Our Church Speaks

Ben invites the Rev. Dr. Mika Edmondson onto the podcast for our discussion of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy. Mika Edmondson is the pastor of Koinonia Church in Nashville, TN. He earned a PhD in systematic theology from Calvin Seminary and wrote The Power of Unearned Suffering, a book about Martin Luther King Jr.’s theology of suffering. In this episode, we discuss MLK's life and the influence and inspiration he received from the American black church tradition. You can learn more about Dr. Edmondson at https://www.koinonianashville.com. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1

In this bonus episode of Our Church Speaks, we're sharing an episode from the podcast Church History for Chumps and their interview of Ben Lansing. In this episode, Ben shares some of his background and the vision behind why he started Our Church Speaks. Be sure to subscribe to the Church History for Chumps podcast and follow them on Instagram @churchhistory4chumps More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1

In this final episode of season 3 of the Our Church Speaks podcast, Ben and Dan discuss the life and work of Benedict and Scholastica, founders of the monastic Benedictine order. Along the way, they reflect on the importance of a rule of life and the necessity of submission to a way of life deeper than our individual, spiritual preferences. Season 4 of the Our Church Speaks episode will return in January, 2026. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1

Ben and Dan tell the remarkable story of the Indian writer, activist, and Bible translator Pandita Mary Ramabai. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast, leaving a review, and supporting financially.

Ben and Dan tell the story of Olga, a merciless pagan queen of the Dark Ages who was transformed by the profound mercy of Jesus Christ, and her grandson, Vladimir, who was forever changed by Olga's faith. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1

Ben and Dan reflect on the life and times of John Bunyan, a 17th century Puritan Baptist preacher and author of the seminal work of English literature, The Pilgrim's Progress. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast, leaving a review, and supporting financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 For more about the English Civil War era of church history, listen to Ben's interview about King Charles I on the Church History for Chumps podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/church-history-for-chumps/id1686344331?i=1000697609691

Dan and Ben discuss the life and work of Macrina the Younger, an early church mother who inherited the apostle's teaching and defended the faith through her prayer and service. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1

Ben and Dan recount the remarkable stories of Olaudah Equiano, William Wilberforce, and the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, including the influence of the first Great Awakening on this remarkable evangelical social reform movement. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast, leaving a review, and supporting financially.

Discover the inspiring story of Esther John, a brave 20th-century Pakistani Christian martyr. Her unique journey from Kamar Zia to Esther John symbolizes her commitment to faith. The podcast explores how Isaiah 53 drew her to Christianity, emphasizing the appeal of vulnerability in her cultural context. From grassroots bicycle evangelism to her impactful local ministry, Esther’s legacy radiates character over accomplishments. Her martyrdom at age 30 continues to inspire, highlighting the importance of serving within one's own culture.

Orlando Palmer, known as I Am Son, is a musician and songwriter with roots in a musical family and a passion for church music. He and Ben delve into Johann Sebastian Bach's profound legacy as a church composer and discuss how his faith influenced his work. Orlando shares how growing up in a musical household shaped his own artistry and the significance of hymns from his grandmother. They explore the impact of congregational singing on creativity and encourage listeners to integrate music into their daily lives.