The preaching ministry of Pastor Jesse Watkins, at Friendship Baptist Church of Concord, NC. You can find more information at www.concordfriendship.org.
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We are a Southern Baptist church that simply loves Jesus!
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Crossing Faiths is a podcast where people from diverse religious backgrounds openly discuss everything you're NOT supposed to discuss at the dinner table. Join hosts Jt Pinna, a career national security, international affairs, and D.C. insider, and Elliot Toman, a former media director in the Evangelical church, as they engage in lively conversations about the impact of faith on current events. Crossing Faiths also welcomes guests from various religious and experiential backgrounds to share ...
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In this podcast interview, John Pinna and Jack Jewell discuss several controversial topics related to gender, sexuality, and religion. They begin by analyzing the opening ceremony of the Olympics, which they view as promoting a "woke agenda" and queer aesthetics. The conversation then shifts to the issue of transgender athletes competing in women's…
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In this conversation, Jack Jewell and John Pinna discuss Islam, its place in Western societies, and the challenges of Muslim integration. They explore topics such as the diversity within Islam, the impact of post-colonial systems on Muslim-majority countries, and the struggle for Muslim identity in secular Western nations. Pinna, drawing from his e…
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In this interview, John Pinna and Jack Jewell discuss the complex and often contentious issues surrounding queer theory, LGBTQ+ identity, and the politicization of sexuality. Jewell, a gay man, critiques what he sees as the ideological capture of LGBTQ+ activism by queer theory and gender identity politics. He argues that these movements have stray…
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130: Jeff Mitchell: Putting the LORD on Trial
1:38:06
1:38:06
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Jeff Mitchell was raised in a Christian home but did not fully commit to Christianity until he decided to devote his life to Christ at the age of 16. For the next three decades, he studied the Bible intensively, believing it to be the Holy Inspired Word of God and a direct message from the one true deity. However, over time, Mitchell began to encou…
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In this interview, John Pinna speaks with Nicole Jansezian, a Christian journalist living in Jerusalem. They discuss Jansezian's journey from being an Italian-American New Yorker to marrying into the Armenian community in Jerusalem and her experiences as a religious minority in Israel. The conversation covers various topics including the diversity …
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In this podcast interview, John Pinna and George Sorial discuss current societal issues, focusing on divisiveness, extremism, and the erosion of traditional values. They express concern over recent protests involving flag burning and anti-American sentiment, questioning the motives and understanding of those involved. The conversation touches on th…
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John Pinna speaks with Josh Heath about Heathenry, a modern revival of Norse pagan religion. Heath discusses his personal journey to Heathenry, the beliefs and practices of the faith, including ancestor worship and the concept of fate, and how it differs from pop culture depictions of Norse mythology. He explains the community structure of Heathenr…
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Britt Hartley: No Nonsense Spirituality
1:06:46
1:06:46
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Brittney Hartley is an Atheist Spiritual Director through the Center of Nonreligious Spirituality. Her book is entitled No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools, No Faith Required. She has a Masters Degree in Theology with a focus in the Future of American Religion. In this podcast interview, John Pinna and Britt Hartley discuss Hartley's journey fr…
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In this episode of Crossing Faiths, host John Pinna interviews Fr. John Anderson about his recent article "Identifying Threats to the Republic." They discuss the concept of human dignity in relation to concerns about the American republic. Anderson argues that the U.S. has lost sight of individual human value, instead treating humanity as a commodi…
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In this interview, John Pinna speaks with Nury Turkel, a former commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), about his life experiences and work in promoting religious freedom globally. Turkel discusses his background as a Uyghur born in a re-education camp in China, his journey to the United States, and his advo…
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Soraya Ahmadyar: Faith, Family, and American Identity
42:43
42:43
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In this episode, John Pinna interviews Soraya Ahmadyar, a Muslim woman of Afghan descent living in California. They discuss Soraya's journey of faith, from growing up in a culturally Muslim family to embracing her Islamic identity as a young adult. Soraya shares her experiences balancing her Afghan heritage, American upbringing, and Muslim faith, p…
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In this episode, John and Elliot discuss the Biblical figure, Barabbas. During his brief appearance in all four canonical Gospels, Barabbas is presented as the anti-messiah that the people choose instead of Jesus. But John poses an interesting question: Was Barabbas the first recipient of Jesus' salvation? Join us as two thick-skinned friends from …
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Pinna and Elsanousi discuss how faith leaders and religious institutions can be assets in conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts around the world. They highlight examples where religious figures like the Pope and local faith actors have facilitated dialogue, mediation, and reconciliation in conflict-ridden areas. The conversation emphasizes …
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The conversation covers a range of themes and topics revolving around Jonathan Randall's identity as a Jewish comedian and activist advocating for Palestinian rights. Randall discusses the distinction he sees between Judaism and Zionism, criticizing the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians as a violation of Jewish values. He expresses sup…
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JT Pinna interviews Rabbi David Rosen. The conversation revolves around the Abrahamic Family House, a remarkable multi-faith complex in Abu Dhabi that houses a mosque, church, and synagogue side by side. Rabbi David Rosen, who serves as an advisor to the initiative, provides an in-depth overview of the complex, discussing its architectural design, …
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Breaking Cycles of Genocide: Rachel Miner, Bellwether International
42:53
42:53
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In the conversation, Rachel Miner discusses her organization Bellwether International, which focuses on disrupting the cycle of genocide and creating genocide-resistant societies. She explains their approach of combining top-down systems change with bottom-up grassroots resistance movements, empowering local "bellwethers" to lead peacebuilding effo…
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117: Luke Higuchi - The Unification Church
1:01:10
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More Information: Unification Church in Atlanta https://www.facebook.com/Atlantafamily English YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@lukehiguchi6044/videos YouTube Channel in Japanese https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBlyDjFRpM49u2L0JeY1icQ Special Guest: Luke Higuchi. Support Crossing FaithsBy John Pinna and Elliot Toman
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Practical Interfaith Engagement with Peter Henne
36:23
36:23
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In this interview, Peter Henne discusses his academic work on religion and conflict. He talks about his early involvement with the Pew Research Center's groundbreaking work on quantifying religious persecution globally. Henne reflects on the challenges of engaging with religion from a policy perspective, emphasizing the need for religious literacy …
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FBC Radio Edit Service Streamed on KYYK 98.3 10-11 AM April 28th, 2024By Friendship Baptist Church
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In this conversation, Congressman Frank Wolf discusses the current state of international religious freedom advocacy with John Pinna. Wolf expresses concern that religious leaders and faith communities are not speaking out and advocating for religious freedom as they did in the past, citing examples like Chuck Colson and Rabbi Saperstein. He calls …
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FBC Radio Edit Service Streamed on KYYK 98.3 10-11 AM April 21th, 2024By Friendship Baptist Church
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114: Dr. Daisy Khan: The Rise of Islamophobia
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This conversation between John Pinna and Dr. Daisy Khan explores the rise of Islamophobia in the United States, particularly in the wake of the October 9th attack. Khan explains how Islamophobia has manifested at both the individual and institutional levels, with Muslims facing discrimination, harassment, and even job loss for expressing their fait…
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A Christian and a Muslim talk religion & politics. In this episode, Elliot and John engage in a lively Easter-themed discussion when Elliot starts by posing the question: What to Muslims believe about the Resurrection? The conversation becomes tense at times as John wrestles with the validity of a God who would be willing to die, and Elliot struggl…
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In this interview, John Pinna and Lou Ann Sabatier discuss the importance of effective storytelling, particularly in the context of advocating for international religious freedom and persecuted communities. They explore the challenges facing journalists and content creators in an evolving media landscape, emphasizing the need for strategic, intenti…
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Minhdao Le: Vietnam and the Cao Dai Religion
1:28:55
1:28:55
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Minhdao Le is a third-generation practitioner of Cao Dai, a religious belief system from Vietnam. In this interview, Minhdao provides some insight into the beliefs of Cao Dai, and brings attention to what he describes as a communist government-led usurping of the religion that took place when the government officially "recognized" Cao Dai in 1997. …
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In this episode, John Pinna interviews Dr. John Andrew Morrow, a Muslim academic and author. Dr. Morrow shares his spiritual journey starting from a young age, studying various religious scriptures and ultimately embracing Islam after being deeply moved by the Quran. He highlights the pivotal role of the Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the mo…
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Salvador Litvak is a Hollywood film director who became the Accidental Talmudist after a little miracle launched him into seven years of daily Talmud study. Sal’s Accidental Talmudist platform reaches over a million followers in 70 countries and includes Talmud classes, Torah teachings, live shows, podcast, holiday programming, Israel education, an…
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Dr. James Tabor taught Christian origins and ancient Judaism at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for 33 years until retiring in 2022, serving as department chair for a decade and holding a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1981). Tabor has published 9 academic books and over 50 articles combining his textual research with archaeolo…
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Leray Heyne is the Founder and lead overseer of Windows of Heaven Jesus’ Storehouse and its three ministries: Jesus Christ’s CEOs, Jesus Christ’s CEOs Bible Institute, and Jesus Christ’s CEOs TV. (Source) Website: https://jcceos.com/ Support Crossing FaithsBy John Pinna and Elliot Toman
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The Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett is the Director of Cardus Faith Communities at Cardus, Canada’s faith-based think-tank. He also serves as Senior Fellow at the Washington, DC-based Religious Freedom Institute. He is an ordained deacon in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in the Eparchy (Diocese) of Toronto and Eastern Canada. Fr. Deacon Andrew served …
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Knox Thames is an international human rights lawyer, advocate, and author who has dedicated his career to promoting human rights, defending religious minorities, and combatting persecution. Known for his nonpartisan approach to advocacy, both the Obama and Trump administrations appointed Knox as the Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the N…
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Growing Deeper - Episode 3 - #BECOMING True Worshipers
22:20
22:20
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Growing Deeper - Episode 3 - #BECOMING True Worshipers by Friendship Baptist ChurchBy Friendship Baptist Church
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Sam Nagasaka: The Unification Church in Japan
42:10
42:10
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An interview from the IRF Summit with Sam Nagasaka, Secretary General of the Public Relations Committee for the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Sam shares his poignent personal story of the efforts his family in Japan made to deprogram him from association with the Unification Church and how this ultimately reinforced his connect…
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106: David Curry - Violence against religious minorities
50:00
50:00
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John Pinna interviews David Curry, head of Global Christian Relief and commissioner for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, about the state of international religious freedom. Curry asserts that conditions for religious liberty globally have never been worse, with more authoritarian regimes restricting access to religious texts …
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Aysha discusses her journey leaving Islam and becoming an atheist. She introducts the Ex-Muslims of North America (EXMNA) organization, where she began as a volunteer and now serves as Director of Operations. Aysha explains the restrictions she faced as a Muslim woman growing up in a traditional Pakistani household, including limited rights in marr…
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IRF Month begins with an interview with Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. Afterward, John and Elliot discuss youth involvement in the IRF movement. Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett serves as President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, established in 2008 to continue the legacy of…
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Adjudicating Islamic Law for Muslim Americans
55:21
55:21
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John Pinna interviews Sayyid M.B. Kashmiri, who represents the Grand Ayatollah Sistani in America. They discuss Sayyid's family lineage tracing back to Prophet Muhammad; his experience migrating from Iraq to Iran, Lebanon, and finally the U.S.; and his role leading the Imam Mahdi Association, which serves as Sistani's representative entity in North…
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In this discussion, Pinna continues sharing his perspective on issues with the international religious freedom (IRF) movement. He argues that IRF advocacy has become an "industry" dominated by a small group of organizations and leaders who control narratives and funding. Pinna questions the impact of high-profile IRF events like the annual Minister…
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In conversation with Fr. John Anderson, John Pinna discusses his extensive experience in the field of international religious freedom (IRF), beginning with the origins and impact of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act. He details his past advocacy work with the American Islamic Congress, including engaging in interfaith dialogue, advocatin…
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Growing Deeper - Episode 2 - God Is The Author Of Our Story
22:42
22:42
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Growing Deeper - Episode 2 - God Is The Author Of Our Story by Friendship Baptist ChurchBy Friendship Baptist Church
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Akiva Tor is the Ambassador of Israel to the Republic of Korea. In their wide-ranging discussion, Pinna and Tor touch on Israel's ongoing engagement efforts with Jewish communities worldwide, grappling with issues of pluralism and anti-Semitism, while also navigating complex relationships with the Vatican and varying Christian denominations. They d…
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The Political Perils of Biblical Archeology
51:50
51:50
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In this podcast conversation, host John Pinna interviews journalist and documentarian Simcha Jacobovici about his investigations into biblical archaeology and how he uses an investigative journalism approach to explore issues related to faith and history. They discuss several of Jacobovici's projects researching archaeological evidence related to J…
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John and Elliot discuss American televangelist Jimmy Swaggart's public confession of sin in the late 1980s, exploring ideas around repentance, forgiveness, and redemption in the evangelical Christian tradition. This leads to a broader discussion of theological perspectives on Christ's crucifixion and sacrifice, different interpretations of its mean…
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John Pinna engages in an illuminating discussion with Simon Billenness and Lucky Karim regarding the persecution faced by the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Simon provides historical context about the oppression and genocide endured by the Rohingya minority, while Lucky shares poignant personal anecdotes about her experiences as a Rohingya refugee, sh…
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Growing Deeper - Episode 1 - #Become by Friendship Baptist ChurchBy Friendship Baptist Church
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John and Elliot have a wide-ranging conversation touching on technology, cultural change, politics, education, immigration, religion, and more. They discuss how modern cars and devices constantly "ping" people with notifications and alerts, creating a sense of anxiety, versus the simplicity yet risk of vintage vehicles. This leads into a dialogue a…
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Episode 430 Of PLANTED - THE END AND FOREVER THEREAFTER (Rev 21 - 22)
9:43
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Episode 430 Of PLANTED - THE END AND FOREVER THEREAFTER (Rev 21 - 22) by Friendship Baptist ChurchBy Friendship Baptist Church
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Episode 429 Of PLANTED - Worshiping The KING OF KINGS (Rev 19.1 - 10)
5:41
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Episode 429 Of PLANTED - Worshiping The KING OF KINGS (Rev 19.1 - 10) by Friendship Baptist ChurchBy Friendship Baptist Church
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Episode 428 Of PLANTED - Watch Out Fro The Attractive Prostitute (Rev 17)
7:14
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Episode 428 Of PLANTED - Watch Out Fro The Attractive Prostitute (Rev 17) by Friendship Baptist ChurchBy Friendship Baptist Church
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Episode 427 Of PLANTED - Worship Preluding Bowls (Rev 15 - 16)
6:09
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Episode 427 Of PLANTED - Worship Preluding Bowls (Rev 15 - 16) by Friendship Baptist ChurchBy Friendship Baptist Church
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