Oppressive policies are all the talk in the news, and it can be difficult to function at times. In times like these, sometimes a good book can help. Today we begin reading the book, “The … Continue reading Episode 314: The Spirit of Justice – “Resistance, Advocacy and Activism.”

Do you ever get worn down by injustice? Do you ever find that your energy is drained by constantly swinging emotionally between outrage and overwhelm when you see evidence of inhumanity and hate? Ever wonder what you can do about it, as opposed to venting? Our multiethnic team of Christian antiracism educators and friends decided … Continue reading Episode 313: Resilience and Resistance – “Responding to Oppressive Systems.”

On January 20th, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the president of the United States. Our multiethnic team of Christian antiracism educators and friends decided to talk about how we were feeling about the immediate future of the United States in today’s conversation we are calling, “What’s On Your Mind.”

On January 20th, Donald Trump will once again resume the presidency of the United States. Many people who care about antiracism and social justice have strong emotions about this turn of events, remembering what his first term in office was like. While he is legitimately elected, many people who care about these things, including those … Continue reading Episode 311: Inaugural Coping Strategies – “Self-Care in the Time of Trump.”