Episodes

  • "Who is your neighbor?" ft. Neighbors Table

    "Who is your neighbor?" ft. Neighbors Table
    Jun 25 2024
    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.
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    30 mins
  • Black History is American History ft. Gizette Knight

    Black History is American History ft. Gizette Knight
    Jun 1 2024
    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. 

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    25 mins
  • Are we in a Post-"Black" America?

    Are we in a Post-"Black" America?
    Apr 23 2024
    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.
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    31 mins
  • What Blackness can teach us about culture

    What Blackness can teach us about culture
    Mar 19 2024
    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!
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    25 mins
  • "Does Blackness still matter?"

    "Does Blackness still matter?"
    Feb 19 2024
    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.
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    57 mins
  • "Does representation still matter?" – RCC Today ft. Tom Campbell

    "Does representation still matter?" – RCC Today ft. Tom Campbell
    Nov 21 2023
    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!
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    57 mins
  • How to RESTORE Indigenous stories in your city ft. Eunique Yazzie

    How to RESTORE Indigenous stories in your city ft. Eunique Yazzie
    Oct 17 2023
    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!
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    44 mins
  • What Street Art and the Church have in common ft. Giovannie Dixon (@JustCreatedIt)

    What Street Art and the Church have in common ft. Giovannie Dixon (@JustCreatedIt)
    Sep 18 2023
    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.
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    28 mins