Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) is a network of Christians committed to seeing people and communities experience God’s shalom. This podcast features teaching from our annual conference, interviews, and training courses.
Dr. Lorenzo A. Watson is joined by Natarsha Sanders to discuss education equity. They reflect on the state of education today, why equity in education is important, and how we can make our communities more equitable. Learn more about CCDA's Education Equity Network, #TransformED, at ccda.org/transformed.Natarsha Prince Sanders is a career educator with over 15 years of professional experience both inside and outside of the classroom. She earned a B.A. in Philosophy and History from Hollins University and a M.A. in Special Education from North Carolina Central University. She is currently completing her doctoral degree at Columbia Theological Seminary.Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Lynette McIntosh-Madrigal is joined by Pamela Evans and Pastor Jermaine B. Armour of Saint Luke AME Zion Church in Wilmington, North Carolina. They share stories of hope, discuss how they are partnering with God and their neighbors to see their community flourish, and reflect on their journey from being in the community to being with the community. Saint Luke is part of CCDA's Flourishing Congregations Initiative, a four-year program that empowers church leaders to deepen their congregations' community engagement, enhance their ministries, and contribute to the flourishing of their neighborhoods.Learn more about CCDA's Flourishing Congregations Initiative at ccda.org/fci. Pamela Evans currently serves as the Director of Ministries & Outreach and Administration at Saint Luke AME Zion Church in Wilmington, NC. I have been a member of the church for over 27 years. I have participated in activities at both local and conference levels within the church. I also serve in the community on various boards, such as the local chapter of the Red Cross, advisory board for the Food Bank of NC, health promoter in the Faith Health Network with Novant, and Community Mediator with the Wilmington Cape Fear Museum. I enjoy cultivating partnerships and relationships through community outreach initiatives.Pastor Armour and his wife, Tanya, moved to Wilmington in January 2014. He is a native of Buffalo, NY, and holds a Master of Arts Degree in Christian Education from the Interdenominational Theological Center and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Ministry from Livingstone College. He serves on several community boards, including One Christian Network, Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM), Kids Making It, and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Red Cross. Pastor Armour and his wife have two children, Jadah Alana and Jermaine Elijah.Learn more about Saint Luke AME Zion Church and what they're doing in their community at newsaintluke.com. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Scott Overpeck is joined by Justin and Nate Beene of Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation to discuss their work in Grand Rapids, MI. They share how they are pursuing Shalom, working toward community flourishing with their neighbors, and seeing God move in their city. They also offer some encouragement for CCD practitioners and recommend some of their favorite parts of Grand Rapids. Visit grcct.com to learn more about the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation and their work. Make plans to come to the 2025 CCDA Conference November 5-8 in Grand Rapids, MI.Justin Beene is the visionary and founder of an innovative partnership called the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation, a collective between non-profits and non-profits working together for a flourishing city. He is well known as a global leader and practitioner with extensive knowledge and skills in starting and scaling collaborative ventures, creating win/win/win solutions across sectors, and connecting resources to real problems in innovative and sustainable ways.As COO of the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation network, Nate's role is to execute the vision of a collaborative effort focused on transforming the community through social enterprise/innovation, leadership development, and career and entrepreneurial training. Nate is passionate about developing and providing opportunities to indigenous entrepreneurs and incubating and operating transformational businesses that seek impact outside of just profits.Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Sarah Callen is joined by Emanuel “Ricky” Padilla and Dra. Itzel Meduri to discuss multilingualism. They share the history of language weaponization and hierarchy in America, which led to the signing of an Executive Order in 2025 designating English as the official language of The United States. Ricky and Dra. Meduri also offer theological support for multilingualism and practical steps we can take to embrace this practice in our lives.Visit World Outspoken's website to learn more about the work that Ricky and Dra. Meduri are doing on multilingualism. And be sure to check out their course, Lingua Franca. Follow World Outspoken on Facebook and Instagram @worldoutspoken. Born in Detroit, the experience of the Puerto Rican diaspora is central to Emanuel's research and ministry interests. He is completing a PhD in theological and ethical studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, working to construct a theology that accounts for the history of colonization in Puerto Rico and the theological implications of a Black diasporic identity for recovering belonging and peoplehood. He is committed to serving bi-cultural congregational leaders facing questions of identity, culture, and theology through his work as president of World Outspoken, a ministry preparing the church for cultural change. Dra. Itzel Meduri is a Spanish professor and Chair of the Modern Languages Department at Biola University. Her work focuses on multilingual communities, highlighting linguistic diversity, bilingual identities, and language ideologies. A Los Angeles native of Mexican heritage, she is married to an Italian man and raising multilingual children.Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Christina Foor is joined by Dr. Alexia Salvatierra and Angelica Acosta Garnett, long-time friends and practitioners of CCDA, especially in the Immigration space. They take a look at the current immigration landscape and discuss what our call is as CCD practitioners.Learn more about CCDA's Immigration Network, including their Lent series, Love Knows No Borders, at ccda.org/immigration. Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra is the Academic Dean of the Centro Latino at Fuller Theological Seminary as well as the Assistant Professor of Integral Mission and Global Transformation. She is available for speaking, training, and workshops in the areas of immigration, faith-rooted organizing, cross-cultural ministry, and building vital holistic Christian community. Learn more about Dr. Salvatierra on her website alexiasalvatierra.comAngelica ‘Lica' Acosta Garnett was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. She immigrated to the United States when she was 17 years old and has firsthand experience of what it is like to be an immigrant in this country.Lica holds a graduate degree in social studies education and has worked as a US government teacher, Communities in Schools site coordinator, and an immigration law paralegal. She currently works as an interpreter/translator. Learn more about Lica and her work at abara.org/angelicaConnect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Lynette McIntosh-Madrigal is joined by Erik Mast-Foss, the Community Life Pastor at On Ramps Covenant Church in Fresno, CA, to discuss how God is moving in his community. On Ramps is part of CCDA's Flourishing Congregations Initiative, a comprehensive four-year program that empowers church leaders to deepen their congregations' community engagement, enhance their ministries, and contribute to the flourishing of their neighborhoods.Learn more about CCDA's Flourishing Congregations Initiative at ccda.org/fci. Erik Mast-Foss is a community member and pastor at On Ramps Covenant Church in Fresno, CA. He does life with his wife Jessica and their two cats, Macrina and Jean Parmesan. Learn more about On Ramps at onrampschurch.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Christina Foor is joined by Maya Moore Irons, Jonathan Irons, and Bo Cornelius to discuss The Return. In January 2025, we stepped inside two maximum-security prisons together—Jefferson City Correctional Center and Algoa—to bring encouragement through music and capture Jonathan's return to the place where he was wrongfully incarcerated for 23 years. This conversation unpacks that experience, the importance of standing in solidarity with the incarcerated, and how YOU can get involved.This podcast is part of Locked in Solidarity, CCDA's awareness and action week on mass incarceration. Gary Campbell's blog, mentioned in the episode, can be found here.Learn more about Maya and Jonathan's story and check out their organization, Win With Justice.To learn more about what Bo is doing, check out Second Mountain Leadership. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Welcome to the CCDA Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Lorenzo Watson, the CEO of CCDA, stops by to share a little about his story, what CCDA is, what you can expect from this podcast, and ways you can get involved.Sign up for the CCDA Newsletter.Learn more about membership and networks.Save the date for the CCDA conference, November 5-8, 2025, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.If you are already a CCDA member, click here to fill out the member survey (the survey closes on 1/31).Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the CCDA Podcast and follow CCDA on YouTube.
In this episode, you will hear from a panel of Native speakers as they consider what it means to be home. You will hear from JR Lilly, Lenore Three Stars, Edith Woodley, Randy Woodley, and Corey Greaves as they share their wisdom with us.Learn more at ccda.org/indigenous.Connect with Lenore on her website: lenorethreestars.com.Learn more about Randy and Edith's work at eloheh.org.Connect with Corey and his organization at mendingwings.net.Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.
Each May, CCDA offers events, trainings, and resources at the intersection of faith and mental health.In this bonus episode, Lyndal Bedford, CCDA's Behavioral Health Affinity Network co-leader, explores how CCD practitioners are incorporating mental health practices into their organizations and contexts. First, you will hear Lyndal's conversation with CCD practitioners Dr. Jeff Biddle and Turan Rush from the Midian Leadership Project in Charleston, West Virginia. Then, you will hear his conversation with Stephanie Ann Vander Lugt from Kinship Plot in Charlotte, North Carolina.For more information about CCDA's mental health offerings, visit ccda.org/mentalhealth.
How can the Church work for the flourishing of all society? Often, Christians care deeply for those within our church and see those outside its walls as “causes” or “issues” rather than image bearers with equal dignity and need. Our criminal legal system has replaced the Church as the first and longest responder to violence. How can the Church assume its rightful place in caring for the most marginalized, lock arms with our neighbors to learn from AND serve them, and build a culture where our response to violence and harm centers love rather than punishment, police, or prisons? Join us for a conversation designed to inspire and equip God's people to move from understanding to engagement, from passivity to action, from listlessness to love. Join CCDA members, Jamila Hodge & Sam Heath, of EJUSA for this informative webinar.
This workshop will be educational and interactive in equipping those who are building community with the connections between addiction, the opioid epidemic, recovery and faith – especially in the wake of pandemic realities & polarized communities. The processes and strategies for decreasing stigma and increasing hope will be both taught and explored.
The CCDA Online Institute & Missio Alliance partner to present, “Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/Latino Social Justice, Theology, & Identity.” Join us to learn more about the history and theology of Latino/Latina culture and what Robert Chao Romero's newest book calls “Brown Church.” Romero considers how this movement has responded to these and other injustices throughout its history by appealing to the belief that God's vision for redemption includes heavenly promises and the transformation of every aspect of our lives and the world. Lisa Rodriguez-Watson will guide our conversation with Robert Chao Romero about how his Chinese-Mexican experience has impacted his life & faith.
Join us in a conversation led by our Indigenous family in which we will discuss our nuanced identities, our colonized history, loving our communities well, and following the Jesus Way. This is a discussion you won't want to miss because frankly, it's time for us to listen to this part of our family. Lead by: Delphina Johnson, Jennifer Hinson, Kathy Mitchell, and Tricia Ivanoff
2018 CCDA National Conference — Chicago WorkshopKingdom United: Exploring Multicultural Worship — Chantel VarnadoKingdom United is an interactive workshop that will explore the depth and dynamics of multicultural worship. Come learn how to develop practices that increase community engagement and empower marginalized people to have a voice and a sense of belonging.
2019 CCDA National Conference — Dallas WorkshopLiving Intentionally: Perspectives on Poverty — Elia MorenoThis workshop teaches how to build relationships and strengthen interactions with those living in emotional and economic poverty. Educating practitioners about the diverse perspectives of people who live in poverty is essential for CCD ministry. Attendees are invited to explore the diverse types of poverty, homelessness, and communication theory, as well as how different lived experiences influence the people we serve. Walk away with a different filter for addressing poverty: a filter without blame or judgment that allows you to better connect with people living in the lines of poverty.
Presenter: Terrance HawkinsTerrance Hawkins is a husband & father of 4 beautiful children. A native of Winston-Salem, NC,he has served the local church & his city for the last 17 years through pastoral ministry, peace &justice activism, intercultural community building, youth development, & the arts. He is the founder/director of Lit City (a youth development initiative), co-founder of a collective of local activists called the Drum Majors Alliance, & currently serves as the Co-Executive Director for the school of Love—a local cohort seeking to reclaim the ways of radical discipleship.In 2014Terrance was selected to participate in the CCDA's 5th national leadership cohort and continue to thank God for the transformative relationships he's developed with his “C-Cinco” family
Excerpts from songsChantel Varnado -I'm all Yours - https://youtu.be/GjTNJg1fidMThe Porter's Gate - Instrument of Peace - https://youtu.be/d0ZYPpqcIP0
2018 CCDA National Conference — Chicago WorkshopHome in the Hood: Rooting Your Family In CCDA Principles — Jonathan & Micheál Brooks, Paco & Sylvia AmadorRaising your family in the hood presents incredible opportunities and unique challenges. The Brooks and Amador families will share from their hearts the practical experiences of raising their families where Christ has called them to serve. Topics include safety, education, marriage, children in ministry, community influences, and self-care.
In this episode, Jerome Garciano presents his masterclass on Impact Investment for Christian Community Development. Check out ccda.org/shownotes for additional info and slides on this and previous episodes.
Today, we're joined by Paul Miles, the President and CEO of the We Raise Foundation, and Raquel Patterson, the executive director of oak tree ministries in Birmingham, Alabama. So thank you all, for being with me and having this conversation.
In our era, we are facing a tremendous problem. The essential ingredient for community transformation is leadership. Yet most ministries do not have an intentional process to grow leaders. Solid leadership within an urban ministry organization is critical for sustainability. In this course, Alvin Sanders will address the challenges of developing indigenous urban leaders. He shares a model of how an urban ministry can create and maintain a leadership “pipeline” filled and flowing to guarantee a stable supply of skilled leaders.Dr. Alvin Sanders has a personal mission to be with God, love his family, and invest in those who invest in the poor. In 25 years of ministry, he has served as an urban church planter, denominational leader, and university professor. Educationally he is a graduate of Cincinnati Christian University, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Miami (OH) University. Presently he serves as a senior vice president with World Impact, a Christian mission organization committed to resourcing urban disciple-makers. He and his wife Caroline have been married since 1994 and are the proud parents of two children.Creating a Leadership Pipeline PowerpointCreating a Leadership Pipeline Online Course
Dr. Peace Amadi leads this session to define spiritual bypassing, identify how it's operated in our lives and ministries, unpack how it has negatively impacted mental health and spiritual health, individually and communally, and explore new ways of being with each other during times of emotional pain.
Developing A Healthy Organizational Culture lead by Emanuel Padilla
Today's conversation is with Elizabeth Cronlund from the 2021 CCDA Conference.
2016 CCDA National Conference — Los Angeles WorkshopBiblical Justice Through Faith-Rooted Organizing and Advocacy — Michelle Warren, Gullermo Torres, and Alexia Salvatierra
In this episode, Dayna Carr teaches us about Cultivating Healing Spaces: Strategies For Wholeness And Wellbeing On A Community-Level from the 2019 CCDA National Conference
Hello and Merry Christmas,I am Lorenzo Watson, your interim CEO & President at CCDA. I've stopped by the podcast to say thank you.Thank you to all of our CCDA members and friends who have given of your gifts, talents, wisdom, and friendship throughout the year. Your commitment to justice and community transformation continue to inspire me. It is because of you we are seeing people and communities experience God's shalom across the nation.I also want to take a moment to celebrate some awesome things happening in our community.Did you know that CCDA has reached our largest membership ever? Membership hasbeen a way for us to accomplish our mission and vision. We are elated to have over 2000 members part of the CCDA family who are committed to seeing their communities flourish.This year we've been able to expand our practitioner-led networks. Yes, we have a growing set of affinity-based networks that we soft-launched this year, with members dedicated to both connection and addressing the most pressing and relevant issues in our country. In addition, we onboarded several new local networks and a handful of them held their own regional conferences this year!We've also been able to increase our educational and equipping opportunities. For example,Understanding Trauma & Healing Centered EngagementStrengthening Your OrganizationWomen of Color Executive Coaching CircleThinking about Padilla & Perkins' Philosophy EventRadical Imagination Seriesand much more!Thank you to everyone who joined us in Charlotte, NC for our 2022 National Conference.It was an incredible time of inspiration, training, and connection around the theme of Wellbeing. We can hardly wait to go back together in Cincinnati with even more new and expanded opportunities!I'm also grateful to everyone who has subscribed to this new podcast. Thanks to our friends at the We Raise Foundation, we are able to connect you to years of powerful content from CCDA conferences, interviews, and training courses. All of this material has been curated into bite-sized episodes for your enjoyment and formation.Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has visited ccda.org/give2022 to contribute to our end of year campaign. We're over halfway through to our goal. Thank you for investing in this community. With your help we can continue and grow our efforts to support CCD leaders around the country.Once again, Merry Christmas and I'll add happy new year.
Jonathan Haskell, Matthew Best, and Daniel Watson share about how to recruit, assess, and encourage your Board of Directors. Taken from the 2021 CCDA National Conference.
Tamice Namae Spencer shares from her workshop - Heaven For A G?: Hip Hop, Film, & The Great Commission. Taken from the 2019 CCDA National Conference. Psalm 139, Luke 9, John 18.
Taken from their workshop at the 2018 CCDA National Conference, Matthew Watson, Nikki Wiggins, & Justin Fung teach us about Pastoral Challenges & Opportunities In Gentrifying Neighborhoods.
On today's episode: Jesse Chang, Raw Huang, and Tim Yee help us understand how an urban garden connects us all to the community.
Effective Successions: A Framework For Leadership Transition with Dr. Joanne Solis-Walker and Dan Walker. Hosted by former CCDA President, Ava Steffens.
Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) is a network of Christians committed to seeing people and communities experience God's shalom. This podcast features teaching from our annual conference, interviews, and training courses.
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