Cultural Artifacts is our version of a Top Ten list for the year.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

No. I’m not talking about Christmas (that’s wonderful, too).

Cultural Artifacts!!!

For longtime PTM listeners, this will feel like slipping into a familiar groove.

As always, the rules remain the same: these artifacts don’t have to be new.

They just have to be consumed this year. The things that steadied us. Challenged us. Made us feel more human in a year that demanded a lot.

This is Part 1 of 2, so consider this your invitation to settle in—and start making your own list.

We’ll be back next Thursday (12/18) for part 2 of Cultural Artifacts.

Catch us on Substack Live or on my YouTube page.

What’s on your cultural artifacts list this year? Let us know in the comments.

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Pastor Tyler Burns details the 'fierce urgency of Black Christianity' at Lee University in 2020

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THROWBACK

What are their origins?

Should our Christian faith influence our politics?

Let's discuss...

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THROWBACK: Jemar and Tyler are back talking about Cindy Hyde Smith’s contentious comments during her race to be Senator of Mississippi. They discuss how to process racial bias in politics, why it matters, and how we can practically push back while holding our convictions. This is Part One so come back next week for Part Two of this discussion!

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Inspired by Bishop Marvin Sapp's Controversial Church Donation Tactics, this week on Pass The Mic we are unpacking church traditions that might need to be examined for 2025 and beyond. Whether its 'Preachers with Props', viral church moments, a lack of pastoral vetting, or an excess of gatekeeping, practices across all denominations are not above critique and should be interrogated as to their value in true Kingdom work.
For those that missed it: Gospel legend and bishop Marvin Sapp faced major backlash after a resurfaced sermon clip from the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World convention went viral. In the video, Sapp instructs ushers to close the church doors until each of the 1,000 attendees donates $20, aiming to raise $40,000 on the spot. He even challenges the live stream viewers to do the same and tells pastors on stage to give $100 each.

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Alternate Title: Pass The Bible

Pastor G. Tyler Burns and Dr. Jemar Tisby discuss different approaches to studying the Bible in light of the surprising post-pandemic growth of some church congregations.

With so much conversation about people leaving church, why are some communities growing instead? Could it be their approach to Bible study?

Pastor Burns shares his experience at Rise City Church in Pensacola, where studying scripture in community has helped grow the congregation and foster a communal approach to building a lasting legacy of faith.

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The Roadmap to Ruin explores the threats to American democracy under the current political regime, highlighting dangerous anti-democratic actions and the need for urgent church involvement. Dr. Jemar Tisby calls for the church to awaken, recognize the signs of democracy's unraveling, and mobilize for pro-democracy action to safeguard the future of the nation. This series aims to equip viewers with the knowledge to resist and actively fight for democracy.

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G. Tyler Burns and Dr. Jemar Tisby unpack the fast-growing #TargetFast/#BoycottTarget campaign sparked by the retailer’s rollback of its $2 billion pledge to Black entrepreneurs and other DEI commitments. They trace how Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant’s 40-day “Target Fast” evolved into a nationwide boycott and explore why economic withdrawals work only when they’re paired with proactive redirecting of cash toward Black-owned businesses. Along the way, they share practical ways listeners can swap everyday Target runs for sustainable “buy-Black” habits, highlight tools such as the US Black Chambers’ new ByBlack Product Search, and reflect on the historic theology of conscience-driven consumer action

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In a deeply symbolic Sunday announcement, Bishop T.D. Jakes—globally recognized faith leader, cultural influencer and founder of The Potter’s House—unveiled his plans to appoint Pastors Sarah Jakes Roberts and Touré Roberts as senior pastors of the Dallas-based megachurch.

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