Above The Noise: Faith; Race; Reconciliation.

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Are you fascinated by stories of resilience that cuts across racial boundaries? Hold tight as I bring you an intimate conversation with Erin Jones, author of 'Bridges to Heal Us Stories and Strategies for Racial Healing'. Her inspiring journey as a biracial, transracial adoptee and a significant influencer in the field of education is nothing shor...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Want to leave a profound legacy for your family? Discover the key elements of building a rich family legacy as I explore the biblical, social, and cultural aspects of this legacy. Drawing inspiration from the story of Paul and Timothy in 1 Timothy, together we uncover the importance of belonging, heritage, purpose, reputation, and recognizing our unique cre...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Recent criminal, moral, and ethical indictments of political leaders around the world have created tenuous challenges for people of faith who have attached their moral and ethical support to a personality or party and are now faced with justifying the inexcusable. Do we then make exceptions some at the expense of others? Whenever people of faith adopt a pol...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Our concluding discussion with Steve Bury, Executive Director of Urban Impact Seattle explores the 4 principles that have led to a successful, thriving multicultural community in the heart of the city focusing on Neighborhood Transformation, Health and Wellness, Economic Development, Youth Development, and Racial Reconciliation. Loving people is inconvenien...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Steve Bury is the Executive Director of Urban Impact Seattle, a Christian Community Development Organization in the urban core of Seattle, WA. In part 1 of our 2-part conversation, Steve shares his story of growing up white in a multicultural community. As he grew into his calling of urban ministry Steve wrestled with what he was taught and the reality that...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast In part 2 of our conversation with Darryl, we discuss the mission and purpose of his organization, Miracle of Innocence: Seeking Justice and Providing Care for the Innocent, based in Kansas.  The process of proving someone's innocence is a long and expensive road requiring skilled legal professionals, expert witnesses, and investigators. Once the perso...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Darryl Burton, formerly Inmate 153063, is a walking miracle. Once wrongfully incarcerated for murder, he spent 24 years of a 75 sentence fighting to prove his innocence. Darryl is an example of the many people, mostly poor and people of color, who are wrongfully imprisoned by a flawed justice system that sometimes seeks simple answers and easy convictions....

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Exposure of sexual exploitation in the Christian community has filled the headlines. From the scandal of priests in the global Catholic Church to the Southern Baptist Convention, Jim Baker,  Eric Tuininga, Eddie Long and  Ravi Zacharias to less covered accusations and  exploitations across many denominations and independent ministries the pattern of abuse b...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast In part 2 of our conversation, Council Person De'Sean Quin walks us through leading a highly diverse community among various special interests that can, at times, appear in conflict: calls for racial justice; defunding the police; serving on the state's African American Commission; improving livelihood for immigrant communities and their access to...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast De'Sean Quinn is the Assistant General Manager for Partnerships and  Strategy at King County Metro in Seattle, Washington, and an elected Council Member for the City of Tukwilla, Washington. His life is one of serving his community where he focuses on the implementation of strategies and solutions that promote diversity, equity, and belonging in commun...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Rev. Dr. Charles “Buddy” Parish is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Sweet Water, Florida. Our conversation today centers on reconciliation. His passion to see believers be reconciled to each other across racial and ethnic lines has taken him to unusual places to see and learn how reconciliation can be possible when we are intentional. Building relation...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast  In part 2 of our kitchen counter conversation, Zeytun, Ghislain and I discuss their faith, their experiences being people of color in a prestigious university in Seattle, WA, and how they were each led to extraordinary, life-changing opportunities upon graduation. Ghislain and Zeytun close by sharing the faith strategies that have guided them to this point...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast After a long summer break, we are back with an inspiring conversation with two young people who became friends: a Christian and a Muslim. In their friendship, they have learned that they have more in common than they are different. Ghislain Bugingo is a refugee from the Republic of Congo whose parents escaped the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Zeytun Ahmed came...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast There is a debate waging as to the future of legalized abortion in the United States of America. As a result of a leaked draft of a working document from the Supreme Court of the United States, people on both sides of this debate that has been ongoing for over a century are anticipating preparing for a decision eminently. For some people of faith, the abort...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast We conclude our discussion with Dr. Joel Pearsall of NNU as he addresses the challenges of navigating the social, political, and racial issues as they play out on a university campus in the middle of a pandemic. He stresses the importance of listening to each other and being careful of how and when we speak. Dr. Pearsall discusses the challenge of realizing...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Dr. Joel Pearsall is the president of Northwest Nazarene University, a Christian, liberal arts university in Nampa, Idaho. As with any educational institution, Dr. Pearsall has to run a university and continue to maintain the highest standards of teaching and learning while at the same time navigating the need to maintain its founding Christian values.  Des...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast The concluding segment of my inspiring conversation with Kendrick Glover founder of Glover Empowerment Mentoring (GEM), an organization that focuses on restoring the social and emotional well-being of young people and their families. We discuss the challenges of the American educational system and some needed reforms that will allow children to thrive. We d...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Kendrick Glover is the founder of Glover Empowerment Mentoring (GEM) based in Kent, WA. Kendrick was born in Natchez, Mississippi and after some wandering years moved to Seattle to get away from further trouble. In Seattle, he found his calling to teach young people to find their path to their full potential. At GEM he is doing just that. With strong faith...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast This letter to my white friends who are still struggling with calls for racial and social justice and who, at times, feel that they are being called racist simply because they are white.  It has taken me many versions to come to this recording and it is intended to help clarify some of the terminology and challenges that they may be struggling with while en...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast We are concluding our conversation with Pastor Ev Tustin of Hillside Church in Kent, WA. He speaks of voluntary displacement - making room for a broader diversity of voices, and coming to grips with difficult realizations that challenge one's version of the truth. He continues to point out ways that people of faith can engage the community in productiv...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Can the church truly become a valued community partner providing a place for people to serve and be ready when a crisis arises?  Is it possible to break through tradition and make room for diverse voices to have a place at the table? Pastor Ev Tustin of Hillside Church in Kent, WA is leading his congregation in the transformation of becoming a community par...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast We conclude our discussion with Jerry Kester, the District Superintendent of the Washington Pacific District of the Church of the Nazarene in Washington State. Jerry discusses the impact of social media on some people of faith, and the challenge of the political entering the ecclesiastical. He discusses why people are not as afraid of change as they are afr...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast We all face crises in life and we live in a world that seems to be caught in an epidemic of crises: personal; social; racial; political; COVID. Leaders, whether in faith or business, if they are to be successful, must lead people and organizations through crises with integrity, empathy, and hope. Jerry Kester is the District Superintendent, Washington Pacif...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast Critical Race Theory (CRT) has become a political hot potato in recent years. But what does it mean and what does it actually teach? Many people's only orientation to CRT has been the news media and political pundits determined to scare blocks of supporters to action in relative ignorance. This episode aims to give a brief introduction to the topic and...

Send us a Text Message about the podcast My son Ryan and I conclude our stimulating conversation, as he discusses the direct impact of finding out that he and his wife were no longer welcome at her grandfather's home, and the powerful emotions of seeing their story in print in the book, Still Time on Pye Pond, by Danielle Fontaine (episodes 24 and 24). He expresses his hope for reconciliation...