The Messy Middle with Noah Mata

The Messy Middle is back!This is a special episode, a transition from Season 1 to Season 2, serving as a Prelude for our future conversations!Special thanks to the 99 Church in San Francisco for giving us the space to communicate this timely message on Making Peace in a world bankrupt of it.Teaching out of Matthew 5.

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart." - Nelson Mandela Frank Kim, an former international Missionary now serves as an Elder in the Denver Church of Christ. He's a bit of a legend amongst many AAPI Christians in our community.Frank is a man who not only had to learn to speak multiple languages (Japanese being one of them; the language often coined as "the devil's language" because of how difficult it is to learn) but is a man who speaks languages of the heart.What I hope you hear in our conversation is not, Frank Kim the Asian-American, per se, but Frank Kim the disciple of Jesus who so happens to be Asian-American, and so happens to have wrestled with holy assimilation in countries like France, Japan, and Cambodia.And even though his experience may not be identical to yours or to mine...it is experience that we not only can learn from but quite frankly...should.

"There ain't nothing tender about the Tenderloin." - Dave Chappelle  This week; we're switching coasts back to the Bay Area to hear from a new hero of mine and another mixed race (Chinese-French American), Christian Huang. I first heard of Christian when I was visiting family in San Francisco, and he happened to be preaching a message that had me both rolling on the floor laughing (in my heart and mind) and reconsidering the way I view "the Gospel Mission".  As mentioned earlier, and as you'll hear more, Christian and his family have entrenched themselves in the needs of the city of San Francisco. They have taken the time to get to know the heartbeats of those often looked over, marginalized not only by circumstance but by disregarding action...the "rough parts" of the city. I hope you find equal inspiration and heart-softening as you hear some of the thoughts from my friend, Christian.Resources:Mobilize LoveIG: @mobilizeloveCityTeamIG: @cityteamThe Asian Turn in Mixed Race Studies: Retrospects and Prospects | Dr. Emma J. Teng

The Anecdotes of Asian America continues...AAPI hate crimes are increasing at an alarming rate in our nation, but it is not the first time in our storied history that this has happened.We survey the story of Chance Anies, owner of Tabachoy Philly, a Filipino Food Cart in Philadelphia seeking to bring the nostalgia of home-cooked, no flash, no frills, Filipino cooking with a new lens and life.Chance and I talk through his experience in being a "mestizo" (half-white, half-pinoy), how the food industry can teach us a heap about community, and the upward call to being examples to our environments no matter what our occupation.Resources:http://tabachoyphilly.comFor schedules and merchandise!IG: @tabachoyphilly

This week we commence Chapter 2, The Anecdotes of Asian America. AAPI hate crimes are increasing at an alarming rate in our nation, but it is not the first time in our storied history that this has happened.  We discuss the Exclusion Act, Code-Switching, and Jesus' words to make sense of this painful reality for so many of our brothers and sisters. Rachel Gonzalez joins us as a lionheart in the conversation of race and justice, and ways the Church can model being "the only place to have safe, solution-oriented, Spirit-led, dialogue that leads to healing".Resources:Chef's Stopping AAPI HateIG: @chefsstoppingaapihateRachel's ResourcesPersonal IG: @rach_gonzzLifeline LA: @lifeline.la

We conclude our conversation on the Art of Advocacy with Will Archer, Lead Pastor of the Potomac Valley Church in Virginia, and a trusted, dear friend. Will's journey in being a follower of Jesus, voice for justice and a spiritual perspective on our response to the vicious cycle of injustice around us, is nothing short of fascinating. One conclusion we make in considering advocacy through it all?  Well, we always advocate for those we love. This episode is dedicated to the family and friends of Mike Mines; a 21-year old young man who was gunned down in Philadelphia in April.  He was also one of my students when I served as a Youth Pastor in Philadelphia.  Please see the following links if you would like to support the Mines' and Butts' family below.Support Mike Mines' FamilyWill Archer's "Greater Everyday Podcast"

We continue our conversation on the Art of Advocacy with my good friend, Christian Dawson. Christian serves as a Pastor for Bridgetown Church in Portland. This conversation is heavily influenced from one quote from Miroslav Volf who sticks a convictional dagger into our sides, "Forgiveness flounders because I exclude the enemy from the community of humans even as I exclude myself from the community of sinners." Advocacy finds it's foundation in the most unlikely of friendships.Resources:Christian Dawson: @christiandawsonBridgetown Church: @brdgtwnchrchWebsite: http://linktr.ee/noahmataInstagram: @factofthemataComments/Inquiries: mata.noah@gmail.com

We begin our first chapter, the Art of Advocacy.  In this episode, my high school AP European History teacher, Rev. Kevin Staton; walks us through his experience as being a child of the Great Migration, Howard Business student-turned educator, and the exposure of his faith through the humanity of helping students who needed one simple thing...an advocate.We reflect on the sad realities of when the privileged waste their meals.References/Resources:- Proverbs 31:8-9- "God of the Oppressed" by James Cone- "Strength to Love" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Website: http://messymiddle.buzzsprout.comInstagram: @factofthemataComments/Inquiries: mata.noah@gmail.com

Stuck between race. Stuck between generations. Stuck between preferences. This is a faith-based, culture-based, and human-based Podcast about understanding just how messy the in between can be. In a country that is built on the basis of choosing sides; sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of it all. The good news? Well...you'll have to listen to find out.

Hosted by a Filipino-American Pastor. Stuck between races. Stuck between generations. This is a Podcast about understanding just how messy the in between can be. In a country that is built on the basis of choosing sides; sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of it all. Welcome to the Messy Middle. Premieres April 5th.