United? We Pray

Overview: “And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” -Hebrews 10:24-25 Moral clarity is a tricky thing, because most of us believe we already have it. In this episode, Austin and Isaac discuss what it looks like to have moral clarity, what works towards and against it, and ways we as saints can stir one another up towards it. Join us in praying for wisdom as Scripture instructs us. Links & Show Notes: On the Incarnation by Athanasius with introduction by C.S. Lewis

Overview: “After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.  And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God,who is seated on the throne,and to the Lamb!” -Revelation 7:9-10 Christians understand that diversity is good. We long for the day when all of God’s people will be gathered to praise the Lamb. What about now? In this episode, Austin and Isaac talk about diversity in our local churches. While ethnic diversity is a good thing, it can become an unhelpful metric if we love diversity more than we love God or His people. Listen and pray with us. Links & Show Notes: Race and Our Joy - Isaac Adams

Today on giving Tuesday, Isaac and Austin invite our listeners to consider giving to support the work of United? We Pray. Your donations make our ministry possible, and we appreciate you so much. To give, head to https://uwepray.com/donate. Thank you!

Overview: “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” - Ephesians 4:1-5 In this episode, Isaac and Austin talk about how our shared identity as Christ’s people should help Christians be unified. Remembering the Gospel helps keep us from the errors of either ignoring unity or idolizing it. Pray with us that Christians have God’s wisdom about how we can pursue a deep, Christ-centered unity. Links & Show Notes: More Christian than Black or White (9Marks) - https://www.9marks.org/article/more-christian-than-black-or-white/ To learn more about United? We Pray follow us on Twitter or our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more! Produced by Josh Deng with editing by Roshane Ricketts.

Overview: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”-Matthew 18:20 What does it mean for a church to be gathered in the name of Jesus? What is at the center of a church’s gathering and agreement? Are there things about which we need to agree? Are there things on which we can disagree? Race and racism make these hard questions even harder in our local churches. In this episode, Austin and Isaac talk through some different hypothetical scenarios and encourage listeners to pray for wisdom. Links & Show Notes: Season Six, Episode One: Should I Leave my White Church? Alicia Akins: Be Patient with Slow Growers, Late Bloomers, and Those Yet Unseeing Ryan King: Saying Hard Things

Overview: “When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:  “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.-Matthew 22: 34-37 In this episode, Isaac and Austin talk about loving God with all our minds, specifically in regards to Critical Race Theory. They explore the field of study and Christians’ various reactions to it, with a few encouragements for how to foster good conversations and unity among fellow Christians. Links & Show Notes: How Should Christians Engage Critical Race Theory? (Part 1) Critical Theorists Help us Understand History (Part 2 of Series) Critical Theorists Draw Inaccurate Conclusions from the Facts (Part 3 of Series) Conclusion: Six Ways to Engage Critical Race Theory (Part 4) To learn more about United? We Pray follow us on Twitter or our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more! Produced by Josh Deng with editing by Roshane Ricketts.

Would you consider your church a "white church" or just a "church"? Isaac and Austin discuss the dynamics around a minority member of a church leaving their predominately white church. We discuss: Is it important to recognize a white church as a "white church"? What characteristics of your church's culture do you take for granted, but may be seen as starkly different for a person of color? For the minority member, what should I consider when deciding whether to leave my white church? How do you stay in a white church and not get angry? How do you leave a white church? Should you let your minority friend leave your white church?

We are back! As we start our sixth season, we take a minute to explain some of the changes with the ministry and in our personal lives. We also preview some of the topics for this season and ask for God to bring about a day when this ministry is no longer needed. Please join us in prayer.

Isaac Adams gave a two-part lecture to a group of churches desiring to play a small role in bringing greater awareness to the historical roots and present forms of racism in Washington D.C. Their goal was not merely greater intellectual knowledge but greater compassion, so that they'd be better positioned to empathize and strategize toward the end of “adorning the doctrine of God our Savior.” (Titus 2:10) In Part 2, Isaac speaks to why Christians care about justice and injustice, why he's speaking about the injustice of systemic racism, what it is, and where it may be seen in Washington D.C. The handout for this talk can be found here.

Isaac Adams gave a two-part lecture to a group of churches desiring to play a small role in bringing greater awareness to the historical roots and present forms of racism in Washington D.C. Their goal was not merely greater intellectual knowledge but greater compassion, so that they'd be better positioned to empathize and strategize toward the end of “adorning the doctrine of God our Savior.” (Titus 2:10) In Part 1, Isaac answers three questions: What does the bible say about race? What does the bible say about racism? Why does it matter?

Overview: ”O Lord, God of vengeance,    O God of vengeance, shine forth!Rise up, O judge of the earth;    repay to the proud what they deserve!O Lord, how long shall the wicked,    how long shall the wicked exult?They pour out their arrogant words;    all the evildoers boast.They crush your people, O Lord,    and afflict your heritage.They kill the widow and the sojourner,    and murder the fatherless;and they say, “The Lord does not see;    the God of Jacob does not perceive.”” Psalm 94:1-7 We’re on break for the summer, but we’d still love to bring you some specials to encourage your spiritual walk. Here’s a sermon given recently by Bobby Jamieson, a white pastor up at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, who preached on Psalm 94 in light of George Floyd's murder. Bobby teaches us 4 things we can do in the midst of a season when it seems like injustice is prevailing in our country.

Overview: ”One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.” Romans 14:5 How does conscience relate to faith? Isaac and Austin discuss how differences conscience can lead us to differences in acting out our faith, and how to live in biblical community whilst holding different consciences. Join as they answer questions like: Why is a conscience critical to the conversation on race? Does liberty of conscience change what we need to agree on? How does one's conscience get seared or damaged? To learn more about United? We Pray follow us on Twitter or our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more! Produced by Josh Deng

In this video, brothers and sisters lament and intercede about different matters given this woeful pandemic—matters ranging from the loss of lives to exacerbated racism in these times. Join us as we take racial struggles to the throne of grace, and sign up below and we’ll send you a free prayer guide.

Overview: ”Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” Proverbs 28:27 Is a virus racist? Isaac and Austin explore the news that COVID-19 is disproportionally affecting African Americans. They also explain why we often tie racism today to America's history of slavery. Links & Show Notes:COVID-19, Xenophobia, and a Prayerful Response (by James Choi) King Jesus, COVID-19, And Vulnerable Black People (by Austin Suter) Courtney Reissig: When I Recognized Race Praying About Systemic Racism (by Isaac Adams) To learn more about United? We Pray follow us on Twitter or our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more! Produced by Josh Deng

Overview: “How long, O Lord?” Psalm 13:1 In this short episode, Austin and Isaac discuss the recent shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, and how his death ties into a long chain of innocent black men murdered in recent history. They talk about reasons why they can’t watch the videos of the events anymore, and advocate a few ideas on what can be done in light of this tragedy. To learn more about United? We Pray follow us on Twitter or our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more! Produced by Josh Deng