listener

Melody Copenny, managing editor of Cru's virtual magazine "Storylines," is the first African-American woman to lead in a comm role at that level within Cru.

Carolyn Culbertson discusses calling: What is it, and how do we discover it?

Carolyn has influenced countless staff and students since she got involved with Cru in 1969. She's retiring April 1st, and will still be available to connect via carolynculbertson.com, where she offers resources on spiritual practices, stages of faith and life, reading lists and much more.

Thank you listener Kara Coe for recommending this episode!

resources referenced:

Courage and Calling: Embracing Your God-Given Potential by Gordon T. Smith

Consider Your Calling: Gordon T. Smith

Tom Fritz is a war veteran who's served on staff with Cru for 45 years. In honor of Black History Month (February), he started a Cru Black History series for Cru staff, which prompted this episode.

Gwen and Darryl Smith direct Cru's Oneness and Diversity Team, committed to helping shape a unified community that increasingly values ethnicity, age and gender. We discussed what their team is working on, Black History Month and much more.

Recommended resources for pursuing Oneness & Diversity:

for Gwen's talk "Brown Faces Navigating White Spaces" email [email protected]

books

Divided By Faith by Michael O. Emerson

White Awake by Daniel Hill

Insider Outsider by Bryan Loritts

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Woke Church by Eric Mason

Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

by Beverly Daniel Tatum

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

films

The 13th (Netflix)

Race: The Power of Illusion (check local library)

Many Rivers to Cross (check local library)

Hidden Figures (Prime Video)

Yaneth Diaz was only four years old when she and her mother fled civil war in El Salvador and found refuge in the United States. She shares candidly about her undocumented entry into the country, her immigration experience, and her hope that telling her story will spark compassion and kindness.

Today, Yaneth serves with Cru's High School ministry in Houston, Texas, and she's courageously finding her voice at wordlessvoice.com

UC Berkeley Team Leader Deb Goodson and Local Missions Director John Iamaio shed light on adapting our methods to reach iGen college students with the gospel--and what students can teach us in the process.

Resources mentioned:

"How to Raise Adults" byJulie Lythcott-Haims

"After the Election" by Ron Sanders

On this Christmas episode, Dr. Patrick Schreiner, Assistant Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Western Seminary, discusses the significance of the nativity story's "wise men" and the modern-day implications.

Renee Begay talks about growing up Zuni in New Mexico (8:35) sin-stained culture (14:55) how God shows up before missionaries do (17:12) what she's learning about violence in New Mexico's history (25:54) and Nations' work helping college students explore what it means to be Native and Christian (39:30).

People and Resources Referenced:

Mark Charles www.sojo.net/biography/mark-charles

Richard Twiss (author of One Church Many Tribes)

Savage Anxieties by Dr. Robert A. Williams

First Nations Bible Translation Project www.firstnationsversion.com

Violence Over the Land by Ned Blackhawk

Astoria by Peter Stark

Template to create I Am Poetry and access Renee's Cru Ted Talk:

www.thetalkingcircle.com

for more information about Nations visit www.nationsmovement.com

Other books Renee recommends:

There, There by Tommy Orange

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

Heart Berries: A Memoir by Terese Mailhot

In Part Two of Leaders at Risk with Marc Rutter, he shares about questions he asks himself daily for a spiritual check-up (1:15) why it can be hard to get feedback regarding our cultural compentency (6:15)how to approach restoration (20:45)and his new book about being accountable for each other's spiritual health (25:30)

What are signs that a leader might be struggling? Marc Rutter, Cru's U.S. Director of Leadership Development and HR, shares insights from his work studying leaders at risk.

To access Marc's resources, please visit marcrutter.com