The Unfinished Church didn’t start out as a podcast. It started as three bishops wanting to create a space for learning, collaborating and accountability. And they asked their Directors of Connectional Ministries to join them.
The initial conversation in December of 2020 was centered around getting to know one another and exploring why creating a partnership around antiracism ministry would be mutually generative and beneficial for their annual conferences. It quickly became personal and sacred as a longing to have brave space to explore the intersection of faith and racism to better move the church forward emerged.
The second meeting in February was equal parts learning and dreaming. The homework for the learning segment was based on two podcasts featuring Dr. Willie Jennings: My Anger, God’s Righteous Indignation and Christianity Beyond Whiteness (Homebrewed Christianity podcast). At the end of the conversation, the bishops wanted to engage Willie Jenkins in more dialogue – fast forward, he is the guest for the sixth episode on The Unfinished Church.
During the next conversation, they focused on the topics for six podcasts based on the six actions for being and becoming beloved community, and even brainstormed titles, format and potential guests.
With each step, they moved forward, not wanting to create extra work, but soon recognizing that hope takes on a life of its own. And that’s what The Unfinished Church has become – a labor of hope – hope for reconciliation, for freedom, dignity, and that we’ll each begin to move beyond conversation and begin transforming work ahead.
Listen to the bishop’s describe why The Unfinished Church, why now, and why them.