Postulating Solutions with Preachers

Jade Simmons joins Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts to discuss her candidacy for President of the United States. Candidate Simmons explains her goal to bring servant-leadership from a non-partisan leader, and why she believes this is so much better for the future of the country than looking for a political savior. Simmons rejects the idea of gradual, symbolic change when real and tangible change is needed, and she offers examples related to education, criminal justice, and healthcare. She explains how she intends to bring vision and her unique leadership capacity as a Black woman to involving the American people in healthy governance.Go to perkinsandwatts.com to donate to production costs.Resources relevant to this episode:Operation Restoration 2020Jade Simmons MusicCommissioned to Love by John Perkins and Anthony Bobo: https://commissioncircles.comFirst edit by Pioneer Productions.

Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts are joined by Rev. Cecilia Williams, the President and CEO of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) to talk about place-based people-focused community development. Rev. Williams shares her encouragement and disappointment in how the church responded in Minneapolis this summer. They discuss the importance of developing home-grown leaders in the practitioner-based CCDA movement, along with the necessity of engaging systems and structures. Pastor Watts discusses truancy and the schoolyard to prison pipeline as a practical example of a system in need of reform, and the long slow work of making change.Rev. Williams highlights the CCDA Collective that will take place October 1-3, 2020: The World has Changed, but Our Mission Remains the Same.Go to perkinsandwatts.com to donate to production costs.Resources relevant to this episode:CCDA: The Christian Community Development AssociationThe CCDA Collective (October 2020)Commissioned to Love by John Perkins and Anthony Bobo: https://commissioncircles.comEpisode edited by Pioneer Productions.

Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts discuss the removal of the Mississippi state flag and statues as well as renaming schools. Pastor Perkins asks “How do we get from where we are today to where we need to go?” and Pastor Watts argues for the creation of economic justice and equity funds.They discuss the church's responsibility for the poor; the difference between giving money to poor people and addressing systemic poverty; and the need for voting plus action.The Pastors ask whether the Church in America is still an essential institution and discuss the need for courage in exercising the prophetic responsibility of the Church.Ms. Sandra Chappelle joins them toward the end with a reminder of where real change comes from.Go to perkinsandwatts.com to donate to production costs.Resources relevant to this episode:Nexstar Interview with Pastor WattsMarch on Washington speech by John LewisCommissioned to Love by John Perkins and Anthony Bobo: https://commissioncircles.com

Recording artists Propaganda and Jon Foreman (of Switchfoot) join Pastor John Perkins and Pastor Matthew J. Watts to discuss the racial divide in America today. They discuss law enforcement, the question of who America is, the role of music and sports, and the hope they have.Go to perkinsandwatts.com to donate to production costs.Resources relevant to this episode:PropagandaJon Foreman, Switchfoot20 years by PropagandaThe Meritocracy MythThe Sound by SwitchfootLet Justice Roll Down by John M. PerkinsSNL Beyonce sketchJay Z 444Cereal Video - defunding the dolice with PropagandaIncarceration statistics from PrisonPolicy.orgRethinking Incarceration by Dominique DuBois GillardSocial Constructivism and Christianity by Stephen W. JonesFamily impacts from the incarceration of fathersCommissioned to Love by John Perkins and Anthony Bobo: https://commissioncircles.com

Economic justice and equity require real-life strategies and tactics. Pioneer church planter, Dr. Robert Owens, of the Evangelical Covenant, joins Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts to discuss how to move the conversation forward in order to discover practical ways to make an impact. Calandra joins in with information on police budgets and the pastors discuss #defundthepolice, youth suspension, juvenile justice, and over-criminalization in the second half.Resources relevant to this episode:Incarceration statistics from PrisonPolicy.orgState by state sentencing comparisonSentencing mapRethinking Incarceration by Dominique DuBois GillardSchool to prison informationSchool suspension informationFamily impacts from the incarceration of fathersMore impacts from parental incarcerationImpacts of incarceration on child support and familiesCommissioned to Love: https://commissioncircles.com

Joe Knittig, CEO of the Global Orphan Project joins Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts to discuss spiritual fatherlessness as a global malady. They discuss how God has built the church around the world as a global distribution network, which can excel in the care of children and families in crisis. The pastors consider issues of socioeconomic disproportionality and large increases in the need for foster care placement. Joe describes the CarePortal platform, which connects churches with needs in the community, while encouraging listeners to search out what God is up to. Finally, the pastors discuss connections between criminal justice reform and child welfare reform as well as long term systemic issues with the ways in which government attempts to parent children in crisis.Resources relevant to this episode:Global Orphan ProjectCarePortalFoster care system informationWV foster care informationMS foster care informationCommissioned to Love: https://commissioncircles.com

Pastor Perkins asks Pastor Watts how move to action with the ideas he presented in his recent address. Pastor Watts explains how to address gaps in what the government is already doing to lift people out of poverty. They discuss the generational shift among African Americans and the ways in which the church has failed to meaningfully engage issues of justice and poverty on the national scene and how this has impacted people’s faith.The pastors also discuss the idea that many people do not actually care about the poor, and how to hold government officials accountable even when they don’t care.Resources relevant to this episode:20/20/20 Economic Justice and Equity Movement Fund White PaperPastor Watts talks with Hoppy Kercheval on the Talkline radio program (start at the 1 hour 21 minute mark)Economic Justice and Equity PetitionCommissioned to Love: https://commissioncircles.com

Minneapolis Pastor Luke Swanson joins Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts to talk about the protests as well as race relations among pastors in Minneapolis. Pastor Watts discusses divisions within the African American church, and how important it is that the church demonstrate that Black lives matter through pursuing justice and equity in every area of society. The pastors then discuss how White folks can move toward confession and lament instead of defensiveness and how the question of "who is my neighbor" can guide meaningful responses. Pastor Watts suggests where people can start if they want to make a difference. Pastor John talks about the tension between power and authority.Resources relevant to this episode:Stephen Jackson talks about his friend George FloydA list of damaged buildings in MinneapolisRediscipling the White Church - book recommended by Pastor Luke SwansonUniversity of Pennsylvania 2015 report on the disproportionate impact suspension and expulsion on Black studentsCommissioned to Love: https://commissioncircles.com

Pastor Watts gave an address on Tuesday May 19, detailing missed opportunities to move toward health parity and increased health for all. In this episode, we present a excerpt of the address, followed by a conversation with Pastor Perkins, Sandra Chapelle, Bishop Thomas Jenkins, and Pastor Watts.They discuss why it is so important for the church to postulate place-based people-focused solutions to the problems that society faces, and consider examples of church-based initiatives that have made a real impact.Resources relevant to this episode:West Virginia House Concurrent Resolution No. 30West Virginia Legislature Final Report: Select Committee on Minority Issues 2013-2014 Interim Legislative SessionCharleston Gazette-Mail story on Senate Bill 582 which was passed unanimously in both WV chambers in 2015 but then vetoed by the governor.WV Legislature 2017 House Bill 2724Health Disparities Key Findings ReportAmerica’s Health Rankings Disparity in Health Status: WVHealth Disparities Report Slide Deck: WVU School of MedicineCharleston Gazette-Mail story about the Minority Health Advisory TeamWV Health and Human Resources Minority Health Report 2007AMA article calling for racial and ethnic data on COVIDCounty Health: https://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer/featured-programs/county-health-ranking-roadmap.htmlConduent Healthy Communities Institute COVID At-Risk Populations ToolWest Side Revive OverviewCommissioned to Love: https://commissioncircles.com

Pastor Watts gives a preview of his address that will happen on Tuesday May 19, detailing missed opportunities to move toward health parity and increased health for all. Pastor Watts suggests a path toward community health through accessing money that the Federal Government has sent to the states and calls on Christian leaders to mobilize to address the systemic causes behind the health inequity. Pastor Watts explains why it is so important for the church to postulate place-based people-focused solutions to the problems that society faces, and how Christians with different perspectives on these issues can think about one another. They also explain how place-based people-focused Christian Community Development models are uniquely suited to make a difference today.Resources relevant to this episode:Commissioned to Love: https://commissioncircles.comCounty Health: https://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer/featured-programs/county-health-ranking-roadmap.htmlWest Side ReviveWest Side Revive Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpFDwGgx5U4Channel 13 Story: http://youtu.be/tdqHxihe3TwChannel 8 Story: http://youtu.be/dQzC7RRvcisEducation: http://youtu.be/7DD-AoPC1IQHousing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_-Lvql-qlk

Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts discuss the social determinants of health, including the link between geography, education, income, and health. The pastors ask how to get churches on board with pursuing both justice and righteousness. Calandra joins them to share about unemployment and the number of COVID cases in a recent economic soft-open. Perkins and Watts continue with the difficulties in the important work of reopening the economy. They also discuss reasons for hope.Resources relevant to this episode:Commissioned to Love: https://commissioncircles.comLife Expectancy: https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/interactives/whereyouliveaffectshowlongyoulive.htmlCounty Health: https://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer/featured-programs/county-health-ranking-roadmap.html

Pastor John P. Perkins and Pastor Matthew J. Watts discuss the special obstacles faced by the African American community in the wake of the COVID outbreak. The consider the special roles that churches and church leaders play, as well as how to engage political leaders and how to gain access to resources.Resources relevant to this episode:https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-racehttps://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-chicago-coronavirus-deaths-demographics-lightfoot-20200406-77nlylhiavgjzb2wa4ckivh7mu-story.htmlhttps://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/04/why-trump-reopening-economy-pointless/609301/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/here-are-the-public-companies-that-got-coronavirus-aid-meant-for-small-businesses-2020-04-22https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/which-companies-are-returning-their-ppp-loan-here-s-list-n1194566https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1190741https://socialequity.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/what-we-get-wrong.pdfhttps://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/02/08/514105689/black-latino-two-parent-families-have-half-the-wealth-of-white-single-parents

Pastor John P. Perkins and Pastor Matthew J. Watts talk with Soong-Chan Rah about the COVID19 pandemic. They discuss how the church can pursue a Christ-centered response, especially among those who are most vulnerable.Resources relevant to this episode:https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-racehttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/us/chinese-coronavirus-racist-attacks.htmhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/asian-americans-describe-gut-punch-of-racist-attacks-during-coronavirus-pandemichttps://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/490373-attacks-on-asian-americans-at-about-100-per-day-due-tohttps://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-chicago-coronavirus-deaths-demographics-lightfoot-20200406-77nlylhiavgjzb2wa4ckivh7mu-story.html

In this informative interview, Pastor Watts and Pastor Perkins interview Jerome Garciano about the work of the the Jubilee fund. They also bring clarity to the PPP program and discusses opportunity zone development.

After Pastor Perkins and Pastor Watts introduce themselves and the podcast, they discuss the absence of Black preachers in the recent "Color of COVID" broadcast and discuss solutions for the Church and the community.