Another one…After Jemar Tisby’s courageous #LeaveLOUD story last week, Tyler Burns is up next to share his own journey. How do you overcome years of Christian Education that makes you question your Black identity? What can our lives look like when we embrace a vision for what it means to be Christ-following and Black-centered? For Tyler, these realities seemed elusive and, at times, impossible. What changed? What did he learn? This is his journey, as only he can tell it. This is Tyler Burns’ #Le...
Mar 15, 2021•1 hr 24 min
Whew! Listen, family...this is the one. 10 years ago, Jemar Tisby founded this organization with the hope of achieving racial reconciliation in white evangelical spaces. Eventually, after a barrage of attacks, smears, and racial trauma, the organization changed its name, and Jemar left the place that he thought was his home. What happened? What changed? What did he learn? This is the story like you’ve never heard it before. This is Jemar Tisby’s #LeaveLOUD story. ********* In 2018, the New York ...
Mar 08, 2021•1 hr 39 min
We’re back with another episode! Tyler has a conversation with Witness BCC Vice President and Coming The Roots podcast host Ally Henny about their shared Pentecostal roots. What can we learn from our spiritual heritage? What may be missing underneath the surface that others cannot see? How can we use what we have experienced to build a better future? NOTE: This episode was recorded before The Black Church documentary was released on PBS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...
Mar 02, 2021•59 min
This excellent discussion features: Jemar Tisby, CEO of The Witness Inc Tyler Burns, President of The Witness BCC Ally Henny, Vice President of The Witness Bcc Rev. Dr. Nicole Massie Martin, Founder of Soulfire International Ministries Rev. Dr. C.J. Rhodes, Senior Pastor of the historic Mt. Helm Baptist Church Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 41 min
Welp...Black History Month is wildin once again...As much as we try to stay away from talking about every instance of racism, we couldn’t let this one slide. A few days ago, a viciously racist letter that was sent Pastor Dwight McKissic became public. Shortly after it was shared for the world to see, the letter went viral, exposing many Black Christians to familiar, triggering racist language about our identity. It would be easy to ignore this but we want to talk about what’s beneath the surface...
Feb 03, 2021•50 min
As we begin Black History Month, we are releasing a special interview about our willingness to be ourselves regardless of what society says. Our guest today is writer, activist, and speaker A.D. Thomason. A.D. is on to speak about his new book Permission to Be Black. AD is a three time award winning filmmaker and Co-founder of 3Strandfilms (read and view films here NOTOFTHEM.COM). Adam is an adjunct professor at Kilns College where he teaches on the History of Human rights and justice, De-coloni...
Feb 02, 2021•49 min
Happy MLK Day! In honor of the famed civil rights icon who is often whitewashed, often sanitized, often vilified; we have a special treat for you. On April 16, 1963, Dr. King wrote a lengthy letter to a coalition of white clergymen from a narrow jail cell in Birmingham, after being arrested by the police for nonviolent direct action. What he wrote eventually became one of the greatest pieces of writing every penned in English. For today’s episode, our Host Tyler Burns reads the entire speech for...
Jan 18, 2021•54 min
After the chaos of 2020, we all have been looking forward to 2021...welp… We’re just a few days into the new year and we have experienced both the power of Blackness and the relentlessness of White Supremacy. Jemar and Tyler are back to talk about the past week’s events, our response, and remaining Black centered in our understanding of the events around us. Also! Y’all are amazing! We are excited to announce our Top 10 cities, countries (!), and our download numbers. We couldn’t do ANYTHING wit...
Jan 11, 2021•53 min
How To Fight Racism is on sale now at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 10, 2021•3 min
How To Fight Racism is on sale now at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 10, 2021•4 min
How To Fight Racism is on sale now at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 09, 2021•4 min
How To Fight Racism is on sale now at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 09, 2021•3 min
How To Fight Racism is on sale now at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 08, 2021•3 min
How To Fight Racism is on sale now at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 08, 2021•4 min
Order How To Fight Racism today at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 07, 2021•4 min
Order you're copy of How To Fight Racism at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 07, 2021•3 min
Order you're copy of How To Fight Racism at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 06, 2021•3 min
Pick up you're copy of How To Fight Racism at HowToFightRacism.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 06, 2021•4 min
PTM MINIS Heading your way over the next few days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 05, 2021•3 min
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And also, our favorite episode(s) of the year! Every year, we recap our favorite “cultural artifacts”. These can be books, albums, people, movies, TV shows, events….ANYTHING that got us through the year. There’s only one catch: these items do NOT have to come out this year. They just have to be consumed this year. Creating this list helps us to commemorate how we’ve grown and what has helped us get through. This year, since 2020 has been a mess, we have ...
Dec 28, 2020•1 hr 13 min
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And also, our favorite episode(s) of the year! Every year, we recap our favorite “cultural artifacts”. These can be books, albums, people, movies, TV shows, events….ANYTHING that got us through the year. There’s only one catch: these items do NOT have to come out this year. They just have to be consumed this year. Creating this list helps us to commemorate how we’ve grown and what has helped us get through. This year, since 2020 has been a mess, we have ...
Dec 23, 2020•48 min
Surprise! We have a special episode for you today! Our guest is the Executive Director of The Witness Foundation: The Rev. Dr. Shannon Polk! Shannon is a theologian, speaker, philanthropist, and a lawyer. She speaks about the intersection of race and gender and is a leading voice in the space of Black Philanthropy. Today, she joins our host Tyler Burns to talk about The Witness Foundation and Black Philanthropy. For those who are unaware, The Witness Foundation seeks to correct patterns of racia...
Dec 16, 2020•47 min
So, you know we had to interview Mr. Blue Check Verified right? Our “guest” today is the man who made it all happen! Jemar Tisby, the CEO of The Witness Inc is on today to talk about his new book How to Fight Racism. After the incredible success of his book The Color of Compromise, we are excited to talk about his call for the church to pursue a courageous Christianity. How to Fight Racism is a handbook for pursuing racial justice with hands-on suggestions bolstered by real-world examples of cha...
Dec 14, 2020•1 hr 2 min
Our guest today is no stranger to many of you! The Rev. Dr. Esau McCaulley, PhD is a New Testament scholar and an Anglican Priest. He is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. He has also appeared in outlets such as Christianity Today, Washington Post, and of course, The Witness: BCC. He is also the host of the Disrupters Podcast and functions as a Canon Theologian for his diocese. Our topic today is his new book Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an ...
Dec 07, 2020•56 min
We have a special episode for y’all today! Netflix just recently released a Black Gospel choir special called “Voices of Fire” executive produced by Grammy-winning recording artist Pharrell Williams. Pharrell’s uncle Bishop Ezekiel Williams along with a host of Gospel Music legends set out on a 6-part journey to build the world’s most inspiring Gospel Choir. What follows is a host of moving stories and beautiful music. The Witness BCC Vice President and Host of the Combing the Roots podcast Ally...
Dec 01, 2020•1 hr 2 min
What a special guest we have on the podcast today! If you are familiar with the conversation about reconciliation and justice in the church, you won’t get very far without hearing the name, the Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter Mcneil. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil is a dynamic speaker, author, professor and reconciliation thought leader. Her mission is to inspire, equip and empower the next generation of Christian leaders to be practitioners of reconciliation. Dr. Brenda is an international trailblazer, leadin...
Nov 18, 2020•58 min
What a year this week has been! After 4 stressful days of waiting and wondering, we finally have a result in the presidential election. Former Vice President Joe Biden is now the President-Elect of the United States, and Senator Kamala Harris is the first woman, Black woman, and woman of South Asian descent to secure the Vice Presidency. Jemar and Tyler are back to talk about the emotions that we’re all feeling, a few words on control, and what to do moving forward. And just in case you missed t...
Nov 09, 2020•52 min
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” “Life is too short for Black Christians not to breathe…” After announcing the exciting news of the expansion of The Witness, CEO Jemar Tisby and newly-appointed President Tyler Burns hopped on IG Live to explain more about the changes and…God showed UP! This conversation turned into a cyber sanctuary! Jemar and Tyler shared...
Nov 02, 2020•41 min
The Witness is expanding! We LOVE to see it! Introducing: The Witness Incorporated (The Witness, Inc) The Witness: A Black Christian Collective is expanding to form The Witness Incorporated as a launching pad for multiple new endeavors. The newly minted philanthropic division is The Witness Foundation, which fills the gap of equipping Black Christian leaders to make a greater social impact. Each will have direction under Mr. Blue Check Verified himself, Jemar Tisby, who founded and led the colle...
Nov 01, 2020•12 min
Two-time GRAMMY winning hip-hop artist and bestselling author Lecrae joins the podcast today to talk about his very busy 2020. He released his album Restoration earlier this year and also recently released his second book I Am Restored just last week, a story of chaos and hope. The artist “had inspired millions with his redemptive and gut-honest art. But when his personal life spun into chaos, he was forced to face the buried impact of the unhealed wounds--sexual abuse, physical trauma, addictio...
Oct 20, 2020•55 min
