Commentary
Urban Faith Update: Kaepernick, Kavanaugh, and Christians
The latest relevant and stimulating conversations about today’s news, faith and culture.
Dangerous stereotypes stalk black college athletes
Brains vs. brawn: Does big-time college sports value black student-athletes?
PODCAST SHORT: Christians in SC can be a model for us
Dr. Melvin E. Banks has a biblically based, two-minute podcast short on how bitterness can rob us of peace.
LeBron James, Welfare King
With the I Promise School, LeBron James embodies the principle of engaging the welfare of a people.
Women athletes honor God with their bodies
For young women, a focus on physical discipline can be great practice for developing their spiritual discipline. A meditation on female athletes, the Olympic spirit, and our bodies as reflections of God’s glory.
From Fatherless to ‘Abba Father’
A son’s reflections on fatherhood, abandonment, and forgiveness.
The surprisingly beautiful Africa the media never shows you
When Motebang Moeketsi looks at his country, he sees the majesty of its mountains, the stillness of its rivers and the joy of its people. Moeketsi lives in Lesotho, a country that sits between the Drakensberg and Maloti mountain ranges and is surrounded by South...
Podcast Shorts: How Do People of Faith Address Violence?
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, the founder of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.), has biblically based, two-minute podcast shorts that cover injustice, gang violence, drug dealers, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
What Pastors Can Learn from Barbershops and Salons
Barbershops and salons are not just about style, but about creating sacred spaces that allow people to be themselves. Find out what pastors can learn from these spaces.
Millennials, Faith, and the Black Church
UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.) and Urban Faith led an open dialogue with millennial influencers on Millennials, Faith, and the Future of the Black Church at the 104th Hampton Minister’s Conference.
#HarveyTaughtMe Part 1: Storms and Skeptics
I have been working in the city of Houston since 2012 and in my five years of living in the state of Texas I never experienced a “real” hurricane making landfall—until Harvey. What our city experienced was something much more than any of us could have imagined, as so...
How to Avoid the Box of Limitation
We have been privileged to live in a generation that has mastered the art of multitasking, being able to do multiple things at the same time and excelling. You really have to, otherwise, life will pass you by. Sometimes the news changes so fast that if you wait too...
What’s Really Going On in Syria?
As an American, it is very difficult for me to understand the conflict in Syria; the depth of which encompasses hundreds of years of political and religious battle lines. Modern technology brings international attention to the plight of the citizens there. Images...
An Update on Maintaining Those New Year’s Resolutions
With us being several weeks into 2017, you might have already gotten slightly discouraged or fallen off track when it comes to the goals you’ve set for the year, so we thought it may be a good idea to revisit those resolutions with an update. While setting goals,...
Flip The Script For An Invitation into Artistic Inclusion
So another Black History Month is here, and for artists, writers, musicians, and other creative types that hail from the Black community, it’s an opportunity that comes with a burden. February is a time when your workplace, school, or church might be more open to...
11 Must-Read Books for Black History Month
As Black History Month commences, here are a few must-have books from Black authors, spanning time periods, themes and genres. However, one thing they have in common is critical acclaim and a strong command of tackling the Black experience with grace, courage,...
Five Reasons To Celebrate Black History Month
Jemar Tisby, co-founder of the Reformed African American Network, makes a case for the relevance and importance of Black History Month.
New Year, New You: The Only Resolutions that Matter
A desire for self-improvement and positive change is the very reason why New Year’s has long been my favorite holiday. It’s been the time of year when I’ve been most willing and ready to embrace change. It’s a time when I pause to reflect on my growth and...