We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. Our newest episode of the Living Reconciled Podcast is here! This week, we sit down with Rev. Jill Buckley from Stewpot in Jackson for a powerful, down-to-earth conversation about what reconciliation really looks like—breaking bread with our neighbors, choosing humility, and learning to love people well in everyday life. It’s honest, hopeful, and one of our most inspiring episodes yet. Tune in, be encouraged, and let us know what stood o...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. In this episode, Bishop Henry Joseph shares how two words—“It’s time”—transformed his life from gangs, addiction, and homelessness to healing, reconciliation, and mission. From Compton and Skid Row to Malawi and back to Jackson, Henry recounts his journey of radical obedience, global ministry, and building a multiracial church rooted in the gospel. Hear how faith carried him through loss, recovery, and calling—and why Jesus remains the c...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What difference can one steady adult make in a child’s life? In this episode, Samantha Kalahar, Executive Director of CASA of Hinds County, shares how Court Appointed Special Advocates bring hope and truth to vulnerable children in Mississippi’s court system. Hear her powerful story from foster care to advocacy—and learn how small acts of presence can change a child’s future. 🎧 Listen now and visit casaofhindscounty.org or missionmississ...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. In this episode of the Living Reconciled Podcast, Pastor and missionary John Hugh Tate shares what it’s really like to build an English-speaking church in Paris—a city of beauty, pressure, and deep spiritual need. From raising kids in a secular culture to worshiping weekly in a Muslim-owned brasserie, John paints a vivid picture of reconciliation in action. His simple framework—go deep and go out—shows how authentic faith and gentle clar...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What happens when a scam steals more than money—it shakes your faith? In this powerful episode, Ed Holliday shares how one phone call cost him $200,000 in crypto and what it taught him about fear, forgiveness, and resilience. Ed breaks down the anatomy of modern scams—how con artists build trust, weaponize urgency, and exploit human psychology—and offers practical steps to protect yourself and those you love. He also opens up about how f...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What happens when we step out of isolation and into real community? Pastor Kyle Reno shares how authentic relationships—first with his brother and coach, then across racial and cultural lines—transformed his life and ministry. From the dangers of isolation to the hope of true connection, this episode offers practical wisdom on building intentional friendships that reflect the diverse family of God. 📣 Join us for the Living Reconciled Cel...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. How does God turn pain into purpose? Jerome Douglas shares his journey from D.C.’s streets to leading neighborhood outreach at Redeemer Church in Jackson. With authenticity shaped by his past, Jerome brings reconciliation to life through multi-ethnic ministry, community outreach, and hope-filled vision for transformation. 📣 Join us for the Living Reconciled Celebration on September 25 at Mississippi College’s Anderson Hall as we continue...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What does a truly multi-ethnic church look like? Pastor Mike Fields of Triumph Church in Vicksburg shares nearly 30 years of experience leading a congregation that reflects its community’s diversity. From embracing cultural expressions of the gospel to rejecting partisan divides, Fields offers practical wisdom for building unity in the body of Christ. 📣 Join us for the Living Reconciled Celebration on September 25 at Mississippi College’...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What does a church truly committed to racial reconciliation look like? Pastor Mike Fields of Triumph Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi, shares how a personal encounter with God transformed his faith and prepared him to lead one of the most diverse congregations in the state. From its beginnings in the late 1980s, Triumph Church has reflected the diversity of its community, with Black and white members worshipping and leading together. Fie...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What does authentic racial reconciliation look like in the body of Christ? Dr. Brian Crawford’s journey from cybersecurity expert to president of Mission Mississippi offers powerful answers. After 21 years in federal service, a deep encounter with Jesus’ prayer in John 17 ignited Crawford’s passion for unity in the church. Growing up navigating both Black and white cultural spaces, he later founded City Light Church—intentionally plantin...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What does it mean to live at the intersection of cultures, churches, and callings? Pastor Chip Luter—son of the first African American president of the Southern Baptist Convention—shares his powerful story of navigating identity, legacy, and reconciliation across racial and denominational lines. From being “Chip” at church and “Fred” at school to becoming a bridge-builder in ministry, Chip offers candid insights on growing up between wor...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What does real reconciliation look like across racial and economic lines? Pastor Wayne Hall shares his compelling journey from growing up as “the only white kid” in one of Meridian’s poorest neighborhoods to leading a diverse church at Jackson First. Wayne reflects on the early influence of an inclusive church, the painful shift of racially divided friendships in high school, and the calling that shaped his ministry. With bold honesty, h...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. Jermaine Van Buren Jr. opens up about the painful realities of living between two worlds—navigating white academic spaces and Black church communities while struggling with a fractured sense of identity. Labeled an “Oreo” and exhausted by code-switching, Jermaine found healing in Black mentorship and spiritual truth: "God made you Black on purpose." Now leading campus ministry at Jackson State University, Jermaine shares how anchoring id...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. Dr. Stephen Cook shares powerful wisdom from his journey growing up in rural Mississippi, serving in the military, and leading in ministry. Drawing from his parents' example and life experiences, he outlines his practical framework for unity—Three V’s (Voice, Vision, Victory) and Four M’s (Meeting, Making time, Meeting needs, Manifestation)—that turns reconciliation into daily practice. With stories of choosing love over hate and buildin...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What does it take to bring real change to a city that’s been written off? Pastor Chris Vowell shares how hope is rising in Greenville, Mississippi, through intentional unity across racial and denominational lines. From launching a community feeding ministry with a neighboring Black church to helping shift a city’s mindset from despair to possibility, this episode explores what happens when churches stop competing and start collaborating....
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. From childhood mission learner to Director of Multicultural Ministries, Paula Smith’s journey is a powerful testimony to the beauty of mutual learning in cross-cultural ministry. In this episode, Paula shares how experiences—from Uruguay to Mississippi—reshaped her view of reconciliation, moving from a one-way model to true partnership. With practical insights and heartfelt stories, she reminds us that real change starts with simple step...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. In this heartfelt episode, Jason “Smiley” Abrams of InterVarsity shares how his father’s suffering and steadfast faith redefined his view of Christianity—from performance to relationship. We explore how authenticity, not polish, is the key to reaching younger generations, and how genuine relationships rooted in the fruit of the Spirit can bridge even our deepest racial and generational divides. Tune in for a powerful reminder that suffer...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. Elizabeth Perkins, daughter of civil rights legend Dr. John Perkins and co-president of the Perkins Foundation, shares what it was like growing up in the heart of the movement. From family dinners with Fannie Lou Hamer to navigating her own journey of faith and justice, Elizabeth reflects on the legacy her parents built—and the work still ahead. She challenges us to move beyond diversity toward true reconciliation: deep, cross-racial rel...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. What does God really think of our worship when it lacks justice? In this powerful episode, we unpack the convicting words of Amos 5 with hosts Brian Crawford, Neddie Winters, and Austin Hoyle. Together, we explore how worship disconnected from justice becomes noise to God’s ears—and how true worship calls us to embody justice in every area of life. From Jesus’s rebuke of the Pharisees to modern-day performative faith, this conversation c...
We would love to hear from you! Send us a text message. How can Christians bridge deep political divides? In this episode of Living Reconciled, Forest Thigpen, Senior Advisor for Empower Mississippi, shares how faith-driven engagement can transform public discourse. Drawing from his experience in policy work, he highlights the power of personal connection over political battles, from uniting legislators across racial lines to advocating for real change in Mississippi. Join us for a thought-pr...