Curated topics for a disillusioned church
In a world of 24-hour news coverage, it is easy to get lost in the shear volume of information. Fortunately, the fine people at The Pour Over Podcast are producing three (M, Tu., Fri.) sub-eight-minute podcasts each week that highlight top news while keeping the focus on Christ.
Some say it's a gun problem. Some say it's a heart problem. Authors Shane Claiborne and Michael Martin say it's both. Each day in the United States, 105 people die from gun violence. Once every 30 minutes, a person commits suicide with a gun. Eighty percent of all firearm deaths in developed countries occur in the United States, and eighty-seven percent of all child related gun deaths in the world's developed countries occur in the US. Despite the alarming statistics, Beating Guns was not penned to shock or shame. It's a call for Christians to prophetically stand against violence and lead the way toward gun reform.
One pastor advocates for gun reform, the other trains and arms his congregation. Both had mass shootings take place at their churches. In this well-researched, long form article Kimberly Winston digs into the relationship between guns and Christians and what Christians, both armed and not armed, are doing to prevent gun violence.
When a major cultural event, such as George Floyd's murder, shifts the focus of a country, it is easy to assume that critiques of the American church and racism are a recent phenomenon. Oftentimes we are simply unaware of prophetic voices from the the past such as Howard Thurman and his quintessential Jesus and the Disinherited. Penned in 1949, Thurman critiques the church and its seduction with power while detailing the psyche and motivation of the oppressed. His ultimate conclusion is that belief in Jesus, in conjunction with community, can empower the disinherited.
Unfortunately there is little distinction between how Christians and non-Christians react to the news, but hosts Justin Giboney and Chris Butler call on all Christians to be discerning with our media consumption while advocating for media hygiene.
Whether you are looking for just the essentials, are limited on time, or have a media preference we have a learning path for you to begin your education about policing through a Christian lens.
The consumption of news from a Christian perspective should be unique and discerning. Pastor Daniel Darling lays out six questions to ask which involve variety, humility, and patience when we engage with and/or share news.
Skye Jethani of The Holy Post and Jesse Eubanks of Love Thy Neighborhood team up to discuss fake news, the role Christians play in spreading it, and how Christians can break out of the fake news cycle.
Most of the news on television involves unactionable items - a murder, a natural disaster, etc. - where there is little that we can do about it - especially if it is on another continent. Anglican priest D.J. Marotta argues that Christians need to be "hyper-local" with our news sources. What this means is being in community with our neighbors, friends, and family where you can respond to information (news) with kindness and love within your sphere of influence.
An emotionally engaging fictional story about an outcast shepherd encountering Jesus as a baby. The cinematography, acting, and sets are top notch. Well worth the 19 minutes.
Sunday to Saturday 
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