Baptist Without An Adjective

Nabeeh Abbassi, president of the Jordan Baptist Convention, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about the work of Baptists in his country and the biblical history there (like the baptism of Jesus). The conversation took place in Beirut, Lebanon, during a gathering to celebrate the work of Lebanese Baptists (read coverage here and here). Note: Don't forget to check out our other podcast Dangerous Dogma, and our e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics.

Asatur Nahapetyanm, general secretary of the Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches of Armenia, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about the refugee crisis after war in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. He also discusses Armenia's history and the Baptist community there. Note: Don't forget to check out our other podcast Dangerous Dogma, and our e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics.

Jason Smith, executive director of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about the work of BPFNA~Bautistas por la Paz. He also discusses visiting Cuba, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and why Baptists should care about peace. Note: Don't forget to check out our other podcast Dangerous Dogma, and our e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics.

Lee Spitzer, historian for the Baptist World Alliance and affiliate professor of church history at Northern Seminary in Chicago, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about his new book Sympathy, Solidarity, and Silence: Three European Baptist Responses to the Holocaust. He also discusses issues of helping refugees, defending democracy, and wrestling with history. He previously appeared on the program in episode 18. Note: Don't forget to check out our other podcast Dangerous Dogma, and our e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics.

Henryk Skrzypkowski, a Baptist pastor in Chelm, Poland, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about the work of his church to help Ukrainian refugees. You can support the work through the Future Leadership Foundation or the European Baptist Federation. Note: Don't forget to check out our other podcast, Dangerous Dogma, and our subscriber e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics.

Mateusz Wichary, a Baptist pastor in Warsaw, Poland, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about Baptists in Poland, history of that nation, and efforts to help Ukrainian refugees. He previously appeared on episode 10. You can support the work through the Future Leadership Foundation or the European Baptist Federation. Note: Don't forget to check out our other podcast, Dangerous Dogma, and our subscriber e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics.

Check out an episode from our new podcast Dangerous Dogma. Laura Levens, assistant professor of Christian mission at the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about issues facing the Southern Baptist Convention this week in Nashville, Tennessee. She also discusses a couple pieces she wrote on these issues, including about women in ministry and critical race theory. Note: Don't forget to check out our subscribe e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics.

Stephen D. Jones, co-pastor of First Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about his book Galusha ... Crisis and Courage in a Civil War Pastor. He also discusses pastoral courage and ministering during coronavirus. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Michel Picaud, president of Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the reconstruction efforts after the April 2019 fire that badly damaged the cathedral. He also discusses the cultural and spiritual impact of the fire. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Terrell Carter, executive director of Rise Community Development and pastor of Webster Groves Baptist Church in Missouri, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about his new book, Taking Apart Bootstrap Theology: Gospel of Generosity and Justice. He also discusses ministering during the pandemic. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Greg Mamula, associate executive minister for the American Baptist Churches of Nebraska, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about his new book, Table Life: An Invitation to Everyday Discipleship. He also discusses ministry during the coronavirus pandemic. He previously appeared on the show in episode 46. Learn more about his book and other writings at table-life.org. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Sharon and Dan Buttry talk with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about their new book Daughters of Rizpah: Nonviolence and the Transformation of Trauma. They discuss the story of Rizpah in 2 Samuel 21 and lessons from that story today about trauma, violence, and conflict transformation. They previously appeared on the show in episode 26. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Mark Wingfield, executive director and publisher of Baptist News Global, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the work of BNG and Baptist journalism more generally. He also discusses the rhetoric of young White male Calvinist pastors on Twitter.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode features testimony by Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor before the Missouri Senate Health and Pensions Committee on Jan. 20. The hearing featured debate on several bills designed to limit government restrictions during a pandemic. Kaylor argued against three bills that would create special religious exemptions for religious gatherings and groups. He also penned a Missouri Independent op-ed on the issue after testifying. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Dwight McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about debates in Southern Baptist life over critical race theory. He also discusses honors to enslavers at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Al Mohler's support of Donald Trump, and pastoring during a pandemic. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI and author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about his book and the legacy of racism in Baptist and other churches. He also discusses the mixing of Christian and White Supremacist symbols in the pro-Trump mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Pamela Durso, president of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about CBTS where she started as president in June 2020. She also talks about higher education and ministry during a pandemic. Her presidential inauguration is Jan. 7, 2021. She was previously on the show in episode 61. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

In this episode, Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor considers political attacks on sermons by Raphael Warnock, a Black Baptist pastor running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Religious tests for office threaten religious liberty. The episode includes sermon clips by Warnock at his church in 2011, at Emory University in 2016, and at Howard University in 2016. It also includes a clip from an online forum by BJC on this campaign. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Gordon Coleman, pastor of Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church in rural Callaway County, Missouri, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about a massive attack by vandals on the buildings of the historic Black Baptist church started by enslaved persons before the Civil War. You can find earlier Word&Way coverage about the church and the vandalism here, here, & here. And you can give to support the church's repair efforts by giving to their “building fund” at tithe.ly/give?c=1904613 or by sending a check to Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church, PO Box 116, Holts Summit, MO 65043 (with “building fund” in memo).  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Amos C. Brown, pastor of Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the civil rights movement, social justice advocacy, and ministering during coronavirus. He also talks about Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, who is a member at Third Baptist. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Ryan Burge, assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University and pastor of First Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about religious voting trends in the 2020 election. He also discusses ministry during coronavirus and the rise of the nones. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Starlette Thomas, author, activist, and minister to empower congregations for the D.C. Baptist Convention, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about her work on the "raceless gospel." She also discusses politics, coronavirus, and lamenting. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Steve Harmon, professor of historical theology at Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about his co-edited book Sources of Light: Resources for Baptist Churches Practicing Theology. He also talks about global dialogue between Catholics and Baptists.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode features remarks by Kevin Cosby, president of Simmons College of Kentucky, during the virtual 2020 annual gathering of the North American Baptist Fellowship. In this session, the second of two talks, he focused on what we can learn during this time of protests against racial injustices to build a more just society. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode features remarks by Kevin Cosby, president of Simmons College of Kentucky, during the virtual 2020 annual gathering of the North American Baptist Fellowship. In this session, the first of two talks, he focused on what we can learn during COVID to better prepare for ministry after COVID. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode highlights two recent efforts challenging Confederate monuments by attempting to shift what the sites honor. First, we hear a couple clips from a prayer rally by the Stone Mountain Action Coalition in Georgia. Second, we hear testimony from Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor before the city council in Jefferson City, Missouri, during which he honored those enslaved by the traitor and enslaver the city currently honors with a monument. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Thad Jones, president of Western Baptist Bible College, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the school, racial justice issues, and leading a college during a pandemic. He also refers to some history about WBBC in a recent Word&Way cover story, which you can download free online: "We Didn't Start the Fire." (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Christopher Dixon, a pastor and Word&Way columnist, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about those ministry roles and his publishing company eLectio Publishing. He also discusses ministering during a pandemic. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, a fellow in the Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative with the Center for American Progress, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about his new book, Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity. He also discusses how his faith impacts his politics on a variety of topics.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Darron Edwards Sr, pastor of United Believers Community Church in Kansas City, Missouri, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about “Getting to the Heart of the Matter,” a 10-step plan launched in Kansas City to connect faith communities with police and other community officials to reduce crime. He also talks about ministering during coronavirus and his reactions to racial injustices across the country. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode features testimony by Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor during a public hearing about if a Confederate monument in Jefferson City, Missouri, should be removed. Already this year many monuments have been removed (see list at cwmemory.com). Check to see if your community has such a memorial that you can work to undermine and remove: tinyurl.com/confederatemarkers. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Nabil Costa, executive director of the Lebanese Society for Educational & Social Development (also known as the Lebanese Baptist Society), talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the work of LSESD amid various crises in Lebanon. You can see footage from the damage at some of their ministries in a video they made right after the Aug. 4 blast in Beirut. And you find ways to partner with them at mebo.org. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Elie Haddad, president of Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the work of ABTS amid various crises in Lebanon. He discusses economic and political struggles, as well as ministering in new ways due to coronavirus and the massive August 4 explosion in Beirut just miles from ABTS. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode features a sermon by Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor on faith during a time like this. Preached at First Baptist Church in Columbia, Missouri, for an online service, the sermon considers a story in 1 Chronicles 21.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Greg Morrow, executive director of the Future Leadership Foundation, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about navigating international missions partnerships during the coronavirus pandemic. He also discusses living in Ukraine and working with Christian leaders in several countries. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Ryan Andrew Newson, assistant professor of theology and ethics at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about Confederate monuments and how Christians can challenge them. He is the author of the new book Cut in Stone: Confederate Monuments and Theological Disruption. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about leading his city amid coronavirus and protest against racial injustice. He also discusses the impact of his faith on his work. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Bruce Gourley of Good Faith Media talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about issues of racism among Baptists prior to and during the Civil War. And he discusses how Baptists should tell that history today and learn from it. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode features a conversation originally scheduled as an in-person workshop at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's general assembly in Atlanta, Georgia, which couldn't happen due to coronavirus. So, the panel conversation moved to a virtual format to consider the whys and hows of podcasting. Panelists are Cherilyn Crowe of the BJC Podcast, Cliff Vaughn of the Brother Molly podcast, and Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, an author, activist, and minister, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about issues of racism and justice. He discusses the Poor People's Campaign event on June 20, dismantling of Confederate monuments, and slaveholder religion. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Terrell Carter, an author, pastor, and ministry leader, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about issues of race and policing. A former police officer and an African American man, Carter today serves as vice president of community life and chief diversity officer at Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois; community team leader for Churchnet; pastor of Webster Groves Baptist Church in Webster Groves, Missouri; and columnist for Word&Way. He recently published some YouTube videos on race and policing.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Musician Ken Medema talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about his music and concern for justice. He also talks about his weekly live concerts on his Facebook page on Wednesdays amid coronavirus.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Author and retired professor Tony Campolo talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the need for economic, environmental, and other systemic changes in light of the coronavirus pandemic. He also discusses the Red Letter Christians movement and the importance of a gospel that merges evangelism and social justice. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Melissa Rogers, former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships under President Barack Obama, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about current church-state issues. Topics include coronavirus church restrictions, government rules related to religious liberty, a recent Supreme Court hearing, and more. She also talks about her new book, Faith in American Public Life.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This episode features a sermon by Paul Msiza, president of the Baptist World Alliance, on the theme "Hope Overflowing." He delivered this sermon for the virtual Churchnet spring gathering. In his remarks, Msiza talks not only about where we get our hope but also how that should impact how Christians engage in society and politics. He includes lessons he learned growing up as a black man in Apartheid in South Africa. Hear more from Msiza in episode 65 and episode 66. (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Elijah Brown, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the work of the BWA in response to the global coronavirus pandemic. He also announces a new global initiative for Pentecost weekend. Hear more from Brown in episode 1 and episode 72.  (This episode is sponsored in part by Churchnet and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

John Schmalzbauer, professor and Blanche Gorman Strong Chair in Protestant Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about how churches and government leaders responded during the 1918 flu pandemic. He also connects the 1918 responses to current efforts to flatten the curve of the coronavirus outbreak. (This episode is sponsored in part by Churchnet and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Joey Hernandez Guilarte, pastor of Sexta Iglesia Bautista (Sixth Baptist Church) in Santiago de Cuba, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about ministering while stranded in Guyana because of travel restrictions over coronavirus concerns. He also talks about the impact of coronavirus on Cuba. Hear a previous interview with Hernandez in episode 102. (This episode is sponsored in part by Churchnet and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

This bonus episode features a report by Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about religious exemptions in state restrictions designed to stop the spread of coronavirus. In addition to providing information from several states, it includes clips from Missouri Governor Mike Parson as he changed his approach on religious exemption after Kaylor called on the governor to change the state's approach.

Hanna Massad, who leads Mission to Gaza, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about the impact of coronavirus on Baptists and others in Gaza. He also talks about the impact in Jordan, where he was just weeks ago. Massad previously authored the book Pastor from Gaza.   (This episode is sponsored in part by Churchnet and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

Tony Peck, general secretary of the European Baptist Federation, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about Baptists in various countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. He also discusses various issues like immigration, freedom of religion or belief, and Brexit. This interviewed was recorded earlier this month during a Baptist World Alliance meeting in Falls Church, Virginia.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)