Podcasts about International Justice Mission

Argentinians in the capital, Buenos Aires, paid tribute to Pope Francis during a mass held at the San Jose de Flores Basilica. The US Vice President JD Vance has met with India's prime minister Narendra Modi to discuss a trade deal. And the United Nations says, the cyberscam industry is expanding globally including to South America and Africa. We hear from International Justice Mission which has been campaigning to help the people forced to working at these scam centres.

Stocks tumble on Wall Street as the week begins. The reason seems to be President Trump's desire to replace the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell.The US Vice President JD Vance has met with India's prime minister Narendra Modi to discuss a trade deal.And the United Nations says the cyberscam industry is expanding globally including to South America and Africa. We hear from International Justice Mission which has been campaigning to help the people forced to working at these scam centres.

Today, I sit down with author and entrepreneur Zach Windahl, who has written multiple books and started a business that creates resources to help people better understand the Bible and grow in their faith. Zach talks about how he almost walked away from Christianity (because his atheist and buddhist friends were more kind than his Christian friends) and how frustrating it was for him to hear people say they've read the book of John 20 times but weren't living it out. This conversation is packed with wisdom and inspiration… Tune in to discover how to live out your faith with more authenticity than ever before.Pre-order a copy of The Bible, Simplified. (July 1, 2025)Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Zach: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

Today I sit down with the amazing John Eldredge - bestselling author, counselor and teacher, who has inspired millions to go deeper with Jesus. We engage in a heartfelt conversation about the importance of finding peace in God when life feels chaotic (sound familiar?!).My favorite part: John shares super practical tips on how to come home well at the end of a long, exhausting day. He also shares how he personally connects with God throughout the day (and you'll want to try it too)!Listen in to learn more about how we're constantly pulled away from faith and how to fight back in small but powerful ways.Grab a copy of Experience Jesus. Really.Check out The Pause AppThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Generous CoffeeInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Generous Coffee sells some of the best coffee in the world AND 100% of profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that are fighting injustice facing humans around the world. You can find out more (including purchasing in bulk) at generousmovement.com Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with John: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

Join The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  Watch the full interview with Jody: youtube.com/@adamaweber In this episode, I have an inspiring conversation with Jody Luke, the president of Love Does - a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the vulnerable and providing education in conflict zones. I ask the question: what is it like working for a crazy visionary like Bob Goff?Jody also shares how leadership can be lonely, why we should bring joy into dark places and how we can make a difference right where we are. Tune in for insights on leadership, personal growth and laughter!Learn more about Love Does and grab a copy of the book.Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.com

This week we had guest preachers Alianore Smith and Jonny Goodchild from International Justice Mission speak about God's heart for justice.

This week, Clayton chats to a man whose name we can’t even use… Working for the International Justice Mission… “Investigator V” spends years building cases against slave traffickers to enable governments around the world to provide true justice to those without a voice… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, I had the honor to connect with Jess Connolly. Jess is an author, speaker, podcaster that I've followed for years (and I'm a huge fan of her husband Nic).During our conversation, Jess opens up about what she learned through the hardest year of her life and what she discovered through experiencing pain. We also talk about the importance of rest and Jess shares some simple tips for how to find it, even in the busyness of life.Plus, if you listen to the podcast or watch on YouTube, you'll also hear Jess talk about how to pursue something that you believe God has given you, even when you're not finding any traction.Friends, don't miss this episode!Grab a copy of Jess' new book Tired of Being TiredTake the FREE “Find Your Fatigue” quiz here: https://www.jessconnolly.com/quiz Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Jess: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

This episode dive into cybercrime and how it can affect all of us! We have Jacob Sims on, who discusses how common cybercrime is in South East Asia. He explains the ties between the government of Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, and the organised crime bosses. Moreover, how the money is laundered, why the government cannot do much, and why they might not want to do much, the forced labour camps being in places one might not expect, and many more topics!Jacob Sims is a columnist for The Diplomat and a founding partner of Operation Shamrock, which is a global public-private coalition working to disrupt Southeast Asia's organised cybercrime epidemic. He also acts in a formal advisory capacity to numerous other leading organisations and governments in the global fight against modern slavery. Jacob previously served in country (Cambodia), regional (APAC), and global leadership roles at International Justice Mission, led policy research at the College of William & Mary, and conducted human rights research in northern Myanmar. Jacob's analysis features regularly in major media outlets and global thought leadership forums where he is drawn upon as a leading expert voice on modern slavery and transnational crime.The International Risk Podcast is a weekly podcast for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. In these podcasts, we speak with experts in a variety of fields to explore international relations. Our host is Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's leading risk consulting firms. Dominic is a regular public and corporate event speaker, and visiting lecturer at several universities. Having spent the last 20 years successfully establishing large and complex operations in the world's highest-risk areas and conflict zones, Dominic now joins you to speak with exciting guests around the world to discuss international risk.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn for all our great updates.Tell us what you liked!

Luke 9:28-43aNow about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep, but as they awoke they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” While he was being brought forward, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. Now that was fun! I'm talking about last night's Mardi Gras party, of course. +Mark likes to say it's about as much fun as you can have in church. I have to agree—and I'll be honest, Cross of Grace, I had my doubts.When I first got the paperwork to begin the call process, the description of the congregation caught my eye: Cross of Grace is a lively, growing, and fun family of faith. Now, I grew up Lutheran, and I wouldn't call most of our congregations lively, so that seemed like a bold claim. Then growing—and I thought, That's too good to be true. It's 2022, we're just coming out of a pandemic, nobody is growing. And then the kicker: fun family of faith. I thought, They know they're supposed to be honest about this, right? How much fun can a Lutheran church in a town of less than 3,000 people be?Well, come to a Mardi Gras party, and you'll see! There's music, laughter, food, drink, games, and feasting—all while raising money for a good cause. We really do let the good times roll! Some might ask, A Mardi Gras party at church? A pancake breakfast is one thing, but Mardi Gras? To which I say: Of course! We should have fun! We should feast! And what better time than Mardi Gras?What many don't realize is that Mardi Gras has deep Christian roots. Like many of our traditions, it began as pagan celebrations of spring and fertility thousands of years ago. But when Christianity arrived in Rome, they adapted the traditions instead of abolishing them, thank goodness! By the 1600s, Mardi Gras—or carnival—had become what we know today. And it's not not just a day, but an entire season. It begins with Epiphany and ends on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French). And this season was preparation for Lent: 40 days of feasting, filling up on meat, eggs, butter, and a little fun too… before the 40 days of fasting and self-sacrifice.That same spirit is still alive in New Orleans today. You might think Mardi Gras is all debauchery and drunkenness, but you'd be wrong. Nearly every part of it has rich Christian symbolism. The colors—purple, green, and gold—represent justice, faith, and the power of God. The food, from king cake to paczkis (poonch-keys), connects to traditions of feasting on the very things you soon fast during Lent. Even the bands and floats marching down the streets create more than just spectacle—they offer people a shared experience of joy and community before embarking on a time of penance and reflection.I asked our own Angi Johnson, whose family goes to Mardi Gras nearly every year, what she loves most about it. She told me that when you watch the bands marching by and the krewes strutting around in their colorful costumes and masks, handing out handmade, one-of-a-kind treasures, something remarkable happens—the strangers beside you quickly become friends. The energy, the generosity, the sheer joy of it all draws people together. It's communal. It's sacramental. It's a party you never want to end. Maybe it was Mardi Gras up on the mountaintop that Peter, James, and John had followed Jesus onto. It certainly sounds like one heck of a party: dazzling clothes, changes in appearance, bright lights, surprise VIP guests, who knows, maybe there was a jazz band up there too.And Peter was loving it. He didn't want the party to end. Who could blame him? Who wouldn't want to stay at that mountaintop Mardi Gras? Moses, Elijah, and Jesus—who else might show up? What else might happen? But Peter also remembered what Jesus had said just eight days ago: that he would suffer, be rejected, and be killed. If they stayed on the mountain, they could pretend Jesus never said that. If they stay on the mountain, they can continue to let the good times roll and he doesn't have to go back down the mountain; back to the dark, cold, struggling world from whence they came. So Peter says, let's not leave. Let's build tents and just stay on the mountaintop, far away from the valley below.But, every Mardi Gras comes to an end, including this one. As Peter is laying out his plans to stay, a mysterious crowd engulfs them. They hear God speak to them and when the voice is gone, so too are Elijah and Moses. The party's over. It's time to go back down the mountain and enter the valley. Or perhaps more accurately, Jesus chooses to go back down the mountain, where he's immediately met with another crowd and a father begging for his son to be healed. And you can almost hear Peter saying, that's why I wanted to stay on the mountain: away from all the disease, from all the demons, from all the people in need of Jesus. If they had just stayed on that mountain, Peter wouldn't have to go to this lowly place, filled with lowly people. Yet the first thing Jesus does upon entering the valley is heal the boy brought to him by the begging father. And everyone who saw it was astounded at the greatness of God.That's the good news in this story. Jesus chooses to go back down the mountain, into the valley, where there is a crowd clamoring for his teaching, his healing, his mere presence; where there is disease and demons waiting for him, where there is suffering, and rejection, and pain, waiting for him. And yet, he goes willingly, showing that the glory of God is not just revealed at Mountaintop Mardi Gras's but also through humble service in the sin-filled, disease ridden, valley. Thanks be to God.And what does all this mean for us today? It seems this country is having our own Mardi Gras atop the America First mountain, reveling not in God's glory and power, but it's own. On Wednesday, the State Department announced it would cut hundreds of USAID-funded programs—$60 billion in lifesaving aid to the world's poorest communities, gone. It's just 1% of government spending, but it has an outsized impact on global health. HIV treatment for 350,000 people in Southern Africa, including 20,000 children and pregnant women, gone. The only water source for 250,000 displaced people in war torn areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, gone. Health clinics operating in the middle of Sudan's civil war, gone. And that's just a few examples! Hundreds more, just like them, gone! All to save a back, to stay on the mountaintop of America First. Meanwhile, children like the boy in the valley, will be mauled, not by demons, but by hunger, thirst, disease, and war. Does that sound like a Christian nation?Not to me it doesn't, because the Jesus I know can't help but go down the mountain. Our Jesus chose to go into the valley because the sick boy needed him, because I needed him, because you needed him, because the world needed him! And when the time was right, Jesus went up another hill, this time on a cross, but he didn't stay on that hill either.We certainly know how to have fun, Cross of Grace, and God knows.. with all the grief we are holding from the deaths of beloved Partners in Mission and with the long, difficult, days of Lent ahead, we needed it. But every mardi gras comes to an end and Ash Wednesday is right around the corner. So this Lent, let's follow Christ into the valley and help the most vulnerable through our Lenten disciplines. In your giving, support organizations that got their funding cut, like World Vision, International Justice Mission, Global Refuge, and Lutheran World Relief, all faith-based organizations, all had programs cut. In your fasting, think of and pray for the children in Gaza, Syria, and Nigeria suffering from severe malnutrition. In your praying, lift up our president and all elected officials, that they would leave the mountain of America first and follow Christ's example, helping and serving those in the valley. Lord have mercy. Amen.

This week Tim Wong sits down with Richard Lee, Global Senior Officer of Public Engagement at the International Justice Mission, to further unpack how IJM is carrying the message of ending injustice on the global stage. Find out more about IJM here: https://www.ijm.org/

Born in Singapore, Rae Lee enjoys the city-state's melting pot of food hubs and cultural diversity. She is passionate about uplifting communities in need and driving collaboration for meaningful social impact. Rae brings with her over two decades of experience in the social service and philanthropy sectors.In her current role as Executive Director at International Justice Mission, Singapore and Southeast Asia, she leads a team to influence and fuel investments towards increasing protection for people living in poverty and subjected to violence in Asia.Join us as Rae shares her life-journey of altruism; the impetus behind her work; the horrifying magnitude of the human trafficking and slavery ‘economy' worldwide and in SEA; the incredible work of the International Justice Mission; the upstream and downstream interventions to free trafficked children; the impact of climate change on human trafficking; her beautiful belief of ‘grace extended' and the importance of family, friends, scripture and story to keep her stable and positive to achieve her goals of liberating the vulnerable.And if your spirit is stirred by these amazing conversations, don't forget to like, subscribe and leave a review - so more people can find their way to The Modern Crone. Thank you for tuning in! You can contact Rae at:WebsiteInstagram  LinktreeLinkedinThe Modern Crone team -Theme music and season intro tracks:Sam Joole: www.samjoole.comCover design and photographyLuana Suciuhttps://www.instagram.com/luanasuciu/Luanasuciu@gmail.com Voice editing:Christopher Hales - Mask Music Studiosmaskmusicstudios@outlook.com

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message here and let me know what you thought about the episode. :)Did you know 97% of recurring donor value occurs AFTER the first gift? Author and nonprofit advisor Dave Raley is here to share why the subscription economy is reshaping recurring giving and how nonprofits can shift from a transactional mindset, to building engaging donor experiences that foster long-term retention.We get into why you need a dedicated staff focusing on recurring giving programs (one of Dave's clients saw 6-figure year-over-year growth after implementing this!), how brands like organic perfumery Ffern are creating intrigue before a purchase decision, and how to prevent involuntary donor churn from declined or expired credit cards.From refining onboarding processes to offering “upsells” and donor-exclusive experiences, Dave provides an inspiring roadmap for maximizing the lifetime value of monthly donors!Dave also shares details on his book launch and how you can win one of 10 free signed copies. Click here to sign up and be automatically entered to win.Resources & LinksConnect with Dave on LinkedIn and check out his new book, The Rise of Sustainable Giving: How the Subscription Economy Is Transforming Recurring Giving and What Nonprofits Can Do to Benefit. You can also sign up for Dave's weekly newsletter, The Wave Report to be entered to win one of TEN signed copies of his new book.One of Dave's favorite recurring giving experiences is from the International Justice Mission. This show is presented by LinkedIn for Nonprofits. We're so grateful for their partnership. Explore their incredible suite of resources and discounts for nonprofit teams here.The 2nd Annual Virtual Monthly Giving Summit is coming February 26th and 27th! RSVP for FREE HERE.My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show! Head to YouTube for digital marketing how-to videos and podcast teasers Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Live from Media Row in New Orleans, former NFL offensive lineman, Kyle Turley and Marine, BJ Ganem join Cofield & Company to talk about their organization, Sierra Delta that empowers military Veterans through service dogs. Kyle and BJ discuss the different events taking place at Media Row to support Sierra Delta and share all the different things service dogs provide to veterans. NFL and College Football analyst, Mark Herzlich joins Cofield & Company to detail his collaboration with the International Justice Mission that fights against human trafficking, give his thoughts on the first season of the 12-team college football playoff format, and tell why his former teammate, Eli Manning belongs in the Hall of Fame. Former college football quarterback, Troy Jones joins Cofield & Co. to talk about his virtual reality football game 'NFL Pro Era' that is the first to be licensed by the NFL, explain the proper use of virtual reality head sets, and review where the future of virtual reality games will go. Reaction to the Miami Heat trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.

Naomi Holland of Redeemed with Purpose brings intelligent expertise and years of advocating to protect children and families from pornography. https://redeemedwithpurpose.com https://www.instagram.com/redeemedwithpurpose https://www.facebook.com/RWPJewelry This year Redeemed with Purpose is donating jewelry funds to International Justice Mission https://www.ijm.ca

In today's episode, I sit down with JP Pokluda, the lead pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, Texas and formerly the leader of The Porch, a weekly young adult ministry which grew to be the largest of its kind in the country.JP offers some insights into the unique movements of faith happening on college campuses, in prisons and throughout our country today (hellooo revival!). We have a candid conversation about the power of confession (specifically what it looks like) and we dive into spiritual warfare (what it is and how we can fight back). Whether you're a church leader, a college student, or someone seeking deeper spiritual understanding, this episode provides practical perspectives on living a life of faith, purpose and hope for what is to come!Grab a copy of JP's new book Your Story Has a VillainCheck out Carey Neiuwhof's interview with Al Gordon from Saint Church about revival hereThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with JP: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

International Justice Mission is fighting to end human trafficking and slavery around the world. That work can make workers weary. IJM VP of Spiritual Formation Jim Martin and Director of Strategic Partnerships Susan Umlor share how creating spiritual rhythms aids in seeking justice in our lives and the lives of others. Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: click here

To continue our New Year's Series, I interview one of my all time favorite worship leaders, Jenn Johnson!Jenn is one of the founding members of Bethel Music and she joins me to talk about how to grow spiritually in 2025… specifically how to push through spiritual dryness and jadedness. Jenn also shares practical advice for both new believers and seasoned Christians on how to keep their faith vibrant and alive by getting into the Word, praying and finding community. Jenn also has a challenge for the Church and Jesus followers!This episode will encourage you to deepen your faith this New Year.Songs we mentioned in this episode:No One Like the LordHoly SongHe Has Done Great ThingsIf the LordCenterPre-Save the We Must Respond album by Bethel MusicGrab a copy of Jenn's book All Things LovelyListen to part one of the New Year Series here.Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Jenn: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

For the first episode in our New Year's series, I asked one of the most positive people I know, Jon Gordon, to join us and talk about his “one word” concept.Jon is a best-selling author and keynote speaker who changed his life through changing his perspective (along with having a strong faith in Jesus). It turns out Jon isn't naturally positive at all!Not feeling super positive this New Year? Not great with setting (let alone keeping) your resolutions? Consider choosing a single word to focus on instead. Why? Jon says, “it provides clarity and focus. It gives meaning, mission, passion and purpose.”Protip: Be sure to listen to the end when Jon shares advice he wished he had gotten earlier in life (it's not what you think).Grab a copy of Jon's book: One Word Will Change Your LifeDownload the YouVersion app here.Purchase my FAVORITE book about goals here.Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Jon: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

In today's episode, I sit down with the always inspiring, Bob Goff! Bob is one of the most sought out speakers in the world, he's a multi-New York Times Best-selling author, lawyer, and world changer... More than anything, he's one of the most uplifting and inspiring people you'll ever cross paths with.In only a way that only Bob can, he shares his advice on marriage and parenting. For any married person or parent, his words are filled with wisdom (and it's hilarious to listen to). We also talk about the concept of whimsy. What is it? How do we find it in our everyday lives? And how can we pursue it with intention? Grab a copy of Bob's new book Catching WhimsyThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Bob: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

In today's episode, I get to have a conversation with the amazing Megan Fate Marshman!Megan and I talk about seeing the messy parts of ourselves and how God can use our mess just as much as He can use our gifts (especially if we are open and willing to listen to His nudges). Two months back, Megan shared at Embrace (the church I pastor) and the response was INSANE. Like unexplainable. So I asked her what has changed in her preaching process and how she uncovers so much wisdom. She also shared how she's gained an eternal perspective through grieving the loss of her husband. A perspective shift that has obviously changed her.I hope this message leaves you feeling challenged and inspired! Grab a copy of Megan's book Relaxed.Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Generous CoffeeInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Generous Coffee sells some of the best coffee in the world AND 100% of profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that are fighting injustice facing humans around the world. You can find out more (including purchasing in bulk) at generousmovement.com Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Megan: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

International Justice Mission wants tech companies to step up efforts to protect vulnerable children.Warning: distressing content. The Philippines is the global epicentre of the online sexual exploitation of children, where children are abused by parents and other relatives in their own homes, in front of a video camera, for a fee.It's awful and sickening trade in vulnerable human lives, one that's particularly insidious since it distorts a child's relationship with their primary caregivers and that transforms a child's home – the exact place they should be safe – into a predatory environment of abuse. And Australians are the third-highest consumers of this content worldwide, paying for these crimes to be live-streamed, and often through commonly used social media platforms and video conferencing tools.International Justice Mission (IJM) works to end modern slavery, partnering with NGOs, social workers, child advocates, faith communities, and law enforcement to bring about justice for survivors of trafficking, and to strengthen justice systems to hold offenders accountable. The organisation is now advocating for greater online safety, including pressuring tech companies to be more intentional about child safety from the point of product design.Life & Faith spoke to Gigi Tupas, head of National Activation and Partnerships at IJM Philippines, and Grace Wong, Chief Advocacy Officer, IJM Australia, to hear about what's happening on the ground.Explore: Support the work of International Justice Mission by becoming a Freedom Partner. Read the Sydney Morning Herald article: “The children for sale – and the Australians who exploit them”Read the 2023 UNSW report featuring research cited by Grace in the episode: “Identifying and understanding child sexual offending behaviours and attitudes among Australian men” Read more about IJM's 2023 report that found roughly one in 100 Filipino children were trafficked to produce live-streamed child sexual exploitation material.Tell us what you think of Life & Faith in this 5-minute survey

In today's episode, I had the joy of interviewing the dynamic mother-daughter duo: Allie (Cooney) & Sandra Stanley. Being in the same family as influential pastor Andy Stanley, founder of North Point Church, Allie talks about the unique experiences, expectations and lessons learned from growing up in a family defined by faith, leadership and public attention.Allie, now married with a daughter of her own, has written a book with her mom exploring the dynamics of mother-daughter relationships. During our time together, they share heartfelt stories, practical advice, and offer a glimpse into what it was like being raised in an environment where Christian principles are not just taught, but lived.Allie drills down into why she still loves the church and has chosen to stay when so many others - especially pastor's kids - have walked away.Grab a copy of Sandra and Allie's book: Meet Me in the MiddleThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Generous CoffeeInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Generous Coffee sells some of the best coffee in the world AND 100% of profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that are fighting injustice facing humans around the world. You can find out more (including purchasing in bulk) at generousmovement.com Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Sandra & Allie: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

We live in a broken world where both wonderful and terrible things happen daily.What can we do when our hearts and minds are overwhelmed by all the negative events that are happening 24-7 around us and across the globe?Human rights lawyer, Anu George Canjanathoppil, joins us to give some practical and encouraging advice for where and how we can start to fight injustice. Anu is currently the CEO working for the International Justice Mission in Canada and, together with her team, has helped free more than 10,000 people from forced labor slavery.Anu is quick to give glory to God and reminds us that we can start with one single step, right where we are.Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and to partner with this amazing organization, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Anu: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

Ever wondered how to balance self-care and serving others? Is balance the goal?If you're wrestling with this in your own life, today's episode is for you! I sit down with Hal Donaldson, the president and CEO of Convoy of Hope, a global, faith-based, nonprofit organization that works with communities to address root causes of poverty and hunger.Hal drops all kinds of leadership wisdom for anyone trying to make a difference in our world!From how to care for yourself AND serve the world.How the goal isn't to live a balanced life, it's to be obedient to God.How to overcome discouragement and battle scars as a leader.How to process tragedies in life.Whether you're in ministry, a mom, or you mow lawns, you won't want to miss this vulnerable and helpful conversation!Grab a copy of Hal's book What Really MattersThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and to partner with this amazing organization, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Mitsubishi is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Hal: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

In today's podcast, I sit down with author and podcastor, Emily P. Freeman. With a masters degree in Spiritual Formation and Leadership, Emily's superpower is gently helping people to discern the next right step in their lives. Decisions like when to stay or leave my job? What opportunity to pursue and what to walk away from. Deciding what to do when there's no wrong answer.You're going to love this podcast if you're asking questions like this yourself.Get a copy of Emily's new book: How to Walk Into a RoomLearn more about Emily here. Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and to partner with this amazing organization, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Mitsubishi is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Emily: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

Today, we invite you to join us as Sandra McCracken and Stephanie explore the interplay of faith, cultural insights, and the essence of beauty in worship music. Stephanie sits down with renowned musician Sandra McCracken to dive into the multifaceted ways God uses to connect us to Him, including beauty, language, and culture. Their conversation touches on various facets—from the linguistic richness of French expressions of delight and light, to the role of the local church and the importance of worship. Join us as we explore how experiencing God's beauty through nature, music, and community can deepen our spiritual journey. Sandra McCracken's songwriting serves as a rich medium to convey scriptural truths and draw us deep in worship through music. Her goal is to help people delight in God's presence through her music, creating songs that resonate with the heart's deepest longings. She shares how singing these truths repeatedly helps align her heart with them, even amid doubts or fears. Her work embodies the connection between light and delight, encouraging us to find joy and hope in God's presence. Let's talk about beauty for a minute. In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, the perception of beauty can often become obscured. Sandra and Stephanie discuss the necessity of slowing down to truly appreciate and experience deeper, non-disposable beauty. Pausing to engage with our surroundings and community, allows us to witness God's presence in the ordinary moments of life. By embracing this slower pace, we open ourselves up to deeper intimacy with God, finding beauty and inspiration in the everyday and the extraordinary alike. Beauty serves as a 'homing device,' drawing us toward God. Whether through the breathtaking landscapes of Yellowstone and Tetons or through the creative brilliance of European architecture, beauty reveals the hand of the divine in our world. Stephanie echoes this sentiment by highlighting how the unique expressions of beauty in different cultures enrich our spiritual experience, offering a fuller understanding of God's nature. During her visit to a botanical garden in Colorado, Sandra was struck by the diverse beauty of the garden, from the tall milkweeds to the fluttering butterflies. The process of pruning in gardening parallels life's trials. Just as a gardener prunes to encourage growth and beauty, God, the "master gardener," prunes us through life's challenges. Although this process can be uncomfortable, it is essential for our spiritual growth and transformation. Embracing this divine pruning allows us to develop into the people God intends us to be. The conversation takes a deeper turn as Sandra explores the concept of true beauty through the lens of the cross. The cross represents the epitome of humility, sacrifice, and power, embodying the ultimate beauty in the biblical narrative. Facing our brokenness within a community helps us understand and experience God's beauty in a transformative way. This vulnerability and honesty before God and one another reflect the beauty that comes from embracing our imperfections and relying on divine grace. Sandra invites us to consider how beauty, language, and community play pivotal roles in our faith journey. From the linguistic richness of French to Jesus' teaching on pruning, Sandra encourages us to slow down, appreciate beauty, and engage deeply with our faith communities. Through her music and reflections, Sandra McCracken helps us find delight in God's light, inviting us into a richer, more authentic experience of God in Christ. MEET SANDRA MCCRACKEN Sandra McCracken is a GRAMMY-nominated and Dove Award-winning singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. The daughter of a biology teacher and a seminary secretary, Sandra was born the youngest of five children in a house with music continually streaming from the record player. A prolific recording artist, McCracken has produced 18 solo albums. She has also produced 4 albums of children's music through the project Rain for Roots. Her best-selling release, Psalms (2015), received critical acclaim, followed by God's Highway (2017) which made the top 50 on the Billboard charts without a major label. Her album, Light in the Canyon, won the 2023 GMA Dove Award for Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the year. She has had songs featured in TV, including on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Blending the old and new, Sandra has also shown a unique ability to recast sacred scripture texts into theologically rich yet accessible songs. Her thoughtful lyrics and gospel melodies in songs like “We Will Feast In The House Of Zion” and “Steadfast" have become staple anthems in churches across the U.S. Sandra regularly partners with International Justice Mission, Blood:Water Mission, and ARocha, and her writing has been published by The Gospel Coalition, She Read Truth, and Relevant Magazine, in addition to her regular column with Christianity Today.  Sandra released her first book, Send Out Your Light, in September 2021 with B&H. She lives in Nashville with her husband, three children, and two dogs. https://www.sandramccracken.com/  MORE ABOUT “SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT” In the middle of Psalm 43, God offers us a dynamic invitation: Send out your light.Prolific singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken believes we each have the opportunity to hear and answer this invitation.  This book is written in three parts: part one is the becoming, the creation, how God makes us and gives us an identity. Part two is the disorientation of loss, displacement, and the dark night of the soul. Part three is reorientation, how God brings us through the darkness and illuminates our path with Scripture, sending us out to take his light to others. This has been the shape of Sandra McCracken's life. Through it all, songs and Scripture have been there to light the way, helping her respond to God's call. How will you respond to God's call to send out his light? We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

How are you growing in intimacy with Christ as an individual, family, and community?In this episode, Jeff, Jeff, Mart, and Tyler discuss: The generosity of women in the family.The privilege of traveling and experiencing other cultures and peoples. Collaboration to go faster and further together. Power in unity, person-to-person, life-to-life connections.   Key Takeaways: Work is more than just what you do, it's who you are and applying that.Invite your children along the journey to be on mission as a family. Encourage them to also find their passions, make connections, and open relationships to them so they can see different pathways for their gifts to bless others.As you get closer to your city, your calling gets larger and larger. Satan always attacks at the point of unity. It is a hard battle, but it is worth fighting for.  "I can't just be a gospel patron. I also have to be a gospel proclaimer, and I expect the gospel proclaimers to be gospel patrons and be generous themselves." —  Mart Green Episode References: Rooting for Rivals by Peter Greer: https://www.peterkgreer.com/rooting-for-rivals/He Gets Us: https://hegetsus.com/ About Mart Green: Mart Green is the Ministry Investment Officer for Hobby Lobby and the founder of Mardel Christian and Education Supply stores. His retail career began with his parents, who founded Hobby Lobby in their home. They now have over 1000 stores in 48 states. Mart is the Board Chair of Come and See, a foundation whose goal is to increase the impact of The Chosen by expanding its reach to the largest 600 languages in the world.  Mart and his wife, Diana, are also leading champions of illumiNations, an alliance of Bible Translation partners, working to eradicate Bible poverty by 2033. Mart and Diana live in Oklahoma. They have four children and thirteen grandchildren. Connect with Mart Green:Website: https://www.comeandseefoundation.org/Website: https://illuminations.bible/Website: https://www.mardel.com/Website: https://www.hobbylobby.com/ About Tyler Green: Tyler is an intentional creator of opportunities leading to communion and community. He is a builder of relational networks, focused on people-centered and community-formed co-creation. He works to help people move from isolation into togetherness and from competition into cooperation.He is a co-founder of Flourish OKC, a collaborative/creative platform, guided by a desire to see Oklahoma City realized as a city where all flourish.As a true community connector, Tyler has had the privilege of serving and living with an urban missional community in downtown OKC, working abroad for a year with International Justice Mission in Cambodia, and continues to engage as a community catalyst alongside his extended family, representing Hobby Lobby in the areas of culture and community engagement.Tyler finds life being outdoors, exploring, and finding new cultural spaces, both as an individual adventurer and amidst his family and friends. He is joyfully married to his wife, Kristin, and celebrates his five amazing children, Asher, Isla, Juniper, Jed, and Greyson. Connect with Tyler Green:Website: https://www.flourishokc.com/  Connect with Jeff Thomas: Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-upEmail: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisorsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw

Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the day following the 9/11 attacks, we remember one of the most heinous terrorist attacks in our history. In our final episode of the Unbeatable podcast, I'm honored to share Mark Clookie's powerful story of resilience and bravery. As a former NCIS special agent, Mark was in the Pentagon when the building was attacked, and he lived through the chaos and uncertainty that followed. Mark will also take us through his time with NCIS, including his deployments in Bahrain and Okinawa, and his roles in Washington, D.C. Don't miss our final episode of Unbeatable Podcast. Stay connected through our mobile app and on TV, where we'll launch new content soon.You'll hear:Mark highlights the differences between the TV show NCIS and the real work of NCIS agents.The NCIS has a broad mission that includes investigating felony crimes, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and counter-trafficking operations.Mark shares his experience of being in the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks and the importance of intelligence gathering and communication during times of crisis.How he was involved in combating human trafficking through organizations like the International Justice Mission and Prevention Now.What you can do to combat human trafficking in your own way.Learn More About Mark ClookieJoin Jeff Struecker Ministries CommunityLeave a review of this podcast on your favorite platform; it helps us get these stories out to more people who need to hear them!To give specific feedback directly to us on what you like about the podcast and what you don't, fill out this 5-minute survey.Don't let fear win. Get your FREE copy of the Unbeatable Army Survival Guide HERE

Welcome to part 3 of our 4-part Politics & Faith series on how to approach this election season without losing your mind (or your soul)! Today's Conversation is with Sharon McMahon, a former high school government and law teacher who earned the reputation of “America's Government Teacher” for using Instagram to educate the general public on political misinformation and inspire people to learn more about history, government and law.   Her Instagram Account @SharonSaysSo has over 1.1 million “Governerds” (followers) who together have raised more than $9 million for a number of important causes! During our time together, Sharon gives us hope by discussing how this is NOT the worst our country has ever been and gives some of the easiest advice I've ever heard for surviving election season (it may surprise you). Don't miss this encouraging episode!Pre-order a copy of Sharon's book: The Small and the MightyListen to Part 1 of the Politics & Faith series with NewsNation political contributor Denise Gitsham here: https://link.chtbl.com/tsuwsio8 Listen to Part 2 of the Politics & Faith series with former Obama Staffer Michael Wear here: https://link.chtbl.com/dgibUoKm Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and to partner with this amazing organization, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Mitsubishi is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Sharon: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

If you're a regular listener to The Conversation, you've heard me talk about the International Justice Mission, an incredible global nonprofit organization working to end slavery and violence around the world.On today's podcast, I sit down with Jim Martin who serves as the Vice President of Spiritual Formation for IJM.In this episode, Jim shares about the power of daily rhythms and how these intentional rhythms help fuel our daily mission - something we all need to not just maintain the status quo but to grow spiritually while in the workplace. Whether you face kids in a classroom, patients in a hospital, cars in a shop or anything in between, you will get practical tools for fueling your vocational passion that you can implement today! Jim also shares some beautiful insight on a personal challenge he's facing: when your adult kids walk away from God. If this is something you've walked through, are currently walking through or if it's something you worry about in the future, Jim's encouragement will bring you comfort. Look into becoming a Freedom Partner at ijm.orgThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and to partner with this amazing organization, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Jim: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message here and let me know what you thought about the episode. :)What can we learn from the merger of two impactful nonprofits, and how can it reshape our approach to mission-driven work? Join me as we welcome back Blythe Hill, the visionary founder of Dressember, who shares the inspiring journey of her organization's partnership with the International Justice Mission (IJM). With limited resources and a challenging post-COVID fundraising environment, this strategic move opened up new opportunities AND expanded the reach of Dressember's mission to combat human trafficking.You'll hear about the emotional and practical challenges Blythe faced, how they announced the acquisition to their 200,000 contacts, AND the nitty gritty of the legal side.This episode offers a transparent look at how to execute a successful strategic transition that ensures continued impact and support for nonprofit teams.P.S. My Monthly Giving Summit is coming up FAST! Join me on Sept 5-6 from 1-4 pm ET for the only free virtual event that is dedicated to helping you build, grow and sustain subscriptions for good. RSVP for FREE here.P.P.S. Join me for my Book Launch Tour at Kendra Scott stores in Atlanta, GA and Sarasota, FL! RSVP for Atlanta on September 7thRSVP for Sarasota on September 18thResources & LinksRegister for my Monthly Giving Summit coming up on Sept 5-6 from 1-4 pm ET - the ONLY virtual event designed to help nonprofits build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good. RSVP for FREE here!Learn more about Dressember on their website and follow them on Instagram. Connect with Blythe at blythe@dressember.org or on Instagram.Tune in to Episode 3 for my first conversation with Blythe, The Power of Video.Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show! Head to YouTube for digital marketing how-to videos and podcast teasers Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

In this episode, we escape the summer heat of Houston to explore out-of-the-box places and ways to practice law. Listeners will hear about combatting sex trafficking in Kenya, living in Puerto Vallarta while virtually practicing law in Houston, and engaging in immersive travel without interrupting service to one's clients in Houston.  Segment 1:There's No Place Like Home (in Kenya): Combatting Sex Trafficking in AfricaAnna Swanson, who is now practicing in Houston, completed her work last year as the Manager of Security, Investigations, and Law Enforcement Development at International Justice Mission's (“IJM”) field office in Mombasa, Kenya. In that position, Anna worked with government officials and law enforcement entities in different countries to train officials to use equipment and online investigation tools essential to investigate tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children digital world of evidence so that the evidence they obtained would be admissible in court. Anna discusses the types of child trafficking crimes in Kenya and how the court system there deals with defendants accused of such crimes. She also addresses the importance of collaboration and partnerships in achieving international legal goals – in this case protecting children. She also goes into some of the complexities of digital evidence and how the IJM and its partners were able to educate investigators, prosecutors, and even courts in Kenya on its use. Segment 2:You Had Me at Hola! (in Puerto Vallarta): Practicing Law in Texas While Living AbroadNikita Lamar of Lamar Legal Group (https://www.lamarlegalgroup.com/about-6) joins us from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She has an almost fully virtual law practice as a Houston lawyer living elsewhere. Nikita discusses why attorneys sometimes need to pivot, such as burnout. She also addresses the logistics of changing a firm's practice model to permit moving the practice out of the country, such as necessary changes to client engagement letters, and she talks about what lawyers moving abroad need to consider with regard to Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct 1.03 and 1.05. And, she touches on the importance of exploring Digital Nomad laws and tax implications of the locations you are considering and getting the advice of a tax professional before making a move. Nikita has started an online group called “Esquires Abroad” for lawyers who have virtual practices and live abroad (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12974315).Segment 3:Adventure is Out There: Enjoying Geographic Freedom While Maintaining a Successful Law PracticeArati Bhattacharya of AB Law (https://ab-firm.com/meet-the-team/) talks with new Behind-the-Lines interviewer Rinku Ray about how Arati structured her firm so that her family can engage in immersive travel experiences while she maintains a successful legal practice in Houston. Arati provides pointers and encouragement for lawyers who would like to take control of their lives and legal practices but may be afraid to do so.  HBA members are eligible for 0.75 hr. CLE credit (0.25 ethics) for listening to the 1st 2 segments. See The Houston Lawyer Committee page on the HBA website for details. For full speaker bios, visit The Houston Lawyer (hba.org). To read The Houston Lawyer magazine, visit The Houston Lawyer_home. For more information about the Houston Bar Association, visit Houston Bar Association (hba.org).*The views expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the views of The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board or the Houston Bar Association.

Today's guest knows a thing or two about God, marriage and parenting. Amy Groeschel has been married to pastor and author Craig Groeschel for 33 years, they have 6 children (which Amy home schooled) and 7 grandchildren. Together, Amy and Craig started Life.Church and pastor there to this day!Amy also personally leads women's ministries and founded Branch15, a nonprofit housing ministry to help marginalized women. Amy shares some wisdom about the ups and downs of marriage, parenting and life as a Jesus follower - and she tells us what she wished she could tell her 30-year old self!Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Generous CoffeeInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Generous Coffee sells some of the best coffee in the world AND 100% of profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that are fighting injustice facing humans around the world. You can find out more (including purchasing in bulk) at generousmovement.com Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Amy: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

On today's episode of the podcast, I sit down with Rob Roozeboom to talk about how life isn't fair.When Rob was 5 years old, he was diagnosed with Becker Muscular Dystrophy, a debilitating degenerative disease. Throughout his life he's wrestled with God. What do you do when life's not fair? How do you grieve well instead of sitting in self-pity?Rob is the founder of RISEfest, an amazing annual outdoor music festival in Sheldon, Iowa.Get a copy of Rob's book Broken Still Chosen.Want to join me at the Art of Leadership LIVE Conference? Learn more by visiting theartofleadershiplive.comThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Rob: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

This year at the church we have been moving our Faith Forward by exploring discipleship in the gospel of Matthew. Near the end of the book of Matthew, Jesus calls his disciples to give special consideration for those on the margins of society, what he calls "the least of these". In taking care of orphans, widows, prisoners, and the like, we have the privilege of serving Jesus, himself. This summer at PLCPC, while Pastor Karla is on Sabbatical, we have the unique opportunity to hear from some of our Christian sisters and brothers who are doing this type of frontline discipleship ministry. The speakers range from those doing ministry to the unhoused, to those releasing people in bondage from human trafficking, to those helping refugees on our own border. Hopefully, you will be inspired and encouraged to take your own step in deeper discipleship by hearing their stories. Wherever God calls, might we all have the courage to answer. Jim Martin serves as IJM's Vice President of Spiritual Formation. In this role for over a decade, Jim has worked with IJM's global leaders to strengthen IJM's foundation of Christian spiritual formation. Jim seeks to equip IJM staff worldwide to do the work of justice joyfully and sustainably with ever-deepening dependence on God. Prior to this position, Jim served as IJM's Vice President of Church Mobilization, where he led a team working to move churches to a deeper level of understanding of God's passion for justice.  This week, Jim reminds us that the church that Jesus came to establish is hard-wired for the life-and-death struggles of this world. It is a church that brings good news to the poor, that proclaims release to the captives, and lets the oppressed go free. It is a church, says Jesus, that the gates of hell will not prevail against. What does it look like for the church to engage today's life-and-death struggles? What does it look like for us, as followers of Jesus, to be light in the darkness? Weaving the words of scripture together with frontline stories of the work of International Justice Mission, Jim Martin paints a compelling picture of the church's role to bring the light of rescue and restoration into some of the deepest darkness in our world today. Passage: Luke 4:18-19 and Matthew 16:18   We have three worship opportunities for you to experience: 9:00 a.m. - Sanctuary Service 9:30 a.m. - Online Service 10:30 a.m. - Chapel Service  Please consider joining us for one of these services.  To view past worship services along with other digital content, go to our Youtube Channel @PointLomaChurchOnline.  To get involved in what God is doing within our community, please visit our website at www.pointlomachurch.org. For event happenings: http://pointlomachurch.org/connect/events/ To register for any event: http://pointlomachurch.org/register If you would like to give to the ministry: http://pointlomachurch.org/give/ or through our Venmo account: @Point-Loma-Church

In today's conversation, I got to connect with Harrison Phillips, defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings.We talk about some important moments in Harrison's life that have shaped him into the man he is today. From how he started following Jesus to why he started a foundation called Harrison's Playmakers for young people with special needs. On the night it was announced that he was the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award Nominee, Harrison walked into a room of 200 family, friends and young people who have been helped by his foundation cheering him on, which he describes as “one of the coolest moments of my life.” (Watch the video here). Harrison's encouragement to make an impact is a must listen!Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Harrison: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew 

On today's podcast, I sit down with Gary Haugen, the founder and CEO of the International Justice Mission, an amazing global nonprofit organization working to end slavery and violence around the world.Oftentimes Jesus & justice seem to oppose each other. Like you need to choose one or the other. Gary tells the story of how IJM started and explains how Jesus and justice actually go together! - they're not opposed (like many Christians may feel they are or should be).One of my favorite parts of the interview is only on Youtube where Gary gets vulnerable by sharing how he leads his team when he feels fragile. As a leader, I feel fragile often (aka daily!) Don't miss this powerful episode!Thanks to our amazing partner on this episode: International Justice MissionInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Gary: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

Today's episode features Jonathan and Sy talking with Pastor Rasool Berry. They discuss:-        The importance of acknowledging and understanding your own and your community's power-        The social and spiritual forces behind the opposition to CRT or DEI (or whatever they're calling it today)-        Pastor Berry's incredible documentary about Juneteenth and Christian faith-        When to leave communities that push back against racial justice-        And after the interview, Sy and Jonathan reflect on the work it takes to pass on a tradition like Juneteenth well, and the truly, literally unbelievable levels of ignorance whiteness creates in people-        Plus, they discuss the Daniel Perry pardon, and the threads that connect it to the Donald Trump convictionsMentioned in the Episode-        Our anthology - Keeping the Faith: Reflections on Politics and Christianity in the era of Trump and Beyond-        An abridged version of Pastor Berry's article from the anthology.-        His subsequent article, “Uncritical Race Theory”-        The documentary Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom-        Resources for screening Juneteenth and inviting speakers involved with the film-        The soundtrack for Juneteenth-        Pastor Berry's podcast, Where Ya From?-        The article on Daniel Perry Sy put in our newsletter-        The Texas Monthly article about how legally unusual Perry's pardon wasCredits-        Follow KTF Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Subscribe to get our bonus episodes and other benefits at KTFPress.com.-        Follow host Jonathan Walton on Facebook Instagram, and Threads.-        Follow host Sy Hoekstra on Mastodon.-        Our theme song is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra – listen to the whole song on Spotify.-        Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess – follow her and see her other work on Instagram.-        Transcripts by Joyce Ambale and Sy Hoekstra.-        Production by Sy Hoekstra and our incredible subscribersTranscript[An acoustic guitar softly plays six notes, the first three ascending and the last three descending – F#, B#, E, D#, B – with a keyboard pad playing the note B in the background. Both fade out as Jonathan Walton says “This is a KTF Press podcast.”]Rasool Berry: There was a lot of nicknames and still are for Juneteenth. One was Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, but Jubilee Day. And when I discovered that, that's when I said we got to get involved in this process. Because you mean to tell me that these formerly enslaved people at a time when it was illegal to read, that they understood enough of the story that they picked out this festival, that it was this reordering of society, the kingdom of heaven coming back to earth. And in the context of this, of their faith, they saw God doing a jubilee in their lives?[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]IntroductionSy Hoekstra: Welcome to Shake the Dust, seeking Jesus, confronting injustice. I'm Sy Hoekstra.Jonathan Walton: And I'm Jonathan Walton. Today, hear us talk to Pastor Rasool Berry about his thoughts on the movement against CRT, or DEI, or whatever the term for the moment is right now when you listen to this. We're also [laughs] going to talk about his incredible feature length documentary called Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom, which is available for free on YouTube right now. And then after the interview, hear our thoughts on the pardon of Daniel Perry and the conviction of Donald Trump in our segment, Which Tab Is Still Open?Sy Hoekstra: The 34 convictions of Donald Trump.Jonathan Walton: All of them.Sy Hoekstra: All of them [laughs]. We're going to talk about each one individually…Jonathan Walton: Exactly.Sy Hoekstra: …the specific business record that he destroyed, whatever.Jonathan Walton: [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Don't be afraid, we're not going to do that. By the way, I said at the end of last week that the guest this week was going to be Brandi Miller, and then we realized that we had to do the episode that was about Juneteenth before Juneteenth. So Brandi Miller's going to be in two weeks from now. And this time [laughs], it's Pastor Rasool Berry.Before we get to that, just a reminder, we need your subscriptions. Please go to ktfpress.com and become a paid subscriber on our Substack. Your support sustains what we do, and we need that support from you right now. We've been doing this as a side project for a long time, and like we've been saying, if we want this show to continue past this season, we need to get a lot more subscribers so that we can keep doing this work, but not for free as much as we've been doing it.So go and subscribe. That gets you all the bonus episodes of this show, which there are many, many of at this point. And then it also gets you access to our new monthly subscriber conversations that we're doing. Jonathan and I will be having video chats with you to talk about all the different kinds of things that we talk about on this show, answer some questions, just have a good time. And if you cannot afford a subscription, if money's the only obstacle, just write to us at info@ktfpress.com. We will give you a free or discounted subscription, no questions asked. But if you can afford it, please, ktfpress.com. Become a paid subscriber. We need your support now.Jonathan Walton: Pastor Rasool Berry serves as teaching pastor at The Bridge Church in Brooklyn, New York. He's also the director of partnerships and content development with Our Daily Bread Ministries. Pastor Berry graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies and Sociology. He's also the host of the Where Ya From? podcast sponsored by Christianity Today, and the writer, producer and host of Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom. Let's get to it. Here's the interview.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Sy Hoekstra: Pastor, thank you so much for joining us on Shake the Dust today.Rasool Berry: Oh, well, I'm glad to be here with you all, back at it again, Keeping the Faith.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. Yes, exactly [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Amen. Amen.The Importance of “Mapping” PowerSy Hoekstra: So, you wrote this fantastic essay for… so, well, actually, it was originally for your blog, I think, and then we kind of took it and adapted it for the anthology. And it was about critical race theory, and you broke down a lot of the history and sort of the complex intellectual background of it and everything. But you talked specifically about something that you said, critical race theory and the Bible and the Black Christian tradition in the US all help us do something really important, and that thing is mapping power. Can you talk to us a little bit about what power mapping is and what the importance of it is?Rasool Berry: Yeah. I first kind of got wind of that framework when we were launching a justice ministry at our church. And two friends Gabby, Dr. Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes and her husband, Dr. Andrew Wilkes, who do a lot of great work with justice, actually walked our church through thinking about mapping power in our church as a way of evaluating what types of justice initiatives did it make sense for us to engage in, in light of what we had in the room. And so for instance, when I was in my church in Indiana, a lot of the parishioners worked at Lilly who's headquarters is in Indiana. And so when they decided to do something for the community, they ended up opening up a clinic in the church building, which still exists and serves the local community, because they all had medical backgrounds.So when they do mission work, they do mission work with a medical component, because that's a effective way of mapping power. Where our church in Brooklyn average age is about 28, 29 and they're more artsy. So we're not opening up clinics, you know what I mean? But what we can do is events that help inspire and help engage with people. And then eventually with our pastor's leadership started something called Pray March Act, which looks to be a place to mobilize churches around issues of justice in New York City. So what is oftentimes overlooked in Christian spaces, and I really am indebted to Andy Crouch and his book, Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power, for really surfacing the need for us to have a theology of power.That this is something that oftentimes especially evangelical churches, or more kind of Bible oriented or people kind of churches, there's a sense in which we don't know how to think about power. And I believe, I suspect this is one of the reasons why the church has been so susceptible to issues like sexual abuse, to egregious theft in money, is because we are not really conditioned to think about power, which is really ironic because the scriptures really do point to… I mean, we literally have two books, First and Second Kings, and those books are pointing to you have the king, this king was a good king, and it impacted the kingdom of Israel this way. This king was a bad king, and then this is what happened.And so it's wired in the text, right? Amy Sherman in her book, Kingdom Calling, Dr. Amy Sherman points to this when she points to the proverb that says, “when the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.” And it's this idea, when she says righteous, she's not thinking about it in the kind of traditional pietistic aspect of righteousness, but she's talking about “tzedakah” in the Hebrew, which has this connotation of justice. Because when people who are put in positions of power and influence, when they do right by the people underneath them when they do right, that people celebrate. Versus when there's somebody who's a tyrant that's in office, the people groan because there's that sense of they recognize we've mapped power dynamics, and somebody who's going to do ill is going to have a disproportionate impact on all of us.And so power mapping is bringing to surface the awareness of what is it that we have in the room. And it's also a very humbling way of being aware of our own power, right? Like how do I show up as a man in a space, in certain things? Like I know if I get up and I'm about to preach that there's some different dynamics depending on who I'm talking to in a room. Like if I'm in a predominantly Black context that's younger, then the locks might actually kind of give me some street cred. Like, oh, that's kind of cool. But if I'm in a older, traditional space, looking younger is going to be more of a uphill climb to say, okay, what's this guy coming at? And if I'm in a White space, versus but I also recognize that when our sisters come up, that there's a whole different type of power mapping situation.And so all of these things are helpful in being aware of how we show up and how that matters. And Andy's kind of thesis is that unlike the kind of post Nietzschean postmodern suspicion and critical view of power that only sees it as a negative, that God has actually given us and ordained us to exert influence and power in redemptive ways. But we can only do that if we map it, if we're aware of it, and if we use it in a way that's not just for our own self or comfort or glory, but for those who we're called to serve.Sy Hoekstra: Can I ask, just for some like to get specific on one thing, because I'm not sure this would be intuitive to everyone. You said if we map power, then we might not end up in the same situations that we are with, like abuse scandals in the church?Rasool Berry: Yeah. Yep.Sy Hoekstra: And I think I… where my mind goes is I think we would react differently to the abuse scandal. I don't know if the abuse scandals themselves would… those happen unfortunately. But I think where the power mapping might come in, is where so many people are then just deferring to whatever the person in, the pastor's narrative is. Is that kind of what you're talking about, like the reaction?Rasool Berry: I think it's on both sides.Sy Hoekstra: You do? Okay.Rasool Berry: Yeah, because for instance, if I am aware, very aware of power dynamics with children and adults, I would see the value in a practice of not leaving an adult in a space with a child by themselves.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, I see. You might put systems in place ahead of time. Yeah, yeah.Rasool Berry: Right. So there's the sense in which we can put policies in place that recognize… it's the same thing why we put the labeling system on kids when they check into childcare, right? Like you put the little label so that some random person can't just come and pick them up because a kid can't defend themselves. Or they may not have the capacity to understand what's going on if somebody just random comes up and says, “Hey, your mom and your dad told me to come get you,” and then they believe that. And so we have systems that we put in place to recognize those power dynamics. And I think unfortunately, that in a lot of our church context and culture there's an overly naive sense of, and really sometimes idolatrous view of pastors and leaders that essentially say, well, they're good and they're godly people, so there isn't a need for accountability, or there isn't a need for, you know…And so no, it's like, well, in the same way that we have trustees in certain churches, or there's a elders board, depending on what your church polity is, that polity should reflect a sense of accountability and transparency so that there is an awareness on the front end as well as on the backend that when it does come to bring people into account, that there's also an awareness of a power dynamic at play there too.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense especially when [laughs] we throw those things out, all we have are the systems of hierarchy and social dominance that exist to define what power is, right?Rasool Berry: Right.Jonathan Walton: So the train just keeps going.The Social and Spiritual Forces behind the Fight against CRT/DEIJonathan Walton: So leaning into that a little bit, you wrote an essay focusing on CRT power mapping and things like that. But it feels like nobody in the Trump camp really had an idea of what CRT was, and it didn't even really matter to them what it was.Rasool Berry: Right.Jonathan Walton: So what do you think is at the core of what's going on with White people when they reject CRT or DEI or whatever the—conscious—whatever the term would be?Rasool Berry: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: What do you think the underlying concern is?Rasool Berry: Well, you know, after… and it's so funny because when I wrote that first piece, I wrote it as a way… [laughs] I wrote it just to get it off my chest. And in my mind, almost nobody was going to read it because it was like a 20-something minute read, and I just didn't care because I was just like, “I'm getting this off my chest,” and this is the last I'm going to say about it. Like I thought that was going to be just this thing, just so I can point people to, if anybody asks. I did not intend, nor did I think that it was only going to kind of position me as this person that people were listening to and reading and resonating with about it. So that was funny. But then what ended up happening, and especially after I was on the unbelievable? podcast with Justin Brierley, kind of in this debate format with Neil Shenvi, who's kind of been one of the most outspoken evangelical Christian critics of critical race theory. Critics is probably too mild of a term, kind of a…Jonathan Walton: Antagonist.Rasool Berry: Antagonist, even stronger. Like this doomsday prophet who says that, who's warning against the complete erosion of biblical norms because of the Trojan Horse, in his mind, of critical race theory. In the midst of that conversation, that kind of elevated, it was one of their top 10 episodes of the entire year, and it just kind of got me into these spaces where I was engaging more and more. And I kind of sat back and reflected, and I had a few more interactions with Neil on Twitter. And I ended up writing a separate piece called “Uncritical Race Theory.” And the reason why I did that, is I went back and I was curious about what kind of insights I could get from previous instances of the way that there were being controversies surrounding race in America in the church, and how the church talked about those debates.So I went back and I read The Civil War as a Theological Crisis by Mark Noll, who looked at and examined the actual debates during the time of the antebellum period of pro-slavery Christians and anti-slavery Christians, and he analyzed that. Then I went back and I read The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby, who looked at the pro-integrationist and segregationist arguments in the church. And what I found was that there was incredible symmetry between what was argued in each of those instances, going all the way back to the 1800s, to the 1960s, to now, and there were two things that emerged. The first was that the primary response from those who were supportive of slavery in the 1800s, or those who were supportive of segregation in the 1960s was to claim first of all, that the opposing view were not biblically faithful, or were not even concerned about biblical fidelity.So this is different than other types of discussions where we could say, even going back to the councils, right? Like when there's some type of, like during the Nicaean Council or something like that, they're debating about how they're understanding the text about certain things. Whereas is Jesus fully God, is he man, is he both? But there's a basic premise that they're both coming at it from different aspects of scriptures. What I noticed in the American context is that there was a denial that the side that was kind of having a more progressive view was even biblically faithful at all.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Christian.Rasool Berry: The second part is related to the first, is that there was this allegation that there was outside philosophies that was actually shaping this impetus because it wasn't clearly the Bible. So in the 1800s that was the claim, “Oh, you're being influenced by these post-enlightenment ideas.” In the 1960s it was straight up Marxism, communism. You see the signs. “Integration is communism.” Like you see the people protesting with that, and of course the new version of that is kind of the remix of cultural Marxism, or these type of things. And so what I acknowledged in each of those scenarios is that part of the problem is that there is such an uncritical understanding of race that it causes, I think especially those in a dominant culture or those who've been susceptible to the ideologies of White supremacy, which can be White or Black or other, There's a tendency to see any claim that race is a problem as the problem itself because there's an underlying denial of the reality of racial stratification in our society, and the what Bryan Stevenson refers to as the narrative of racial difference or what is more commonly known as White supremacy. So when your default position is that you are introducing a foreign concept into the conversation when you talk about the relevance of race in a scenario, then it causes… that sense of uncritical nature of the reality of race causes you to then look upon with suspicion any claim that there's some type of racial based situation happening. And that is what I call, it is really ironically uncritical race theory. It's the exact opposite of what critical race theory is trying to do.And so I think that that's my take on what's happening. And then I think that's more of the scientific sociological, but then there's also a spiritual. I am a pastor [laughter]. And I have to end with this. I have to end with this, because in some ways I was naively optimistic that there was, if you just reasoned and show people the right analogies or perspectives, then they would, they could be persuaded. But what I have since realized and discovered is that there is a idolatrous synchronization of what we now know of different aspects of White Christian nationalism that is a competing theological position and belief system that is forming these doctrinal positions of what we now kind of look at as American exceptionalism, what we look at as this sense of the status quo being… all the things that are moving toward an authoritarian regime and away from democracy, that that is all solidifying itself as an alternative gospel.And I think that at the end of the day, I'm looking at and grieving about mass apostasy that I'm seeing happening in the church as a result of an unholy alliance of political ideology and Christian symbols, language, and values expressed in this kind of mixed way. And that's what is really being allowed to happen with this unmapped power dynamic, is that people don't even realize that they're now exerting their power to kind of be in this defensive posture to hold up a vision of society that is actually not Christian at all, but that is very much bathed in Christian terms.Jonathan Walton: I want to say a lot back, but we got to keep going, but that was good.Sy Hoekstra: We got to… [laughs]. Yeah. I mean, we could talk forever about what you just said, but we could also talk forever about your documentary. So let's transition to that.Rasool Berry: [laughter] You all are like exercising restraint.Sy Hoekstra: Yes.Jonathan Walton: I am.Rasool Berry: Like, “oh, I want to go there.” I just threw steak in front of the lions [laughter].Why Pastor Berry Made a Documentary about JuneteenthSy Hoekstra: But it's because, I mean, the documentary's interesting in a way... It's sort of like, okay, you've seen this movement of mass apostasy and everything, and you've had all these people tell you you're not faithful. And with this documentary in some ways, you're just sprinting on down the road that you're on. You know what I mean? It's like sort of [laughs], you're just going straightforward like we need to remember our past. We need to learn about power dynamics in American history. So you wrote this—[realizing mistake] wrote— you were involved in, you're the kind of narrator, the interviewer of this documentary Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom. And you went to Galveston and you went to Houston, Texas to learn more about the history of Juneteenth and the communities and the people that shaped the celebration and everything.And I guess I just want to know how this got started and why it was so important for you to engage in what was a very significant project…Rasool Berry: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: …to teach people about this kind of history that I think the movement against CRT or DEI or whatever is quite actively trying to suppress.Rasool Berry: And these two stories are very much intertwined…Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: Absolutely.Rasool Berry: …in ways that I didn't even fully anticipate in some ways. In some ways I knew, in some ways I didn't. But I grew up in Philly, where there was not growing up a significant Juneteenth awareness or celebration or anything like that. So I had heard about it though when I was very young, the concept of it. I had a classmate whose middle name was Galveston, and I was like, “That's a weird name. Why is your middle name Galveston?” [laughter] He told me that it's because his mom had told him about this situation where there were Black people that didn't know they were free for two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. I was like eight years old when I first heard that, but filed that away.It wasn't really until more recent years with the, just massive racial justice movement spurred on by the murders of Tamir Rice and George Floyd and others, Sandra Bland. And so, as that movement started to gin up, conversations about race that I was kind of plugged into, I heard about this 90-something year old woman that was appearing before Congress…Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Rasool Berry: …and challenging them to make Juneteenth a national holiday.Sy Hoekstra: I can't believe you got to interview her. She was amazing.Rasool Berry: Yeah. And I was like, why would a 90-something plus year old woman be like this committed to this? So I started looking into it and realizing, I think both spiritually and socially, that there was incredible potency and opportunity in the recognition, the widespread recognition of Juneteenth. I'll go socially first. Socially, the reality has been the United States has never had a moment where we collectively reflect on the legacy of slavery in our country. And if you do the math, from the first enslaved people that we have documented coming into the States in 1619 until if even if you go to the abolition of slavery in 1865 or 1866 with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, that's about 244 years.If you go from 1865 to now, it's like 159 or so years. So we still have way more time in our society that has been shaped by this most intense version of a caste system and brutal slavery that had global, it literally reshaped the globe. And sometimes we forget. I live in Brooklyn where most of the Black folk are Afro-Caribbean. When you think of Jamaica, you think of Usain Bolt or Bob Marley. Do you realize that all of those people are from Africa, like our African descent people. That like the native people of Jamaica would've been Native Americans. So the legacy of slavery and colonialism has literally reshaped population centers in our world. That's how significant it was.And so to not have a moment to reflect on all of it, the implications of how the legacy still shapes us, but also the progress of what we've seen happen and how we are not in that same place is a missed opportunity. But on the contrary, to put that in place is an opportunity for reflection that I think could really help ground us toward being a more perfect union, toward us being a unified people. Because we're basing it on the same story and information, which increasingly in the age of misinformation and disinformation, that the erosion of us having a shared narrative is really upon us. So I think it's interesting and important from that standpoint. Spiritually, it was even more dynamic because one of the… so there was a lot of nicknames and still are for Juneteenth. One was Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, but Jubilee Day.And when I discovered that, that's when I said, “Okay, Our Daily Bread, we got to get involved in this process.” Because you mean to tell me that these formerly enslaved people at a time when it was illegal to read, primarily because they didn't want people to read the Bible, that they understood enough of the story of the Old Testament, that they picked out this festival in Leviticus 25, this ordinance that God had put in place, that on the Jubilee year, the Sabbath of all Sabbaths, I call it the Super Bowl of Sabbaths [Sy laughs]. Seven years times seven, forty nine years plus one, fifty. That on that day that it was this reordering of society, the kingdom of heaven coming back to earth, which simultaneously anticipates the wickedness and the brokenness of human systems in power, but also projects and casts vision about the kingdom of heaven, which would allow for equity and equality to take place. So debts were forgiven, lands were returned, and people who were in bondage primarily because of debt, that was the main reason back then, they would be set free. And in the context of their faith, they saw God doing the jubilee in their lives. So what that gave was the opportunity for us to talk about and reintroduce in many faith traditions the relationship between spiritual and physical freedom, and see that in the Bible story those things were wedded.What's the major account in the Old Testament is the Exodus account. Like it was both physical and spiritual freedom. And in the same way we see that is why Jesus, when he reveals himself and says, “The kingdom of God is at hand,” notice when John the Baptist starts to waver because he's expecting this conquering king. He's still in prison and he says, “Hey, are you the one or we should expect another?” Jesus points to physical and spiritual aspects of liberation in his response. “Tell John what you see. The blind receive sight. The sick are healed. The gospel is preached. Blessed is the one who is not ashamed of me.” So in the sense of that, what we see elements of the kind of seeds of in the gospel is this aspect of the physical and spiritual liberation being tied together.And that is what Jubilee gives us opportunity to explore and investigate. And I think lastly, seeing the role of the Black church in bringing out that insight, I think is particularly valuable in a time where oftentimes those contributions are overlooked and ignored.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, absolutely. I think being able to watch the documentary was transformative for me. Mainly because I'm 38 years old and it's being produced by people who look and sound and act like me. It's interviewing the people who came before us, trying to speak to the folks that are younger than us. And each generation I think has this, this go around where we have to own our little piece of what and how we're going to take the work forward. You know what I mean?Discerning Whether to Leave Communities that Push back on Discussions about RaceYou interviewed Lecrae in the documentary and he's taken that work forward, right? And you both say that you've had the experiences of believing you are loved and accepted in these White evangelical spaces until you started talking about racial justice issues.And so I feel like there's these moments where we want to take the work forward, and then we're like, “All right, well, this is our moment.” Like Opal was like, “Hey, I'm going to do Juneteenth.” Where now you're like, “I'm going to do something.” [laughs] So I wonder, like for you, when you have to make decisions about how to stay, not to stay or just leave. What is the effect of constantly engaging in that calculus for you?Rasool Berry: Oh, man! It's exhausting to do it. And I think it is valuable to count the cost and realize that sometimes you're best suited to reposition yourself and to find other ways to express that faithfulness. At other times, God is causing you to be a change agent where you are. And I think how to navigate through that is complicated, and I think it's complicated for all of us, for our allies who see the value of racial justice as well as for those of us who are marginalized and experience, not just conceptually or ideologically the need for justice, but experientially all of the things through macro and microaggressions that come up, that weigh and weather us and our psyche, our emotions, our bodies.And I think that it's important to be very spiritually attuned and to practice healthy emotional spirituality as well as, best practices, spiritual disciplines, all the things that have come alongside of what does it mean to follow Jesus. I was recently reflecting on the fact that in the height of Jesus' ministry, when it was on and popping, he's growing, the crowds are growing in number, it says that he went away regularly and left the crowds to be with God. And then the verse right after that, it's in Luke, I can't remember which chapters, I know the verse is 16 and 17. And then it talks about how he had power as a result of going away to do more. And there's this relationship between our needing to rest and to find recovery in the secret place in the quiet place with God in order to have the energy to do more of the work.And that's a lot to hold together, but it's really important because otherwise you can end up being like Moses, who was trying to do justice, but in his own strength at first when he kills the Egyptian, and then he tried to go to his people being like, “Yo, I'm down!” And they're like, “You killed somebody. We don't want to hear from you.”Jonathan Walton: [laughs] Right.Rasool Berry: And then he flees. Because he tried to do it in his own strength. And then when God reveals himself at the bush, now he's totally broken and not even confident at all in himself. And God has to say, “No, the difference is going to be I'm with you.” So I think in my own journey, I've been one of many people who've had to evaluate and calculate where I've been in order to kind of see where there are opportunities to move forward. For instance, I was on staff with Cru for 20 years and then as the opportunities to work with Our Daily Bread, and I remember specifically the podcast Where Ya From?, that we launched and then Christianity Today got connected to it.They were eagerly looking, or at least supporting the idea of us having conversations about faith and culture and race and all these things. Whereas in my previous environment, I felt like that was not something… I didn't even feel like it, I experienced the pullback of talking about those things. So it has actually, by repositioning myself to kind of be able to be in spaces where I can tell these stories and advocate in these ways, it has been a better use of my energy and my time. Now, even in that other space, everything isn't perfect. It's still the same type of challenges that exist anywhere you go in the world where you're a minority in race and racial difference is prominent, but at least it's a opportunity to still do more than I could do maybe in a previous position. And all of us have to make those type of calculations.And I think it's best to do those things in the context of community, not just by yourself, and also with a sense of sobriety of encountering and experiencing God himself. Because at the end of the day, sometimes, I'm going to just say this, sometimes the answer is leave immediately. Get out of there. At other times, God is calling you to stay at least in the short term time. And it's important to be discerning and not just reactive to when is the right situation presenting itself. And the only way I know to do that is by doing it in community, doing it with a sense of healthy rhythms and time to actually hear the still small voice of God.Sy Hoekstra: Amen.Jonathan Walton: Amen.Sy Hoekstra: Because you really can err in either direction. Like some people, “I'm getting out of here right away,” without thinking. Meaning, when you're being reactive, when you're not being discerning…Rasool Berry: Right.Sy Hoekstra: …you can get out right away or you can have the instinct, “No, I'm going to stick it out forever,” even if it's bad for you, and it's not going to accomplish anything.Rasool Berry: Yup, yeah.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Which I think leans into jumping all the way back the critical versus uncritical.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah [laughs]. There you go.Jonathan Walton: Like if we're not willing to lean into the radical interrogation of the systems and structures around us that inform our decisions each day, we will submit to them unconsciously, whether that be running when we should resist or whether that be resisting where we actually should flee. So yeah, thanks for all that.Where you can Find Pastor Berry's workSy Hoekstra: Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much. And so we will have links to both of the articles, to the documentary, which is entirely free on YouTube.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: So you're just wasting your life if you're not watching it, really [laughter]. And a couple other things you talked about, we'll have links. But is there anywhere that you want people to go to either follow you or your work online?Rasool Berry: Yeah. So the other thing that what we did with the Juneteenth documentary, because the response was so strong and overwhelming, really, people wanted to host screenings locally. And so we did a few things to make that more possible. So you can actually go on our website experiencevoices.org/Juneteenth. And you can fill out like a form to actually host a screening locally. And we have designed social media so you can market it, posters that you could print out, even discussion questions that you can use to host discussions. And sometimes people invite some of us from the production on site. So I've gone and done, I've been at screenings all the way from California to Texas to Wisconsin and here in New York.So you can reach out to us on that website as well if you're interested in hosting a screening with the director or one of the producers or myself, and we can kind of facilitate that. Also be looking at your local PBS stations. We partnered with PBS to air screenings so far over a hundred local channels.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, wow.Rasool Berry: And have aired it. Now, the PBS version is slightly different because we had to edit it down to fit their hour long format. And so the biggest version is the PBS version doesn't have Lecrae in it [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Oh no [laughs].Rasool Berry: We had to cut out the four-time Grammy winner. Sorry Lecrae [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Rasool Berry: You know what I mean? But it just so happened that way it, that it was the best way to edit it down.Jonathan Walton: You had to keep Opal.Rasool Berry: Had to keep Opal, had to keep Opal [laughter].Sy Hoekstra: I feel like Lecrae would understand that, honestly.Rasool Berry: Yeah, yeah, yeah. He was so gracious. And actually, the other thing that Lecrae did, I had told him that we were working with Sho Baraka, a mutual friend of ours, to do the music. And he said, “Yeah, I heard something about that.” He's like, “I have a song I was going to put on Church Clothes 4, but I feel like it would be a better fit for this. If you're interested, let me know and I can send it to you.” I'm like, “If I'm interested? Yes, I'm interested.” [laughter] Yes. I'll accept this sight unseen. And so he sent us this incredible song that features, well actually is listed as Propaganda's song, but it features Lecrae and Sho Baraka. And you can get the entire Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom soundtrack 13 tracks, poetry, hip hop, gospel, rnb, all on one thing. And wherever you listen to your music, Spotify, Apple Music, anywhere, you can, listen to it, stream it, buy it, and support this movement and this narrative. So yeah. And then personally, just @rasoolb on Instagram, @rasoolberry on, I still call it Twitter [Sy laughs]. So, and we're on Facebook as well. That's where folks can follow me, at rasoolberry.com, website. So thanks for having me.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, pastor, thank you so much for being here. We really appreciate it.Jonathan Walton: Thanks so much, man.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Reflecting on the InterviewSy Hoekstra: Hey, Jonathan, you know what's really useful, is when in the middle of an interview with one of our guests, we say, “Oh no, we don't have time. We'd really like to get into this, so we have to move on to another subject.” It's really useful when we have these little times that we're doing now after the interview to talk more about the subjects than we did with the guests [laughter]. This works out well for us.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: Why don't you tell everybody what you're thinking after the interview with Pastor Berry?Passing on a Tradition Well Takes Significant WorkJonathan Walton: Yeah. I think the biggest thing for me that I took away among a lot of the nuggets that he… nuggets and like big things that got dropped on me while we were listening, was like the amount of work that he went through to make this film. Like traveling to Galveston. There's a lot in the documentary that reminds me of how much it costs us personally to create things that are moving. To be able to have these conversations, sit down with these people, smell the smells of these folks' homes. That's just a big thing, particularly for me, like not having… I grew up with the Juneteenth story and needing to think through my own traditions and what I'm going to pass to my kids and stuff like that.It's just I'm challenged to do that work so that I have something substantial to pass on to Maya and Everest. And to the folks who listen to the preaching that I give or the stories I write, or the books I'm going to write, just so I can communicate with the same amount of intimacy that he did. So, Sy how about you? What stood out for you?The Literally Unbelievable Racial Ignorance of WhitenessSy Hoekstra: I think what stood out for me was actually right at that point where we said we really wanted to talk more about something, I really did have more thoughts [laughs]. When he was talking about the thing that underlies the fight against CRT and DEI and all that sort of thing. Being just a straight up denial of any sort of racial caste system or racial stratification in our country, I think that point is extremely important. That so much of our disagreements about racial injustice, at least on the intellectual level, not on the emotional and all that kind of thing, the intellectual level that come down to a difference in beliefs about the facts of reality in America. It is literally just do you think racism is happening or not? Because if you do think that it's happening, then everything has to change [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: And there's not a lot of room… you'll have to do a lot more like kind of active denial. A lot more having a very active lack of integrity [laughs] to continue in the way that you're thinking when you believe that there is no racism in America if you find out that there is. Which kind of explains why there's so much resistance to it. But I think one story that sort of illustrates how this dynamic works a little bit that just, this is something that happened to me that this reminded me of. I was an intern right after college at International Justice Mission, and I read Gary Haugen's book, The Good News About Injustice, where the intro to this book is about his childhood growing up in kind of suburban, I think he's outside of Seattle, somewhere in Washington. A suburban Christian home, things were pretty nice and easy and he just did not know anything about injustice or anything in the world. Like oppression, racism, he did not know anything about it. And then the book takes you through how he discovered it and then his theology of what God wants to do about it and what the organization does and all that kind of thing. But just that intro, I remember talking to one of the other interns who was at IJM m when I was there, who was a Black woman who was ordained in the Black Baptist Church and had grown up relatively low income. And I was talking to her about this book because I read that intro and I was like, “yes, I totally resonate with this. This is how I grew up, check, check. That makes sense. I understand all of it.”And it makes sense to a lot of the people who support IJM, which are a lot of suburban White evangelicals. She told me, she read the intro to the book and her immediate reaction was how, there is no way that anyone could possibly be this ignorant. It is not possible [laughs]. And I was like, [pretending to be hurt] “but I was” [laughter]. And there's this wrench in the gear of our conversations about justice where there's a large spectrum of White people who are, some engaging in actual innocent good faith about how much nonsense there is, like how much racism there is in America, and people who are engaging in complete bad faith and have ignored all the things that have been put right in front of them clearly.And it is just very difficult for a lot of people who are not White to understand [laughs] that there are actually… the level of ignorance of a lot of White people is unbelievable, by which I mean it literally cannot be believed by a lot of people. And I don't know, that's just, it is a complication in our conversations about race that doesn't really change what you have to tell people or how seriously you should take your conversations or whatever. It's just a note about what you might need to do to bring people kind of into the fold, by which I mean the fold of the truth [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes. This is true of like a lot of White people. And the sad part is that it can also be true of a lot of people of color…Sy Hoekstra: Well, yeah.Jonathan Walton: …who say, “I'm just going to deny, because I haven't experienced.” Or, “We have opted into the system of ignorance and don't want to engage.” And so I'll tell a story. Priscilla was at the airport this week.Sy Hoekstra: Your wife.Jonathan Walton: My wife Priscilla, was at the airport, not a random woman [laughter], was at the airport this week. And someone said, “Yeah, everyone who came to this country, like we're all immigrants.” And Priscilla said, “Actually some people came here as slaves.” Then the person says, “No, that's not true.” And it's like, what do you say to that? When someone just says slavery doesn't exist? And that's literally why we celebrate Juneteenth. So I don't know what this person's going to do on Juneteenth, but when there's a collective narrative and acknowledgement that this happened, and then there's a large group, James Baldwin would say, ignorance plus power is very dangerous.If there's a large group that's ignorant and or like intentionally not engaging, but also has power and privilege and all the things, the benefits of racial stratification without the acknowledgement of the reality of it, which is just a dangerous combination.Sy Hoekstra: So when somebody says something like that, like that didn't happen, people didn't come over here as slaves, I think it is possible that they legitimately don't know that I suppose [laughs], or that they think it's a conspiracy theory or whatever. My guess is, tell me what you think about this. What I would imagine happened there was, “Oh, I never thought about the fact that Black people are not immigrants. And so I'm just going to say no.” Do you know what I mean?Jonathan Walton: Oh yeah. Well, I agree. I think some people even, so let's say like, I write about this in 12 Lies. Ben Carson says that we all came here as immigrants, even if it was in the bottom of a ship. He says that. And I think that is a, to be kind, a gross misrepresentation of the middle passage [laughs], but I see what he's trying to do. He's trying to put Black folks in a narrative that fits in the American narrative so people can, so he's not othered. Because what happens when you acknowledge enslavement is that you have to acknowledge all that. They all come with each other. It's like being at a buffet and there is literally no other menu. Like once you say, once you go in, you can't order one plate. If you talk about slavery, you're opening up all the things and some people just don't want to do that. And that sucks.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Which Tab Is Still Open: Daniel PerryJonathan Walton: It's true. And [laughs], I think this feeds into a little bit of this segment [laughs] that we have aptly called Which Tab is Still Open. Because out of all the things in our newsletter and our podcast, there's stuff that comes up for us and it's just still hanging on our desktops, we still talk about it offline. So for Sy, like for you, which one, which tab is still open?Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. We're going to talk about Daniel Perry and Donald Trump today.Jonathan Walton: Fun times.Sy Hoekstra: So I recently had an article in the newsletter that I highlighted as one of my resources, that is about the case of Daniel Perry, which I think kind of flew a little bit under the radar in the fervor of 2020. But he was a known racist, meaning we have now seen truckloads of social media posts and text messages and everything revealing his out and out racism, his fantasies about killing Black Lives Matter protesters, all these kinds of things. Who in the summer of 2020, during those protests, drove his car through a red light into a crowd of protesters. And he did not at that moment hurt anyone, but another, an Air Force vet, Daniel Perry's also a vet, but another Air Force vet named Garrett Foster, walked up to him carrying, openly carrying his, in Texas, legal assault rifle.He didn't point it at Daniel Perry, but he was carrying it. And he knocked on the window and motioned for Perry to roll his window down, and Perry shot him through the window five times and killed him. He was convicted of murder in 2023 by a jury. And the day after he was convicted, governor Greg Abbott republican governor of Texas said that he wanted his case to be reviewed for a full pardon, so that the pardons board could send him a recommendation to do it, which is the legal way that a governor can make a pardon in Texas. And that happened a couple weeks ago. Daniel Perry walked free with all of his civil rights restored, including his right to own firearms.Texas Monthly did some really good reporting on how completely bizarre this pardon is under Texas law, meaning they very clear, they kind of laid out how these pardons typically go. And the law very clearly says that a pardon is not to be considered for anyone who is still in prison, like hasn't finished their sentence, except under very exceptional circumstances, which are usually that like some new evidence of innocence has come to light.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And the actual materials that the board reviewed were basically just his defense case where like him arguing that he was doing what he did out of self-defense. He was standing his ground, and that he was afraid of Foster and therefore allowed to use deadly force. In any other case, the remedy for that, if you think that's your defense and you were wrongly denied your defense by the jury is to appeal. Is to go through the appeals to which you have a right as a criminal defendant. And in this case, he became a bit of a conservative cult hero and the governor stepped in to get him out of jail. It was so bizarre. So the weird thing here is, for me at least, for these cases, for the cases surrounding like where someone has been killed either by the police or by an individual, it has always been pretty clear to me which way the case is going.Like if you're someone who's actually taken a, like me, gone to law school, taken a criminal law class, you've studied murder and then like the right to stand your ground and the right to self-defense, and when you can use deadly force, most of these cases are pretty predictable. I knew that the killers of Ahmaud Arbery and Walter Scott and Jordan Davis were going down. I knew that people were going to get off when they got off. Like those were not confusing. And that isn't because the law isn't racist or whatever, it's just the law doesn't take race into account at all. It just completely ignores, it has nothing to do with the cases, according to the law. So it's like this one was stunning.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: Because if it had gone to the appellate judges, the judges who actually are thinking about like the whole system and the precedents that they're setting would say, “Hey, in an open carry state like Texas, we do not want to set a precedent where if someone who is legally, openly carrying a gun walks up to you, you can kill them.” That is not a precedent that they want to set. But this is not an appellate case, so we're not setting that precedent, we're just letting this racist murderer go. That's it.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: And that is like what effectively Greg Abbott and the Board of Pardons in Texas have conspired to do. And I didn't know this was coming actually. I hadn't heard the news that he was calling for the pardon when it happened, but it's wild. And I just kind of wanted to give that additional context and hear what you're thinking about it, Jonathan, and then we'll get into Donald Trump a little bit.Normalizing Punishing Protestors and Lionizing MurderersJonathan Walton: Yeah, I mean, I think first thing for me is like this is a PG podcast. I won't use all the expletives that I would like to use. The reality of like Kyle Rittenhouse lives in Texas now. George Zimmerman, after he killed Trayvon Martin, he was in other altercations with people with guns. So this is not a person or a scenario that is new, which is sad and disappointing. But the reality of an institution stepping into enforce its institutionalized racism, is something that feels new to me in the environment that we're in. And what I mean by that is like, I think we now live in a society that desires for protestors and folks who are resistant to the system that oppresses and marginalizes people, if you believe that is happening.There are individuals and institutions that desire to punish that group of people. It is now normed that that group of people can be punished by anybody.Sy Hoekstra: If you're in the right state.Jonathan Walton: Well, I won't even say the right state, but I almost think if you can get caught in the zeitgeist of a certain media attention, then you will be lauded as someone who did the right thing.Sy Hoekstra: Oh yeah. Even if you might still end up in jail.Jonathan Walton: Even if you might still end up in jail, like you'll become a hero. And so the circumstances have been created where protesters can be punished by regular members of society, and then their quote- unquote punishment could be pardoned in the court of public opinion, and so much so you could end up being pardoned by the institution. There are going to be more protests on campus. There are going to be more protests in light of Trump's conviction and potential election. The chances of political violence and protests are very high, highly probable there're going to be thunderstorms. And what we're saying is like, let's give everybody lightning bolts [Sy laughs]. And we all know if this is a racially stratified society, which it is, if it's a class stratified society, which it is, then we will end up with things like Donald Trump getting convicted and becoming president.Sy Hoekstra: And the racial stratification is important to remember because people have pointed out, if there had been a Trump rally and someone had been killed, that like, not a chance that Greg Abbott does any of this, right?Jonathan Walton: The hallmark of White American folk religion is hypocrisy. If this were a person of color, there's no way that they would've got pardoned for shooting someone at a protest.The Criminal Legal System was Exceptionally Kind to Donald TrumpSy Hoekstra: And this is the connection to the Donald Trump case [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: Because despite the fact that he was convicted, he has been treated throughout this process in a way that no poor or BIPOC would, like no poor person or any BIPOC would ever be treated by the New York State courts. I can tell you that from experience [laughter] as an actual attorney in New York state. Donald Trump had 10 separate violations of a gag order, like he was held in contempt by the court and required to pay some money, which is significant, but nobody does that and doesn't spend some time in jail unless they are rich and famous and White. It was shocking to watch the amount of dancing around him and his comfort that the system does. And this is, pastor Berry mentioned Bryan Stevenson, another Bryan Stevenson quote.I've mentioned, we've mentioned Brian Stevenson so many times on this show [laughter]. But it's true. One of the things he says all the time is that the system treats you better if you're rich and White and guilty than if you're poor and BIPOC and innocent.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: And, that's the demonstration. So the Trump indictments happened when we're recording this yesterday. Or the convictions, I mean. And in terms of what it'll do to the election, probably not much. In terms of what it'll like [laughs], like Jonathan was just saying, like this is the situation that we're in here. We don't have a lot of political analysis to bring you about this case because I don't think there's much political analysis to do except to continue to point out over and over again that this is not the way that people are treated by the criminal justice system. This is an exception to what is otherwise the rule.Outro and OuttakeOkay. I think we're going to end there. Thank you all so much for joining us today. Our theme song, as always is “Citizens” by John Guerra. Our podcast Art is by Robyn Burgess. Transcripts by Joyce Ambale. And thank you all so much for joining us. Jonathan, thanks for being here. We will see you all again in two weeks.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me was like the amount of work that he went through to make this film. I'm challenged to do that work so that I have something substantial to pass on to Maya and Everest, just so I can communicate with the same amount of intimacy that he did.Sy Hoekstra: So now you're going to go make a documentary about Juneteenth, is what you're saying?Jonathan Walton: [deep exhale, and Sy laughs] At least a reel [laughter].Sy Hoekstra: A reel… yeah, those are pretty much the same I'd say. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ktfpress.com/subscribe

Navigating the internet as a kid (and especially as a parent of kids) can be tricky! Take it from Jeanine Amapola… She's been on YouTube since she was 16 years old. Now, 10 years later, she's been on a journey of finding faith and is a popular influencer with a podcast, book, and huge social following. Jeanine shares advice with parents on how to navigate social media, why we have to talk about difficult things with our kids, and the importance of pursuing happiness & health. Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & GenerousInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Generous Coffee sells some of the best coffee in the world AND 100% of profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that are fighting injustice facing humans around the world. You can find out more (including purchasing in bulk) at generousmovement.com Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube (and watch the FULL episode there - not just the 28 minute version!): youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

Welcome to this conversation with two people who really inspire me, Andi Ashworth and Charlie Peacock. They provide ample hope from further down the road - having accumulated decades of wisdom in the public square as Nashville music producing influencers. Dare I say - few people have influenced our generation through music more powerfully than they have. I read their book, meaningfully titled “Why everything that doesn't matter, matters so much” and then awaited this conversation with giddiness, anticipation, excitement, a little bit of shyness. Maybe I was – and still am? – a little starstruck? I will let you decide. Have you ever asked, what can I do to mend the world, to mend my family or my own life? And if I could, is it worth it? Should I bother? Does my own small part in the world really matter? And so today, multi-Grammy-winner Charlie Peacock and his wife, delightful author Andy Ashworth, come to share their encouragement. Their book is a collection of 16 essays or letters. They are here to share their wisdom, calling us to discover and to join God's mission to love and care for a very hurting world. They are sharing with honesty, vulnerability, humility and wisdom from their own life experiences. They are beloved and trusted mentors. They invite us into a thought-provoking exploration of the many facets of the Christian culture care and culture-making in all areas - from the kitchen, hospitality, generosity, gardening all the way to Carnegie Hall and Grammy Awards.  They talk to us about the theology of imagination and creativity, a vocation that provides a framework for all of life. I've found them providing a model for expressing love in marriage, in friendship, in citizenship, and every kind of work, even in the midst of our culture of cynicism, fear, exhaustion, oppression. I have found that each one of these 16 letters is a gentle, wise, humble, vulnerable, and thought-provoking nudge in the direction of God's powerfully ordinary purpose for each one of us. It doesn't matter what the future holds because we're invited to participate fully in the beautiful redemptive work of Christ. Can you begin to see why I can't wait to share this conversation with you? I hope you join us. MEET ANDI ASHWORTH AND CHARLIE PEACOCK Andi Ashworth is the author of Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring. She is Co-Founder of The Art House in Nashville where she served for over two decades through hospitality and mentoring, hosting a wide range of guests and organizations including Bono, Blood: Water Mission, International Justice Mission, The Gathering, and the ONE Campaign. Andi holds an MA in Theological Studies from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. As Editor-In-Chief of the Art House America Blog she stewarded hundreds of essays from a variety of authors such as Tish Harrison Warren, Steven Garber, Sandra McCracken, Russ Ramsey, and Luci Shaw. Andi is most recently published in Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children and A Book for Hearts & Minds: What You Should Read and Why. She has been married to Charlie Peacock for nearly fifty years and they have two grown, married children and four grandchildren. Charlie Peacock is a Grammy Award–winning, Billboard Chart–topping music producer, composer, and recording artist. He is a co-founder of the Art House, Wedgwood Circle, and founder/director Emeritus of the Commercial Music Program at Lipscomb University. Charlie has produced music for film and television, including A Walk to Remember, Chris Cornell's "Misery Chain" from the soundtrack of 12 Years a Slave, and "Hush," the title theme to the AMC drama Turn: Washington's Spies. Named by Billboard's Encyclopedia of Record Producers as one of the 500 most important producers in music history, Charlie is also a three-time recipient of the Gospel Music Award for Producer of the Year. His books include New Way to Be Human, At the Crossroads, and a contribution to It Was Good: Making Music to the Glory of God. Charlie is the Sr. Music Editor for Christianity Today and host of the Christianity Today Podcast, Music and Meaning. He has been married to Andi Ashworth for nearly fifty years and they have two grown, married children and four grandchildren. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   The perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your life! https://www.gospelspice.com/merch Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Granger Smith is back on the podcast to talk about the peace he has come to know since leaving country music to pursue a career in ministry. As anticipation about the final show of the tour built up, Granger took the stage and happily surrendered everything he had ever known and gave it to God. He gave up being praised and worshiped by fans, for a greater call that God had on his life.Granger's journey is an example of how trusting and obeying God can lead to something beautiful… even if there's heartache along the way.Listen to Granger's first episode on The Conversation Podcast here. Get a copy of Granger's book Up Towards The Light.Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube and watch the full interview with Granger: youtube.com/@adamaweber If you are not part of the Crew, you need to be! It's totally free and takes less than 30 seconds to sign up: adamweber.com/thecrew  

Today, we're celebrating episode #250 on The Conversation Podcast with one of my good friends and favorite guests, Pat Lencioni!Pat is one of the most well known leadership experts in the world who spends his time speaking and writing about leadership, teamwork, and organizational health.Pat and I chat about how to find joy when it doesn't come naturally, how important it is to see a Christian therapist, and how to know what to say yes and no to.Whether you lead a team or you're a team of 1, I hope you'll be as impacted by this conversation as I was!Learn more about The Working Genius here.As I look back on the last 249 episodes, here are just a few of my personal favorites:Jon AcuffJB BrownLisa BeverePat Lencioni Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

Did you know an estimated 1 in 25 Americans has had a near death experience?My guest John Burke has studied more than 1,000 near death experiences. He's personally interviewed people across the globe who have been brought back from clinical death and he's made an incredible discovery - many of these people are encountering the same captivating God.  One specific thing to mention: If you are unsure of where your loved one is who has passed and you wonder, “Are they in Heaven?” John gives a powerful message of encouragement and hope that all God needs is “one instant of a heart turning to Him.” John passionately shares evidence that God exists and loves us beyond what we could ever imagine. And that He pursues us to the last minute. Check out John's Books on Near Death Experiences: Imagine Heaven & Imagine the God of HeavenCheck out my friend Carey Nieuwhof's interview with John here.Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice MIssion & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

Glennon shares an encore conversation that she and Abby had with their favorite person and co-host: Amanda Doyle! This episode, originally titled, How to Face Your Biggest Fear with Amanda Doyle, examines the relationships, decisions, and travels that led Amanda to today – from hitchhiking across Ireland, to prosecuting child sex offenders in Rwanda, to making the biggest decision of her life in an Ethiopian airport – they dive into Amanda's lifelong fear of the ordinary. About Amanda: Amanda Doyle is Glennon Doyle's Business Manager and co-host of the We Can Do Hard Things podcast with her sister Glennon Doyle and sister-in-law Abby Wambach. She is Vice President, General Counsel, and a member of the Together Rising Board of Directors. In these roles, Amanda is responsible for overseeing and advising on legal matters, including risk management, policy development, and programmatic affairs, as well as cultivating new initiatives and relationships to strengthen the organization's impact. A former attorney at the law firm of Hogan Lovells and Legal Fellow with International Justice Mission, Amanda lives in Falls Church, Virginia with her husband and two children. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you longing to find peace for your soul? You might be surprised to hear that the path to peace is found in humility.On Today's podcast, I'm joined by my friend Joel Muddamalle, the Director of Theology and Research for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Joel works closely with Lysa TerKeurst and is a part of the preaching team at Transformation Church. Joel has a PhD in Theology and loves studying and teaching the brilliant truths found in Scripture and helping us apply them to our everyday lives.According to Joel, humility is the missing piece for the security, strength and confidence we all want. It's time to stop trying so hard to avoid our limitations or overcompensate for them. God has better for us and it begins with bowing low in humility.Grab a copy of Joel's book The Hidden Peace: Finding True Security, Strength and Confidence through HumilityThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: Generous Coffee & International Justice MissionGenerous Coffee sells some of the best coffee in the world AND 100% of profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that are fighting injustice facing humans around the world. You can find out more (including purchasing in bulk) at generousmovement.com International Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Subscribe to The Conversation on YouTube: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew  

On today's podcast, I'm joined by one of my favorite guests, the amazing Katherine Wolf!This is Katherine's 3rd time on the Conversation, in previous episodes she shared her story on surviving a near-fatal brainstem stroke in 2008 and how she and her family were left with a bittersweet new “normal” - living a miraculous second chance but also dealing with long-term, life-changing disabilities.In today's conversation, Katherine so candidly talks about finding treasures in life's darkest moments. About how so ​much ​of ​life ​is us ​expecting ​more of ​this ​world ​and ​less ​of ​God. Katherine challenges us to flip that, “we ​should ​really ​expect ​more ​of ​God ​and ​less ​of ​this ​world.”Listen to Katherine's first and second interviews on The Conversation. Order Treasures In the Dark here.  For more on Katherine's ministries, visit Hopeheals.comThanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice MIssion & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

Today I'm joined by pastor and author Nick Connolly. He and his wife, Jess, are founding pastors at Bright City Church in South Carolina.At the end of 2023, Nick was rushed to the hospital for what he thought were cardiac events but would later learn were severe panic attacks. This led to 12 of the darkest days he's ever experienced. No sleep. Spiritual warfare. And many, many more extreme panic attacks. “But I thought he was a pastor?” (Yes, pastors are human too!)Nick shares some advice for those who may have experienced similar struggles. We also unpack trusting God's provision in our lives and how being persistent when you experience resistance - and NOT giving up - can lead to victory on the other side.Grab a copy of Don't Give Up Just Yet here. Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & Vern EideInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.org Vern Eide Motorcars is a growing employee-owned company that offers sales, service, and financing of automotive, motorcycle, and power sports lines, including Acura, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Whether you live locally or across the country, visit verneide.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

Two of my favorite people join me on today's podcast - CJ & Steph Ham!CJ is an NFL fullback, two time pro bowler and three-time team captain for the Minnesota Vikings.Steph is a physical therapist and avid runner. They met at Augustana College (my alma mater - Go Vikings!) and they have three beautiful children. In our conversation, CJ & Steph share their feelings on free agency & NFL trades. For them, it's not players going to a different team, it's saying goodbye to their friends.We also talk about everything from being humbled by our children (God bless them!) to marriage advice to life in the NFL.Sit back, relax and enjoy this conversation!Thanks to our amazing partners on this episode: International Justice Mission & SimpleInternational Justice Mission is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world, taking special care of survivors from the moment they're rescued all the way through their healing and restoration. To learn more and support their mission, visit ijm.orgSimple provides an easy, secure way to make giving super user-friendly. If you are a church or lead a faith based nonprofit, you have to look into working with Simple. You won't regret it! For more info, check out their brand new website simpledonation.comSubscribe to The Conversation on YouTube: youtube.com/@adamaweber Sign up for The Crew: adamweber.com/thecrew

Are you prepared for the financial challenges of inflation and looking for savvy investment strategies? Join us in today's episode as we delve into the complexities of inflation, real estate insights, and a vital discussion on combating human trafficking with the knowledgeable Bronson Hill.   Episode highlights include:   Uncover how inflation affects real estate, from stable single-family homes to volatile multifamily properties, with Bronson's expert guidance.   Discover the path to financial freedom with Bronson's expertise in inflation-resistant investments. Explore his book "Fire Yourself," your guide to securing financial stability through passive income strategies.   Raising awareness and taking action against human trafficking. Bronson shares staggering statistics and urges support for organizations like the International Justice Mission.   This episode was not only informative in terms of financial strategies during inflationary times but also served as a reminder of the social responsibilities we hold. Bronson's dedication to both his professional and philanthropic endeavors is truly inspiring. Favorite Quote:   “It could be a great time right now to get into multifamily because there's not as many people doing it right now.” “One of my big whys is working to end modern human slavery in the world. There are 20 to 40 million human slaves today in the world. It's hard to believe, but it's more than has ever existed in the history of the world.” Connect with Bronson:   https://bronsonequity.com/  https://www.facebook.com/bronson.hill.37/  https://www.instagram.com/bronson_insta/?hl=en   https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronsonhill/   https://www.tiktok.com/@bronsonequity   https://twitter.com/BronsonHill6   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc1KYJL8ZjF3GC3Wh5lYNfg   Stay Connected: Connect with Matt and Luigi on Instagram: @matthew.r.meehan @luigi_rosabianca @theLiquidLunchProject @ShieldAdvisoryGroup Visit The Liquid Lunch Project website and subscribe to The Weekly, our Friday morning newsletter, for all the latest in the world of finance, tech, small business, and more. www.theliquidlunchproject.com Make sure you never miss an episode — check out The Liquid Lunch Project on Apple Podcasts, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review.