Nowhere in the Scriptures is there mention of this term being translated to mean 'provider,' 'defender,' or 'protector.' Instead, what we see in Scripture is that people who are in covenant of commitment to one another deliberately practice and model these concepts regardless of their gender. -Oghene'tega Swann
Category: The Gospel and Equality
A Seat at the Table
"Phrases like “same-sex-attraction” and “struggling with...” are homophobic dog whistles from anti-LGBTQ+ ideologies that are so extreme they believe that even identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual––even without acting on your attractions––is sinful, and being transgender is altogether off the table." -Alex M. Griffin
The Ethnic and Sexual Diversity of Judaism in Jesus’s Day
"When we imagine the early followers of Jesus, we must imagine them beyond an ethnic binary of Jew/Greek and beyond a sexual binary of male/female. God’s people has always been diverse, before, during, and after the days of Jesus, and God’s people continues to be diverse today." -Haley Gabrielle
How Politicizing Race Discriminates Against People of Color
"If one is constantly presented with a negative image of a community and that image is fed with hateful rhetoric, it eventually normalizes any violence done to that community." -
Mutuality Sunday: The Art of ‘Belonging’
"If we are becoming truly human like Jesus, this must be characterized by a boldness and courage to love one another, despite the history between our various people groups or even one another." -Rev. Oghene'tega Swann
Becoming the Mother of Black Children
"As I began to learn more about racism and the systems of oppression, it was like I was discovering a whole other world that I had previously not known existed. I had been able to live in my white bubble, unaware of the experiences of POC all around me." -Jenn Lynn
Mutuality Sunday: Were De Black Brodas At?
"... although not all Black churches typically ordain women as ‘pastors,’ they nevertheless respected me as ‘a pastor,’ addressed me as such, and gave me the full accord with their male ministers, and outside of my denomination male ministers, they have been the most accepting of me, my call, and my leadership." -Rev. Oghene'tega Swann
When Our Skin Is Our Sin
"As the black community grapples with the effects of incarceration on generations of black men, we now have to grapple with the incarceration of black women and the fact that colorism and the disdain for blackness is a contributing factor to who enters prison and how long they stay there." -Onlielove Alston
Fight Like Sisters!
"If true love means fighting fair and honestly, while maintaining value and regard for one another, then neither me, nor people of color need to reduce ourselves and our voices in order to get along with Caucasians. Neither do we need to compromise our worth or hide our pain at our boundaries being breached in order to belong in the community of God." -Rev. Oghene'tega Swann
A Vision of Reconciliation…
"Just when I was about to give up hope of the possibility of reconciliation and a relationship with my sister, He was there!" -Zanetta Holley
Voices of Color - Christians United (VOCCU) 