21. Does the Church Promote "Grind Culture?"

Through slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow and even today, the Church has been a place where African-Americans can lead groups, hold elected office and fully participate in organizations. The Church has stood in the gap, where society failed African-Americans. However, the Church can also require and expect a great deal from its leaders and members. Churches are expected to respond to every community trauma, police shooting, neighborhood disinvestment, financial neglect, racism, classism, gentrification, pandemics, failing schools, food deserts, congregational care, etc. etc. Once you become active in a church, it can feel like your name keeps coming up, to do more and more. As if all of your free time is now church time. The work feels never ending and church work can become a grind. Episode Guests Tricia Hersey "The Nap Bishop" - Founder of The Nap Ministry https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry https://linktr.ee/thenapministry Rev. Dr. Toni Belin Ingram - Presiding Elder - Augusta North Conference - AME Church Instagram: @Tlenayebi Twitter: @Tlenayebi Rev. Jennifer Carner - Executive Pastor, House of Hope - Atlanta Website: http://www.jennifercarnerministries.com Instagram: @thecarnerjlc Rev. Dominique Lester - Chief of Staff, Greater Centennial AME Zion Church - Mount Vernon, NY * Instagram: Prophetic_Provocateur For a visual companion to this episode and links to episode resources, visit creativetension.org. Follow us on Instagram, FB, Pinterest: @creativetensionpodcast and Twitter: @createtension. Until next time, #createtension. Creative Tension can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts: Apple Podcast: http://apple.co/2wBqYHb  Google Podcast: http://bit.ly/ctgoogpod  Spotify - http://spoti.fi/2ydhVbK SoundCloud - http://bit.ly/ctsoundc Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2gcmfVp      IHeart: http://bit.ly/2h7K69f Julian Reid & The JuJu Exchange: http://bit.ly/JRJuJuExch  Thanks to the Emory University Center for Digital Scholarship for their cooperation in the recording and production of the Creative Tension podcast