Y'all get to hear from one of the greats! Kanita Benson is a missiologist and non-profit director who works runs a dope organization called She Saves a Nation which focuses on empowering young women all over the world. She drops a lot of great wisdom about working in the non-profit world, what what it looks like for the church to be "on mission" and what it means for young women to be receive the support and care they need to flourish. Check out her org., and check out this episode!

Mental health issues are quickly rising all across America and have only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, and other mental illnesses have reached record highs in recent years. How can the church be responding to these issues? Kyle talks with Dr. Monique Smith Gadson about working as a counselor at a church, the ways that church both helps and hinders those struggling with their mental health, and what her hope for the church is in dealing with the mental health crisis in coming years. This episode is basically free therapy y'all. Tune in and be blessed!

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Dr. Monique Smith Gadson is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 16 years of counseling, consulting, and program development experience. She has primarily worked in church and private agency settings. Dr. Gadson also works as a consulting therapist where she consults with churches and organizations in mental health matters and risk management, as well as hosts her own podcast called "And The Church Said".

Chances are, particularly around this election season, you've heard increased talk about abortion. For many people, abortion is the single issue that determines their vote. But what about the other factors and issues that drive abortion? Cherilyn Holloway has worked for years in a crisis pregnancy center is firmly committed to making abortion unthinkable. However, rather than the typical culture war approach, Cherilyn advocates for a holistic approach to abortion and maternal health that accounts for systemic racism and sexism, poverty, and the health of the mother and her unborn baby.  She drops a lot of great knowledge in this podcast, be sure to listen in!

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Cherilyn Holloway is an activist and the founder of Pro-Black Pro-Life, an organization dedicated to addressing the dual issues of racism and abortion. Cherilyn has spent the last six years on the front lines of the pro-life movement as a Development Director, Executive Director of her local pregnancy center, and currently serves as a Business Development Executive for Choose Life Marketing.  She is married to the love of her life, Jay. They share eight amazing children and two grandchildren. 

It's commonly said that absolute power corrupts absolutely. How then should Christians think about power? What about Christians who aren't just disempowered, but also marginalized and oppressed? Dr. Dennis Edwards has written a new book that extolls Christians who have found themselves on the margins of society because of their background, identities, and/or experiences to tap into the power of the Gospel that is already present and available within them. Kyle and Dr. Edwards talk about the nature of power, Christianity's relationship with power, and what it looks like for marginalized Christians to seek Christ and work for justice while fighting oppression and marginalization in their own lives. A prescient conversation for these tumultuous political times, be sure to check this episode out!

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Dr. Dennis Edwards is Associate Professor of New Testament Studies at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago. In addition to holding a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the Catholic University of America, Dr. Edwards has also pastored churches in Brooklyn, DC,  and Minneapolis. Dr. Edward's hobbies include being decently talented at everything.

On this podcast episode, Kyle talks with Ray Chang, the president of the Asian-American Christian Collaborative. They discuss the history of Asian-American Christianity, the unique tenets of Asian-American Christianity, how Asian-Americans navigate their faith as "model minorities", and the necessity of cultural spaces. Check it out!

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Ray Chang is the president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative (AACC), a pastor, chaplain, and writer. Ray regularly preaches God’s Word and speaks throughout the country on issues pertaining to Christianity and culture, race and faith. He has lived throughout the world (Korea, Guatemala, Panama, Spain, China), traveled to nearly 50 countries, and currently lives in Chicagoland, serving as a campus minister at Wheaton College. Prior to entering vocational ministry, Ray worked in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, and served in the Peace Corps in Panama. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Higher Education from Azusa Pacific University.

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The Asian American Christian Collaborative (AACC) seeks to encourage, equip, and empower Asian American Christians and friends of our community to follow Christ holistically. They are committed to amplifying the voices, issues, and histories of Asian Americans in the church and society at large. Visit their website at the link above or here --->https://www.asianamericanchristiancollaborative.com/

This was a really awesome conversation that Kyle had with Pastor Isaiah Robertson. They talk about the history, theology, and legacy of the Black church, how the Black church navigates between the intense polarities of American Christianity, and what the future of the Black church holds. Download and listen in!

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Pastor Isaiah Robertson serves as Senior Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Cartersville, GA. He recently authored Black Church Empowered, a book exploring the past, present, and future of the Black church in America. In addition to the book, Pastor Isaiah founded an organization (also called Black Church Empowered), which functions as a ministry consulting firm to help churches in the Black church tradition navigate the challenges they face in our ever-changing culture.

Our first episode! Kyle is joined by Krista Idowu to talk about filmmaking, watching movies as a Christian, and what movies can teach us about entering into the stories of others.

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Krista Idowu is a screenwriter and producer focusing on making content that educates, entertains, and encourages empathy. Krista recently wrote, produced, and directed a heart-provoking, captivating branded content video for The And Campaign which gained over 127,000 views and 1000 shares on Facebook. She was a consultant for the film Legacy Lives On, a Prudential branded documentary that tells the stories of three Black women on their journeys toward creating legacies of financial wellness, which premiered at the American Black Film Festival. Krista desires for the impact of her projects to go deep as she continues to tell emotionally intelligent and heart-provoking stories that lead to tangible, lasting social change.

You can follow Krista on Instagram at @theloveactivist or on Twitter at @LoveActivist.

The podcast is releasing its first episode on Tuesday (10/6)! To give you an idea of the structure and setup for the podcast, I decided to create a brief teaser with myself as the guinea pig! I talk about my faith journey and my vision for Orthodoxical. Hope y'all enjoy it!

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I’m Kyle Bumgarner, and I recently graduated with my master's in college counseling and student affairs. I’m also a son, brother, friend, wannabe seminarian, adequate basketball player, pop culture aficionado, and follower of Christ. I created Orthodoxical to gather Christians who value good theology as well as serving and loving their neighbors. I’m passionate about equipping ordinary, everyday folks to see and experience the glory of God in every aspect of their lives. I hope this podcast blesses you, and that you are able to see the beauty of the gospel in your life more clearly because of it!