"Resurrected from the Sunken Place" ft. Josh Miles – A #LeaveLOUD Story

We’ve reached a moment in history as the church that is not unlike moments the church has seen before. “History is the long and tragic story of the fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily… Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but groups are more immoral than individuals.” And we’ve unfortunately seen that in so many of our spaces amongst the Evangelical church in America, especially as it pertains to race. Reading MLK’s letter from a Birmingham jail, you couldn’t help but notice similarities in the language of his response and the language many black Christians use today. He said, “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that Black people’s (and other minor groups’) great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action”…Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will…We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be coworkers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation.” And it is in many ways, this, that has led so many black Christians to do what the Pass The Mic Podcast calls #LeaveLoud. Shoutout to the Witness Podcast network who inspired this episode’s thematic: #LeaveLoud, in which Black leaders and congregants who have chosen to leave homogenous, predominantly white spaces not only decide its time they transition out, but the stories to both call a spade a spade—or racism, racism—and reclaim the dignity lost while being among these institutions that failed to value the fullness of God’s image expressed through black and other minority cultures; and choosing to go where that image is not simply tolerated, but truly celebrated and represents a kingdom picture more like the one we all hope for with every tribe, language, people and nation. Today, Myself, Vermon Pierre and John Talley sit with our brother, businesses man and entrepreneur, Josh Miles, who has his own #LeaveLoud story that we believe has something we can all learn from. Enjoy

THE UN-SILENT CHURCH · Josh Miles, James Nwobu, John Talley III, Vermon Pierre