Sami Awad serves as Co-Director of Nonviolence International. He is based in Bethlehem, Palestine where he has been a leading advocate of nonviolent resistance to occupation and inspirational leader for building a shared future of Palestinians and Israelis based on equality and human rights.  Sami founded the Holy Land Trust in 1995 to work for a nonviolent future of Palestinian justice. At Nonviolence International, Sami leads our training and education programs on nonviolence that includes a focus on trauma resilience and leadership development.  He also leads our communications and development departments.  He is a graduate of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Department of the American University School of International Service. He is an author and well known inspirational speaker in many venues around the world.

His new book is: "The Sacred Awakening: Reclaiming Christ Consciousness".

Learn More at: www.nonviolenceinternational.net

Check out the update video on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/xmxGi_7NOzg?si=l9FPcE7dfWUtPrFN

From all of us at Spirituality Adventures:

Thanks for listening and watching and your continued and new support of Spirituality Adventures!

We couldn't do it without you!

Be sure to share, like, subscribe and become a supporter at:

www.spiritualityadventures.com

We are excited for what is to come!

In this episode Fred interviews Dr. Shaleen Kendrick, the creator of the cutting-edge Neuro-Relational Leadership™ model, which merges neuroscientific understanding with Enneagram wisdom to create cultures where humans can grow, thrive, and evolve. Shaleen's aim is to contribute to humanity's forward momentum by helping the integration of humanity’s three intelligence centers—mental (mind), instinctual (body), and emotional (spirit)—in unique ways and with interdisciplinary insights. This interdisciplinary model can be practically applied across various contexts to create growth and emergent abilities in individuals, organizations, and societal systems. NRL™ creates dynamic balance, adaptive functioning, and new emergent ability.

https://www.shaleenkendrick.com/

https://www.nrintegration.com/

Fred again welcomes lawyer Andrea Martinez from Netflix’s “Living Undocumented” who is passionate about the biblical mandate to care for immigrants. Andrea earned her law degree from American University in Washington, DC. She is founder of Martinez Immigration Law which focuses exclusively on providing high quality, honest legal representation for immigrants. Andrea sees her work as a ministry and a calling from God, and her story is truly compelling. Listen to this brand new interview as Andrea again shares her hope and passion for a group of people who are special to the heart of God.

https://www.martinezimmigration.com/

Living Undocumented Documentary:

https://youtu.be/WSGBP-Z4UXI?si=MP7Bo7gtW1GAqYGP

AIRR

https://airrkc.org/

Become A Patron: https://patron.podbean.com/spiritualityadventures

In the episode Fred interviews author and coach, Dave Lundgren, author of the book: "An Answer: Where Science and Spirituality Converge in the Truth".

https://www.facebook.com/davelundgren.connect

Bradley Jersak is an author and teacher based in Abbotsford, BC. He currently serves as the Principal of St. Stephen’s University (SSU.ca) in New Brunswick, where he continues as the Dean and faculty member of SSU’s School of Theology & Culture. He also teaches peace studies courses with JFI.SSU.ca and is a regular Open Table Conference crew lecturer. He is also part of the Plain Truth Ministries team, where he serves as Pastoral Scholar. He writes, edits, and does layout for CWR magazine, CWR press, and the CWRm blog. Through his books and seminars, Brad shares the good news that God is Love, perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ, and that God’s love heals wounded hearts and empowers us to heal this broken world.

Resources:

1. Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies - by David P. Gushee

https://a.co/d/j92Sl1j

2. The Anabaptist Story - by William R. Estep

https://a.co/d/35cKkjh

3. Renaissance and Reformation - by William R. Estep

https://a.co/d/hMsTfuG

In this episode, Fred interviews Progressive Christian Pastor Josh Scott https://www.joshscott.co/ , author of Parables: Putting Jesus's Stories in Their Place, and Cross - Examined: Reading the Bible in Times of Division.

Josh (he/him) has been a pastor for more than two decades. He currently serves as the Lead Pastor at GracePointe Church https://www.gracepointe.net/ in Nashville. The focus of his work is reimagining, reframing, and reclaiming faith through a Progressive Christian lens. You can read his latest thoughts at https://www.joshscott.online/. He lives near Nashville with his wife, Carla, and five kids.

#progressivechristianity

#postevangelical

#religioustrauma

#christiannationalism

#lgbtqchurch

In this episode, Fred interviews Executive Director of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians: Brian Ellison.

https://www.covnetpres.org/

Brian Ellison has served since 2012 as Executive Director of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, leading its mission of strengthening the Church through equipping and engagement, advocating and educating for the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church’s life and leadership.

Brian also serves as stated clerk of the Synod of Mid-America. He has served previously as pastor of Parkville Presbyterian Church (near Kansas City, Missouri) and as stated clerk of Heartland Presbytery. He has previously served the national Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in numerous roles, including as moderator of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission, the Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment and the Stated Clerk Review/Nomination Committee. His writing on matters of faith and theology has appeared in numerous church and independent publications. A graduate of Harvard University and Princeton Theological Seminary, Brian also is host/contributor at NPR affiliate KCUR-FM. He and his partner, Troy Lillebo, live in Kansas City with their two dogs, the recalcitrant Willoughby and the dopey Sage.

Brian is available for working with congregations, councils and groups of interested Presbyterians about inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people, fostering and navigating difficult conversations, organizing and advocating for transformation, and on the Covenant Network of Presbyterians and its mission. Contact him at brian@covnetpres.org.

Helpful Resources from this Episode:

1. God and the Gay Christian - Matthew Vines: https://a.co/d/aUyGsxo

2. Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships - James V. Brownson: https://a.co/d/7THPlNT

3. The Bible's Yes to Same-Sex Marriage: An Evangelical’s Change of Heart - Mark Achtemeier: https://a.co/d/ci0SlpD

4. Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgendered Christians - Austen Hartke: https://a.co/d/iLfYsNi

In this episode, Fred interviews author, pastor, and political director of Vote Common Good: Robb Ryerse. 

https://www.robbryerse.com/

https://www.votecommongood.com/

https://www.thegospelaccordingtodonaldtrump.com/

After pastoring in fundamentalist churches for a decade, in 2006, Robb and his wife Vanessa co-founded Vintage Fellowship in Fayetteville Arkansas. He retired from pastoral ministry in 2021.

Robb is the Political Director of Vote Common Good.

​Vote Common Good urges religiously-motivated voters to use the common good as their primary voting criterion. Vote Common Good trains Democratic candidates to speak authentically about their faith and about how political issues are connected to progressive faith.

​In 2018, Vote Common Good went on a 31-stop bus tour urging religiously-motivated to help flip the House. In 2020, Vote Common Good went to all 50 states asking people to bring change to politics through faith, hope, and love.