Chris Rice, Director of the Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office and Coauthor of "More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel," joined Brian to chat about the special re-release of “More Than Equals” as part of the IVP Signature Collection. 

Check out Chris’ blog at reconcilers.wordpress.com and connect with him on Twitter at @reconcilers

Chris Rice, Director of the <a href="https://mcc.org/get-involved/advocacy/un">Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office</a> and Coauthor of <a href="https://www.ivpress.com/more-than-equals">"More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel,"</a> joined Brian to chat about the special re-release of <a href="https://www.ivpress.com/more-than-equals">&ldquo;More Than Equals&rdquo;</a> as part of the IVP Signature Collection.&nbsp;
Check out Chris&rsquo; blog at <a href="https://reconcilers.wordpress.com/">reconcilers.wordpress.com</a> and connect with him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/reconcilers">@reconcilers</a>

The idea of “the common good” has a rich history within the Christian church. It’s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God’s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God’s design for all of us fulfilled.

The idea of &ldquo;the common good&rdquo; has a rich history within the Christian church. It&rsquo;s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God&rsquo;s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God&rsquo;s design for all of us fulfilled.

The Common Good Podcast

The Common Good

Guest: Chris Rice, Director of the Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office and Coauthor of "More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel" - August 9, 2021

On Juneteenth, Brian From walks through the history behind the holiday — the more than two-year gap between the Emancipation Proclamation and the day Union troops finally reached Galveston, Texas to declare freedom for 250,000 enslaved Texans — and what it means for the church to commemorate and remember well. A Johnson & Johnson executive says a cure for certain cancers could realistically be within reach in the next decade, and Brian roots that hope in something deeper: our ultimate hope isn't the eradication of disease, but the eradication of sin and death through Christ. Ahead of Father's Day, a moving reflection on the "fathers in the faith" who shape us beyond our biological dads, paired with the extraordinary final words ever preached by Charles Spurgeon before his death. Three San Francisco Giants pitchers wrote a Bible verse about God's covenant on their caps during Pride Night, sparking backlash — Brian walks through what happened and why he thinks they handled a genuinely difficult moment with restraint. A look back at Matt Chandler's 2021 warning against churches becoming ideologically uniform rather than spiritually unified. The story of Jonah, reframed as a story about judgmentalism and the failure to recognize our own desperate need for grace. And a closing word from 1 Peter 5 on casting anxiety on a Father who genuinely cares for you.

On Juneteenth, Brian From walks through the history behind the holiday &mdash; the more than two-year gap between the Emancipation Proclamation and the day Union troops finally reached Galveston, Texas to declare freedom for 250,000 enslaved Texans &mdash; and what it means for the church to commemorate and remember well. A Johnson &amp; Johnson executive says a cure for certain cancers could realistically be within reach in the next decade, and Brian roots that hope in something deeper: our ultimate hope isn't the eradication of disease, but the eradication of sin and death through Christ. Ahead of Father's Day, a moving reflection on the "fathers in the faith" who shape us beyond our biological dads, paired with the extraordinary final words ever preached by Charles Spurgeon before his death. Three San Francisco Giants pitchers wrote a Bible verse about God's covenant on their caps during Pride Night, sparking backlash &mdash; Brian walks through what happened and why he thinks they handled a genuinely difficult moment with restraint. A look back at Matt Chandler's 2021 warning against churches becoming ideologically uniform rather than spiritually unified. The story of Jonah, reframed as a story about judgmentalism and the failure to recognize our own desperate need for grace. And a closing word from 1 Peter 5 on casting anxiety on a Father who genuinely cares for you.

Juneteenth, Spurgeon's Last Words & Casting Your Anxiety on a Father Who Cares

31 years after the original Toy Story changed animation forever, the franchise returns with a fifth installment that's better than the much-maligned fourth — and surprisingly timely. Adam Holtz from Plugged In joins Brian From to break down the plot: Woody is now part of a street toy gang after kids traded toys for screens, and the story leans hard into questions about childhood, isolation, and what happens when a tween's parents finally hand over a tablet. Then a hard pass: The Death of Robin Hood starring Hugh Jackman is a deeply cynical, blood-soaked reimagining where Robin Hood was never noble to begin with — "Graveheart" might be the more honest title. But there's a genuine recommendation in the mix: Young Washington from the Irwin brothers (the team behind Woodlawn and Jesus Revolution), a well-made historical drama about a young, unproven George Washington trying to earn the woman he loves and the respect of his country decades before the Revolution. Full reviews at pluggedin.com before you head to the theater this Fourth of July weekend.

31 years after the original Toy Story changed animation forever, the franchise returns with a fifth installment that's better than the much-maligned fourth &mdash; and surprisingly timely. Adam Holtz from Plugged In joins Brian From to break down the plot: Woody is now part of a street toy gang after kids traded toys for screens, and the story leans hard into questions about childhood, isolation, and what happens when a tween's parents finally hand over a tablet. Then a hard pass: The Death of Robin Hood starring Hugh Jackman is a deeply cynical, blood-soaked reimagining where Robin Hood was never noble to begin with &mdash; "Graveheart" might be the more honest title. But there's a genuine recommendation in the mix: Young Washington from the Irwin brothers (the team behind Woodlawn and Jesus Revolution), a well-made historical drama about a young, unproven George Washington trying to earn the woman he loves and the respect of his country decades before the Revolution. Full reviews at pluggedin.com before you head to the theater this Fourth of July weekend.

Toy Story 5, Robin Hood Gets Dark & Young Washington with Adam Holtz

Jermaine Wilson learned how to be a father in prison. Born into a generational cycle of incarceration — his mother was 15 when she had her first child, his father in and out of his life — Jermaine committed his first crime at 12 and was sentenced to three years for drug possession at 20, leaving behind an eight-month-old son. Ahead of Father's Day, he shares with Brian From how Prison Fellowship's discipleship program and Angel Tree gift initiative became the turning point: a single Christmas present, delivered on his behalf by a local church, reconnected him with his son after months of silence and reopened a relationship he thought might be lost for good. Jermaine talks candidly about learning to depend on his Heavenly Father in order to become a present, prayerful father himself, and about his current work as Mission Ambassador for Prison Fellowship, advocating for second chances and ministering to incarcerated men and women across the country. His message to any dad who feels like he's already failed: God doesn't make mistakes, He makes miracles — and as long as you have breath, it's not too late to show up.

Jermaine Wilson learned how to be a father in prison. Born into a generational cycle of incarceration &mdash; his mother was 15 when she had her first child, his father in and out of his life &mdash; Jermaine committed his first crime at 12 and was sentenced to three years for drug possession at 20, leaving behind an eight-month-old son. Ahead of Father's Day, he shares with Brian From how Prison Fellowship's discipleship program and Angel Tree gift initiative became the turning point: a single Christmas present, delivered on his behalf by a local church, reconnected him with his son after months of silence and reopened a relationship he thought might be lost for good. Jermaine talks candidly about learning to depend on his Heavenly Father in order to become a present, prayerful father himself, and about his current work as Mission Ambassador for Prison Fellowship, advocating for second chances and ministering to incarcerated men and women across the country. His message to any dad who feels like he's already failed: God doesn't make mistakes, He makes miracles &mdash; and as long as you have breath, it's not too late to show up.

Guest: Chris Rice, Director of the Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office and Coauthor of "More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel" - August 9, 2021

The Common Good

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