The Better Samaritan Podcast

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Syrian civil war–a conflict which has already killed and wounded 12,000 children . So we asked Jeremy Courtney, whose organization Pre-emptive Love works with Syrian refugees, to get raw with the Better Samaritan about journeying from privilege into ministry, and back again... a constant grapple between pride and service. Preemptive Love is a global coalitio...

It's been one long year. What started as a nebulous threat has dragged on for twelve long months, killing more than half a million people in the U.S. alone, and affecting nearly every system in modern life. Here at the Humanitarian Disaster Institute, we study crises of all kinds, from hurricanes to pandemics, and the ways people recover from them. Using our research, we can draw on experiences fr...

"There's a demand. It's an unapologetic demand generated by people who don't think too much about the consequences of their choices. It's evil and a heinous crime. But sometimes it's inconvenient to dig deeper." —Anu George Canjanathoppil, IJM Canada While conspiracy theories continue to make actual justice work harder for many organizations, Anu joins the Better Samaritan to clarify the real situ...

"Climate change is not just an environmental issue—it is a threat multiplier. It takes everything we care about including the most devastating humanitarian crises, and makes them worse. It's like a hole in the bucket." —Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, atmospheric scientist According to Katharine Hayhoe, we're stuck in a system that must change. As a scientist, professor, director of the Climate Center, foun...

This Black History Month, the Better Samaritan sits down to talk about the sermon that inspires our theme. Join us for a conversation with Dr. Peniel Joseph of the University of Texas at Austin to discuss King's sermon, " On Being a Good Neighbor ," as well as his place within American society. In the sermon, King points out why the Priest and Levite may have passed by the wounded man on the road....

"Institutions and systems and ministries are not Christ, nor is Christendom the same as the living body of Christ. Christendom, like all threatened institutions, tries to protect itself." —Dr. Diane Langberg Dr. Diane Langberg started practicing psychology 45 years ago—when the only way to understand trauma was by studying her clients, rather than her books. She joins the Better Samaritan podcast...

Fifty thousand civilians have died—so far. Military conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia has resulted in displacement, mass rape , looting, and starvation. According to BBC sources , "literally millions of people [are] beyond the reach of humanitarian aid." NGOs are ready and waiting to assist Tigray people, but they don't have a way in due to government restrictions. CT reported on these ten...

How do you turn a Stanford-trained mechanical engineer into a Christian activist? Send her on a global poverty immersion trip. That was Nikki Toyama-Szeto's story. Now, after serving in leadership positions at International Justice Mission, the Urbana Conference and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, she is the executive director of Christians for Social Action, the network originally founded by R...

"I've never seen a disaster create a vulnerability that didn't already exist." —Dr. Nicolette Louissaint, Executive Director of Healthcare Ready According to healthcare and preparedness authority Dr. Nicolette Louissaint, the church is a place to contextualize what we are hearing about the pandemic. In this episode, she discusses with Kent and Jamie the crucial role of the church in public health,...

"It is not safe to be in politics with your feet planted there, but with your feet planted in the gospel all manner of things are safe." —Michael Wear Former White House aide and faith strategist Michael Wear says politics is not opt-in. It's like any other area of life where false motives can creep in and distort. But knowing that isn't an excuse to withdraw. Michael is a leading strategist, spea...

When we use our imagination concerning the reason why the Priest and the Levite did not stop to help the wounded man, numerous things come to mind. Perhaps they were in a hurry to get to an important ecclesiastical meeting for which they could not afford to be late. Perhaps their temple regulations demanded that they touch no human body for several hours before their temple function began. Or, the...

Welcome to The Better Samaritan, a podcast where we're learning how to do good, better. Hosts Jamie Aten and Kent Annan will — along with you — explore ways we can more effectively love our neighbors, from everyday acts of kindness to navigating the most complex humanitarian challenges facing the church and society. The name "The Better Samaritan" was inspired by a sermon on the parable of the Goo...

Welcome to The Better Samaritan, a podcast where we're learning how to do good, better. Hosts Dr. Jamie Aten and Kent Annan will — along with you — explore ways we can more effectively love our neighbors, from everyday acts of kindness to navigating the most complex humanitarian challenges facing the church and society. The name "The Better Samaritan" was inspired by a sermon on the parable of the...