The Black Church Still Speaks

The Black Church Still Speaks on the Future of the AABC

In this episode, Rev. Watts discusses with the General Secretary of The RCA about the AABC and its future. They talk about the importance of the Black church in the reformed denomination and the impact it has had historically and how the need for the AABC to be intricately involved in the shaping of its future. They also discuss the need for new fresh expressions of the church to be planted in the African American/Black context as well.

The Black Church Still Speaks on Mental Health

In this episode, Rev. Watts speaks with young adult pastor and filmmaker Sekou Browne about his new film "Inherited" which talks about mental health and long-term care of elderly parents. This important discussion touches on the role The Black Church plays in providing education and possible services for its members who deal with this phenomena constantly. Sekou's main goal is to write, direct and produce meaningful narrative and documentary films that intersect both his Christian faith and race.”

The Black Church Still Speaks on Black Women and the Church

Rev. Riana Shaw Robinson is a preacher, pastor, and prophet. Dissatisfied with how the church talks about race, Riana makes space for “holy conversations” that are both hard and beautiful. The work of dismantling systemic racism and finding a way forward are firmly rooted in Scripture, and Riana invites followers of Christ to examine the Biblical call to racial justice and equity.    Riana joins Pete Watts on the Black Church Still Speaks Podcast this month to share her experiences as a Black woman who doesn’t always feel welcomed in the Reformed church. They also discuss what it means to be a woman–in particular, a Black woman–preaching, pastoring, and leading in today's world.

The Black Church Still Speaks on Politics

In this episode, Pete Watts talks with Rev. Dr. George E. Young Sr. about the Black Church and its history with politics. Pastor George is a senator from the great state Oklahoma and has been pastoring for decades. We talked about the ways in which the Black church has always been a place for advocacy in the political arena and how pastors balance the two.

The Black Church Still Speaks on Church Planting

In this episode, Pete Watts talks with Dr. Efrem Smith talk about the unique history of Church planting in the African American context. They discuss the difference in church planting models that are eurocentric in nature versus how people of African descent historically went about planting churches. They also lament the role that the Black church has played historically versus the reality of today's church and the desire to plant new churches in North America. These two experienced leaders and church planters and pastors delve into the hopes and dreams as well as the challenges around historic Black denominations that are not thikning in a multiplicative sense on this topic.