Jesus, Justice + Mercy: Bold faith, radical love and justice for the church

How did a young theologian in 1930s Germany see what so many others missed?
In this episode, Kristen revisits Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s question, “Who is Jesus Christ for us today?” and boldly traces the unsettling parallels between Hitler’s “playbook” and the ways Christian nationalism shows up now.

She talks about fear-driven policy, silence disguised as unity, cheap grace versus costly grace, and why Jesus isn’t running for office, because God doesn’t need political power to bring His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God was never meant to be built by ballots or power brokers, but by love that confronts fear and grace that costs something.

What Bonhoeffer saw in 1930s Germany still speaks today, when fear becomes faith’s language and power its goal, it’s time to remember that Jesus isn’t running for office.

Content notes: This episode references state violence, detentions, lynching, and executions.

Did ICE really zip-tie children in a Chicago Apartment raid? Article

Books + Resources Mentioned:

·       The Cost of Discipleship: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

·       Letters and Papers from Prison: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

·       Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance: Reggie L. Williams

·       The Barmen Declaration: Karl Barth et al.

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

When faith begins to stretch toward the justice of Jesus, it can cost you belonging. Suddenly, the people who once prayed beside you pull away, and the table that once felt full grows quiet. 

In this episode, Kristen traces that ache through Jesus’ own story in Luke 4, naming the pain of being ghosted for the gospel and the courage it takes to keep walking awake. Along the way, she explores how labels, idols, and politics complicate our faith, and why forsakenness is never the final word. Because even when others walk away, the Carpenter is still building, and the kingdom table is wide enough for you.

Resources mentioned (snapshot; not exhaustive)

• The Politics of Jesus — Obery M. Hendricks
• Jesus and the Disinherited — Howard Thurman
• Faith After Doubt — Brian McLaren
• How to Fight Racism — Jemar Tisby
• After Whiteness — Willie James Jennings
• Womanist Midrash — Wilda C. Gafney

Key Scriptures

• Luke 4 — Nazareth: justice-centered announcement, hometown rejection, healing begins
• Matthew 9:35–38; Luke 10:1–4 — “The harvest is plentiful…” (two contexts)
• Exodus 1 — Shifra & Puah resist Pharaoh
• Matthew 10:16–20 — “Shrewd as snakes, innocent as doves” + Spirit-given words
• Psalm 91; Psalm 46:1; Isaiah 41:10 — refuge, strength, presence
• Deut. 6:6–7; Mark 10:14; Micah 6:8; 2 Tim. 1:5,7; John 17:15

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

What if Jesus was a carpenter not just by trade, but by intention? What if his workshop was meant to show us how to build a kingdom table, one wide enough, strong enough, and welcoming enough for everyone?

In this episode, Kristen explores what it means to stop guarding the table and start building it bigger. She unpacks the difference between inclusion and belonging, why DEI/DEIB exists, and how the kingdom vision goes even deeper, and who’s actually holding the tools of leadership in our churches. She also digs into how worship can either reinforce exclusion or become a table where lament, justice, and diverse voices are centered. And she names the hard truth of how money and power have infiltrated the church and shrunk the table, along with a gospel-shaped remedy that points us back to Jesus.

We will ask God to give us the humility and imagination to trade our blueprints for the Carpenter’s tools. Because the kingdom table is still under construction. The only question left is: will we guard it, or will we build it?

Key Scriptures Mentioned

• Luke 5:27–32 (Jesus at Levi’s table)
• Acts 2 (Pentecost: all nations/languages)
• Revelation 7:9 (every tribe, people, language)
• Mark 10:42–45 (servant leadership)
• Amos 5:21–24 (worship + justice)
• 1 Timothy 6:10; Matthew 6:24 (money/love of money)

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

Episode 12: Jesus Made Me Do It: The Spiritual Work of Unlearning

In a week marked by another school shooting, Christians lionizing a man who built his platform on hate, and the devastating news of two Black men found hanging from trees in Mississippi, deaths that many fear echo the terror of lynching, even as officials rush to call them suicides, Kristen reflects on why silence is not an option.

What if the bravest thing you can do in your faith is admit you’ve been wrong?

In this episode, Kristen shares why discipleship isn’t just about adding knowledge; sometimes, the most faithful step is unlearning. From distorted readings of Scripture to the ways churches discourage questions, she explores how humility, courage, and honesty create space for God to reshape us.

Along the way, Kristen names the harm of misused verses like “the poor you will always have with you” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” tells stories of angels and unexpected voices in Scripture, and reflects on her own journey of head–heart faith, walking away from church, and parenting through trauma.

Because unlearning isn’t failure. In the Kingdom, unlearning is transformation.

Listen in for:

• Why unlearning takes courage and humility
• How distortions of Scripture wound and what those passages actually mean
• Biblical stories of transformation through unlearning
• The role of unexpected voices in shaping our faith
• Kristen’s personal story of faith beyond control and strength
• Why silence isn’t an option in the face of injustice today

The courage to unlearn is part of the courage to follow Jesus. And every time we release a distortion, we make more room for a faith that looks like justice, mercy, and love.

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

Half a Gospel Is No Gospel at All: Liberation for the poor, resisted by the powerful

Why do churches resist justice? In this episode, Kristen digs into the roots of resistance in our faith communities, beginning with James Cone and the birth of Black Liberation Theology. Cone’s bold claim that the gospel must be interpreted from the perspective of the oppressed still unsettles churches today.

Through the voices of Howard Thurman, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Walter Brueggemann, Albert Raboteau, Susan Rakoczy, and Mae Elise Cannon, Kristen explores the themes of resistance that keep churches clinging to power, privilege, and control instead of embracing the costly call of discipleship.

You’ll hear about:

• James Cone and the radical center of Black Liberation Theology
• Thurman’s vision of Jesus with “the disinherited”
• Gutiérrez and the preferential option for the poor
• Brueggemann’s prophetic imagination against “royal consciousness”
• Raboteau’s witness of the invisible church in slavery
• Rakoczy’s call to a liberationist and feminist gospel
• Cannon’s challenge to evangelical compartmentalization of prayer, Scripture, and justice

Kristen also connects these threads to the resistance we see in today’s church,  nationalism, patriarchy, and theologies that justify ignoring suffering, even starving children in Gaza. Against all these distortions, Scripture reminds us that God’s voice has always spoken clearest from the margins: through prophets, through Jesus, through the cross itself.

Reflection Invitation:
Where have you seen resistance in your own community? What theology shaped that resistance? And whose voices were missing in your discipleship? This week, sit with one voice you’ve never been taught in church, maybe Thurman, maybe Rakoczy, maybe Gutiérrez, and notice what resistance it stirs in you, and what new imagination it opens.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• God of the Oppressed by James Cone
• Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
• A Theology of Liberation by Gustavo Gutiérrez
• The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann
• Slave Religion and A Fire in the Bones by Albert Raboteau
• In Her Name by Susan Rakoczy
• Just Spirituality and Beyond Hashtag Activism by Mae Elise Cannon

Because costly faith always starts with listening to the voices we’ve been told to ignore.

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

What does it really cost to follow Jesus? In this episode of Jesus, Justice + Mercy, Kristen explores the Tariffs of Faith, the price we pay when discipleship is rooted in justice, not cheap grace.

From Moses’ mother and Esther to Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Rosa Parks, we trace the stories of ordinary people whose faith demanded risk, courage, and sacrifice. Along the way, Kristen challenges us to confront erasure in our culture, resist the temptation of comfort, and embrace justice-rooted discipleship that looks like Jesus.

Because the cost of discipleship isn’t imagined persecution or culture wars, it’s the courage to pursue justice. This episode will both challenge and encourage you to move beyond cheap faith and discover the joy of costly grace.

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

In my very first interview on Jesus, Justice + Mercy, I sit down with my dear friend Candice Zakariya, a disciple-maker, Bible teacher, and business coach whose story is deeply rooted in faith and justice.

Candice shares her journey growing up in the Black church, where justice was woven into discipleship, and reflects on the challenges and beauty of navigating predominantly white church spaces as a Black woman. From cultural tokenism to discipleship that misses justice, her stories shed light on what it really means to embody a justice-rooted faith.

Together, we talk about:

·       The transformative role of the Black church in shaping justice and community.

·       What white Christians often miss about systemic injustice in the church.

·       Why justice should never be a “service project” but part of everyday discipleship.

·       How relationships, lament, and listening are the foundation of true unity.

This conversation is both challenging and deeply hopeful and Candice leaves us with a powerful reminder: 

“Teach justice as part of your discipleship, not as a one-off project. If we did that well, our country would look different.”

How to connect with Candice:

Kingdom Business Woman Website

Kingdom First Coaching

Facebook, IG and Threads: Candice Zakariya

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

From Constantine to Christian nationalism, the church has faced a choice: align with empire or follow Jesus. This episode traces moments when faith bent toward power—and the courageous voices that refused to bow.

Episode Summary

From the Roman Empire to modern politics, the church has faced a constant tension: Will we align with the power of the world, or with the way of Jesus? In this episode, we walk through key turning points in church history, from Constantine’s legalization of Christianity to the courage of Perpetua and Felicity, to the quiet resistance of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, to reformers like Luther, and to present-day voices calling us back to the heart of the gospel. Along the way, we’ll explore how the roots of Christian nationalism took hold, and why the call to choose “whom you will serve” is just as urgent now as it was in Joshua’s day.

Scripture References

• Acts 5:29 – “We must obey God rather than men.”
• Matthew 25:40 – “Whatever you did for the least of these… you did for me.”
• Joshua 24:15 – “Choose this day whom you will serve.”

Key Historical Moments Covered

• Constantine & the Edict of Milan (313 CE) – Christianity legalized, faith entangled with empire
• Perpetua & Felicity (3rd century) – Martyrs who refused to renounce Christ
• Desert Fathers & Mothers – Resisting wealth and political power through simple living
• Reformers – Luther and the beginnings of the Protestant church
• Colonialism & Doctrine of Discovery – Faith used to justify conquest
• Modern Voices – From William Barber to Beth Moore, prophetic courage continues

Resources & Mentions

• The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity (early Christian text)
• Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery  by Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah
• Doctrine of Discovery Supreme Court ruling (Oneida Indian Nation, 2005)

Reflection Questions for Listeners

1. Where have you seen the church choose power over prophetic witness in your lifetime?
2. Who are the “Desert Fathers and Mothers” of today, those quietly resisting compromise?
3. What might it look like for you to choose the Kingdom of God over the kingdoms of this world?

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

In this episode of Jesus, Justice + Mercy, Kristen dives into the hidden systems shaping our everyday lives from schools and healthcare to voting rights and clean water. She unpacks how privilege and intersectionality determine who gets a head start and who carries the heaviest burdens. Through Scripture, personal story, and powerful examples, Kristen reveals why naming systemic injustice is part of faithful discipleship. Because following Jesus means more than personal piety, it means confronting the systems that harm our neighbors.

Stuff mentioned in this week's episode:

Privilege video

Flint, Michigan article (8/3/25)

13th documentary

Scripture References:

Luke 4

Matthew 23

James 2

Isaiah 1:17

Psalm 139

Exodus 1

Proverbs 31:8–9

Isaiah 10:1–2

Genesis 2:15

Romans 8:22

Psalm 82 (paraphrased )

1 Corinthians 12

Galatians 3:28

Amos 5:24

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com

Episode 6: The Part We Skipped in Sunday School,  What History Forgot, and Faith Can’t Ignore

We can’t tell the story of justice without naming the stories the Church forgot, or chose not to tell. In this episode of Jesus, Justice + Mercy, Kristen kicks off a 3-part arc by unearthing the roots of racial inequality in the U.S., tracing how race was constructed to uphold power, and how theology was twisted to justify injustice. From slavery and Jim Crow to redlining and church silence, she names the uncomfortable truths many of us never learned in Sunday School and why telling them now is an act of faithful discipleship.

This episode isn’t about shame, it’s about clarity. And it’s a call to step into a more courageous, Jesus-shaped faith rooted in truth, justice, and holy disruption.

In this episode:

·       Why race is a social construct, not a biblical one

·       How the American Church helped build, and sometimes resisted, systems of injustice

·       The real legacy of redlining, the GI Bill, and Christian complicity

·       How discipleship requires truth-telling, even when it’s uncomfortable

·       A preview of Episodes 7 and 8 in this 3-part mini-series

Reflection questions at the end include:

·       What part of this story was new to you?

·       Where do you see these patterns in your community or church?

·       How might this awareness shape how you live out your faith?

Listener Note: This episode may be challenging, especially if you’re just beginning to explore the history of race and faith. Stay curious. Stay grounded. And know you’re not alone.

Resources Mentioned:

Race: The Power of Illusion

Ibram X. Kendi: Stamped From the Beginning

Jemar Tisby: The Color of Compromise

For women who stayed small and called it faithfulness : a reading list to start finding your way back. Get it here!

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes
• Wrestling with faith and justice and not sure where to start? 
• Grab my free theological reading list, Beyond Faith as Usual, HERE!

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenabrock.com