Conversing with Mark Labberton

• Violence Against the Poor, with Gary Haugen

  How can we  address the problem of violence against the poor? International Justice Mission exists to answer this question by protecting and rescuing victims, bringing criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, and helping local law enforcement build a safe future that lasts. In this episode, International Justice Mission’s founder and CEO, Gary Haugen, joins Mark Labberton to reflect on almost three decades of IJM’s fight against violence and slavery worldwide—and the spiritual formation that sustains it. Haugen shares the origins of IJM in response to systemic violence against the poor, the evolution from individual rescues to transforming justice systems, and the remarkable rise of survivor leaders transforming their own nations. Together they reflect on courage, joy, and faith amid immense risk—bearing witness to God’s power to bring justice and healing through ordinary people. Episode Highlights “Protecting the poor from violence is God’s weight, but it’s our work, and we're gonna seek to do it Jesus's way.” ”In this era, I just think what the world is aching to see is the followers of Jesus who have a incandescent freedom from fear and a life-giving joy.” “Most of this violence will go away if government does just even a decent job of enforcing the law.” “Our first commitment is to help each other become more like Jesus—and from that strength, to do justice.” “The greatest miracle of IJM is not only the results—it’s the freedom from fear and the joy with which they’ve done it.” “God saw them in their darkness, and they now testify to the goodness of an almighty God who loved them.” Helpful Links and Resources International Justice Mission – https://www.ijm.org Gary Haugen, The Locust Effect: Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence – https://www.amazon.com/Locust-Effect-Poverty-Requires-Violence/dp/0199937877 Gary Haugen, Just Courage: God's Great Expedition for the Restless Christian – https://www.amazon.com/Just-Courage-Expedition-Restless-Christian-ebook/dp/B001PSEQR4 Riverside Church Sermon by Martin Luther King Jr., “Beyond Vietnam” — https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/beyond-vietnam William Lloyd Garrison biography – https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Lloyd-Garrison Rwanda Genocide Investigation (UN Historical Overview) – https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda About Gary Haugen Gary Haugen is the founder and CEO of International Justice Mission (IJM), the world’s largest international anti-slavery organization. Before founding IJM in 1997, he served as the director of the United Nations’ investigation into the Rwandan genocide and previously worked at the US Department of Justice, focusing on police misconduct. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago Law School, Haugen has dedicated his life to ending violence against the poor and mobilizing the global church for justice. Show Notes The founding of IJM in 1997 as a Christian response to violence against the poor Gary Haugen’s formative experience directing the UN’s genocide investigation in Rwanda Realization that hunger and disease were being addressed—but violence was not Early cases in the Philippines, South Asia, and Peru exposing police-run brothels and child slavery IJM 1.0: rescuing individuals from slavery and abuse, case by case IJM 2.0: strengthening local justice systems to prevent violence before it happens Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Jericho Road” as a model for systemic transformation Formation of small multidisciplinary teams—lawyers, investigators, social workers IJM’s evolution from rescue operations to building sustainable justice infrastructure Twenty-year celebration: Liberate conference and the global IJM staff retreat IJM’s culture of spiritual formation: daily solitude, prayer, and community rhythms A Christian order of justice rooted in prayer, silence, and shared joy Spiritual formation as the foundation for sustainable justice work Experiments in Cambodia, the Philippines, and South Asia reducing violence by up to 85 percent Replication of IJM’s model across 46 regions to protect 500 million vulnerable people Goal by 2030: one million freed from slavery, 300 million living under protection Empowering survivor leaders: from victims to advocates and elected officials Stories of transformation like Pama in South Asia leading the Release Bonded Laborers Association The Kenyan case of Willie Kimani—murdered IJM lawyer whose legacy reformed police accountability IJM’s resilience: pursuing justice for six years until conviction of perpetrators Theological grounding: justice as God’s work, pursued in Jesus’s way Haugen on resilience: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” Joy and freedom from fear as hallmarks of IJM’s culture How IJM balances global crisis fatigue with focused mission clarity Future challenges: technology-driven oppression—live-stream child abuse and forced scamming Global body of Christ as the essential network for courage and joy Sustainability and local leadership as the future of global justice movements Spiritual communities as the seedbed for future justice leaders Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

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• God and American History, with Grant Wacker

  What is the theological meaning of American history? In this episode, American church historian Grant Wacker joins Mark Labberton to explore the theological dimensions of American history, the legacy of Billy Graham, and the evolving face of evangelicalism. Wacker reflects on his Pentecostal upbringing, his formation as a historian, and his conviction that faith and scholarship must speak honestly to one another. Together they trace how religion has both shaped and distorted American life—from the enduring wound of slavery to the reformist spirit woven through its history. Wacker, now in his eighties, offers his perspective on evangelicalism’s past, present, and global future. Episode Highlights “Religion has always been at the forefront of rationalizing and making enslavement seem perfectly normal—perfectly natural. It’s just the order of things.” “Many of the very finest religious historians are not believers—and they do superb work in understanding where religion lies.” “I don't think there is Christian nationalism out there. What there is is that there is nationalism that draws on Christian categories to legitimate itself.” “I don’t think what we’re looking at is a religious movement. We’re looking at a political movement that uses religious categories.” “We should write about others the way we wish they would write about us.” “You Americans are always asking the Holy Spirit to bring revival. What you ought to be doing is asking the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the revival that is already flourishing.” Helpful Links and Resources America’s Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation by Grant Wacker — https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Pastor-Graham-Shaping-Nation/dp/0674052188 Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture by Grant Wacker — https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Below-Pentecostals-American-Culture/dp/0674011287 One Soul at a Time: The Story of Billy Graham by Grant Wacker — https://www.amazon.com/One-Soul-Time-Religious-Biography/dp/0802885500/ Mark Noll’s The Civil War as a Theological Crisis — https://www.amazon.com/Theological-Crisis-Steven-Janice-Lectures/dp/1469621819 Religion in American Life: A Short History — ****https://www.amazon.com/Religion-American-Life-Short-History/dp/0199832692/ About Grant Wacker Grant Wacker is the Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Christian History at Duke Divinity School. A leading scholar of American religious history, he is the author of numerous books including Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture and America’s Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation. His research has helped shape modern understanding of American evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, and the intersection of faith and culture. Show Notes Wacker’s path to the study of history through mentorship at Harvard Divinity School and a fascination with theology’s relationship to historical reality He distinguishes between observing “religion operating in history” and perceiving “the divine hand,” emphasizing the tension between secular and theological approaches to the past. Four major contexts that define the American story: geography, capitalism, immigration, and race Eleven domains where the power of religion—and possibly divine influence—can be seen, from colonization and enslavement to revivalism and reform. “We are a people of plenty—prosperous partly because of the accident of geography.” Reformed and Wesleyan theology as twin engines shaping the nation’s moral and social imagination. Humility as “at the heart of Reformed theology: we don’t run our lives; something else is running the show.” Wesleyan theology, by contrast, stresses human enablement and responsibility: “If we are able to do it, we are responsible for doing it.” Catholic contributions to the American story, especially the richness of liturgy and the continuity of two thousand years of history Reflections on racial sin as a “permanent wound,” calling religion both complicit in and necessary for confronting slavery’s legacy Mark Noll’s The Civil War as a Theological Crisis, highlighting how both sides invoked Scripture without self-awareness or self-critique “Religion has always been implicated in making enslavement seem natural—as natural as breathing.” Describes evangelicalism’s deep roots in pietism and revivalism, its mainstream dominance by the late nineteenth century, and its later fragmentation. “Evangelicalism became the main line—it was the standard way Protestantism operated.” Outlines the modern trifurcation: fundamentalists, liberals, and a centrist evangelical river that remains influential. “Christian nationalism” is largely a political, not religious, phenomenon: nationalism using Christian categories to legitimize itself. “Religion is rarely an independent variable in determining how people vote.” Richard Bushman (paraphrase):  Have we written about [the subjects of academic history] as fairly and honestly as we can, or have we distorted their story in order to make ourselves look good? A call for fairness in historical judgment: “Write about them the way you wish they would write about you.” Prediction: Evangelicalism’s future lies “south of the equator”—in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Quotes a Jesuit: “Americans keep asking for revival; they should ask to see the revival that’s already happening.” On Christian nationalism: “The question is not whether religion and politics collude—they always have—but whether we can be self-conscious and humble about it.” Identifies power, prosperity, and digital speed as the toxic combination shaping contemporary polarization. “Speed is a narcotic for humans—we want to be connected now.” Reflects on Billy Graham’s unifying role and his progressive evolution on race and nuclear disarmament: “He became increasingly moderate, increasingly inclusive.” Notes Graham’s three conversions—to Christ, to racial justice, and to peace. “The United States and the Soviet Union are like two little boys in a bathtub filled with gasoline, playing with matches.” On teaching and legacy: “My students are earnest—they want to do well for the world they live in.” “Whatever good has come—it’s a gift, not earned.” Humility, humor, and grace as rare marks of faith and scholarship integrated Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

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• ICE Raids and Christian Witness, with Robert Chao Romero

  “Migration is grace,” says UCLA professor Robert Chao Romero, author of Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity. In this episode, he joins Mark Labberton to discuss the immigration crisis through stories from Southern California, theology of migration, and the challenge of Christian nationalism for the American response to the immigration crisis we face. Romero narrates heartbreaking accounts of ICE raids, racial profiling, and dehumanization, while also offering hope rooted in scripture and the early church. He points out the “Xenodochias” of the ancient and medieval church that cared for migrants. And he shows how biblical narratives—from Abraham to Jesus—reveal God’s mercy in migration. Romero calls Christians to see the image of God in migrants, resist the “Latino threat narrative,” and reclaim the church’s historic role in welcoming the stranger. Episode Highlights “Migration is grace. … You wouldn’t have a Bible without migration.” “Jesus lived and died as an outsider in solidarity with all outsiders, and he rose to new life among outsiders.” “The gospel is an outward pushing invitation… it is the pushing out actually into the far and remote places of suffering in need.” “This level of targeting of the Latino community has not happened since 1954 and Operation Wetback.” “We think that crossing the US border is like crossing the Jordan into the promised land, and we’re baptized into the Yankee Doodle song.” Helpful Links and Resources Brown Church by Robert Chao Romero UCLA César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies Fuller Seminary’s Centro Latino CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice World Relief About Robert Chao Romero Robert Chao Romero is an associate professor in the UCLA César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies and in the Asian American Studies Department. With a background in law and history, his research and teaching explore the intersections of race, immigration, faith, and justice. He is the author of Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity (IVP Academic), which chronicles the long history of Latino Christian social justice movements. Romero is also an ordained pastor, active in local church ministry and theological reflection on immigration, Christian nationalism, and the global church. Show Notes Immigration Crisis and ICE Raids Student testimonies of fear and trauma at UCLA during immigration crackdowns Stories of ICE targeting bus stops, car washes, and Home Depots in Southern California Latino citizens, veterans, and even high school students detained despite legal status A man fleeing ICE was killed in traffic, sparking vigils and protests Historical Parallels and Christian Nationalism Comparison to Operation Wetback of 1954, when over one million were deported Escalating racial profiling, reinforced by Supreme Court decisions “Latino Threat Narrative” portrays Latinos as criminals and unwilling to assimilate Christian nationalism merges citizenship and faith, echoing “manifest destiny” Theology of Migration and Outsiders Migration as grace: God intervenes with compassion in nearly every biblical migration story “We live alongside the world. We don't belong to the world.” “ Jesus lived and died as an outsider in solidarity with all outsiders, and he rose to new life among outsiders.” (Jorge Lara-Braud) Jesus as an asylum seeker in Egypt; Ruth and Joseph as biblical migrants Early church created “xenodochias”—ancient and medieval social service centers for immigrants and the poor Outsider theology: Christians as strangers and aliens, called to care for outsiders “Jesus lived and died as an outsider in solidarity with all outsiders.” Policy Challenges and Misconceptions Millions of mixed-status households trapped by the “10-year bar” in immigration law Asylum seekers legally present cases at the border under U.S. law Refugees undergo extensive vetting, often over decades Common myths about immigrants as “illegal” are contradicted by law and history Faith, Empathy, and the Church Empathy as central to Christian response, counter to narratives of fear and scarcity Latino pastors passing on both the gospel and nationalism from missionary influence The church historically provided refugee care before the UN Refugee Agency existed Worship with immigrant congregations as a source of hope and resilience Orthodox theology: worship joins heaven and earth, every tribe and nation before the Lamb Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

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• Humanitarian Health Care, with Eric Ha

  Millions of people today face dire medical and mental health challenges. What role should the church play in foreign humanitarian aid to address starvation and deadly illness? In this episode, Eric Ha, CEO of Medical Teams International, joins Mark Labberton for a sobering, hopeful conversation on global humanitarian crises and the role of the church in responding to both the physical and spiritual needs of those who are suffering. Drawing from his years at International Justice Mission and now at Medical Teams International, Ha shares vivid accounts from refugee camps in East Africa and migrant communities in Colombia. He reflects on the collapse of US foreign aid, the limits of humanitarian response, and the urgent need for churches to reclaim their historic role in caring for the vulnerable. Ha wrestles candidly with the calling of Christian communities to embody God’s expansive love even amid staggering need. Episode Highlights “These humans that bear the image of the divine and the eternal, and the holy and the sacred.” “Last year, Medical Teams staff helped deliver fifty thousand babies—that's a delivery every ten minutes, somewhere around the world in these extraordinarily harsh settings.” “Finding the thread and kernel of hope is actually a lot more challenging.” “For thousands of years prior to the UN, the infrastructure and ecosystem for the care of refugees was the church. It was God’s people.” “The gospel is an outward pushing invitation.… It is the pushing out actually into the far and remote places of suffering in need, and to see the presence of God.” Helpful Links and Resources Medical Teams International International Justice Mission UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency PEPFAR—The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Clinton Global Initiative About Eric Ha Eric Ha is the chief executive officer of Medical Teams International, a Christian humanitarian relief organization providing life-saving medical care for people in crisis worldwide. Before joining Medical Teams, he served more than a decade in senior leadership roles at International Justice Mission, advancing global efforts to combat human trafficking and slavery. A lawyer by training, Ha brings a deep commitment to justice, compassion, and the mobilization of the church in service of the vulnerable. Show Notes Global Humanitarian Crises and Refugee Care Eric Ha shares his journey from law and IJM to leading Medical Teams International Medical Teams founded in response to Cambodia’s killing fields, continuing nearly 50 years of healthcare missions Primary healthcare for refugees: maternal care, vaccinations, mosquito nets, antimalarials, antidiarrheals, and mental health Serving 9 million people in East Africa, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Sudan Refugee camps lack electricity, clean water, and adequate shelter—average displacement nearly 20 years Medical Teams delivers maternal care that dramatically reduces mortality, helping deliver 50,000 babies last year Healthcare and Human Dignity The crisis is not statistics—it’s humans bearing God’s image, glimpses of laughter, joy, and resilience Colombia: working with Venezuelan migrants amid drastic cuts in U.S. aid (down to 10% of prior levels) Withdrawal of foreign aid leaves communities devastated and forces NGOs to scale back Transition from justice work at IJM to medical humanitarian work brings both immediacy of impact and insufficiency of resources Hope and Despair in Humanitarian Work Theories of change at IJM allowed for hope in systemic reform; displacement crises feel harder to solve Challenge of holding onto hope in the face of preventable death and suffering Churches historically provided refugee care before the UN; today, withdrawal of aid exposes the need for church re-engagement Need to reimagine church-government partnerships in humanitarian response Empathy, Collaboration, and Mental Health Empathy as essential orientation in humanitarian work, easily lost without intentionality Competitiveness and survivalism among NGOs risks eclipsing empathy Mental health needs are massive: trauma among children in refugee camps threatens future stability Clinton Global Initiative highlights Medical Teams’ commitment to expand mental health care for children in Sudan Training local health workers and communities to recognize trauma and create safe spaces for children Invitation to the Church and Listeners The gospel calls us outward, not inward—expanding our experience of God’s vastness through engagement with suffering Churches must discern how to integrate humanitarian concerns without distraction, embracing their historic role in refugee care Prayer requests: for hope, for patience to wait on the Lord, and for wisdom in making hard decisions “We are invited into a different orientation—the empathy piece is so critical because it is the thing that allows us to engage.” Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

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• Church Real Estate and Finance, with Mark Elsdon

  The church is so much more than a building—but when it comes to managing the physical property of church real estate, we often overlook the great good that can emerge from the land and structures. In this episode, social entrepreneur, strategic executive, and author Mark Elsdon joins Mark Labberton on Conversing to explore how churches and faith communities can reimagine their assets—land, buildings, and money—as instruments for mission, community transformation, and spiritual flourishing. From his decades of work at Pres House in Madison, Wisconsin, to his role as consultant, author, and co-leader of RootedGood, Elsdon shares stories of innovation, courage, and the hard but hopeful work of repurposing property and resources for God’s mission in the world. Episode Highlights “It isn’t about property, nor is it about money. It’s about people’s lives and it’s about God’s work in people’s lives.” “We often have the faith of our forebears in the church. But the question is, do we have the courage of them?” “I don’t think God’s going away. I don’t think God’s declining. But the way people are engaging their faith is really changed and is changing.” “Sometimes I talk about this as like the Blockbuster Video moment… People still want experiences of the divine. They just don’t want to access it primarily on a Sunday morning.” “Constraints can produce creativity and, in the life of faith, can also produce a willingness to trust.” Helpful Links and Resources Mark Elsdon's Website *We Aren't Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry,* by Mark Elsdon *Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition,* by Mark Elsdon RootedGood - resources for congregations, judicatories, and other church leaders related to social enterprise and church property Good Futures Accelerator course How-To Guides Threshold Sacred Development - A mission-aligned property development company focused on supporting churches doing community-oriented development About Mark Elsdon Mark Elsdon lives and works at the intersection of money and meaning as an entrepreneur, non-profit executive, author, and speaker. He is the author of We Aren't Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry (2021) and editor of Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition (2024). In addition to his role as a director with RootedGood, Mark is also executive director at Pres House, where he led the transformation of a dormant non-profit into a growing, vibrant, multi-million-dollar organization. Mark has a BA in psychology from the University of California–Berkeley, a master of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin School of Business. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, USA, and lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Mark is an avid cyclist and considers it a good year when he rides more miles on his bike than he drives in his car. Show Notes Mark Elsdon reflects on thirty years of ministry, beginning with campus work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Launch of a $17 million student housing project that became a transformative ministry for thousands of students. Elsdon’s discovery: “It isn’t about property, nor is it about money. It’s about people’s lives and it’s about God’s work in people’s lives.” Creation of a sober housing program at Pres House that has saved the state of Wisconsin more than a million dollars in addiction-related costs. Innovative blend of mission, ministry, and real estate development to foster student flourishing. The unique impact of housing students in recovery alongside the wider student population. Elsdon’s MBA studies at UW–Madison and his calling at the intersection of money and mission. The “Blockbuster Video moment” for American Christianity: people still seek meaning, community, and transcendence, but not in traditional formats. Challenges churches face with aging buildings, declining attendance, and financial strain. How repurposing property reveals new opportunities for mission and ministry. RootedGood’s “Good Futures” Accelerator course: helping churches rethink land, buildings, and resources for social enterprise and revenue generation. Example of two congregations in Madison merging to create an environmentally sustainable multifamily housing project and community center. Redefining church property as community space: “flipping the script” so the building belongs to the neighborhood, with the church as anchor tenant. Courage, risk-taking, and letting go of past models are essential for churches to reimagine their future. The critical role of pastoral and lay leadership in sparking change and vision. Storytelling as central to church renewal: “We often have the faith of our forebears in the church. But the question is, do we have the courage of them?” Learning from the pandemic: every church has the capacity for innovation and adaptation. Honouring grief and loss while embracing resurrection hope in church property transitions. Example from San Antonio: members resisted redevelopment until their need for funerals in the sanctuary was acknowledged—turning “either/or” into “both/and.” Affordable housing crisis intersects directly with church land opportunities. Turner Center study: California churches and colleges hold land equal to five Oaklands suitable for affordable housing development. Elsdon warns against cookie-cutter “models” and emphasizes local context, story, and creativity. Forecast: up to 100,000 church properties in the US may be sold or repurposed in the next decade. Elsdon’s hope: more repurposing than selling, with land and buildings becoming assets for life-giving mission. The value of constraints: “Constraints can produce creativity and, in the life of faith, can also produce a willingness to trust.” Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

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