THE UN-SILENT CHURCH

Dawson Allen was raised in the ninth largest church in America, but then 2016 happened. When 81% of white evangelicals showed up in the polling data, he started asking questions his church had no space for. That search led him from megachurch world to the academy, and from the academy to organizing in the immigrant rights movement in East Tennessee. In this conversation, Dawson breaks down what real movement looks like—not the kind everyone likes to use to describe their brand—and why the American church has largely forfeited its public witness since the 1970s. We talk about what it would take to build kingdom-of-God alternatives to the forces shaping our world right now, along with social movement ecology, the 3.5% tipping point, why faith and creativity are two of the most underplayed tools we have, and why hosting a potluck might matter more than the typical pulpit preaching happening at most churches.

Derrick Parks wasn't looking to plant a church, but a random trip to see about a dog in Wilmington, Delaware changed everything. From the core team of Epiphany Fellowship in Philly to navigating church hurt, celebrity culture in Christian hip-hop, and the realities of inner-city ministry with no funding, Derrick shares what it actually looks like to plant the gospel (not just a church) in a city Newsweek once called Murder Town USA. ---------- VISIT US IN PERSON Roosevelt Community Church 924 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Sunday Service: 10:00 AM rooseveltchurch.org CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Newsletter: Text "newsletter" to 855-834-2593 📝 Want to connect with us? Start here: roosevelt.church/connect 💚 Support the work at RCC: roosevelt.church/give FOLLOW US: Instagram: instagram.com/rooseveltchurch Facebook: facebook.com/rooseveltchurch TikTok: tiktok.com/@rooseveltchurch

Our climate is increasingly defined by false choices. Whether it’s the Super Bowl stage or immigration enforcement, we are constantly pressured to pick sides in a fight where both options fall short of the Gospel. In this episode, we explore a revival of nuance. Christianity offers us a robust ethic that refuses to simplify reality into extreme either/or traps. We discuss how to affirm both order and compassion, truth and love, and justice and mercy—even when the culture demands we choose only one.

Is it revival or reaction? Talk of a spiritual "awakening" has moved from the pew to the center of the American cultural and political stage. But as the language of faith becomes a currency, we have to ask: Is this a move of God, or a collective outcry against a failing system? This episode explores the space between emotional highs and lasting spiritual change. By examining the biblical and historical markers of renewal—repentance, humility, and justice—we discuss what’s required to sustain a movement once the spotlights fade. ---------- VISIT US IN PERSON Roosevelt Community Church 924 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Sunday Service: 10:00 AM rooseveltchurch.org CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Newsletter: Text "newsletter" to 855-834-2593 📝 Want to connect with us? Start here: roosevelt.church/connect 💚 Support the work at RCC: roosevelt.church/give FOLLOW US: Instagram: instagram.com/rooseveltchurch Facebook: facebook.com/rooseveltchurch TikTok: tiktok.com/@rooseveltchurch LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: 🎧 The Un-Silent Church - Available wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts: roosevelt.church/apple Spotify: roosevelt.church/spotify ABOUT ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY CHURCH: We exist to engage all people with all of Jesus. Located at the intersection of Roosevelt and 1st Street in the Roosevelt Arts District in Downtown Phoenix. RCC is a multiethnic congregation gathering every Sunday, with a unique voice crossing theology, street, and family. We make content to help extend the message of the gospel everywhere people are, far beyond Sunday morning. We share theological social commentary on a number of issues and current events, so that as much as it depends on us, we do not fail to speak on matters that have gone unspoken from churches historically. We believe the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom, and all its righteousness is thorough and complete as the authority to help us navigate our world, so we want to be faithful in providing everyone who listens a clear path to follow the way of Jesus.

When immigration & customs enforcement (ICE) is marked by fear, violence, and dehumanization, how should Christians respond? As ICE raids continue to dominate the headlines and widen division, in this episode we try to take a step back to ask what faithfulness to God looks like in this moment. There's definitely tension between respecting the law, loving the foreigner and immigrant, and speaking truth to power; also refusing false dichotomies offered by political extremes to consider what justice, compassion, and love in action actually require. If you want more context about what's happening, included is further reading to get your started. Biblical precedent for how God sees foreigners and Immigrants: Leviticus 19:33-34 Leviticus 23:22 ---------- VISIT US IN PERSON Roosevelt Community Church 924 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Sunday Service: 10:00 AM rooseveltchurch.org CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Newsletter: Text "newsletter" to 855-834-2593 📝 Want to connect with us? Start here: roosevelt.church/connect 💚 Support the work at RCC: roosevelt.church/give FOLLOW US: Instagram: instagram.com/rooseveltchurch Facebook: facebook.com/rooseveltchurch TikTok: tiktok.com/@rooseveltchurch LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: 🎧 The Un-Silent Church - Available wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts: roosevelt.church/apple Spotify: roosevelt.church/spotify ABOUT ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY CHURCH: We exist to engage all people with all of Jesus. Located at the intersection of Roosevelt and 1st Street in the Roosevelt Arts District in Downtown Phoenix. RCC is a multiethnic congregation gathering every Sunday, with a unique voice crossing theology, street, and family. We make content to help extend the message of the gospel everywhere people are, far beyond Sunday morning. We share theological social commentary on a number of issues and current events, so that as much as it depends on us, we do not fail to speak on matters that have gone unspoken from churches historically. We believe the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom, and all its righteousness is thorough and complete as the authority to help us navigate our world, so we want to be faithful in providing everyone who listens a clear path to follow the way of Jesus.

If you're not familiar with the comedian, Druski, he just dropped a skit called "Mega Church Pastors LOVE Money" that kinda broke the Christian internet and the verdict is split. Some calling it disrespectful, others saying he didn't tell a single lie, others think it's hilarious. Lecrae responded on Instagram saying his first reaction wasn't offense, but recognition: "There's wolves in the pulpits, there's theatrics for attention and money and influence, and leaders manipulating God's name for gain." That's exactly what we've been talking about. This is our second installment of what might become a series around the "Industry of Church" as we try and speak to what happens when our gathering together becomes more about production, money, and influence than about Jesus. Have we turned the house of God into a den of thieves? If you're being invited to church, is it actually one being built up as a true form of the body Jesus created us to be? From scandals like that happening around Robert Morris/Gateway Church to the legal drama between major worship music artists and their former groups, have we let things get out of hand when money is brought to the center of our gathering instead of those at the margins? The major question we have to answer is this: Are we inviting people to Jesus, full stop? Or are we using his name to fill our business funnels.

VISIT US IN PERSONRoosevelt Community Church924 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004Sunday Service: 10:00 AMrooseveltchurch.org CONNECT WITH US:📧 Newsletter: Text "newsletter" to 855-834-2593📝 Want to connect with us? Start here: roosevelt.church/connect💚 Support the work at RCC: roosevelt.church/give FOLLOW US:Instagram: instagram.com/rooseveltchurchFacebook: facebook.com/rooseveltchurchTikTok: tiktok.com/@rooseveltchurch

If you're interested in reading Bikonzi's biography, you can pick it up here. https://a.co/d/09X2Mze You can't make this stuff up. The stories that Bikonzi can tell with vivid detail demonstrate not only the need for Christians to raise their compassion for the foreigner and immigrant; it also highlights the unrelenting faithfulness of God to those whom he foreknew and predestined to be conformed into the image of His Son. One of the best way to understand the experience of another and therefore have compassion for another is by hearing their story directly. Increasingly, the nature of our politics has driven us towards a kind of apathy that desensitizes our soul to the pain and hardship so many people carry. That applies to those in our country, yes; but for those who seek refuge from some of the hardest realities in foreign countries, it's an entirely different level. Bikonzi Moise knows this first hand from his own experience as a refugee who survived a genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo (well known as the DRC).

Increasingly a small number of churches, leaders, platforms (and even algorithms) are shaping much of the content, language, expression, and theology of the modern church. An academic study on worship songs from 2010-2020 found that almost all of the top songs were linked to these churches, either through direct production or collaborations, with 37 out of 38 popular songs having a connection. This might explain why so much of worship music feels so similar. In this episode, we explore what that means for our theology around music and worship, the impact of this influence, and how the Church can broaden the scope of our inspiration for Sunday mornings. VISIT US IN PERSON Roosevelt Community Church 924 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Sunday Service: 10:00 AM rooseveltchurch.org CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Newsletter: Text "newsletter" to 855-834-2593 📝 Want to connect with us? Start here: roosevelt.church/connect 💚 Support the work at RCC: roosevelt.church/give FOLLOW US: Instagram: instagram.com/rooseveltchurch Facebook: facebook.com/rooseveltchurch TikTok: tiktok.com/@rooseveltchurch ABOUT ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY CHURCH: We exist to engage all people with all of Jesus. Located at the intersection of Roosevelt and 1st Street in the Roosevelt Arts District in Downtown Phoenix. RCC is a multiethnic congregation gathering every Sunday, with a unique voice crossing theology, street, and family. We make content to help extend the message of the gospel everywhere people are, far beyond Sunday morning. We share theological social commentary on a number of issues and current events, so that as much as it depends on us, we do not fail to speak on matters that have gone unspoken from churches historically. We believe the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom, and all its righteousness is thorough and complete as the authority to help us navigate our world, so we want to be faithful in providing everyone who listens a clear path to follow the way of Jesus.

In this episode, we explore AI not as a replacement for human connection, but as a powerful multiplier for reach and impact. We'll discuss how AI can tackle our biggest challenges in education, healthcare, and beyond, while also asking a fundamental question: What does it mean to be human in the age of AI, and can it help us be more human, not less? VISIT US IN PERSON Roosevelt Community Church 924 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Sunday Service: 10:00 AM rooseveltchurch.org CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Newsletter: Text "newsletter" to 855-834-2593 📝 Want to connect with us? Start here: roosevelt.church/connect 💚 Support the work at RCC: roosevelt.church/give FOLLOW US: Instagram: instagram.com/rooseveltchurch Facebook: facebook.com/rooseveltchurch TikTok: tiktok.com/@rooseveltchurch ABOUT ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY CHURCH: We exist to engage all people with all of Jesus. Located at the intersection of Roosevelt and 1st Street in the Roosevelt Arts District in Downtown Phoenix. RCC is a multiethnic congregation gathering every Sunday, with a unique voice crossing theology, street, and family. We make content to help extend the message of the gospel everywhere people are, far beyond Sunday morning. We share theological social commentary on a number of issues and current events, so that as much as it depends on us, we do not fail to speak on matters that have gone unspoken from churches historically. We believe the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom, and all its righteousness is thorough and complete as the authority to help us navigate our world, so we want to be faithful in providing everyone who listens a clear path to follow the way of Jesus.

This episode dives into conversations around the new NFL season and tackles deeper cultural questions on youth sports, professionalism and community.

In this special live episode of Unsilent Church, we celebrate RCC’s 20th Anniversary with guest Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile — author, justice advocate, and pastor of Anacostia River Church. Together, we explore what it truly takes to build something that lasts — in ministry, in justice work, and in community.

Kyle has authored 3 books “Grace Beyond Salvation” (released this year) and “The Secret to Prayer” and “Prayer, Middle Knowledge, and Divine-Human Interaction”.

Want to get involved? Here are resources Kit mention in the podcast:Advocacy Resources:World ReliefThe National Immigration ForumFollow Neighborhood MinistriesPhoenix Rapid ResponsePuente Phoenix

In a society driven by GDP, consumption, and productivity, what do we really value — and who gets left behind? This episode explores how our systems measure worth by output and profit rather than the dignity we all have from being made in the image of God. We focus on how women—particularly women of color—are treated in our culture and healthcare system, through the lens of Jesus, we ask: what would it look like to realign our value system around presence, compassion, and real care—especially for women? We talk about this and more in this episode of the Unsilent Church. Enjoy!

In this episode of the Unsilent Church podcast, we talk about how some of the problematic history in the United States seems to be resurfacing, particularly around the way much of the education, storytelling and narratives are recentering around ideas which are leaning closer to the idea of white superiority and supremacy. Considering all the outrage that happened when key books were banned (like Maya Angelou's "Why the cage bird sings) or Jackie Robinson's removal from military service, and blaming tragedy on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and that's not to mention the selective inclusion and exclusion of immigrants and refugees. All this together starts to beg a critical question about what's happening in the United States. We talk about this and more in this episode of the Unsilent Church. Enjoy!

In ancient days, when kingdoms would go to war and one would win over the other, a messenger would be sent throughout the land with a message (a gospel) telling everyone throughout that land that a new kingdom and a new way of life is now at hand. In American history, Juneteenth marks a day when a very similar thing happened when union soldiers after the Civil war, travels throughout the south to inform everyone there that not only had the Union won the war, but that those under bondage were no longer slaves. This is why we should celebrate Juneteenth. We discuss this fact and more in this episode of the Unsilent Church podcast. Enjoy!

In conversations for the case of reparations, there has tended to be resistance to the idea of paying reparations to the families descended from enslaved people in America. In every domain involved, from the church to federal government, institutions that have profited from the industry of slavery have demonstrated resistance to outright refusal to pay pack families for their forced contribution to these institution's current wealth. But when you take a look at history, you find that when the tables were turned, and "justice" came to slave owners and those who profited from the industry of slavery, the energy and tenacity to seek reparations for their lost profits led to compliance and repayment. In this episode of the Unsilent Church Podcast we talk about this, along with the ways those reparations have funded modern landmarks, uncovering the inconsistency embedded in the arguments against reparations. We talk about all this and more in this episode of the Unsilent Church Podcast. Enjoy!

Sometimes, the dilemma with modern language is the inadequacy to accurate describe a complex, layered problem simply. Evidence of this is seen time and time again when we're faced with tragedy, and almost universally, most of us are at a "loss for words." In this episode with John O, we get the privilege to talk about a new language that every one of us needs to learn, but almost none of us know how to properly speak. Grief is an experience no one escapes, and yet, its commonly an experience we find the hardest to handle. Today, John O shares some insight on a different approach and the work he's been doing to help other navigate these pathways. We talk about this and so much more on this episode of the Unsilent Church Podcast. Enjoy!

In this episode we discuss the problem with left and right thinking and how a third way gives us better understanding.

There's been much discussion about the crisis men in America are going through, and now it seems that men, particularly Gen Z men, are becoming more religiously affiliated. In contrast, more and more, women of the same age group, are increasingly becoming more and more unaffiliated when choosing their attachment to religious institutions. Why is that? Are men finding who they are, finding purpose and better direction in churches today? Does the church lose something significant if the emerging generation of women are choosing to no longer be affiliated? We talk about these ideas and more in this episode of the unsilent church podcast. Enjoy!

In a series of executive orders, the new administration has created a storm of new policies, budget cuts and big rollbacks of standing initiatives, not surprisingly including the rollback of all DEI programs throughout government agencies. Alongside those changes, many corporations lined up "Atten-hut," and removed many of the DEI line items in their budgets corporate documents. What just happened? Did a swift pen just erase decades of progress in an instant, or is there more beneath the surface. We talk about this and more in this episode of the Unsilent Church Podcast. Enjoy!

By 2034, the global health and wellness market is projected to reach $9.94 trillion. If someone were to do the math, what would the global church "market" be projected to reach? You've probably never considered church to be an industry, but for centuries, people have used the gospel for capital gain. Remember, it was because of the money changers, that Jesus tied together a whip and began turning over tables in the synagogue. So then what do we make of our churches today? Have we lost the heart of sunday service, or are the lights, camera, action really necessary for today's church goer? We talk about all this and more in this episode of the Unsilent Church. Enjoy!

From Big 3 to Big Me, Kendrick Lamar has established himself as an undeniable force, not just in music, but in culture. After his massive hit diss record, it was clear that there are levels in this game and according to Kendrick, he's on a level on his own. With that said, he's not been silent about his spiritual journey, citing on record thoughts he's had about what people like Lecrae and Dee1 would do understand certain circumstances in the music industry, and it's to experiences like that and others that we have a conversation around today on the Unsilent Church podcast. Enjoy.

The following is some statistical data as it pertains to Maricopa County:One in ten Americans aged 60 and older have experienced some form of elder abuse. Women and those over the age of 80 are more likely to experience abuse as well as those with physical and health conditions. Two out of every three victims are women. 90% of abusers are known to the victim and in almost 60% of elder abuse and neglect incidents, the perpetrator is a family member.According to Adult Protective Services data, there were 25,468 individual reports of vulnerable adult maltreatment in fiscal year 2022 – the highest number in the past five fiscal years. In 2022, there were 14,805 reports in Maricopa County. So far this year, there have been 15,987 reports Maricopa County and 30,690 in the state. You can find more data here: https://des.az.gov/APSData.If you think your elderly friend or relative has been victimized, please report it to law enforcement immediately. You can call 9-1-1, or report through one of these agencies:AAA Region One Senior Helpline, call or text 24/7: 602-264-2255.Adult Protective Services Hotline, 7 am to 7 pm, M-F: 1-877-SOS-ADULT 1-877-767-2385Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116.File a report with the State of Arizona onlineat https://hssazapsprod.wellsky.com/assessments/?WebIntake=1F74FCDA-C6AB-4192-9CEE-F8D20DE98850 To report abuse please email: [email protected] https://www.azag.gov/issues/elder-affairs to learn more information.In an emergency: 9-1-1 or the policeNon-emergency physical abuse: (877) SOS-ADULT or (877) 767-2385 - Adult Protective Services (APS)(602) 264-HELP or (602) 264-4357 - Area Agency on Aging 24hr Helpline(844) 894-4735 or (602) 542-2124 Attorney General's TASA HelplineFor financial exploitation: (844) 894-4735 or (602) 542-2124 Attorney General's TASA Helpline

In this episode of the Unsilent Church Podcast, we're continuing the practice of wrestling with important topics that impact the lives we and so many around us live. In this episode we wrestle with the inevitability of AI in preaching, along with one NBA player's decision to "give up basketball for full-time ministry." What would Jesus do with ChatGPT? Would OpenAI have come up with the Sermon on the Mount? And if given the option, do you need to choose between the NBA and full-time ministry? Is it not possible to do both? We wrestle with this and more on this episode of the Unsilent Church Podcast. Enjoy!

In this episode of the UNSILENT Church, we address a number of issues, starting with the misconception of being a "good" Christian. In the early days when followers of Jesus were first called "Christians," it was because their actions were much clearer than those who did not follow the way. Today, is it still as easy to spot a Christian in the wild, simply by the good things they do or the kind things they say? Moreover, we also talk about the rise of megachurches, and with that, "Celebrity Christianity." Maybe more than ever before, followers of Jesus are amassing huge followings on the internet, but to an unfortunately high degree, many are falling into scandal. And it seems not to be missing very many? What does that say about the temptation that come from the authority innate within leading people? Are too many people becoming teachers and preachers? We talk about these and other issues in this episode of the Unsilent Church. Enjoy!

If Jesus were to see the criminal justice system in America today, what kind of parable do you think he would tell? In this episode of the Unsilent Church, Chrystal McCowan and Joshua Coe join us from Neighbors Table, an organization that exists to equip local churches to see and serve the least among us—especially those in prison. We've done well in past years to talk and embrace the idea of reconciliation. But when it comes to justice, the conversation has been hardly embraced, if even empathized. Our hope is that this conversation brings more light to the truth that that which we have done to the least of these, we have done to Jesus, so that we when he is hungry, sick, naked, homeless or in prison, we would be there to both see him and embrace him.

Thanks for listening to the unsilent church podcast. In this episode, we have the privilege of holding a conversation with Gizette Knight, founder of the Black History Matters mural project that showcases key leaders in history who have contributed to American History in ways often overlooked. When I say the names Robert Smalls, Carter G. Woodson, or W.E.B. DuBois, Charles Harrison Mason, Richard Allen, Lemuel Haynes, Dorothy Vaughn, Percy Julian, Louis Latimer, and Otis Boykin. So much of Black History has falls through the cracks. Though it’s a necessity to call it Black History, people often forget that as it pertains to what Black people have contributed to America, it is indeed American history. From authors, military leaders, inventors, rocket scientists and pastors, Black men and women have been critical to the development of America as a nation. That’s what the Black History Matters Mural Project is all about. Gizette gives us the context of what led to its birth and how much work there’s still left to do. We talk about this and more on this episode of the Unsilent Church. Enjoy.

Thanks for listening to the unsilent church podcast. This is our third episode talking about idea of a post-black America—and can something like that really exist. We’re in an election year at the time of this recording, and there’s no more effective way to force a conversation than to present people with two polar opposites and force them to choose. Psychologists use this tactic often for personality inventories like the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Like those tests, an election with what feels like a choice between complete opposites, forces a kind of conversation amongst people with more freedoms to choose than ever before. Today, Black people have far more freedom to choose than this time 100 years ago, even a little over 50 years ago. Those choices are identifying in a way that make it more challenging today to put into words exactly what it means to “be Black.” 50-100 years ago, that answer would have been much easier, but with the increase in freedom, choice and thereby privilege, answering that question isn’t as easy as it once was. So in this episode of the Unsilent Church, we discuss our understanding of what it means to be black and the elements we believe need to be preserved regardless of how much more or less freedom, choice and privilege we gain (or lose) over the years.

Thanks for listening to the unsilent church podcast. We’re carrying forward our conversation from black history month talking about black identity in America how it has become more fluid in its essence. To be black in the country very much meant to push against the boundaries that were put around specific people in this country. That common experience, though wrongfully set, did create a culture that has been and will be celebrated for a long time. With that said, as those boundaries continually come down, that culture is shifting, which can be seen in the progression of media dating back to shows like Good Times, The Cosby Show and Family Matters, compared to more recent shows like Black-ish and BlackAF. In this episode of the Unsilent Church, we talk about that shift and what it means, especially as we’re about enter an election season where those demographics will come into play and be the topic of many conversations. How should the church understand "Blackness," which is really a question of how the church should understand "culture." We talk about this among other things in this episode of the Unsilent Church podcast. Enjoy!

Thanks for listening to the unsilent church podcast. It’s black history month, and without apology, we’re going to celebrate that, so we’re starting a new season on the podcast titled, “The Souls of Black Folk.” If that sounds familiar, it’s because the name comes from the classic work by W.E.B. DuBois, and similar to the purpose of that book, in this episode, we’re talking about what it means to be Black in this country (United States America). For a long time, “being black,” though not exactly the same for everyone, in essence meant something to everyone. For better or for worse, being black was an integral attribute of ones existence in society and played a major role in their experience. A lot has changed since then, most of which includes more access to privilege than there ever has been for non-white people groups in this country. It begs the question, what does it mean to be black in America now? And does it still matter? We talk about this among other things, in this episode of the Unsilent Church. Enjoy.

How much does representation still matter today? In a country that’s professed equality for all but has an unfortunate history of bias and preference for specific people groups, must it remain a priority, in an effort to create a more just future, to maintain laws that ensure the equal treatment and representation of all people? Is it even possible for laws to achieve those outcomes considering the complexity of people groups today and the existential varieties we now identify with? In a world like we live in today, did a law like affirmative action still matter? And now that’s it’s been struck down, what’s the best way forward now? That’s the conversation we had with friend, retired attorney and now law professor, Tom Campbell. It was great having Tom because he’s taught constitutional law, so his perspective is thoughtful, insightful and always helpful to understand where every side of an argument may have merit. Affirmative Action was effectively struck down this past summer in landmark cases brought against Harvard and the University of North Carolina. With the kind of historic precedent a ruling like this sets, what steps do we take now to see more just future on earth as it is in heaven? This is the conversation we have today in this episode of the Unsilent Church podcast. Enjoy!

Thanks for listening to the Unsilent Church Podcast. This is the last episode in this season around the idea of “serving the city.” With every episode, after listening, our hope is that you walk away with a valuable insight that helps you navigate your life with more awareness, empathy, and compassion. This episode is no different. Our guest is Eunice Yazzie, founder of Indige Design Collab and co-owner of Cahokia PHX. As an indigenous member of our community, Eunique has positioned herself to be a voice that centers the indigenous community, which has been repeatedly pushed to the margins. In this episode, she provides a breadth of insight to show how creativity and compassion go a long way to restore dignity, honor the stories, and recenter marginalized communities. Enjoy!

Thanks for listening to the Unsilent Church Podcast. If you’ve been listening this season, you know that we’ve been talking all about serving the city and how the church can play a critical role in the growth, development and health of our cities. But what about art…and creativity? What can the church do to help facilitate and make room for creativity and the arts? Even more so, would you ever believe the similarities between the church and street art? Today we get to have that conversation with an emerging street artist in our city, Giovannie Dixon, and talk about precisely that. Art can communicate big ideas in ways no other medium can, and churches are positioned better than most others to provide space to artists like Giovannie who can turn empty spaces into beautiful things. Hear about this, his story and more on this episode of the unsilent church. Enjoy.

In this season, we’ve been talking about serving the city, and what it looks like to be a part of communities in a way that benefits the people while demonstrating God’s presence. A regular conversation happening in the city centers around the idea of community development? What is it, how do we do it, and how can the church play a role in facilitating the kind of community development that honors the people involved in every part of the process? Today we had that conversation with Carla Logan, owner and operator of Carly’s Bistro, located in the Roosevelt Row Arts District and one of the Row’s longest standing restaurants. When talking about community development, it’s hard to ignore all of the new development in the form of high rise apartments and new businesses. But what about the community itself. The people, often the artists and local restaurants, who made the space attractive to begin with? How do we think in a way to serve and support them? We talk about this and more on today’s episode of the Unsilent Church. Enjoy.

Thanks for listening to the Unsilent Church Podcast. Whether you’re new here or have been listening for a while, you may not know that we also record these episodes on video. You can find many these podcasts on YouTube, so if you prefer to watch these episodes, head over to YouTube and subscribe to our channel to so you see new episodes in your feed as we release them.

In this episode of the Unsilent Church Podcast, we're talking about serving the city and how our presence, our attention and our connection with one another helps us do that. With us today is owner and operator of The Churchill, in downtown Phoenix, Kel Duncan. He shares the story of how he got started, how the Churchill got its name, and what the city needs to do in order to do the best for its communities. Enjoy!

For reasons beyond our understanding, "social justice" has become a term of derision, often cast away as an unclean things that must be kept separate. However, when we read about the life and behaviors of Jesus—and pay close attention to His words—we quickly realize that those who would attempt to distance justice in the social sphere away from the heart of the gospel, may well be distancing themselves from the heart of God. In this episode of the Unsilent Church, Darryl Williamson drops this bomb along with many many others as it pertains to a Biblical theology of justice. If you've found yourself in a conversation with someone who believes the answer to injustice is to simply "preach the gospel," this is an episode to enlighten us all to a clearer understanding of grace, justice and God's heart for his people to act accordingly.

When you hear the word "gentrification," how does it make you feel? If you've grown up in the hood, or most neighborhoods of lesser means, when you hear the term "gentrification," it probably makes you cringe—and rightfully so. So much of what comes with gentrification and redevelopment deserves that kind a response, if not even resistance. But if gentrification is a tidal wave that's bound to come anyway, is it possible to ride that wave instead of drowning and being swept away by it? In this episode of The Unsilent Church podcast we have the privilege of speaking with John Onwuchekwa—pastor, author, network leader, and entrepreneur—about the relationship between justice and business. How does the church disrupt injustice and cultivate peace? There's a number ways, but at least one way is through just business. Listen as John tells his story about how he and the community are playing a role in the redevelopment of Atlanta's West End, learning how to swim in these waters usually intended to flood 'em out. Enjoy!

As we’ve been in this 3rd season of the podcast, we’ve had the indelible privilege of speaking to people who have been at the center of justice and peace activity, both in their life personally, as an application of biblical instruction, but also in their city…and fort us here, they’ve been active and at the center of justice and peace in our city, making the kind of difference that for our guest today, has spanned generations. Neighborhood Ministries is a pillar in downtown Phoenix. Located just on the other side of the tracks, Neighborhood has been at the forefront, demonstrating God’s heart for the poor, the marginalized…and the immigrant. Established now 40 years ago this year by founder & president, Kit Danley, Neighborhood Ministries, has become a refuge for so many and continues to bring life, justice and peace to an area that was often faced with death, injustice and chaos. In this episode, Kit graciously dialogues with myself, John and Vermon about how to see justice, both in neighborhoods and for local communities here, but also for those abroad who, for many reasons, now find themselves here. We're reminded that God’s heart is for them all, and in prophetic style, Kit has demonstrated that to our city, and explains to us today, just how much.

In this season of the podcast, we decided to address the topic of justice and how we might see more just societies. We’ve mentioned that we’d be inviting guests, and we had the greatest privilege enjoying conversation with Pastor Aubrey Barnwell, Senior Pastor at First New Life Missionary Baptist Church in South Phoenix. On the issue of justice, Christians have found themselves on opposite sides of the conversation, tensions rising about the varied involvement in social justice and whether we should be so involved. But with countless records of injustice all around us, how exactly do we overcome? Today, we get to share in the insight of someone who’s actually been there…and done that. We often lose the connection between spirituality and social justice, as if the body wasn’t also formed by the hands of God, who is spirit. Today, Pastor Barnwell reminds myself, John, and Vermon about how our spirituality extends through our humanity and into society, so that we might, if even a little bit, effect change to see God’s will done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Enjoy.

This episode is sort of a one off, and we’ll have a few of these sprinkled in between our regularly scheduled programming throughout this season. But in case you missed it, Netflix released a documentary about the artist formerly known as Kanye West, entitled JEEN-YUHS—and before I go further, let this serve as a public service announcement that there’s a good chance we may spoil it for you if you haven’t watched it yet at this point. If that’s you, watch it first, and then come back and engage with us. Kanye West has to be one of our generations most self-proclaimed greats…you might have seen the rants and fights with the media to convince everyone that he is as brilliant as he thinks he is…and it turns out he is probably right; but at what cost? Today, Vermon, John and myself discuss the film and a number of key themes we picked up on. Kanye has become just about everything he worked for; a producer, a rapper, a designer, a husband, a father, and…a billionaire. But is he healthy? And is he whole? We talk about how the film addresses these ideas and more on this episode of the Unsilent Church.

We’re in proverbs 29 today, and our conversation takes an insightful turn into the character of our world leaders. Many have said in jest that people aren’t voting pastors into office, but should we reframe our expectations of character and justice in the highest offices? God did? And the entire earth is his? So why wouldn’t we? In this episode we carry on about this and other ideas around the systemic nature of God’s expectation for justice and how we might participate in seeing more of it here on earth as it is in heaven.

We’re in Season 3 now, and this go ‘round we decided to unpack ideas that the Bible clearly affirms, but for whatever reason, have become polarizing conversations in our society. So in this season, we’re taking a deep dive into biblical affirmations of justice, peace and the grounds for a more just society, as it reflects the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. John, Vermon and myself begin the conversation in this first episode in the book of Amos where we find the famous words employed by the late great Dr. (Martin Luther King, if you didn’t know) to “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. And as we spend time discussing this issue in the first episode, be on the lookout for experts and guests we’ll have on other episodes throughout this season, who will help us walk through God’s revealed heart on these matters so that we carry His name in every place we go and don’t do so in vain.

If you're interested in reading Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, here's the link!Watch the video on YouTube!

Today we’re talking about deconstruction, the practice many have undergone to reevaluate the place of faith in their life and work and relationships. With the kind of back to back years we’ve had, everyone seems to be in the middle of some form of it—whether people are #leavingLOUD from toxic church cultures or deciding to leave the faith behind altogether, we had to ask the question: What does it look like to preach to a deconstructing heart? We get to have that conversation with a special guest, friend and pastor, Abe Cho, who helps us decode what seems to be bad programming in the hardware of American Christianity. In the end, our hope is that this conversation helps facilitate a new way forward towards more healthy rhythms that lead God’s people to listen first, speak carefully and above all else love—even our enemies. Enjoy.

Happy Juneteenth! If you’re thinking, “Juneteenth, what’s that?”—allow me to fill you in. Juneteenth is a moment in US history where more Americans in this country attained their right to the promise of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It was the day that enslaved people finally received the message (two years after the Emancipation Proclamation) that they were free. A messenger, from a foreign land, came to spread a message that for everyone enslaved, was the best news they’d ever heard. Sound familiar? In this episode of the Unsilent Church, we’re talking not only about the facts of Juneteenth, but why we all as Americans and even more as Christians, should celebrate one of the best gospel pictures we have in a holiday we’ve too long overlooked in our own country’s history. Juneteenth was good news, and for that, we celebrate! Enjoy.