And The Church Said...

Pastor and Author, Pastor Jerome Gay, joins the podcast today. Pastor Gay is the pastor of Vision Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is also the author of “Church Hurt: Holding the Church Accountable and Helping Hurt People Heal”, “The Whitewashing of Christianity”, and “Renewal".  He also has written a children’s book, “Talking To Your Children About Race”. Pastor Gay discusses his most r...

Speaker,  author, spiritual director, trauma therapist - Sheila Wise Rowe - joins the podcast today. Sheila is the author of two books, “Healing Racial Trauma” and “Young, Gifted, and Black:  A Journey of Lament and Celebration”. Sheila discusses her work in South Africa, starting a group home for women, working with church leaders, and other individuals after the abolishment of Apartheid. She dis...

Happy Father’s Day 2023! On this episode, Dr.  Gadson reflects on Proverbs 3:12.  She elaborates on how God our Father loves us and disciplines us. In this verse, we see God’s love is compared to the love of a father who disciplines and delights in his children. This episode is to encourage the fathers who are doing the unmovable, persistent, and  unwavering work of holding the line loving the chi...

On this episode, Dr. Gadson continues to reflect on Pentecost and what does it mean for us as witnesses for Jesus on behalf of His bridegroom, the Church. Today, she reflects on the mandate to wait found in Luke 24:48-49. Dr. Gadson considers the wisdom found in the command to wait until one is empowered from on high.  She imagines how this command can guide the members of the church to become equ...

On this episode, Dr. Gadson reflects on Pentecost 2023.  She looks at Acts 2;12, 38 and ponders the question “what does this mean” for us in 2023.  Today’s focus looks at the church and the complicated relationship so many hold with the church.  Dr. Gadson asks us to ponder the question “what does this mean” in today’s climate concerning the church. She discusses  how might we be witnesses during...

Trauma therapist, Wendell Moss joins the podcast today.  Wendell also works with the Allender Center in Seattle, Washington where he hosts conferences on racial and collective trauma.  Wendell shares his lived experiences with abuse and addiction. He discusses how he felt called to heal others from his own place of healing and redemption.  Wendell recounts how coming face to face with his trauma g...

Happy Mother’s Day 2023!  Today’s episode is a replay of  Dr. Gadson’s 2022 Mother’s Day episode.  Heartaches abound today when there are so many various circumstances that wretch the hearts of mothers and those who desire to be mothers.  Tune in to this episode to reflect on how God the Comforter mothers all of us.  Information for Dr. Gadson https://www.drmoniquesmithgadson.com/ Link to order “F...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  We will begin this month with an interview with Atlanta-based psychiatrist, Dr. Michael Lyles. Dr. Lyles follows up from a previous podcast conversation recorded during the pandemic. He gives his perspective on three years into/after the pandemic and the state of the church and mental health.  Dr. Lyles discusses how the church needs to be certain to attune t...

On this episode, Dr. Gadson continues to discuss the passage found in Mark 10:21-22 about the rich young ruler.  Today’s focus will be on the relational insights that emerge from this passage.  Dr. Gadson establishes that the relationship between Jesus and the rich young ruler is established in love. Jesus looks at the young rich ruler in love and makes a difficult request of him.  She reiterates...

On this episode, Dr. Gadson discusses how we should honor the ground and become groundskeepers as we reflect on Earth Day 2023.  She discusses Genesis 2:4-6 to highlight how God provided for the ground before there was rain. Before God caused shrubs and plants to grow, He created man to work the ground.  Dr. Gadson invites us to consider how tending to the ground grounds us and can reduce stress,...

On this episode, Dr. Gadson continues to examine the passage found in Mark 10:21-22 viewed from an emotional perspective.  Dr. Gadson focuses on how in today’s culture, love can be equated to only good and positive feelings.  There is a rush to question or cancel a relationship if we are left feeling uncomfortable.  Also, we discuss how we decide what Jesus may or may not ask of us to do. From an...

Happy Resurrection Day!  On this episode, Dr. Gadson reminds us that the same love we are celebrating  today is the same unconditional love that Jesus looked at the rich young ruler with while asking him to sell all of his possessions.  As we celebrate the sacrifice Jesus made for us, let us remember there are times He will also ask us to make sacrifices. Tune in to this episode to be encouraged t...

Happy Palm Sunday! On this episode,  Dr. Gadson discusses how love has been co—opted and reduced to only good feelings.  She discusses Mark 10:21-22 to illustrate how following Jesus might involve Him asking us to do some difficult things that leave us dismayed. As we enter Holy Week, Dr. Gadson gives us a few points to ponder this week. Tune in to this episode to consider how we can miss the lovi...

Author, editor, and spoken word artist - Quina Aragon - joins the podcast today. Quina discusses her most recent children’s book, “Love Can:  A Story of God’s Superpower Helper”, the third in a three part series of children’s books. Quina shares intimately about her desire to write for those who may not be able to put words to their own experiences and to offer them hope . Whether that is children...

Author and trauma therapist- Aundi Kobler - joins the podcast today. Aundi visits the podcast again and discusses her most recent book, "Strong Like Water", where she  discusses how we survive by being "the strong one".  She  shares  how hard it was to receive support when everyone recognizes that she “has it all together". Aundi describes three types of strength and talks...

On this episode, Dr. Gadson discusses how avoidance hinders our development- spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and physically.  We revisit our discussion from last week to further understand what factors prevent situations from happening  “by this time”.  Dr. Gadson evaluates the words “lazy” and “dull to hearing" to understand how our spiritual developmental journey can be hindered by...

On this podcast, Dr. Gadson returns celebrating three years for the podcast! She also discusses how God has expectations for us “by this time”. Dr. Gadson expounds upon Hebrews 5:12-14 and points out to us that God expects us to move from milk to solid food. He expects us to participate in our development from being inexperienced to being more mature. In this passage, God expects us to be able to...

Dr.  Diane Langberg, Christian psychologist,  international speaker, and author joins the podcast today.  Dr. Langberg embodies and exemplifies what we do and why. Dr. Langberg is an expert in the areas of trauma, abuse, church,  power, and Christendom.  She discusses how the church has a long way to go in dealing with abuse and trauma in the church. Dr. Langberg discusses how churches and leaders...

Today’s episode highlights another aspect of what we do and why. We review this episode with Pastor Watson Jones III about his pastoral perspective on emotional awareness in the Black Church. Pastor Jones shares from his extensive experience as a pastor on how he has intentionally cultivated an emotionally healthy atmosphere in the Black Church from the pulpit. He shares how he has used tools from...

We continue our posture of reflecting on what we do and why. Today, we are reviewing this podcast episode with Atlanta-based psychiatrist, Dr. Michael Lyles, as he discusses the mental health needs of the church pre- and post pandemic. This conversation with Dr. Lyles highlights our call to counsel the church at the intersection of faith and mental health.  Dr. Lyles discusses the need for the chu...

Happy New Year! Although we are several days into the New Year, we have taken much time to reflect.  We typically do not rush to make resolutions (if at all).  We instead take a posture to write and reflect. As it relates to this podcast, we have reflected on what we do and why.  Reviewing this podcast episode with our previous guest Shundria Riddick reminds us of the work we do at the intersectio...

We continue to focus on the Spirit of Christmas during this Advent season as we remember the hope we have in knowing the Lord has come.  In this episode, Dr. Gadson discusses another excerpt from the devotional “Reflections on the Life of Mary."   She focuses on the emotions expressed by Mary even after being told the Lord is with her.  Mary was deeply troubled and afraid when Gabriel greeted...

As we continue in the Season of Advent, Dr. Gadson reviews her devotional booklet,“Reflections on the Life of Mary”.   In this devotional,  Dr. Gadson encourages us to remember the true meaning of the season of Advent.  We are encouraged to focus our hearts and minds on Jesus, Who is the Spirit of Christmas, as we reflect on the life of His mother, Mary.  Tune in to this episode as we look to this...

This week we feature our previous podcast guest, Ekemini Uwan. Ekemini is a public theologian, podcast host, and author.  Ekemini has recently authored  “Truth’s Table:  Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation."  She also hosts a second podcast, "Get Into The Word” along with the popular podcast “Truth’s Table”. Ekemini is a critical theological and cultural thinker who has w...

This week we feature our previous podcast guest, Dr. Christina Edmondson.  Dr. Edmondson is an author, speaker, consultant on leadership development, podcast host, and academician.  She has recently published two books:  “Faithful Antiracism” and “Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation." She has also co-hosted a second podcast entitled “Get Into the Word”.  Dr. Edm...