Where Ya From? Podcast

What does the Bible actually say about justice? Is it something we should care about? Inspired by her own family’s journey from Latin America to the United States, author and pastor Sandra Van Opstal has dedicated most of life chasing justice locally and globally. Being on the margins for most of her life—and being an advocate for those underserved in her own congregation and backyard—has shaped her definitions of compassion, kindness, and worship. And she desires to paint the picture of how they are all beautifully intertwined in God’s Word. Hear how her deep love for Scripture fuels her mission to make change and mobilize the next generation of leaders.Guest Bio:Sandra Maria Van Opstal is a second-generation Latina and the executive director of Chasing Justice. She is an author, pastor, and activist reimagining the intersection of faith and justice. Her work centers on chasing justice under the mentorship of the global church, for the mobilization of the next generation of leaders. She holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently pursuing doctoral work in urban leadership and transformation. She is a contributor to the New York Times bestselling book A Rhythm of Prayer, and she’s also the author of The Next Worship, 40 Days on Being an Eight, and more. Notes & Quotes:“What I saw [when first studying Scripture] was a God who cared. I connected for the first time, the deep understanding that God is present with us, and that God is going to do something about the world that we live in.”  “I would say at every point in time of my formation, it has always been understanding the Bible in its context that has liberated me to a deeper and deeper relationship with God.”  “Unless the work that you're doing is rooted in the Spirit and in your faith, it will never be fruitful.”  “[Certain Bible passages] invite us to connect that our walk with God, our worship of God, our connectedness with God invites a way of living in the world that is kind and compassionate and good and just and right.”  “Connection with God moves us to pursue the flourishing of others.”Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Learn more about Sandra’s work with Chasing Justice.   See all of Sandra’s books on Amazon.  Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Esther’s Story: Esther 1-10  Moses’ Beginnings: Exodus 1-3  Isaiah 58, 60, 61  Matthew 5:6  Luke 4:18  Hebrews 11  James 1:19  Micah 6:8  Amos 5:1–17  Luke 24:32 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If the Bible is humanity’s source of absolute truth, why do so many readers interpret it differently? How do we overcome the hurdles of our differences to understand the full picture of unity that Scripture paints? In this classic WYF conversation from Season 4, Cuban American theologian Dr. Justo González shares how our contexts—and even Jesus’ context—shape the way we read, interpret, and engage with God’s Word.Guest Bio:Born and raised in Cuba, Dr. Justo L. González was ordained as a minister within the Methodist church in 1957. In 1961, he became the youngest person to earn a doctorate in Theological History from Yale University. For thirty years, Dr. González taught at various theological institutions, beginning with eight years at the Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico (1961-1969).He has given hundreds of lectures across the world and has also written over one hundred books. His two-volume set, History of Christianity, and his three volumes, History of Christian Thought, have been translated into eight languages.Since retiring from teaching full-time and ministry, he has dedicated his time to research, writing, and promoting Hispanic theological education. Dr. González was involved in the founding of the Asociación para la Educación Teológica Hispana (AETH), the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI), and the Hispanic Summer Program (HSP). He values mentoring and encouraging Latinas and Latinos and other minority students.Notes & Quotes:"The place where I most clearly meet absolute truth is in a very contextual moment in history, some 20 centuries ago, in a very contextual man whose name is Jesus. And that if you cannot take Jesus's contextuality, you cannot take His truth either.”  “The way you understand the kingdom of God is connected with that yearning. A yearning of fellowship, of easy understanding among others, of experiences that are fruitful and edifying . . .”Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Check out Dr. González’s books here.  Learn more about the Association for Hispanic Theological Education.  Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Acts 10: Story of Peter and Cornelius  Exodus & Moses  Luke 22:54–62  Philippians 3:20  Acts 22  John 14:2  Hebrews 11  Acts 28 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even though their stories happened decades apart, Dr. William Pannell and Dr. Jemar Tisby’s church experiences start off in a very similar place. Growing up in their beloved Midwest communities, they both experienced a polite ignorance that worked to keep them “in their place” among their classmates and church family. They knew there was something deeply wrong, but there wasn’t the language or space to speak about it. Using their distinct voices and ministries, they’ve finally broken the silence. Listen as Dr. Pannell and Tisby share their expertise on changing culture and developing language to foster wholeness in their brothers and sisters in Christ.Guest Bios:Dr. William Pannell was professor emeritus of preaching at Fuller Seminary, where he taught from 1974 until his retirement in 2014. Fuller recognized his service to the school and the whole church with the January 2015 renaming and dedication of the William E. Pannell Center for African American Church Studies. Previously serving in leadership roles with Youth for Christ and Tom Skinner Associates, his books include My Friend, the Enemy; Evangelism from the Bottom Up; and The Coming Race Wars: A Cry for Reconciliation, recently expanded. Dr. Pannell passed away on October 11th, 2024. Dr. Jemar Tisby is a public historian, national speaker, and author of the New York Times bestselling book The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism. His writing has been featured on CNN, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. He is the founder and former president of The Witness—a Black Christian Collective and the cohost of the Pass the Mic podcast. He has recently received his PhD in history at the University of Mississippi.Notes & Quotes: “Whatever experience we go through, the Holy Spirit understands it all. He's been there before. Ours is not all that unique in history, for crying out loud. It's our story, and it's the only one we have, but God's been working on this for a long time.”  “I'm sitting there as a follower of Jesus, saying, ‘Well, if I'm supposed to love my neighbor, then what does that look like in this context? And where do I get the tools to understand this theologically and take action?’”  “Where love is the beating heart of justice, I always say we have to have a priestly proximity to people, particularly suffering people, because that breeds empathy, and empathy births love.” Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Check out Dr. Tisby’s book, How to Fight Racism.  Get your copy of Dr. Pannell’s book, The Coming Race Wars.  Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram.  Verses Mentioned: Mark 12:31  Ephesians  Colossians  Proverbs 27:17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered how one event in history shaped who you are today? For many of us, the first celebrations of Juneteenth more than 150 years ago continue to inspire faith, courage, and hope of generations—and speak into what’s possible for our future. With this special Best of Where Ya From? episode, we are revisiting the conversation with late author and historian Dr. Carey Latimore. Join us in reflecting on his conversation sharing the legacy of Juneteenth, and how God’s freedom remains active and alive throughout all of history. Guest Bio:A testament to how a life can be shaped by generosity, optimism, and unshakable faith, Dr. Carey H. Latimore IV served as an associate professor of history and co-director of the African American studies program at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. In addition to his long list of accolades and accomplishments during his 18 years at Trinity, Dr. Latimore also served as an associate pastor of his local church and was frequently invited to serve as a commentator and consultant on current topics such as race, land ownership, political identity, and religion for local and state media and organizations.  During his time as a leading contributor to the VOICES collection at Our Daily Bread Ministries, Dr. Latimore authored the book Unshakable Faith, and served as special guest on the award-winning documentary, Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom. Dr. Latimore went home to be with the Lord on July 26th, 2022, leaving behind a legacy of community, ministry, and celebrating God as the author of freedom for all past, present, and future generations.Notes & Quotes: When I felt that I was worthless, I felt that [God] loved me, and that He had never left me or forsaken me.  “When one group becomes free, we all become freer.”  “And so my faith impacts the way that I look at history and the questions that I bring. My historical training impacts the way that I read and interpret the Bible. I believe that the Scripture is God-bound and that it is inspired word of God. But I’'m not going to lie, I read it as a historical text too.”  Juneteenth is a stone as a memorial, and they took it and they never forgot it. And then the feeling of God being invested in our liberation, and that God cares about us enough that in His time, His place, that this has happened. Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Dr. Carey Latimore’s book, Unshakeable Faith: African American Stories of Redemption, Hope, and Community.  See Dr. Latimore’s interview with Rasool in Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom.   Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Psalms  1 and 2 Samuel  1 and 2 Kings  Exodus  Exodus 6:5  Acts 10-34  Philemon  Hebrews 11  Joshua 4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People around us may think they know what’s best for our future, but in the end, it’s God’s plan that matters most. This is a truth Grammy-winning recording artist Mali Music learned younger than most. Mali was just a teenager when he decided, against his family, friends, and loved ones’ wishes, to pursue his passion for creating music. In this previously aired episode, Mali details his childhood in the church, his boyhood pressures in athletics, and how he overcame criticism to chase the dreams God grew within him.Guest Bio:Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Mali Music began creating and arranging his own material at the age of twelve. Since then, he’s gone on to receive acclaim in both the sacred and secular music worlds with his albums, 2econd Coming, Mali Is…, and The Book of Mali. His song “Beautiful” also made the Billboard charts and propelled him into the mainstream music industry.Notes & Quotes: “I loved falling into just the shadow of the Most High. Like just disappearing in worship.”  “I just never wanted the word of God, or the words of God or the things of God, to be detested or underestimated like I was for carrying it, loving it, valuing it.”  “And I just love that music is going to be connected to what God is doing.” Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Listen to Mali’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever else you stream your music.  Mali’s Instagram  Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone struggles with issues of identity. We’re all looking for those “perfect” qualities, whether big or small, that define us. That’s why, when we allow others or our culture to answer that question for us, it can lead to devastating consequences. In this throwback episode of Where Ya From?, Rasool speaks with theologian Ekemini Uwan and discovers how harmful ideologies impacted not only the way she viewed herself, but her relationship with Christ.Guest Bio:Ekemini Uwan is a theologian and writer who has dedicated her life to combating racism and bringing awareness to the issues of colorism, microaggressions, and white supremacy. She is a host of Truth’s Table, a popular podcast for black women, and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary.Notes & Quotes: “So I was praying, praying, asking the Lord, ‘What’s going on? What is the deal?’ And I just sensed that the Lord was saying, ‘Ministry.’”  “I was able to endure because I knew the Lord. I knew He called me here.”  Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Learn more about Ekemini’s work with her website.  Listen to Ekemini’s podcast, Truth’s Table.  Check out the award-winning book, Truth’s Table, co-authored by Ekemini Uwan.  Learn more about Rasool’s time in South Africa with this In Pursuit of Jesus episode.   Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The power of music, filled with hopeful expressions and joyful melodies, can unite us. But what if the music you love and create gets mislabeled by your own church and community? In this throwback episode of Where Ya From?, world-renowned jazz musician Ruth Naomi Floyd shares her story of caring for the wounded and alienated in her beloved community of Philadelphia and how that, paired with her faith, led her to unapologetically create jazz music that blends theology and justice.Guest Bio:Ruth Naomi Floyd is a vocalist and composer who has created a discography dedicated to a sacred jazz expression that highlights theology and justice. Her progressive ensemble jazz sound and mezzo-soprano voice has received high praise for its messages of hope, redemption, and love. In addition, Ruth continues lectures and performs her music internationally while also being an award-winning photographer specializing in black and white portrait images. Ms. Floyd lives in Philadelphia, where she continues her creative work and justice work.Notes & Quotes: “I think the root of it goes to loving our neighbor as ourselves. I think the more interesting question is who we as Christians—those followers of Christ—who we deem not our neighbor. And so, I think we really need to look with renewed eyes, with the Holy Spirit, and really examine where Jesus went, where He was born, where He escaped to, who He came through, who He spent time with.”  “The Bible is very clear. And Jesus is very clear in His words and in His actions. And we should open our arms to our brothers and sisters. Those who don't embrace Christ in His cross, and those who do.”  We have that great Scripture that says [Jesus] sees and He collects our tears in a bottle, and He cares for them, and He treasures them. Jesus understands our suffering, and He actively knows what you’re going through.   Just as the gospel has emancipated us, we’re willing to help use the gospel to emancipate others as on earth as it is in heaven. So, we don’t have to wait till heaven to experience that freedom and that emancipation. What is stopping us? Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Learn more about Ruth’s fusion of music and justice with The Fredrick Douglass Jazz Works.  Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Lamentations 3:22-23  Genesis 1:1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all have blind spots in our lives—areas where our beliefs, values, or assumptions may suffer because of a lack of understanding or impartiality. Years ago, Daniel Hill suddenly came face-to-face with having to tear down and rebuild what he thought was true. All because of a single conversation, he started a new chapter of his story, helping Christian circles understand the issues of race and justice and inviting them to take action. Join us as we dive into Daniel’s story and learn about the importance of moving from apathy and indifference to caring and practicing justice for all. Guest Bio:Daniel Hill is the founding and former senior pastor of River City Community Church located in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. The church members long to see increased spiritual renewal as well as social and economic justice in the neighborhood and city, demonstrating compassion and alleviating poverty as tangible expressions of the kingdom of God. Daniel has a business degree from Purdue University, an MA in theology from Moody Bible Institute, and a DMin from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of White Awake and White Lies. Daniel is married to Elizabeth, and they are the proud parents of Xander and Gabriella. Notes & Quotes: “When I learned about race outside the church, I realized that without Jesus there’s no way to have these conversations.”  “I think that's the easiest way to bottom line what race is. That it's a story about human value that says this is how it is in direct contrast with God.”  “The Bible says human values [are] tied to the doctrine of the Imago Dei. Race says that your value is not tied to the Imago Dei, it's tied to where you fall on the racial hierarchy.”  Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Hear more wisdom Daniel Hill with his two books, White Awake and White Lies, available on Amazon.   Get your free download of the This Far by Faith devotional.   Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Colossians 1  Genesis 1 and 2 (Imago Dei)  John 14:6  John 8:44 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever stopped to think about the generations that lived on the land centuries before you? For some, this question can bring up a lot of complex emotions and trauma. But it’s by asking ourselves these unsettling truths that lay the groundwork for the seeds of education, information, and action that create real change.  On this Best of Where Ya From? episode, we’re throwing it back to a thought-provoking conversation we had with speaker and author Mark Charles. He talks about the journey of navigating personal trauma and how it inspires the ways he continues to learn and invite others to see the trauma and racism that still impacts Native Americans today. Come join us as we are given an in-depth education about the history of his people and America but hear the hopeful message that the unhealthy roots of the past don’t define our future.  Guest Bio:Mark Charles is a speaker, writer, consultant, former presidential candidate, and dual citizen as an American and a Navajo Native American. Mark teaches the complexities of American history regarding race, culture, and Christendom in order to help forge a path of healing and reconciliation for the nation.   He is a co-founder of the Would Jesus Eat Frybread? college-conference series and has served on the boards of the Christian Reformed Church of North America and the Christian Community Development Association.Notes & Quotes: “Jesus did not come to create a Christian empire. He came to make disciples. He came to offer his body as a living sacrifice. He came to plant a church.”   “I had never thought, okay, Jesus said this. So that means I now go out and try to do something like this. And I would say that year, the difference in my faith is Jesus went from being my luggage to becoming my Lord.”  “I can keep the humanity of everybody in question in front of me. It allows me to treat people better, allows me to speak the truth without using the truth as a weapon.”  Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Get your copy of Mark’s book, Unsettling Truths, here.  Watch Rasool’s adventures through the In Pursuit of Jesus series.  Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here.   Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned:Acts 10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the very beginning, God made it clear that we needed each other. In fact, we’re at our best when all of us, men and women, are pursing God’s mission together. But what exactly does that mean? On this “Best of Where Ya From?” episode, Carolyn Custis James shares her personal experience with gender inequality and learning about injustices toward women around the world. These experiences led her to become an advocate for women, the lifelong commitment to helping all men and women see how we need each other to survive, thrive, and grow through the ups and downs of life. Guest Bio:Carolyn Custis James is an advocate for women worldwide and an award-winning author. She specializes in strengthening relationships between men and women and writing about what it means to be a female follower of Jesus in a postmodern world. Additionally, her speaking and writing ministry is dedicated to addressing the deeper needs and issues confronting both women and men as they endeavor to extend God’s kingdom together in a messy and complicated world. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Missio Seminary in Philadelphia and is married to Frank James. Notes & Quotes: The moment the word why crosses your lips, you are doing theology. And if you've been trying to survive on fluff, you don't have anything that's going to hold you.”  “If you are created to image God, it means that your first calling is to know the God who created you to be like Himself. That He is to be our study.”   “Our first calling is to know [God]. And to find out, you know, what He loves and to look at the world through His eyes. And to love what He loves and to join His mission in the world.” Links Mentioned: FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT  Get your FREE copy of Marching Forward here!   Want to tell us about your favorite episodes? Email us here!  Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.   Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.   Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.  Follow VOICES on Instagram.  Verses Mentioned: Genesis 1 & 2  Ruth 1-4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices