The Antioch Podcast
by Preach Sista! Inc.
The Antioch Podcast is a weekly recorded conversation among a multiracial team of Christian antiracism educators and friends. Biblical Antiracism is the starting point for all these conversations, which inevitably includes a healthy dose of laughter, thoughtfulness, vulnerability and theology.
Episodes
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351 – United in Christ
In a world full of divisions, what unites us as Christians – especially Christians who care about antiracism and social justice? The United in Christ statement was born in 2026 in response to the divisions happening in many church denominations over social and political issues expressed through...
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350 – Corageous Biblical Leadership
In this historic moment, what does courageous Biblical leadership look like? Depending on your tradition, you may have learned a skewed version of what it means to take scripture and leadership seriously. In today’s episode, we will have a conversation about what Biblical leadership looks like...
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349 – The Relationship Between Healing and Justice
What is the relationship between healing and justice. Can a person heal if the cause of their pain remains unaddressed? When it comes to injustice, can healing truly happen without systemic or policy change … or does society stand by and applaud the resilience of the most marginalized while doing...
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348 – Calling and Challenge
How do you answer your calling when facing challenges? These challenges can come in many forms, and often beset even the most faithful Christians. In this episode, we will discuss how to faithfully follow your calling in the face of fear.
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347 – Managing Managed Racism: Roosevelt Park Rising
Roosevelt Park Rising is the autobiographical story of one of our co-hosts, Pastor Reggie Smith, written about his time as a Black pastor heading a majority-white church in a Latino neighborhood. In today’s episode, Pastor Reggie shares a story from this book about his first day on the job and…
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346: Power Over vs. Power With
Power, and the management of power, is one of the most prevalent themes in scripture. Our team of Christian antiracism educators take time to talk about what Jesus said about power, who has power, and what is the way God wants Christians to use whatever power they have in the world?
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345 – Race and Church Renewal
This is a challenging time to be a Christian in the United States. In many denominations, churches are losing members and closing churches. In other places, the church is growing. Our multiethnic team of Christian antiracism educators and friends is asking the question about what the future holds...
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344 – Is Colorblindness a Christian Virtue?
Many white people describe themselves as colorblind, and many white Christians do as well. However, is this a virtuous thing, or a posture that goes against scriptural precedent? In this episode, we will discuss this popular stance in light of the book of Acts.
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343 – What Is the Future of Intercultural Ministry for the Western Church?
Intercultural ministry – when people from two different cultural groups worship together – is a phenomenon many aging, historically white churches are exploring more and more. But what dynamics do these cultural unions bring us, and what does scripture have to say about these challenges?
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342 – Is Antiracism a Political or Gospel Issue?
James 2: 14-17 says “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but … Continue reading 342…
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341 – What is Biblical About Antiracism?
We are going back to basics on the Antioch Podcast, talking about tough questions that come up for Christians involved in racial and social justice movements. This week’s question – “What is Biblical about antiracism?” Our tagline for the Antioch Podcast is conversations about Biblical antiracism...
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340 – Where We’ve Been, and Where We Are Going.
The Antioch Podcast team has been off for a number of months, and as we return, we share a bit about why we took an extended break from our conversations about Biblical antiracism, as well as what we to expect as the podcast undergoes a number of significant changes in our next chapter together.
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Episode 339 – When Protesters Are Killed: “A Biblically Antiracist Perspective.”
In the past few weeks, the Trump administration has sent large numbers of Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement agents to Minneapolis in response to charges of fraud among a small number of immigrants in the Somali community there. This was not a targeted action, but a massive undertaking…
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Episode 338: What is Economic Justice? – “What Are We Doing With God’s Money Part 1.”
I grew up in a country church in rural America where we sang hymns from old navy-blue hymnals every Sunday. One of our congregation’s favorites was the hymn “This Is My Father’s World.” The first two verses celebrate God’s providence and majesty displayed through the natural world. And in the…
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Episode 337: Goodness, Self-Control and Other Virtues – “Characteristics of Biblical Leadership Part 4.”
Scripture has a list of qualities that represent what it means to be a follower of Jesus known as the fruit of the Spirit. This is the evidence of a Spirit-filled life, a life focused on reflecting the qualities of Jesus to the rest of the world. Ideally, this list would describe what a Christian…
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Episode 336: The Fruit of the Spirit for Leaders – “Characteristics of Biblical Leaders Part 3.”
Character counts. I try to read at least one book every year about leadership in my role as a clinical director at a multisite therapy practice. Almost every book essentially talks about the characteristics of good leaders. These kinds of character traits impact how to listen, how to give…
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Episode 335: Prophetic Leadership – “Characteristics of Biblical Leadership Part 2.”
John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, was a prophet with a short-lived period of influence. There had not been a prophet in Israel for 400 years before John showed up on the scene. During this period of silence, the Jewish people were first ruled by the Greeks and then the Romans. Now John was …...
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Episode 334: Biblical Leadership – Characteristics of Biblical Leaders Part 1.
Through much of my career, I have found myself being pulled into positions of leadership, whether it is leading small groups or teams, leading church congregations, or routinely sitting in meetings where policies are made that affect both staff and clients. I once worked for a pastor who wisely...
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Episode 333: Christlike Resistance In the Time of White Christian Nationalism
What thoughts go through your mind when you hear of a politically motivated shooting? Does it matter to you who was harmed or killed? In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, some Christians are calling for revenge, and some are calling for restraint. In this episode, our team of Christian...
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Episode 332: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Christianity Has Always Been Multicultural.”
We are in a series where we are giving Biblical Counter-Narratives to anti-Christian messages being increasingly pushed in America. We are calling this series our “RILED” series, where we talk about Racial Justice, Immigration, Leadership, Economic Justice and Diversity. We are talking about…
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Episode 331: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Countering Immigration Myths.”
We are in a series where we are giving Biblical Counter-Narratives to anti-Christian messages being increasingly pushed in America. We are calling this series our “RILED” series, where we talk about Racial Justice, Immigration, Leadership, Economic Justice and Diversity. We are talking about…
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Episode 330: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “There Is No Immigrant Invasion.”
We are in a series where we are giving Biblical Counter-Narratives to anti-Christian messages being increasingly pushed in America. We are calling this series our “RILED” series, where we talk about Racial Justice, Immigration, Leadership, Economic Justice and Diversity. We are talking about…
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Episode 329: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Immigrants are a Blessing.”
It is not uncommon for people to have some level of apprehension about the unknown. I recall the first time I ate sashimi – beautiful slices of raw fish served in sushi restaurants. I had never eaten raw fish before, and had a suspicion that eating any uncooked fish would make me sick. However, I…
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Episode 328: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “The Importance of Counter-Narratives.”
As a therapist, I spend my week listening to people’s stories. I’ve heard thousands of stories, and from listening to these stories, I have a number of thoughts about what makes certain stories powerful to people, and other stories more incidental. Often, it isn’t the events of the story that are...
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Episode 327: Biblical Counter-Narratives – “Scriptural Truth vs. Christian Nationalism.”
What does it mean to be a podcast about Biblical Antiracism during a time when every week it seems that civil rights are attacked, people are being rounded up and arrested, and disagreement and speaking out is met with increasing levels of suppression. While some faith leaders are boldly speaking...
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Episode 326: The Spirit of Justice – “Stories of Strength.”
Since January, we have been discussing Jemar Tisby’s latest book “The Spirit of Justice”, looking at the stories of Black Christians and their allies who were inspired by scripture to work for racial justice. Today, our team gathered around the mics to talk about what we have learned so far on…
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Episode 325: The Spirit of Justice – “Harriet Tubman”
Harriet Tubman is one of the most recognized and celebrated figures in American History. After escaping from slavery, she returned across the Mason Dixon line 13 times to free individuals from slavery. Estimates range from 70-300 people who were freed because of her efforts, with dozens of others...
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Episode 324: John Williams – “Restorative Racial Justice in the Age of Trump.”
John Williams is a frequent guest and friend of the Antioch Podcast known for his deep Christian faith and commitment to healing the church in America through truth telling, racial justice and repair. As the executive director of The Center for Restorative Justice in Pasadena, California, we are...
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Episode 323: The Spirit of Justice – “Fighting for Freedom.”
What is worth fighting and dying for? For many people, it is the prospect of safety for those they care about which is more likely to happen when someone has the liberty to live in freedom from oppression. Captain Thomas Higgenson, a white abolitionist, led a nearly all-black unit in the Union...
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Episode 322: The Spirit of Justice – “Radicals.”
Listen to Psalm 36, the lyrics of which contrast the way evil people use power with that of God. 1 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to … Continue reading...
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Episode 321: The Spirit of Justice – “Resisting Unjust Economies.”
Have you ever tried to read the Bible from cover to cover? I know that when many try, they do pretty well getting through the stories of Genesis and Exodus, but lose interest as they start Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books of laws can seem archaic and difficult to understand to the...
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Episode 320: Sustainable Solidarity – “Considering Capacity.”
How long can you walk? I have a desk job, and because of that, I don’t get an opportunity to move around much. But I do walk when I’m not at the office, though when I am walking alone, I often grow bored and want to head home to be with people. I really want … Continue reading Episode 320:...
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Episode 319: The Spirit of Justice – “The Language of Liberty Part 2.”
Have you ever been so moved by something in the news that you felt powerful emotions afterwards? In the age of social media and 24-7 news coverage, we may find that we have an overload of information that make us feel those emotions. But in the period leading up to the American Revolution, words...
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Episode 318: The Spirit of Justice – “The Language of Liberty Part 1.”
Words change people. I remember when I was a young social worker, I was assigned to meet with a new client whom I had a strong bias about. I was convinced that this person and I had very little in common, and that this individual was someone potentially dangerous. So I was guarded as I … Continue...
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Episode 317: The Spirit of Justice – “1619.”
Dates tell a story. My wife and I will often calculate the decades that we have known each other, and reflect on the fact that at this point in our relationship, we have been together longer than we have lived with our families of origin. As an inter-racial couple, sometimes this prompts…
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Episode 316: The Spirit of Justice – “The Making of Race.”
What does it mean to be Black? From the time of Columbus to the time before the American Revolution, people with ancestry from Africa were present through every era of American history. Yet, what this meant varied over time. During the colonial period before the American Revolution, while ideas…
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Episode 315: The Spirit of Justice – “Whitelash.”
Today, we are going to be talking about whitelash. What is whitelash? According to Jemar Tisby, it is like a social version of Newton’s Third Law: for every antiracist action there will be an equal (or disproportionate) and opposite reaction. Historical examples: after the civil war freed slaves,...
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Episode 314: The Spirit of Justice – “Resistance, Advocacy and Activism.”
We are entering a season where many people who care about justice, equity and oppression may feel discouraged and hopeless. Oppressive policies are all the talk in the news, and it can be difficult to function at times. In times like these, sometimes a good book can help. Today we begin reading…
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Episode 313: Resilience and Resistance – “Responding to Oppressive Systems.”
Do you ever get worn down by injustice? Do you ever find that your energy is drained by constantly swinging emotionally between outrage and overwhelm when you see evidence of inhumanity and hate? Ever wonder what you can do about it, as opposed to venting? Our multiethnic team of Christian...
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Episode 312: After the Inauguration – “What’s On Your Mind?”
On January 20th, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the president of the United States. Our multiethnic team of Christian antiracism educators and friends decided to talk about how we were feeling about the immediate future of the United States in today’s conversation we are calling, “What’s On Your...
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Episode 311: Inaugural Coping Strategies – “Self-Care in the Time of Trump.”
On January 20th, Donald Trump will once again resume the presidency of the United States. Many people who care about antiracism and social justice have strong emotions about this turn of events, remembering what his first term in office was like. While he is legitimately elected, many people who...
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Episode 310: Year in Review – “Intentions and Reflections.”
Our team on the Antioch Podcast was feeling reflective today as we gathered around the mics. It’s a new year, and I don’t know about you, but during this time of the year, I love gathering with friends to reflect on the year that was, and look forward to the year ahead. Our multiethnic team …...
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Episode 309: An Antioch Holiday Special – “Advent and Justice.”
Advent is a four-week season in the Church calendar dedicated to anticipating the arrival, or “advent,” of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited savior and King. Christians from many backgrounds celebrate this time with reflections on hope, peace, love, and joy. And while their practices may look...
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Episode 308 – An Antioch Holiday Special – “Thanksgiving Memories.”
At work the other day, we were having a conversation about American Thanksgiving Day. One of my African-American friends was telling me that Thanksgiving Day at their house is the “Food Olympics.” Family members are requested to bring certain dishes that they expertly cook to their annual family...
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Episode 307: The Pledge – What Does It Mean? – “With Liberty and Justice for All.”
Well … we are back. We took a couple weeks off but we are back this week to talk about our series on the pledge of allegiance. Today we talk about “Liberty and Justice for All.” So, in our first post-election episode, we have some thoughts – new thoughts and old thoughts – about what … Continue...
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Episode 306: Whitework – “The Antiracism Journeys of White Allies.”
Sometimes, the Antioch Podcast team takes our show on the road. Recently, we were invited to be a part of Unlearn Week at Calvin University. This program is an opportunity for students to unlearn stereotypes, biases and talk about racism by engaging in healthy dialogue and diving deeper into…
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Episode 305: The Pledge – What Does It Mean – “Indivisible.”
What does it mean to have a united front? I once talked with someone who was routinely told that she needed to “put up a united front” in implementing a policy at the hospital where she worked. However, she didn’t agree with the policy, and this caused her to feel like she might need to ……
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Episode 304: The Pledge – What Does It Mean? – “Under God.”
The first amendment to the US Constitution says that the country cannot have an official religion, yet most state constitutions reference either God or the divine. The words “In God We Trust” is printed on currency in the United States, but many Americans only pray when they are in a crisis. The...
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Episode 303: The Pledge – What Does it Mean? – “One Nation.”
Michigan is one of the states that will decide the election in 2024, and the western side of the state is one region within Michigan where the divisions are the strongest. Driving through my neighborhood, yard signs for Harris and Trump punctuate the lawns of many of my neighbors. Last week I...
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Episode 302: The Pledge – What Does It Mean – “The Republic.”
And to the republic, for which it stands. We say these words all the time, but what is a republic anyway? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, a republic is a form of government in which a state is ruled by representatives of the citizen body. Modern republics are founded on the idea that...
About this show
The Antioch Podcast is a weekly recorded conversation among a multiracial team of Christian antiracism educators and friends. Biblical Antiracism is the starting point for all these conversations, which inevitably includes a healthy dose of laughter, thoughtfulness, vulnerability and theology.
Hosted by
Preach Sista! Inc.
Categories