Inverse Podcast

GazaCeasefirePilgrimage.com A Kiwi named James Harris set out with a mustard seed of faith and walked the length of Gaza to fundraise for relief and refugees while calling for a ceasefire. The next day he rang me (Jarrod) and asked if I would be interested in doing a walk too. I responded, “Mate, I think the world would be interested!” I picked up the phone and soon Lisa Sharon Harper, Suzan Wahhab, Mae Cannon, James Harris and I were all in tears. Not merely because of what is happening but of how the Holy Spirit is moving. GazaCeasefirePilgrimage.com was born. 2 weeks later, *12 counties • 77 cities* have signed up. Come join Dr Drew Hart as he facilitates us hearing the story, learning about the movement and responding to the invitation to transfigure our trauma and put our compassion into action for those who are suffering. The Global Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage Movement Founders: Suzan Wahhab shares the living faith of her ancestors, the First Christians, and is the President of Palestinian Christians in Australia. Suzan was born in Jerusalem and grew up in Ramallah before moving to Sydney, Australia where she is also a CPA and financial strategist. Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon is the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace, an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), and a well-respected North American voice, author and advocate in the Middle East and at home on justice, peacebuilding, and the Holy Land. Lisa Sharon Harper is a prolific speaker, award-winning author and internationally respected activist. Ms. Harper is the founder and president of FreedomRoad.us, a consulting group dedicated to shrinking the narrative gap in our nation by designing forums and experiences that bring common understanding, common commitment and common action. Australian pastor, social change educator and activist, Jarrod McKenna, has been described by Martin Luther King Jr’s co-worker, Rev. Jim Lawson, as “an expert in nonviolent social change.” Jarrod is the Founding Director of CommonGrace.org.au, a pastor with Steeple Church in Melbourne, and the co-founder of the InVerse Collective and Podcast with Dr Drew Hart. And missing but very much the holder of the “Mustard Seed” that started the movement… James Harris is a proud West Aucklander whose passion for empowering community-based advocacy has seen him relocate to Amman, Jordan and remote Western Australia. He is currently the Director of Strategic Projects with NAYBA Australia, where he is working on projects related to community sponsorship of refugees and young people in out-of-home care.

In this special Christmas episode of Inverse, Jarrod and Drew are joined by two incredible guests, Kelley Nikondeha and Jonathan Martin, as they engage in a spirited conversation that transcends the ordinary. Together, they explore the profound intersections of faith, justice, and the Christmas season, offering fresh perspectives on timeless themes.

In this episode of InVerse Podcast, we hear from Dr Byron Smith. Byron has fifteen years’ experience in pastoral ministry with local churches, and received honours degrees in theology, philosophy and literature. His PhD in theological ethics (University of Edinburgh) focused on emotional responses to climate change in the context of Christian identity. Byron has repeatedly put his body where his faith is and been involved in nonviolent direct actions against new coal projects and in support of people seeking asylum.

Rev Dr Munther Isaac (PhD, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies) is the academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College in Palestine and director of the “Christ at the Checkpoint” conference. He is also pastor of Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. He is the author of “From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth: A Christ-Centered Biblical Theology of the Promised Land”, “The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Hope and Lament” and “Christ and the Checkpoint: Blessed are the Peacemakers”

On this episode of the InVerse Podcast join us as we discuss with Safina Stewart and Gershon Nimbalker from CommonGrace.org.au the upcoming vote on 14th October to change Australia’s constitution to recognise First Nations Peoples and establish a Voice to Parliament. Safina Stewart is a proud Wuthithi and Mabuiag Island woman who grew up cross-culturally in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Safina is passionate about culture, education, the arts, justice and faith and is Common Grace's Relationships and Storytelling Coordinator. Safina lives with her family in regional Victoria on the lands of the Bunarong people.Gershon Nimbalker is the National Director of Common Grace and founder of Sojourners Social Change Consultants. He has more than 15 years of experience working in advocacy, policy and research, as well as leading and growing grass roots movements to campaign on issues of social justice. Gershon lives on the lands of Awabakal peoples in Newcastle, NSW with his young family.

In this episode of our series 'InVerse's Own: Voices From Our Community', we hear from Larissa Minniecon, Raisera McCulloch & Hannah Chapman as they explore how Indigenous women re-write, re-name and re-member our stories in a hostile environment, in the context of the [Australian] Referendum [on recognising the First Nations Peoples of Australia in the Constitution and establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament].

Noam Chomsky calls bestselling journalist Antony Loewenstein’s new book a “record of how ‘the light unto the nations’ became the purveyor of the means of violence and brutal repression from Guatemala to Myanmar and wherever else the opportunity arose”. Join us in conversation with Antony Loewenstein about the modern nation state of Israel, technology, militarisation, colonialism and how the Jewish and Christian Scriptures are [ab]used to support the business of dehumanisation & occupation.

“Walking the Red Road in an effort to decolonize and contextualize the Way of Jesus.”Join us for Sarah Quint! Sarah a citizen of the Mattaponi Nation of Tsenacommacah, Turtle Island (present-day eastern Virginia, USA). Her and her partner, Steve, pastor Monroe City Church in Monroe, MI (Potawatomi territory). She is a mother of two amazing boys, River and Reed. Sarah is a self-diagnosed nemophilist, because of her love for the forest, with a passion for plant knowledge and foraging. With the help of her Elders and the Great Spirit, Sarah has been walking the Red Road in an effort to decolonize and contextualize the Way of Jesus. These efforts have led to crafting songs in her Tribe’s traditional tongue, connecting to the land, creative writing, and oral storytelling. As she works towards reconnection in all 7 directions, Sarah is passionate about inviting others who feel disenfranchised along the way. She is proud to represent the long line of First Nations relatives who have been good hosts on their land. She is a board member of Monroe Puente, a nonprofit that works to make sure immigrants and migrant workers receive the welcome, dignity, and connections that they deserve. Wholeness to Sarah is when all creation has the freedom to live out their God-given purpose around the sacred hoop of life. Her daily prayer is, “May the Circle Be Unbroken.”

We’re continuing on with our latest series; Liberating Liturgies: Formation To Undo Domination. This week our guest is Terrance Hawkins. Terrance Hawkins is a follower of Jesus, a father, a son and practitioner of the Black Radical Church Tradition, and a life-long resident of Winston-Salem, NC. He has built in solidarity with his community as an organizer, pastor, and an artist for close to two decades. Terrance is the co-founder of a collective of local activists called the Drum Majors Alliance, the founder/director of Lit City (a youth development initiative), & currently serves as the co-director for the School of Love—an alternative spiritual community and cohort geared towards cultivating rhythms of radical discipleship. He co-authored the book “Liberating Church: A 21st Century Hush Harbor Manifesto.” In this series, we explore the witness of communal spiritualities that have provided an embodied Christ-like counter story to Christendom’s accommodation to domination, empire and colonisation. Much like our “Nonviolent Atonements” series, alongside exploring with surprising people how the Scriptures can turn our world upside down.

Join us in this special episode as we delve into the heart and soul of our incredible community. Inverse Podcast proudly presents "Inverse's Own: Voices From Our Community," where we turn the spotlight on members of our Inverse family. In this instalment, we're honoured to hear from Tamice Spencer-Helms.Tamice Spencer-Helms (she/her) has a passion for working with young adults and seeing them grow into themselves and thrive. In 2018 Tamice established the nonprofit Sub:Culture Incorporated, which seeks to remove social and economic barriers for black college students. An experienced scholar-practitioner, Tamice holds a Master of Arts in Contextual Outreach and Leadership from Wheaton College as well as a Masters of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological seminary. In her over 15 years of campus work, Tamice has served as the Director of Student Experience and Engagement at Virginia Union University, Associate Area Director of HBCU Planting and Strategy and has taught numerous undergraduate courses and workshops. Tamice is a Hip-Hop head, a true crime/documentary enthusiast, a pizza lover, and a coffee addict. Tamice lives in Richmond with her spouse Ellison and daughter Harlym.