CCDA Podcast

Alicia Eidson is joined by Dr. Amy Kenny to discuss Amy’s latest book, My Disability Is Divine: A Joyful Witness That Defies Ableist Nonsense. Amy shares what led her to write this book, how Scripture celebrates disabled bodyminds, and how the church can be more welcoming to those with disabilities.

Get a copy of My Disability is Divine wherever books are sold.

Amy Kenny, PhD, is a disabled scholar-practitioner and the founding director of the Disability Cultural Center at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., one of only a handful of such centers in the country. She is the award-winning author of My Body Is Not a Prayer Request, and her work on disability has appeared in Teen Vogue, Sojourners, HuffPost, Reader's Digest, and Shondaland. She also cofounded Jubilee Homes, a housing initiative for people experiencing homelessness.

Alicia Eidson has an Associate's degree in Human Services, a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development, and a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She and her husband started Renewing Hearts Inc. in 2005 and has had several years of Not-for-profit experience with many other DBA’s in the past.

She worked as a family and individual counselor for 13 years, a professor and instructor in California and Florida for almost 20 years, and is now running Ocean Waves Radio. Her heart and mind are passionate about being a place that can hire those with disabilities, especially those with visual impairment and total blindness. She herself is totally blind and has been for the past 45 years. She feels like she was so blessed to have had many who supported her physically and emotionally while she has traveled her journey. She has a heart for others who do not have the same opportunities due to different circumstances and backgrounds.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Rev. Rachel Pierce is joined by Susann Brown and Chief Adkins of the Chickahominy Indian tribe, and Chief Adams of the Upper Mattaponi Indian tribe. They share about their rich history, their relationship to the city and land of Richmond, and how they collaborate together to see their communities flourish.

The CCDA Conference is going to be in Richmond, VA from October 7-10, and we invite you to join us! Learn more at ccda.org/conference.

Visit http://chickahominytribe.org/ to learn more about Chickahominy Indian tribe.

Visit http://umitribe.org/ to learn more about the Upper Mattaponi Indian tribe.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

G. Tyler Burns is joined by Alethea Lamberson to share stories of hope and impact as young people encounter community building in their neighborhoods. They discuss Chasing Justice’s Pilgrimage Pop-Ups and how they are fostering imagination and connection with participants in their contexts.

Chasing Justice is going to be at the CCDA Conference this year! And you are invited to attend the Pilgrimage Pop-Up happening in Richmond! Visit chasingjustice.com to learn more and register.

G. Tyler Burns is a pastor, speaker, writer, and podcaster. He currently serves as the President of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, an organization founded to educate, encourage, and empower Black Christians to be free in soul and in body. He also co-hosts the organization’s flagship podcast Pass the Mic.

Alethea Lamberson is the co-host of The Roll Down podcast. She has spent a decade training campus ministry staff and students in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her commitment to scripture and her thoughtful reflections on sociocultural learning have made her an amazing facilitator of the justice journey.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Dr. Lorenzo A. Watson is joined by Elizabeth Perkins to discuss the history of Christian Community Development and share stories of some of the people and experiences that helped shape this work. Elizabeth also reflects on how CCD has shaped her life and ministry, and how she is carrying her father’s legacy forward.

Want to learn more about Christian Community Development? Join Lorenzo and Elizabeth for a free online training on September 2nd on practicing CCD. Learn more at https://www.citycollectiveseries.com/.

Elizabeth Perkins lives with a profound sense of calling shaped by her faith in Jesus Christ and a passion for justice, reconciliation, and discipleship. She often reflects on how God’s faithful hand has guided her steps, not simply for her journey, but to empower others to walk boldly in their purpose and become instruments of change in a broken world.

With over 25 years of ministry experience, Elizabeth has poured into the lives of both men and women, mentoring and guiding them in their spiritual, personal, and leadership development. She has a heart for equipping the next generation to rise with courage and conviction. As part of this work, she founded and led She-ciples, a discipleship group for teen girls focused on purity, purpose, and identity in Christ—demonstrating her commitment to nurturing young women with truth, grace, and love.

She aims to help future generations encounter and follow Jesus, becoming agents of hope, healing, and justice. Through her work at the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation, Elizabeth remains steadfast in her pursuit of biblical justice and reconciliation, believing that through Christ, lives—and communities—can be made whole.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Troy Jackson is joined by Rev. Traci Blackmon to discuss election protection, what it is and why it matters. They reflect on the importance of voting access and what a healthy, faithful culture of civic participation would look like in our communities.

Each August, we focus on civic engagement as a CCDA Family. Learn more about engaging with your local government at ccda.org/civic.

Learn more about The Faithful Witness Campaign at http://faithfulwitness.us/.

The Rev. Traci Blackmon is the former associate general minister of justice and local church ministries for the United Church of Christ, a position she held for eight years. She earned a bachelor of science in nursing from Birmingham-Southern College and a master of divinity degree from Eden Theological Seminary.

Blackmon’s work focuses on communal resistance to systemic injustice through the redemptive power of love. Her response in Ferguson, Missouri, to the killing of Michael Brown resulted in national and international recognition.

She was appointed to the Ferguson Commission by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships by President Barack Obama. She currently serves on the board of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference and was named among 15 “Faith Leaders to Watch” in 2020 by the Center for American Progress.

Learn more about Rev. Blackmon and her work at https://www.faithoutloud.org/.

Community organizer, pastor, leader and writer, Troy Jackson, has been with UNDIVIDED since its founding. He is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and earned his PH.D in U.S. history from the University of Kentucky.

Troy’s book Becoming King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Making of a National Leader (The University Press of Kentucky, 2008) explores the critical role the grassroots Montgomery Movement played in the development of Dr. King. His other publications include his work as an editor on The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. Volume VI: Advocate of the Social Gospel (September 1948-March 1963) (University of California Press, 2007). With their children grown, Troy and his wife moved to a cabin outside of Cincinnati, OH, with their two dogs, Pip and Pico.

Learn more about Troy and UNDIVIDED at http://undivided.us/.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Lawson Wijesooriya is joined by Dr. Danny Avula, the mayor of the city of Richmond, to discuss Christian Community Development in their city. They reflect on their history with CCD, how they are listening to the community, and how Dr. Perkins' legacy has shaped their lives, families, and vocations.

Join us in Richmond this October 7-10 for the CCDA Conference! Visit ccda.org/conference to learn more.

Each August, we focus on civic engagement as a CCDA Family. Learn more about engaging with your local government at ccda.org/civic.

Dr. Danny Avula took office as the 81st Mayor of the City of Richmond on January 1, 2025.

Before his election to public office, Danny served the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts for 12 years, including 6 years as its Director. There, he championed efforts to increase access to care for the most vulnerable residents of our community, prioritized the voices of those with lived experience, lifted up the intersection of housing and health, and addressed the root causes that shape health outcomes-especially poverty and race.

Born in Hyderabad, India, he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1979. A father of five, Danny and his wife, Mary Kay, have lived in Richmond's East End for over 20 years. Mary Kay is a teacher with Richmond Public Schools.

Click here to learn more about Danny.

Lawson Wijesooriya is the Chief of Staff for Richmond’s 81st Mayor, Dr. Danny Avula. Before leading his successful bid for mayor as campaign manager, Wijesooriya spent 15 years leading local non-profits—with a focus on strategy and community development—to serve some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. She graduated from the University of Virginia as a Phi Beta Kappa Jefferson Scholar and is a mother of two.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Sylvia Kamande is joined by Lisa Sharon Harper to discuss The Clearing. They reflect on this time of economic difficulty for many Black and Brown women, the toll that takes on their health and relationships, and the importance of moving forward in community. They also share about the preconference event The Clearing, happening on October 7, 2026, in Richmond, where women of color are invited to connect, learn, and grow together.

Click here to learn more about The Clearing and register for the CCDA Conference at http://ccda.org/conference.

Lisa Sharon Harper is the founder and president of Freedom Road, a groundbreaking consulting and communications group. Lisa is a theologian whose writing, speaking, activism, and training have sparked and fed the fires of re-formation in the church from Ferguson and Charlottesville to South Africa, Brazil, Australia, and Ireland. Having earned an MFA in playwriting from the University of Southern California and an MA in Human Rights from Columbia University, Lisa’s play An’ Push da Wind Down won the 1996 Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival Michael Kanin Award for Best Student Play and Best Production. Lisa’s book, Fortune: How Race Broke My Family And The World--And How To Repair It All was named 2022 “Book of the Year” by Word and Way. The Very Good Gospel was named 2016 “Book of the Year” by Englewood Review of Books. Lisa is host of the Freedom Road Podcast, cohost of The FOUR Podcast, and author of her Substack column, “The Truth Is…” The Huffington Post identified Lisa as one of 50 Women Religious Leaders to Celebrate on International Women’s Day. Lisa is currently earning her PhD in womanist ethics at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and serving as Affiliate Faculty at St. Stephen’s University in Canada. Learn more at https://lisasharonharper.com/.

Sylvia Kamande serves as Director of Family Ministry at Because Justice Matters, in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighbourhood. Originally from Kenya, she has spent more than 15 years in full-time ministry serving alongside diverse communities across Africa, Latin America, and the United States. She is a co-church planter with El Camino Covenant Church and co-leads the Women of Color Network within the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). Sylvia is passionate about equipping leaders, cultivating belonging, and creating healing-centered spaces where children, families, and communities can experience restoration and abundant life in Jesus.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Daniel Yang is joined by Liliana Reza to discuss their work at World Relief, share stories of migration, and reflect on walking alongside immigrants, refugees, and displaced people.

Learn more about World Relief and their work around the globe at http://worldrelief.org/. And check out the Faithful Witness Campaign at https://faithfulwitness.us/ for ways that you can get involved in your community.

Daniel Yang serves as the National Director of Churches of Welcome for World Relief. Prior to that, he was the director of the Church Multiplication Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. Daniel has been a pastor, church planter, engineer, and technology consultant. He has planted churches in Detroit, Dallas, Toronto, and Chicago, either as the lead planter or through recruiting, training, assessing, and mentoring church planters. Daniel is a sought-after conference speaker, missional strategist, consultant, and co-author of Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church (InterVarsity, May 2022) and Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders (Zondervan, October 2024).

Liliana Reza is the Director of Border Engagement at World Relief, where she advocates alongside refugees, immigrants, and displaced communities. An ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, she holds an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Nazarene Theological Seminary. Based in the San Diego-Tijuana region, Liliana is passionate about building bridges through faith, justice and community — often found exploring the borderlands or training for her next marathon.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Meghan Jackson is joined by Charles Cheek, Eddie Howard, and Meghann Cotter to share about the CCD work that is being done in Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg. They also share about their Go & Sees they’re hosting in October and how they’re beholding God with and in their communities.

Don’t miss the CCDA Conference in Richmond, Virginia, this October. Get into town early and experience one of the full-day Go & Sees happening on October 7th!

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Welcome to the CCDA Podcast. CCDA is a network of Christians committed to seeing people and communities experience God's shalom.

On this podcast, we don’t have formal interviews or “expert takes;” instead, we have honest, grounded conversations to help you feel less alone in the work and imagine faithful next steps in your own community.

You will hear conversations with practitioners, leaders, scholars, and neighbors who are living out Christian Community Development in real, contextual ways. Our guests draw from lived experience, sharing how faith and CCD are shaping how they are showing up in their context.

We hope you are encouraged and inspired by these conversations. Subscribe today.

Stephanie Ann Vander Lugt is joined by Amy Kuhl to discuss ecological discipleship and creation care. They share how they are caring for the environment with their communities, how creation care integrates with Christian Community Development, and practical ways for people to engage in caring for their environments.

Learn more about the Ecological Discipleship Network at http://ccda.org/ecological and don’t miss the CCDA Conference in Richmond, Virginia, to connect with other like-minded people.

Stephanie Ann is deeply committed to the intersection of justice, faith, healing, ecology, and personal and communal transformation. With a background in community development and violence prevention—including a decade of working with incarcerated women—she brings compassion and expertise to her work as a licensed clinician specializing in trauma recovery and holistic well-being. Stephanie is the cofounder and executive director of Kinship Plot, a community organization that envisions vibrant communities where people experience resonant relationships through stable housing, shared land stewardship, and creative, hospitable life together. She is also an ordained minister in the Presbytery of the Central Carolinas.

Amy moved to Seattle in October 2022 to manage World Relief’s Resiliency Programs, following her passion to support refugees and displaced people as they rebuild their lives and communities after crisis. She graduated from the University of Michigan with an M.A. in Liberal Studies focusing on gender and globalization, environmental studies, documentary film, and creative advocacy. Prior to her current role, Amy worked overseas in humanitarian aid for nearly a decade supporting displaced people across the world as they moved forward after war and disaster. Over her career she has lived, worked, and studied in 12 countries across five continents. A native of Michigan, Amy loves playing piano and soccer and enjoys being outside any chance she gets—especially if it involves windsurfing, skiing, paddleboarding, rock-climbing or gardening!

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

In this special episode, we are taking time to remember the life and legacy of Dr. John M. Perkins, one of the founders of the Christian Community Development movement.

Throughout this episode, you’ll hear from other founding leaders and friends who walked closely with him. These friends include Dr. Mary Nelson, Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Dr. Dolphus Weary, Dr. Wayne Gordon, and Dr. Kathy Dudley. They reflect on his life, his friendship, and how his legacy continues today.

Dr. Perkins showed us what it looks like to follow Christ in community. And as we listen, we are invited to consider what it means for us now, how we carry that witness forward together.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

A Rosa Mani Thomas se le unen Adriana De La Rosa, Clara D. Compean y Chris Ophus para reflexionar sobre sus experiencias como Micah Catalysts y compartir acerca de la Campaña del Testimonio Fiel. Comparten cómo están viendo a Dios obrar en sus comunidades, la belleza que perciben en sus contextos locales y aquello que les infunde esperanza en esta temporada.

Esta conversación se desarrolla íntegramente en español, como un ejercicio de escucha y solidaridad. Las Escrituras nos recuerdan que seguir a Cristo implica acercarse, escuchar y dejarse moldear por aquellas voces que, de otro modo, podríamos pasar por alto. Hemos tomado esta decisión de manera intencional, pues el lenguaje determina la forma en que se narran las historias y qué voces ocupan el centro de atención. Muchas personas en nuestras comunidades se ven obligadas a traducirse a sí mismas constantemente para poder ser comprendidas. Hoy, decidimos bajar el ritmo y escuchar de una manera diferente. Les invitamos a quedarse y acompañarnos, aun si la experiencia les resulta poco familiar. Asimismo, para aquellos a quienes les resulte de utilidad, ponemos a su disposición una transcripción en inglés aquí, para que puedan seguir la conversación.

Obtenga más información sobre la Campaña Faithful Witness de CCDA, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, World Relief, y Undivided en https://faithfulwitness.us/.

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Rosa Mani Thomas is joined by Adriana De La Rosa, Clara D. Compean, and Chris Ophus to reflect on their experiences as Micah Catalysts and share about the Faithful Witness Campaign. They share how they are seeing God move in their communities, the beauty they are seeing in their local contexts, and what is giving them hope in this season.

This conversation is entirely in Spanish, as a practice of listening and solidarity. Scripture reminds us that to follow Christ is to draw near, to listen, and to be formed by the voices we might otherwise overlook. We chose this intentionally because language shapes how stories are told and whose voices are centered. Many in our communities are constantly translating themselves to be understood. Today, we’re slowing down and listening in a different way. We invite you to stay, even if it feels unfamiliar. And for those who would benefit, an English transcript is available here so you can follow along.

Learn more about the Faithful Witness Campaign by CCDA, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, World Relief, and Undivided at https://faithfulwitness.us/.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Christina Foor is joined by Pastor Wilber Marenco, who shares his story of detention in the South Florida Detention Facility, also known as Alligator Alcatraz. He shares his story of migration, reflects on his church’s response in this moment, and how this experience of detainment has affected him, his family, and his community.

Learn more about Pastor Wilber’s detention here.

Learn more about The Faithful Witness Campaign and how you can get involved.

April 12-19, 2026 is Locked in Solidarity, as CCDA’s National Awareness & Action Week on Mass Incarceration. We invite you to join us by learning more and loving those affected by incarceration in your community. Then, we encourage you to courageously take a step to host awareness events and advocate for them in your spheres of influence. Learn more at ccda.org/lis.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Sam Heath is joined by Bianca Tylek of Worth Rises and Rev. Dr. Kevin Riggs of Franklin Community Church to discuss mass incarceration and CCDA’s Locked in Solidarity Week. They discuss the profitability of prisons, stories of people behind bars, and ways that we can get involved in this work.

Bianca Tylek is one of the nation’s leading experts on the prison industry, the author ofThe Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, and the Founder and Executive Director of Worth Rises, a national non-profit dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it touches.

Rev. Dr. Kevin Riggs (Pastor Kevin) has been the Senior Pastor of Franklin Community Church for more than thirty years. He is also the founder and Executive Director of Franklin Community Development and the Williamson County Homeless Alliance. All three organizations are located in Franklin, TN.

Sam Heath spent ten years teaching high school history before moving into the organizing and advocacy world with Equal Justice USA, a national nonprofit doing work on death penalty repeal, restorative justice, and community safety. He is the founder and Executive Director of The Commonwealth Justice Coalition. He and his wife Rachel have three energetic kids and still live in Charlottesville, VA.

Learn more about CCDA’s Locked in Solidarity Week and how you can get involved at ccda.org/lis.

References made in the episode:

• PPI’s Follow the Money article: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money2026.html
• Read Today! - The Best Day of My Life
• Learn about the End the Exception campaign

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

The Christian Community Development Association began with a group of Christians who shared a common commitment to live out the love of Christ in marginalized communities, not from a distance, but in proximity, and as neighbors. Dr. John M. Perkins has been called the Moses of the movement, living out Christian Community Development before there was an association or a philosophy.

Dr. Perkins passed away on March 13, 2026, at the age of 95. Throughout his life, he encouraged and inspired countless people to live a life of reconciliation, justice, and restoration.

In this episode, we will share audio from a Bible Study that Dr. Perkins led in 2009 about 1 John 2-3. During this session, he encouraged us to receive the grace of God, to love others, and to count it all joy during trials. We hope that you are encouraged and inspired by his call to love God and love our neighbors.

Learn more about the John and Vera Mae Perkins Foundation at http://jvmpf.org/ and read a tribute to Dr. Perkins on the CCDA blog https://ccda.org/a-tribute-to-dr-john-m-perkins/.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Scott Overpeck is joined by Pastor Nathan Walton and Marti Williams to share about Richmond, Virginia. They reflect on how churches and nonprofits are collaborating, the importance of telling the truth, and how God is moving in Metro Richmond.

Nathan Walton (PhD, University of Virginia) is a pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church and serves at East End Fellowship in Richmond, Virginia. He also hosts the East End Fellowship Podcast and is the author of the forthcoming book, "Embodying God's Multiethnic Kingdom: Live Out the Diversity of Heaven Every Day." As a graduate of Duke Divinity School and former board chair of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Nathan offers consulting, coaching, and trainings for faith-based organizations. He and his wife, Diamond, have two daughters and live in Richmond, Virginia.

Marti Williams has lived in the Metro Richmond, VA area her entire life and moved to Southern Barton Heights in Richmond’s Northside in 2005. Louis joined her as the other half of her pair (See Luke 10:1) after they married in December 2008. Since then, they have lived and served their beloved community in the Northside of Richmond, VA, for 20 years before moving to Midlothian, VA in December 2024. Marti has 20+ years of experience in retail and human resources management in Fortune 50, 100, and 500 companies. She’s the cofounder and president of Into The Neighborhood, a local 501c3 nonprofit, and is certified in Christian Community Development with CCDA, Certified BALM Family Recovery Life Coach and Facilitator, and has her certification with NonProfit Learning Point.

Learn more about the CCDA Conference and CCDA members can register today to secure the lowest rate.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Dr. Lorenzo A. Watson is joined by Wayne “Coach” Gordon to reflect on the history of CCDA and the CCD Philosophy. Coach shares his story and how he got involved in CCDA, the history of the CCD Philosophy, and how he’s seeing God move in his neighborhood in North Lawndale.

Wayne Gordon is a graduate of Wheaton College and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1975 Wayne moved to North Lawndale, located on Chicago’s Westside. At that time, North Lawndale was the 15th poorest neighborhood in the U.S. He was a teacher and coach at Farragut High School, also located in North Lawndale. Wayne and his wife Anne have raised their three adult children: Angela, a graduate of Taylor University, Married to Nate George, lives in Chicago and is a school teacher; Andrew a graduate of Baylor University and a trader with the Chicago Board of Trade, married to Stacy, and Austin graduate of Azusa Pacific University, living and working in New York City. Wayne and Anne, along with some local high school students, founded the Lawndale Community Church. Today, LCC has over 1000 worshipping families and Wayne continues as Pastor Emeritus.

Dr. Lorenzo A. Watson serves as the CEO/President for the Christian Community Development Association, headquartered in Chicago, IL. He is an experienced community development professional; a leader, teacher, and scholar who has long centered his work at the intersections of wholeness, education, and Biblical justice.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Michelle Ferrigno Warren is joined by Joshua Park of Genesis Church of Fayetteville to reflect on their experience in CCDA’s Flourishing Congregations Initiative and how God is moving in the city. They share about what loving mercy and doing justice looks like and how cultivating partnerships in the city helps the church move from doing community outreach to community development.

Learn more about CCDA’s Flourishing Congregations Initiative at http://ccda.org/fci.

Michelle Ferrigno Warren is the President of Virago Strategies, a consulting group which provides strategic engagement and project management support for churches and non-profits stepping more deeply into the work of public justice. She has been working in Christian community development for over 30 years utilizing her skills as an educator, worship leader, non-profit manager, public policy specialist & faith-rooted organizer & activist. She is an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary and a Senior Fellow with The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute. She is a fierce advocate for justice and has shared much of her journey toward civic engagement and activism in her books, The Power of Proximity, Moving Beyond Awareness to Action, IVP 2017, and Join the Resistance, Step Into the Good Work of Kingdom Justice, IVP, 2022.

Joshua Park is the Director of Outreach and Worship at Genesis Church of Fayetteville, where he has served for the past three years helping lead dignity-first, asset-based community development rooted in an Imago Dei theology. In his role, Joshua helps translate conviction into strategic practice—building relational pathways that strengthen neighborhoods through uniting and mobilizing churches, non-profit service providers, and government entities to support people in moving from vulnerability to stability and freedom. Originally from Memphis, Josh earned a B.A. in English from the University of Memphis and spent a number of years living abroad teaching English in multiple countries. His commitment to community development began in college and has taken many forms throughout his life. After battling addiction in his own life for 25 years—and experiencing poverty and homelessness firsthand—Joshua found freedom in Christ and a clear calling to invest in others seeking their own way out.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at http://ccda.org/. Connect with CCDA on Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Pastor Artie M. Lindsay, Sr. shares about the 2025 CCDA Conference theme verse, Zechariah 8:12. He unpacks the six sections of this passage, explores some of what Shalom means for us today, and challenges us to continue sowing peace no matter the situation. Be encouraged and inspired by Pastor Artie’s word as you pursue Shalom with and in your community.

This audio is from the first plenary session at the 2025 CCDA Conference. For the full audio from this and other plenary sessions, along with this year’s workshops, visit the CCDA store.

Pastor Artie M. Lindsay, Sr, has served Tabernacle Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI, since its inception in 2002, where he is the Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Board President of the Grand Rapids Nehemiah Project, the church's 501 c(3) organization. Since 2023, he has also led the work at the Urban Church Leadership Center, a catalytic hub that unites, trains, and resources faith leaders driving transformative change and fostering community flourishing. Committed to the holistic mission of the church, Pastor Artie is driven by his desire to unite and empower Christian leaders across denominations, ethnic backgrounds, and vocational sectors to live a more integrated life of work, worship, and service for the glory of God. He is married to Raquel and they have three children, Artie Jr., Victoria, and Alysa.

Connect with CCDA on Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.