In this episode of For the Good of the Public podcast, Michael and Phebe share a talk from Rev. CJ Rhodes, pastor of Mount Helm Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, on what the Black Church offers America today. Rev. Rhodes is the founder and president of Clergy for Prison Reform, a Public Theologian in Residence for the AND Campaign, and the author of two books: “7 Leadership Principles of Service and Success” and “Deeper Still: Ministry Empowered by the Holy Spirit.” This talk–recorded at CCPL’s inaugural Summit–reflects on the witness and contributions of the Black Church, and what it has to offer America today. 

Watch the video recording of this talk on YouTube!

“For me, learning from Black faith leaders has been so essential to my own understanding of what faith and public life look like when they’re intersected in a healthy way.” -Phebe [01:22 ]

“The nostalgia for the Black Church of the ‘60s and the Civil Rights Movement can lead some to overlook the contributions that the Black Church is offering and can offer today, and Dr. Rhodes exemplifies the present and future of the Black Church.” -Michael [02:06 ]

“Between the schoolhouse and the church house and your mama and daddy’s house, the Black Church has been a central force for making sure we bear witness, not only to freedom, but to do it in a way that maintain hope against great odds.” -Rev. Rhodes [8:54 ]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00 ] Intro

[02:32 ] This week’s guest, Rev. CJ Rhodes

[03:10 ] A brief history of Mount Helm Baptist Church

[10:01 ] Politics is one part of human flourishing

[13:39 ] The Black Church’s role in the mission of hope

[18:08 ] The social and historical realities of the Black Church

[22:34 ] Outro

REFERENCES

• Join us at For the Good of the Public Summit this fall
• Rev. C.J. Rhodes, pastor at Mount Helm Baptist Church
• Clergy for Prison Reform
• AND Campaign
• 7 Leadership Principles of Service and Success by Rev. C.J. Rhodes
• Deeper Still: Ministry Empowered By The Holy Spirit by Rev. C.J. Rhodes
• The Spirit of Our Politics by Michael Wear
• Barna: How the Church Can Fuel Black Gen Z’s Desire for Justice

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