Where Ya From? Podcast

Big news from the "Where Ya From" podcast! We've been building something new and we're ready to share it with you. Get ready for "Faith Under Construction," a new podcast tackling the honest questions about God, justice, and the church that so many are wrestling with today. Join Rasool Berry and co-host Dr. Christin Thorpe for deeper conversations, cultural commentary, and spiritual growth. Find "...

What does the Bible actually say about justice? Is it something we should care about? Inspired by her own family’s journey from Latin America to the United States, author and pastor Sandra Van Opstal has dedicated most of life chasing justice locally and globally. Being on the margins for most of her life—and being an advocate for those underserved in her own congregation and backyard—has shaped h...

If the Bible is humanity’s source of absolute truth, why do so many readers interpret it differently? How do we overcome the hurdles of our differences to understand the full picture of unity that Scripture paints? In this classic WYF conversation from Season 4, Cuban American theologian Dr. Justo González shares how our contexts—and even Jesus’ context—shape the way we read, interpret, and engage...

Even though their stories happened decades apart, Dr. William Pannell and Dr. Jemar Tisby’s church experiences start off in a very similar place. Growing up in their beloved Midwest communities, they both experienced a polite ignorance that worked to keep them “in their place” among their classmates and church family. They knew there was something deeply wrong, but there wasn’t the language or spa...

Have you ever wondered how one event in history shaped who you are today? For many of us, the first celebrations of Juneteenth more than 150 years ago continue to inspire faith, courage, and hope of generations—and speak into what’s possible for our future. With this special Best of Where Ya From? episode, we are revisiting the conversation with late author and historian Dr. Carey Latimore. Join u...

People around us may think they know what’s best for our future, but in the end, it’s God’s plan that matters most. This is a truth Grammy-winning recording artist Mali Music learned younger than most. Mali was just a teenager when he decided, against his family, friends, and loved ones’ wishes, to pursue his passion for creating music. In this previously aired episode, Mali details his childhood...

Everyone struggles with issues of identity. We’re all looking for those “perfect” qualities, whether big or small, that define us. That’s why, when we allow others or our culture to answer that question for us, it can lead to devastating consequences. In this throwback episode of Where Ya From? , Rasool speaks with theologian Ekemini Uwan and discovers how harmful ideologies impacted not only the...

The power of music, filled with hopeful expressions and joyful melodies, can unite us. But what if the music you love and create gets mislabeled by your own church and community? In this throwback episode of Where Ya From? , world-renowned jazz musician Ruth Naomi Floyd shares her story of caring for the wounded and alienated in her beloved community of Philadelphia and how that, paired with her f...

We all have blind spots in our lives—areas where our beliefs, values, or assumptions may suffer because of a lack of understanding or impartiality. Years ago, Daniel Hill suddenly came face-to-face with having to tear down and rebuild what he thought was true. All because of a single conversation, he started a new chapter of his story, helping Christian circles understand the issues of race and ju...

Have you ever stopped to think about the generations that lived on the land centuries before you? For some, this question can bring up a lot of complex emotions and trauma. But it’s by asking ourselves these unsettling truths that lay the groundwork for the seeds of education, information, and action that create real change.   On this Best of Where Ya From? episode, we’re throwing it back to a tho...

From the very beginning, God made it clear that we needed each other. In fact, we’re at our best when all of us, men and women, are pursing God’s mission together. But what exactly does that mean? On this “Best of Where Ya From? ” episode, Carolyn Custis James shares her personal experience with gender inequality and learning about injustices toward women around the world. These experiences led he...

What do you do when someone questions your deepest beliefs? How do you respond? In this first episode in our “Best of Where Ya From? ” series, we’re throwing it back to the very first conversation we ever had on the podcast. That was when we sat down with Lisa Fields, the highly regarded Christian apologist and founder of the Jude 3 Project, to hear how the struggles and questions of her own faith...

How do you know when it’s time for a change? After five years and seven powerful seasons, the Where Ya From? Podcast is taking its final bow. It’s been an incredible ride and one that you, our faithful listeners, truly made worthwhile. As we reflect on the timely conversations and courageous people of faith and strength, we can’t begin to describe all the ways that God has moved in our own stories...

As someone who is still processing what it looks like for her to be a leader in ministry spaces that aren’t always the most welcoming, Rev. Dr. Nicole Martin’s definition of “excellence” has undergone multiple changes over the years. Yet in the last few years, this journey has invited her to ask tough questions of her, over and over, that has reshaped her definition of excellence: Am I leading in...

If you took one look at Danielle Marck’s resume, your first question would be how can one person get all of these things done? But she would be the first to tell you she hasn’t done it alone.  As a singer, songwriter, CEO, founder, entrepreneur, and president of The Witness Foundation , Danielle excels at wearing a lot of different hats. But for every success she’s had, there was first the invitat...

On paper, pastor and author Brady Boyd may seem like an unlikely choice to lead a church. With never receiving any formal seminary training, his path to the pulpit is evidence of God bringing the right mentors and discipleship into Brady’s life to help develop his gifts and passion for loving people.  Yet Brady’s biggest test of holding steadfast to the example of Jesus came to a dramatic crossroa...

Imagine being wrongly accused of something you never did, spending the prime years of your life in a cold, cramped jail cell. This is happening all while you’re fighting an uphill battle to prove your innocence to people who seem to put up hurdle after hurdle. Jonathan Irons doesn’t have to imagine it. That was his reality—for more than two decades. Join us as we hear Jonathan’s courageous fight f...

Maya Moore Irons’ career speaks for itself. As a multi-time champion and all-star for the NCAA, WNBA, and an Olympic Gold Medalist, she achieved almost every success possible in the sport. Yet she shocked the sports world when she left the court at the height of her game—leaving one kind of court for another. Years earlier she met Jonathan Irons, a man sitting in a jail cell hundreds of miles away...

Orsika Fejer-Baas will be the first to tell you that she never thought she would be the person who became a victim of abuse. But the hurtful behaviors of her second husband reached the point where they could no longer be ignored. Yes, as Orsika proudly proclaims, it was only by God’s grace continuing to work in and through her that she made it out of the quicksand. Guest Bio: Orsika Fejer-Baas’ ch...

The problems of exploitation and injustice that many women in Lily Meschi’s home country of Iran are living through are close to Lily’s heart because they were once her problems—even when she was thousands of miles away in the United States. In her early adult years, Lily found herself in an overwhelming darkness of abuse and manipulation from which she found no possible escape. Yet, once she came...

Rich knows what it feels like to be an outlier. Starting a personal relationship with Jesus in his late teens, Rich’s curious mind was drawn to the diverse tapestry of Christian traditions—both past and present. But that curiosity was a necessary foundation for his faith. In fact, it’s that passion that continues to define and shape his ministry. Guest Bio: Rich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead...

As a self-described “recovering perfectionist,” Jeanne wanted to be the one doing it all; breaking barriers and making space for everyone at the table. That desire was the foundation for many of the successes she’s achieved in academics, leadership, and ministry over the years. Yet it was through her personal loss that she fully understood that her superpower wasn’t the ability to juggle it all by...

Imagine having it all—fame, success, money, love. Now, imagine losing it all overnight because you did the right thing. After having his modeling and acting stardom on the rise for so many years, Cameron Arnett’s life came to a halt after his conversion to Christ made him think and act differently. He thought he found his true calling in happily teaching the Bible and doing ministry for the next t...

Living out our faith isn’t always as straightforward as we would like—especially when the realities of our broken world are too loud to be ignored. Being both bilingual and bicultural, Dr. Danny Carrol thought he would be fully comfortable in his new life living and teaching across Latin America. In reality, the opposite happened. But processing this discomfort actually became the catalyst of his...

Get another chance to hear encouraging words from contributing voices of The Whole Man Project ! We’re sharing some of the powerful moments from this past season of Where Ya From? with pastor James White, Dr. Nii Addy, Dr. Maliek Blade, and pastor Jerome Gay. Explore some of perspective-changing conversations and moments, while hearing some personal stories of struggles with pursuing wholeness in...