Inverse Podcast

David Dark is a lifelong educator in Nashville. He teaches among incarcerated communities and is on the faculty of the College of Theology at Belmont University. He's also the author of The Possibility of America, The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, & Everyday Apocalypse. Follow David Dark on [Twitter](http://https://twitter.com/DavidDark) @DavidDark. Follow Drew Hart on [Instagram](http://http://instagram.com/druhart) and [Twitter](http://https://twitter.com/druhart) @druhart. Follow Jarrod McKenna on [Instagram](http://https://www.instagram.com/jarrodmckenna) and [Twitter](http://jarrodmckenna) @jarrodmckenna

As a special bonus for our listeners, we have created a series to commemorate Inverse Podcast co-host Dr Drew Hart's brand new book *Who Will Be a Witness: Igniting Activism For God's Justice, Love and Deliverance.* In these additional episodes we will interview friends and co-workers to discuss chapter by chapter Drew's new book. These conversations were recorded in community with friends from around the world as past of Inverse's ongoing work to create formation experiences that deepen our witness to God's justice, love and deliverance. *Who Will Be a Witness* offers a vision for communities of faith to organize for deliverance and justice in their neighborhoods, states, and nation as an essential part of living out the call of Jesus. Drew provides incisive insights into Scripture and history, along with illuminating personal stories, to help us identify how the witness of the church has become mangled by Christendom, white supremacy, and religious nationalism. He provides a wide range of options for cong

As a special bonus for our listeners, we have created a series to commemorate Inverse Podcast co-host Dr Drew Hart's brand new book *Who Will Be a Witness: Igniting Activism For God's Justice, Love and Deliverance.* In these additional episodes we will interview friends and co-workers to discuss chapter by chapter Drew's new book. These conversations were recorded in community with friends from around the world as past of Inverse's ongoing work to create formation experiences that deepen our witness to God's justice, love and deliverance. *Who Will Be a Witness* offers a vision for communities of faith to organize for deliverance and justice in their neighborhoods, states, and nation as an essential part of living out the call of Jesus. Drew provides incisive insights into Scripture and history, along with illuminating personal stories, to help us identify how the witness of the church has become mangled by Christendom, white supremacy, and religious nationalism. He provides a wide range of options for cong

As a special bonus for our listeners, we have created a series to commemorate Inverse Podcast co-host Dr Drew Hart's brand new book *Who Will Be a Witness: Igniting Activism For God's Justice, Love and Deliverance.* In these additional episodes we will interview friends and co-workers to discuss chapter by chapter Drew's new book. These conversations were recorded in community with friends from around the world as past of Inverse's ongoing work to create formation experiences that deepen our witness to God's justice, love and deliverance. *Who Will Be a Witness* offers a vision for communities of faith to organize for deliverance and justice in their neighborhoods, states, and nation as an essential part of living out the call of Jesus. Drew provides incisive insights into Scripture and history, along with illuminating personal stories, to help us identify how the witness of the church has become mangled by Christendom, white supremacy, and religious nationalism. He provides a wide range of options for cong

Marlena is a writer, deep thinker, and speaker who is passionate about the eternal implications of our life in God. In this conversation, Marlena explores Philippians 2:1-16 in light of her new book, "The Way Up Is Down: Becoming Yourself by Forgetting Yourself." In this book, Marlena describes the process of emptying herself that allows her to move upward toward God and become the true self that God calls her to. Drawing on the rich traditions of Eastern and Western Christian saints, she shares stories and insights that have enlivened her transformation. For Marlena, formation and justice always intertwine on the path to a balanced life of both action and contemplation. She is a lover of beauty - especially the beauty of her family, others, and creation. Marlena is a justice seeker—trying to overcome evil with good. She is most concerned with those who profess to follow Jesus but speak and behave so unlike him. She includes herself in the mix and therefore seeks to bridge the gap between what Christians prof

Nekeisha Alayna Alexis is a Black Trinidadian woman, academic-activist situated in the U.S.A. who has worked on a number of issues affecting marginalized communities, from anti-war organizing in New York City to the ongoing efforts to restore a local community center in Elkhart. She writes, publishes, and speaks on racism and white supremacy, intersectionality, and animal liberation. A theological Anabaptist with meaningful experiences in Catholic, non-denominational, and African Methodist Episcopal (AME) traditions, Nekeisha helps to maintain “Jesus Radicals”, which is focused on undoing oppressions from a framework of anarchist politics and liberative Christianity. Read more about Nekeisha's work [here](http://https://www.ambs.edu/about/people/749314/nekeisha-alayna-alexis). Follow Drew Hart on [Instagram](http://http://instagram.com/druhart) and [Twitter](http://https://twitter.com/druhart) @druhart. Follow Jarrod McKenna on [Instagram](http://https://www.instagram.com/jarrodmckenna) and [Twitter](http://

Van Badham is Jordan Peterson’s favourite Marxist Christian to mock. Writer, Activist, co-host of the Weekly On Wednesday podcast and regular columnist for The Guardian, Van is a prolific voice for justice. In this episode, Drew and Jarrod discuss Luke 3:1-20 with Van, and discuss her faith, her love for Karl Marx, and her opposition to all forms of authoritarianism, as a Christian Marxist. Follow Van Badham on [Instagram](http://https://www.instagram.com/vanbadham/) and [Twitter](http://https://twitter.com/vanbadham) @vanbadham Follow Drew Hart on [Instagram](http://http://instagram.com/druhart) and [Twitter](http://https://twitter.com/druhart) @druhart Follow Jarrod McKenna on [Instagram](http://https://www.instagram.com/jarrodmckenna) and [Twitter](http://jarrodmckenna) @jarrodmckenna

In this moment we need to hear from Pastor Sandra Van Opstal. Celebrity worship pastors using their social media to shut down people lifting up Amos. Other celebrity worship leaders lead revivals that provide the soundtrack for Trump-style white supremacy that risks more lives during a pandemic that has claimed the lives of 163,000 people in the U.S.A. already. All this to sing over the top of people protesting injustices, sometimes literally in the places people like George Floyd have been murdered, without the family’s permission or the communities consent. When we thought of people to speak into this reality, the incredible work, witness and writing of our friend Pastor Sandra Van Opstal came to mind. Sandra Van Opstal latest book is called “The Next Worship” and captures some of her international leadership to see the church embrace every tribe and tongue as we become a worshiping people pursuing justice. Pastor Sandra is a second-generation Latina and the co-founder and Executive Director of Chasing J

Patricia Ho is the founder of the Hong Kong Dignity Institute, a trauma informed approach to defending and advancing the rights of vulnerable people including asylum seekers/refugees, transgender persons, domestic helpers, sex workers and victims of human trafficking by challenging government policies and law. It’s a wonderful look behind the scenes at the spirituality that makes this human rights hero, mother of 3, law firm partner, wife to a pastor, and disciple of Jesus, tick.

As you can hear from Drew and Jarrod’s excitement, they *loved* this episode. Dr. Reggie Williams is a legend. His book **“Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance”** is an award winning work reconsidering the shape of Dietrich Bonhoeffer resistance to the Nazi’s through the influence of his experience of the Black Church tradition in America. In short Dr. Reggie Williams makes clear Eric Metaxis full of skubala and you can’t understand Bonhoeffer without situating his witness as a wrestle with the Powers of white supremacy.

Theologian Dr Randy Woodley is a Keetoowah Cherokee First Nations elder, University professor, author and leader. He generously invites us to decolonise our Christology by seeing Christ as Creator, decolonise our understanding of the ‘kingdom’ by seeing it as the healing of the ‘community of creation’, and to decolonise our economics by taking Jesus’ Jubilee program seriously.

Brittney Spencer is a songwriter-singer who sung and recorded with United Pursuit, Carrie Underwood, Carl Thomas, Jason Nelson and Twinkie Clark of The Clark Sisters, to name a few. While working as a minister of music at a progressive historic Black Church (AME) in Baltimore, Brittney was exposed to the role of culture in music, religion and much of her life’s experiences that led to her storytelling finding expression as part of the Common Hymnal family since 2016. Malcolm du Plessis has been relentless in calling others into the decolonising of the worship movement and for doors of dignity to be unlocked for more communities and ethnicities to contribute toward the ‘common’ hymnal. Malcolm has straddled the worlds of prophetic Christianity and showbiz for over thirty years initially as an instigator of multi-ethnic, multi-lingual worship that fused praise and protest in the apartheid era of his native South Africa. “I moved from one South Africa to another” and now in the USA Malcolm continues to lead as

Pastor Michael McBride is a nationally respected faith leader who was active in the Ferguson uprisings and many subsequent uprisings including this current global #BlackLivesMatter moment. “Pastor Mike” as he’s affectionately know on this streets, helps bridge, train and support millennials and religious institutions working on racial justice and black liberation. He has been a frequent contributor to the New York Times, The Washington Post, MSNBC, CNN, The Huffington Post and many other media outlets providing commentary on issues related to faith and racial justice. In 2016 he was appointed as an Advisor on President Obama’s Faith Based Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. His leadership includes the movement to implement public health and community centered gun violence prevention programs. The campaigns that he has co-led have contributed to 30-50% reductions of gun related homicides in Oakland, CA, Stockton, CA, Camden, NJ, Baton Rouge, LA, and many other cities across the co

With our friends Brian Zahnd and Nobel Peace prize nominee John Dear we discuss this moment, Terrence Malick’s new film ‘An Hidden Life’ and the witness of Franziska and Franz Jägerstätter. Before our discussion we hear from the streets of #BlackLivesMatter protests, this time from long term Aboriginal activist, Aunty Esther Montgomery on “everyone has a role to play” in this moment. With special thanks to www.peacockvisuals.com who made the short film found on our YouTube channel. Desmond Tutu nominated Rev John Dear for the Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless work for justice and peace. He is the author/editor of 30 books, including The Nonviolent Life, Lazarus Come Forth!, A Persistent Peace, Put Down Your Sword, Transfiguration, You Will Be My Witnesses, Living Peace, The Questions of Jesus and Mohandas Gandhi. Pastor Brian Zahnd co-founded with his wife Peri Word of Life Church in Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA and successfully led their large church into a deeper, more ancient expression of of Christi

Our friend Rev Michael-Ray Mathews brings over 30 years of leadership experience – as a senior pastor, grassroots leader, psalmist and community organizer – to his exploration of Mark 16:1-8 and tells us “Jesus ain’t in the church, get outside!” Rev Michael-Ray is the deputy Director for Faith in Action. We *love* his Prophetic Resistance Podcast, where he engages leaders in conversations about cultivating communities of sacred resistance to injustice. We start the episode hearing from Aunty Donna Nelson recorded at the Perth #BlackLivesMatter protest where she powerful addressed over 2,000 people calling for global solidarity and for us to connect the dots here in Australia. Find Prophetic Resistance Podcast here: https://propheticresistancepodcast.libsyn.com/website Visit our Youtube channel to watch some stunning visuals from our good friend Chad Peacock here: http://www.peacockvisuals.com Join our Integral Discipleship community on Patreon: patreon.com/InVerse

Whether sharing a stage with Nas, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, and even the legendary Sir Elton John, or sharing his skills with kids in juvenile detention centres, hip hop artist L-FRESH the Lion commands respect. We discuss the kind of trouble Jesus causes at dinner tables, the politics of meals, his own deep cultural, ancestral, and spiritual roots in Sikhism and what he respects about faith in action. Join our Integral Discipleship community on Patreon: [patreon.com/InVerse](http://www.patreon.com/InVerse)

Richard Rohr describes James Alison as “Intellectual dynamite and spiritual joy”. N.T. Wright has said, “The lessons he draws are striking and at times controversial, but it's hard to see how one can disagree with him without denying the very foundations of the Christian faith.” While Rowan Williams has praised his work as marked by, “wit, clarity, depth and surprises.” In this episode we explore the reality, “it’s only as you’ve sunk into your complicity that you can be saved.” Join our Integral Discipleship community on Patreon: [patreon.com/InVerse](http://www.patreon.com/InVerse)

Lee Camp is funny! His new book "Scandalous Witness" is brilliant. Volf says, "With characteristic intelligence, humour, and grace, Lee Camp argues that the American church today has has earned itself the curious distinction of having largely 'destroyed its own witness.'" Drew Hart asks Lee what Jarrod was like as a student in 2001 before discussing Matthew 5:38-48. [leeccamp.com](http://www.leeccamp.com) Join our Integral Discipleship community on Patreon: [patreon.com/InVerse](http://www.patreon.com/InVerse)

Dr Danny Zacharias is a Cree man from Treaty 1 territory in the lands now called Canada. He serves as Professor of New Testament studies at Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where he lives with his wife and 4 children. He also serves as a professor with NAIITS Indigenous Learning Community.[DannyZacharias.net](http://dannyzacharias.net) Dr Mick Pope has a PhD in Meteorology, and is currently completing a Masters degree, examining Genesis 1-2 as a basis for ethics in the Anthropocene. He is the author of three books looking at climate change from a Christian perspective. Join our Integral Discipleship community on Patreon: [patreon.com/InVerse](http://www.patreon.com/InVerse)

A former Young Australian of the Year, my dear friend Akram Azimi overcame the challenges of a refugee background to study law, science and arts at the University of Western Australia. Raised a Muslim, he has had a keen fascination with Christianity and ‘the man riding a donkey’ that is its central figure. Over the last 10 years, he has taught science and law at W.A. universities and mentored young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The co-founder of the NGO ‘I am the Other’ he has helped mobilise 25,000 Australians to change government policy on polio eradication which could see polio eradicated by 2018. Join our Integral Discipleship community on Patreon: [patreon.com/InVerse](http://www.patreon.com/InVerse)