20 Minute Takes

On this quick take,  Ally Henny discusses Juneteenth, and what practices she and her family cultivated to celebrate Black freedom. Ally is the author of the new book " I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You," as well as vice president of The Witness. You can find our full episode with Ally here.

This week on 20 Minute Takes, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Dr. Christina Edmondson. She's co-host of the podcast Truth's Table, as well as co-author of the book Faithful Antiracism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change. Listen in as they discuss the book, the sort of work and healing required of those who do the work of racial justice, and how the Church is called to pursue racial justic...

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Jeff Liou and Robert Chao Romero about their recently released book, Christianity & Critical Race Theory: A Faithful and Constructive Conversation . Robert Chao Romero is associate professor at UCLA in the departments of Chicana/o, Central American, and Asian American Studies. Jeff Liou is national director of theological formation for InterVarsity Chri...

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Prashan De Visser. He is the president and founder of Global Unites , an organization that equips youth around the world to form movements of peace building and conflict transformation.  He is also the author of the book Phoenix Generation. Listen in as they discuss movement building among youth in Sri Lanka, and how he understands peace making as central t...

Season 4 of 20 Minute Takes returns with a deeply insightful conversation with Dr. Carolyn Chen.   Dr. Chen is a sociologist and professor of ethnic studies at UC Berkeley and specializes in the study of religion.  Her most recent book "Work, Pray, Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley" looks into how tech corporations are bringing religiosity and spirituality into the work...

This is our final episode of season three, as well as our final Lenten reflection. This week, Andre Henry   shares his reflections on doubt, disappointment, and longing in this piece entitled "Why I'm A Holy Saturday Christian." Andre Henry a musician, author of All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep , and  the Program Manager of the Racial Justice Institute at Christians for Social...

This week, Christine Aroney-Sine continues our Lenten series with a reflection on the story of Holy Week. From garden to garden, Christine contemplates the journey humanity, the story of Jesus' passion, and the longing for new creation. Christine Aroney-Sine is a contemplative activist, passionate gardener, and author. She loves inspiring Jesus followers to dig in the dirt, laugh, and have fu...

Our Lenten series continues with Rev. Dr. Letiah Fraser.  She reflects on Lent, and what it looks like for us to confess and repent of our ableism in this season. Rev. Dr. Fraser is an ordained pastor, an activist/organizer connected with the KS Poor People’s Campaign and A National Call for Moral Revival; she is a disability rights advocate, a hospital chaplain and focuses on spiritual formation...

This week, 20 Minute Takes producer David de Leon shares his Lenten reflection: Lent, Longing, and Transformation. Listen in as he reflects on how the process of transformation is a journey of partnership with the Divine. You can find the written version of this podcast here.

This week, as we continue our Lenten mini-series, 20 Minute Takes host Nikki Toyama-Szeto reflects on embodiment, pilgrimage, and her own journey to Bethany beyond the Jordan. This piece is also on the CSA website under the title: Why Pilgrimage Has Become My Lenten Practice.

This Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of the Lent. To kick us off with our miniseries of Lenten reflections, Kristyn Komarnicki , Christians for Social Action's Director of Dialogue & Convening, and Program Manager for Oriented to Love , shares her reflection: "Confessions of a Total Lenten Failure." If you're someone that struggles with Lent, this episode and reflection...

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Faitth Brooks—educator, activist, podcast host , and author of the recently released book "Remember Me Now: A Journey Back to Myself and a Love Letter to Black Women." They talk about her experience growing up in white evangelical spaces, and the significant moments that shaped her voice toward the advocacy, honoring, and encouragement of Black wo...

This week, Nikki continues her conversation with Dr. Jacqueline Ogega. She is the Director of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) at World Vision US, and is the author of the book "Home Is Us: A Story About Hope & Resilience." They talk about gender equality and social inclusion, and how North Americans can learn from other international movements. You can find part 1 of thei...

This week, Nikki talks with Dr. Jacqueline Ogega. She is the Director of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) at World Vision US, and is the author of the book "Home Is Us: A Story About Hope & Resilience." They talk about Jacqueline's story and the importance of empowering survivors of gender violence to not only tell their stories, but contribute their expertise and sol...

On this week's episode, Nikki Toyama-Szeto and David de Leon share their insights from a project on Asian American histories of civic engagement and activism. Discussing the stories of Larry Itliong and Yuri Kochiyama, they discuss how identity, solidarity, and partnership are key to helping Christians think about how to engage faithfully in their contexts, even amidst histories of disenfranc...

On this special episode of 20 Minute Takes, our host Nikki Toyama-Szeto shares an Advent reflection entitled: "Celebrating the Girl Who Did Something Unthinkable." This piece , written by Nikki, was originally published at Missio Alliance . If you appreciate our show and want to support its ongoing work, please consider giving a year-end gift here . Any gifts given through the end of Dec...

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto continues her conversation with Nishan de Mel. He is an economist, and the CEO of Verité Research , a think tank based out of Sri Lanka that provides strategic analysis for governments and the private sector in Asia. They talk about social media in a post-truth, post-trust society, and what posture Christians might take in relation to state power to repair trust in th...

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Nishan de Mel. He is an economist, and the CEO of Verité Research , a think tank based out of Sri Lanka that provides strategic analysis for governments and the private sector in Asia. They talk about what it means to live in a post-truth, post-trust society, and how Christians might help to restore trust and credibility in our fragmented times.  This is th...

This week, Nikki talks with Linson Daniel. He's a pastor of a South Asian church in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas, and is a co-author of the recently released book Learning Our Names: Asian American Christians on Identity, Relationships, and Vocation. They talk about his experience pastoring an ethnic enclave church in the time of pandemic, and how his context has shaped his sense of calling a...

Welcome to our new season of 20 Minute Takes! We kick off season three with a conversation with Curtis Chang. Curtis is a theologian,  the CEO of Consulting Within Reach, and the Executive Director of Redeeming Babel. In this episode he shares about a theology of institutions. Why is distrust in institutions at an all-time high? How ought Christians think about institutions? And how does our theol...

Ron Sider, Founder and President Emeritus of Christians for Social Action (formerly Evangelicals for Social Action) died last week at the age of 82. In this final episode of season two, CSA Executive Director Nikki Toyama-Szeto and CSA Director of Dialogue & Convening Kristyn Komarnicki share their reflections on the life and legacy of Ron Sider—his deep impact on the world through his work an...

This is the second part of Nikki Toyama-Szeto's conversation with Bishop D. Zac Nirinigiye. Bishop Zac is a retired Anglican assistant bishop from Kampala, Uganda. He is a pastor, theologian, author, and is a prophetic voice for causes of justice today. In this episode, they discuss what it means for Christians to seek the common good, and what a life marked by love, peace, and shalom looks l...

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Bishop D. Zac Nirinigiye. Bishop Zac is a retired Anglican assistant bishop from Kampala, Uganda. He is a pastor, theologian, author, and is a prophetic voice for causes of justice today. Listen in as they discuss what it means to bear witness to good news, and how to do so as Jesus followers who inhabit positions, structures, and relationships of power. Bi...

On this QUICK TAKE, Nikki Toyama-Szeto chats with Karl Ostroski on how to think about using your finances faithfully as a Christian in a culture consumed by consumption. Karl offers some practical advice on simplicity, ethics in retirement and financial planning, how to think about simplicity and parenting, and the power of accountability and community. We'll be back next week with a full epi...

This week, David de Leon chats with Tim Ignacio. He's a Pilipino American community worker (and rapper!) in Metro Manila, in the Philippines. In this conversation, Tim shares about his story and vocation, the power of a ministry of tambay (loitering), and why he considers himself a balikbayan , and not a missionary. Listen in. Find Tim on Instagram @sobrangitm You can find his music on Spotif...