This week on 20 Minute Takes, we talk with author Scott Bessenecker. His book, Bad Religion, Good News: An Honest Guide for the Spiritually Disappointed was released this past May. Scott talks with us about why engaging with disappointment is often a challenge for Western Christian spirituality, and shares stories of people who have found good news through their earnest engagement with disappointment.

This is the final episode of season 8 of 20 Minute Takes—check back in the fall for our new season!

Scott Bessenecker has worked in college ministry for the past 40 years, facilitating global justice immersion programs inviting young adults to discern voactional ministry alongside the urban poor. He's also the author of the New Friars.

You can find his Substack here.

20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action
Hosted, Produced, and Edited by David de Leon
Music by Andre Henry

This week on 20 Minute Takes, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Sandra Maria Van Opstal. She's the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Chasing Justice, an organization that mobilizes a young BIPOC-led communities toward living a lifestyle of faith and justice. In this episode, they talk about about a spirituality rooted in the idea of "We got us." Sandra unpacks how she's seen her local community in Chicago care for one another amidst increased ICE activity, how she sees faith communities continuing to be a crucial space of mobilization and connection, and how a spirituality rooted in movement and action from the margins is not only through the witness of scripture, but is what's most needed in the world today.

You can learn more about Sandra's work here.
Listen to the whole song "We Got Us" + the rest of the Storytellers Collective Storybook Vol. 1 here.
Finally, check out Chasing Justice's podcast, "We Got Us" here.

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20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action
Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Produced by David de Leon
Editing and Mixing by Wiloza Media
Music by Andre Henry

What does it mean for Christians to be accountable to their tradition's entanglement with racism, white supremacy and anti-Blackness? On this episode of 20 Minute Takes, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with musician and writer, Andre Henry. Andre serves as the program director for CSA's Racial Justice Institute. In this episode, they discuss the current backlash that against racial justice efforts in the United States, and the long history of how Christians have both contributed to the upholding of racial hierarchy, as well as the prophetic actions Christians have undertaken to dismantle it.

Check out this four-part series that Andre recently published on "Understanding Racism."

You can listen to Andre's music here and learn more about his work here.
Additionally, you can follow him on Instagram and Threads.

20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action
Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Produced by David de Leon
Editing and Mixing by Wiloza Media
Music by Andre Henry

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Zakiya Jackson of the Expectations Project. They talk about the spiritual practice of being a good neighbor, and how good neighboring goes beyond individual relationships to considering how systems and policy affect our communities as a whole.

You can follow Zakiya on Instagram and Threads.
You can learn more about the Expectations Project here.

20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action
Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Produced by David de Leon
Editing and Mixing by Wiloza Media
Music by Andre Henry

Faith communities have the power to help give shape to people's lives, for better, and sometimes for worse. On this episode of 20 Minute Takes, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Erina Kim-Eubanks. She's the co-pastor of Bethel Community Presbyterian Church in San Leandro, CA, a multigenerational church community that she and her husband have helped to replant since the Covid-19 pandemic. In this conversation, Erina reflects on what spiritual formation looks like at their church, how the their community is intentional in their imagination and praxis, and how communal practices around liturgy and scripture nourish their congregation.

You can find Erina's writing here.
Follow her on Instagram.

20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action
Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Produced by David de Leon
Editing and Mixing by Wiloza Media
Music by Andre Henry

This week on 20 Minute Takes, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Jemar Tisby. He's a bestselling author, historian, and producer of the recently released documentary: Jesus Was A Migrant, directed by Lauren Vernea. They discuss today's political landscape surrounding immigration, the consequences of politics leading theology instead of the other way around, and the various stands of Christian thought and spirituality which have sought to seek the flourishing of migrant communities.

You can learn more about Jemar's work here.
Follow him on Instagram and Threads.

20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action
Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Produced by David de Leon
Editing and Mixing by Wiloza Media
Music by Andre Henry

20 Minute Takes is back with a new episode featuring Kristin Lee. She's the author of the recently released book: We Mend with Gold: An Immigrant Daughter's Reckoning with American Christianity. In this conversation, she and Nikki Toyama-Szeto discuss the experience of Asian American Christians and how an exilic spirituality informs how Asian American communities can show up today.

You can learn more about Kristin and her work here.
Follow her on Instagram or Threads.

20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action
Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Produced by David de Leon
Editing and Mixing by Wiloza Media
Music by Andre Henry