Timely Resources

A list of resources on contemporary conversations facing churches, church leaders, and other Christ-followers today. Some of these materials come from our colleagues and platforms, while others come from a broader circle of leaders and sources. As we continually add to this collection, we hope you will find resources that help you engage meaningfully with your congregations, your communities, and with our culture at large.

CLICK TO VIEW: ANTI-RACISM | COVID-19

FROM THE SIBURT INSTITUTE OR ACU

• Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action | Jerry Taylor, Founding Director

  Numerous and continuous resources and events | Follow on Facebook

• You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught | Beth Ann Fisher

  Article | Siburt Institute | January 13, 2021

• Scriptures and Race | Dr. Vincent L. Wimbush

  Webinar | Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts (CSART) | November 12, 2020

• Treating the Root of Racism | Racial Unity Leadership Summit

  Event Videos | Sponsored by the ACU Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action and hosted by the Minneapolis Central Church of Christ | October 24, 2020

• A Christian Response to White Supremacy: Where Do We Go From Here; Chaos or Community? | Multiple Presenters

  Web Event Recordings and Resources | ACU Summit | September 21, 2020

• Beloved Community: Overcoming the Obstacle of Racism | Lawrence W. Rodgers, Randy Harris, Carson Reed

  Webinar Recordings and Resources | Siburt Institute | June 16, 2020

• Letters of Conscience to the Churches in America: A Courageous Christian Response to White Supremacy | Multiple Contributors

  PDF Download | Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action | June 11, 2020

• Community Rally and Press Conference: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 | Multiple Speakers

  Event Recordings | Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action | June 7, 2020

• Pandemic and Protest: Musings on the Lord’s Prayer | Carson Reed

  Article | Siburt Institute | June 3, 2020

• Songs of Sorrow, Songs of Joy: Seeking Racial Unity and Justice | Multiple Presenters

  Event Recordings | ACU Summit | September 16, 2019

• Why Courage Matters! | Jerry Taylor

  Event Recording | Siburt Institute | August 29, 2019

• Racial Wholeness Pathway | Multiple Presenters

  Event Recordings | ACU Summit | September 18, 2018

  • The Christian Possession of Tools of Violence | Walter Taylor and Matthew Worthington

  • Niebuhr/Bonhoffer and the Personal Use of Violence | Darrell Wesley and Chris Dowdy

  • A Christian Critique of David Walker’s Appeal | Brandon Jones and Alvin Curette

• Reconciliation Reconsidered: Advancing the Conversation on Race in Churches of Christ | Tanya Brice

  • ACU Summit Sessions | Part 1 and Part 2 | September 18-19, 2017

  • Book | ACU Press | June 2016

• Black Rage: A Contemporary Christian Conversation (Video) | Steven Moore and Randy Harris

  Accompanying Reading List (PDF) | Steven Moore

  Siburt Institute | September 9, 2016

• Shattering the Illusion: How African American Churches of Christ Moved from Segregation to Independence | Wes Crawford

  Book | ACU Press | April 2013

FROM BEYOND ACU

• 7 Things White Christians Can Do to Address White Supremacy at Church | Robert P. Jones

  Article | Religion News Service | October 15, 2021

• Jemar Tisby: How to Fight Racism | Jemar Tisby and Luke Norsworthy

  Podcast | Newsworthy With Norsworthy | January 11, 2021

• Illustrated Bible Poems | Brian Dewayne | Book

• Racial Reconciliation May Not Be What You Think It Is | Rich Villodas

  Article | Missio Alliance | October 10, 2016

• Sean Palmer: Selfishness, Economics, and Race | Luke Norsworthy with Sean Palmer

  Podcast | Newsworthy with Norsworthy | June 22, 2020

• Racism and the Stone-Campbell Movement: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 | Wes Crawford

  Article Series | Wineskins | June 16-29, 2020

• The Myth of White Superiority: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 | Jonathan Storment

  Article Series | Wineskins | June 16-24, 2020

• Undermining Racism (Video and Text) | N.T. Wright

  Wycliffe Hall | June 13, 2020

• Black Man in a White Man's Territory | Tryce Prince

  Article Series | The Front Porch | February 25 - May 13, 2020

• Slavery’s Long Shadow: Race and Reconciliation in American Christianity | James L. Gorman, Jeff W. Childers, and Mark W. Hamilton (Editors)

  Book | Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. | February 2019

• I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness | Austin Channing Brown

  Book | Convergent Books | May 2018

COVID-19

FROM THE SIBURT INSTITUTE OR ACU

• Did God Give Me COVID? | Adam Daniels

  Article | Siburt Institute | September 7, 2021

• Adaptive Leadership for an Innovative Church | Scott Cormode, Randy Harris, Carson Reed

  Webinar | Siburt Institute | February 9, 2021

• Reimagining Discipleship in a Time of Transition | Mark Powell, John Mark Hicks, Greg McKinzie, Randy Harris, Carson Reed

  Webinar Recordings | Siburt Institute | December 8, 2020

• Ministerial Self-Care in a Time of Pandemic | Chelsie Sargent, Randy Harris, Carson Reed

  Webinar Recordings and Resources | Siburt Institute | November 17, 2020

• Religious Services in the Age of COVID-19 | Suzie Macaluso, Randy Harris, Carson Reed

  Article | Siburt Institute | November 19, 2020

• Be the Church: An Onsite and Online Congregational Initiative for COVID-19 and Beyond | Eric Gentry

  Article | Siburt Institute | September 8, 2020

• When the Main Dish Is Delayed, the Party Must Go On | Eric Gentry

  Article | Siburt Institute | August 13, 2020

• Church in the Time of COVID-19: Findings From a National Survey | Suzie Macaluso

  Article Series | Siburt Institute | August 11 - September 1, 2020

• Congregational Response to COVID-19 | Suzie Macaluso, Randy Harris, Carson Reed

  Webinar Recordings | Siburt Institute | August 11, 2020

• Impact of COVID-19 on Churches | Suzie Macaluso, Renee Paul, Carson Reed

  Webinar Recording | Siburt Institute | July 30, 2020

• Faithful and Flexible: Flourishing Congregations in Times of Transition | Multiple Presenters

  Webinar Recordings | Siburt Institute | July 30, 2020

• Courage, Prayer, and Hope | Carson Reed

  Article | Siburt Institute | July 24, 2020

• The Common Life of the Scattered Church | Amanda Pittman, Randy Harris, Carson Reed

  Webinar Recordings | Siburt Institute | July 21, 2020

• Pandemic and Protest: Musings on the Lord’s Prayer | Carson Reed

  Article | Siburt Institute | June 3, 2020

• Back to Normal or Toward New Possibilities | Carson Reed

  Article | Siburt Institute | May 26, 2020

• The Complex Questions of Reopening After COVID-19 | Eric Gentry

  Article | Siburt Institute | May 5, 2020

• For Elders Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Coronavirus Brought You a Gift | Amanda Box

  Article | Siburt Institute | May 4, 2020

• COVID-19: A Lament | Steven Brice

  Article | Siburt Institute | April 28, 2020

• Pastoral Navigation | Gabe Fisher

  Article | Siburt Institute | April 23, 2020

• The Future is Coming Quickly | Carson Reed

  Article | Siburt Institute | April 14, 2020

• On Death, COVID 19, and Easter | Eric Gentry

  Article | Siburt Institute | April 13, 2020

• A Prayer Guide for the Overlooked | Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action

  PDFs of Emails | Carl Spain Center | April 9 - May 11, 2020

  • Prayers for the Overlooked

  • Communities of Color

  • Urban Low-Income Communities

  • Rural Low-Income Communities

  • Indigenous Communities and Reservations

  • U.S.-Mexico Border Camps and Immigration Centers

• Who You Callin’ “Non-Essential”? | Drew Baker

  Article | Siburt Institute | April 6, 2020

• Stock Up on Hand Sanitizer, Toilet Paper, and Your Crisis Communication Plan | Amanda Box and Isabelle Box

  Article | Siburt Institute | April 3, 2020

• Leading Your Church Through the Pandemic | Jason Locke

  Article | Siburt Institute | March 26, 2020

• Randy Harris at ACU Chapel | Randy Harris

  Video | Abilene Christian University | March 25, 2020

• The Complexity of COVID-19 for Churches | Eric Gentry

  Article | Siburt Institute | March 12, 2020

• Comfort When the Shadow Falls: Encouraging the Dying and Those Affected by Grief | Eddie Sharp and Cheryl Mann Bacon

  • Event Recordings | ACU Summit | September 2019

  • Book | Leafwood Publishers | February 2019

• Preaching Through Pain: A Contemporary Christian Conversation | Mike Cope and Randy Harris

  Video | Siburt Institute | May 30, 2017

FROM BEYOND ACU

• 12 Traits of Churches Doing Well During the Pandemic | Thom S. Rainer

  Article | Church Answers | September 20, 2021

• Ted Lasso, Mr. Rogers, and Christian Leaders in an Unhinged World | Scott Sauls

  Article | Scott Sauls’s Blog | September 18, 2021

• Considerations for Communities of Faith | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

  Web Resources | CDC | Updated Regularly

• A New Relationship With Time | Alaina Kleinbeck

  Article | Faith & Leadership | May 4, 2021

• From Isolation to Invitation: A Two-week Guide for Retreat in a Time of Quarantine

  Blog Series | SentWell | Unknown Date

• Helping Christians With Mental Health Issues Starts With Better Language | John Swinton

  Article | Faith & Leadership | November 24, 2020

• What's a Church to Do? Dealing With Conflict During a Pandemic | Leanna K. Fuller

  Article | Faith & Leadership | September 29, 2020

• Church After COVID – Why Bother Going Back? | Carmen Joy Imes

  Article | Christianity Today | September 28, 2020

• How Poetry Can Help Kids – and All of Us – Practice Lament | Amy Peterson

  Article | Faith and Leadership | September 15, 2020

• N.T. Wright: God and the Pandemic | Luke Norsworthy with N.T. Wright

  Podcast | Newsworthy with Norsworthy | June 15, 2020

• Resuming Care-filled Worship and Sacramental Life and Reanudando El Culto Cristiano Y La Vida Sacramental Con Medidas Preventivas Durante Una Pandemia | The Ecumenical Consultation on Protocols for Worship, Fellowship, and Sacraments

  PDF Downloads | Ministry Matters | June 8, 2020

• The New Normal … Ain’t Going to Be Normal | Reggie McNeal

  Document | Reggie McNeal | May 24, 2020

• Caring for Souls in a New Reality | Multiple Presenters

  Webinar Recording | Barna Group | May 20, 2020

• When Your Church Reopens, Here’s How to Meet Safely | Daniel P. Chin

  Article | Christianity Today | May 6, 2020

• Spiritual First Aid: Church Leaders on What the Church Needs Now | Jamie Aten and Kent Annan

  Article | Christianity Today | May 5, 2020

• Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every Organization Is Now a Startup | Andy Crouch, Kurt Keilhacker, and Dave Blanchard

  Essay and Podcast | The Praxis Journal | April 28, 2020

• Ten Steps for Reopening Children’s Ministry and Reopen Children’s Ministry Now? A Frank Discussion | Shannon Rains

  Articles | The Confident Kid Ministry | April 24-28, 2020

• CARES Act and FFCRA Resources | Church Law & Tax | April 1-2, 2020

  • An Overview of the CARES Act for Churches | Richard R. Hammar

  • Churches and the CARES Act: Helping Congregations and Employees Weather the Cash Crunch | Church Law & Tax and West Insurance Services

  • How Churches Can Apply for the Paycheck Protection Program | Ted Batson

  • Your Church Can Be Reimbursed for Mandated Sick Leave Pay | Donn Meindertsma and Danny Miller

  • How New FMLA Changes Will Affect Churches During the Coronavirus Outbreak | Danny Miller and Donn Meindertsma

• What Churches Should Know About the Stimulus Law | Harold Loftin

  Podcast | Stetzer Leadership Podcast | March 30, 2020

• Christianity Offers No Answers About the Coronavirus. It's Not Supposed To | N.T. Wright

  Article | Time | March 29, 2020

• Getting Cash For Your Small Business Through The CARES Act | Brian Thompson

  Article | Forbes | March 29, 2020

• Rise of the Microchurch | Rob Wegner, Ralph Moore, and Daniel Yang

  Webinar and Resources | Exponential | March 24, 2020

• Leading Through Loss During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Part 1, Part 2 | Pete Scazzero

  Podcasts | Emotionally Healthy Disciple | March 24, 2020

• Encouragement for Pastors and Church Leaders | Max Lucado

  Video | March 20, 2020

• Feed Your Faith, Not Your Fears and related Bible study | Max Lucado

  Video | Max Lucado | March 18, 2020

• Preaching Online in Anxious Times | Bob Turner with Jim Martin

  Video | Harding School of Theology | March 18, 2020

• NIH Director: “We’re on an Exponential Curve”: Francis Collins Speaks About the Coronavirus, His Faith, and an Unusual Friendship | Francis Collins and Peter Wehner

  Article | The Atlantic | March 17, 2020

• Christians and the Coronavirus: Prepare to Lose | Leonard J. DeLorenzo

  Article | Our Sunday Visitor | March 13, 2020

• The 20-Second Gift of Washing Your Hands | Kara K. Root

  Article | Faith and Leadership | March 12, 2020

• Preparing Your Church for Coronavirus (COVID-19): A Step-By-Step, Research-Informed and Faith-Based Planning Manual | Jamie Aten and Kent Annan

  PDF | Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College | Original publication date unclear; likely March 2020