The (Im)partial Church: Recent Episodes
Professor Janine Bolling and Rev. Dr. Gerard Bolling
The (Im)partial Church is a hopeful podcast about race, culture, diversity, and the Christian faith. Join us as we explore relevant issues surrounding how Christians empathetically relate to one another across cultural divides and strive to become a truly impartial church. To learn more and access additional podcast resources, visit lhm.org/theimpartialchurch.
That's a wrap for season two, as we reflect on what we've learned. We also hear from a church that is taking the next steps to create a hospitable environment in which all God's people thrive. It may sound like a tall order, but we know that God can provide us with abundant love and resources.
Gerard and Janine look at the ministry of a familiar congregation to highlight the importance of partnering with churches outside your neighborhood. We see that the benefits go both ways.
We all have a unique way of viewing the world. In this episode, Janine and Gerard explore ways to adjust the paradigm and view the world as Christ does.
In this episode, we look at the ways sports offer key insights into living as the Body of Christ. Teamwork is key. It's important we know our roles and share the goal. We also explore why it's important to center the experiences of minority groups.
Gerard and Janine continue to explore the reasons why people are unconcerned about partiality in the church and society. They share some of their own experiences and consider some potential solutions.
Some Christians don't feel that reconciliation work is urgent. Why is that? How can churches better reflect the multiethnic wisdom of our heavenly Father? Gerard and Janine start a two-part conversation about Barna's Beyond Diversity study.
It can be scary to admit responsibility for our sin. But conviction and condemnation aren't the same. In this episode, we look to one of Scripture's major characters to learn how to deal with the conviction we feel when we err. As we do, we find God's grace waiting for us and learn what to do next.
Special guest alert! Pastor JT Thomas has been working in reconciliation for nearly two decades. He runs an organization called Civil Righteousness. Its mission is to equip churches to begin reconciliation work in a God-fearing way. His expertise will be a guide for our own contexts.
This episode highlights the gap between God's love of all people and our own relative unwillingness to champion the needs of minority groups. We look to Scripture as our precedent and explore what God's Word says about His character and how to reflect it.
Welcome back! Janine and Gerard discuss what to expect this season. We'll introduce some research that will help us discern the church's role in racial reconciliation efforts. This season promises to be a lot of fun and extremely informative.
The Impartial Church is a podcast about living into our role in the body of Christ. There is little doubt that the world we live in can be divisive. However, it’s our belief that differences don’t have to lead to division. We think that the Church is the perfect place to begin the work of reconciliation. This season, our hosts, Rev. Dr. Gerard Bolling and his sister, Deaconess Janine Bolling invite some subject matter experts along for the ride. We’ll look to research, scripture and reflect on our own thoughts and actions to navigate a path forward. The issue of racial reconciliation can be sticky. But it’s nothing a little bit of grace can’t handle.
Season 1 is a wrap! In this episode, we tackle some questions that the audience submitted. We delve deeper into what it means to love others even when it costs something and explore why apathy isn’t as harmless as it may seem. If this conversation inspires further questions, feel free to reach out to us at theimpartialchurch@lhm.org.
This season has made us all a little more aware of some of the issues that can arise in the church. In this episode we delve into Bystander Theory and how it impacts all of us. We even discuss how to be advocates for change when facing wrongdoing. If this conversation inspires further questions feel free to reach out to us at theimpartialchurch@lhm.org.
Families are important. They look out for one another and are vital in value formation. God's family is the same. In this episode, we unpack the idea that we are all a part of a multi-ethnic family and learn about some helpful tools that can help us live into that calling. If this conversation inspires further questions feel free to reach out to us at theimpartialchurch@lhm.org.
In past weeks we've observed that diversity is a vital part of God's design. Today we explore what it truly means to embrace other cultures and how doing so brings glory to God. If this conversation inspires further questions feel free to reach out to us at theimpartialchurch@lhm.org.
A good neighbor is indispensable. But What does it mean to love thy neighbor as thyself? Who qualifies as a neighbor? Are other people’s feelings my responsibility? This week Gerard and Janine discover that living like Christ, comes at a personal cost.
Being a part of an in-group, it’s easy to forget what it feels like to be an outsider. This week’s conversation is a continuation of the last. Gerard and Janine unpack the use of language in welcoming people who are outsiders into the fold and how to actively participate in the ministry of reconciliation.
This week we continue our conversation on the power of language. We note that language isn’t limited to just what we say but also how we say it. Then, we observe how Christ uses various types of language to signal to his followers who he truly is.
Words matter but sometimes we all put our foot in our mouth. This week’s conversation gets salty as we take a look at micro-aggressions, their negative impact on unity and how to use words to preserve relationships.
In this episode we discuss how diversity is a part of God’s plan. We take a look at the story of Ruth and Naomi and realize that some of the most profound friendships come from unexpected circumstances. We also explore the value of diverse relationships in our own lives.
Welcome to The (Im)partial Church. In this epsisode we will meet the hosts of the podcast and get acquainted with God’s plan for humanity from the beginning. It turns out that diversity may not have been an accident. We’ll also examine how we all fit into that plan.