Capitol Conversations

Chelsea Sobolik welcomes David Jimenez, manager of government affairs for Prison Fellowship. They discuss what Second Chance month is and why it is important for churches and communities to remember those in prison. They also discuss ongoing efforts to reform our prison and criminal justice systems in ways that promote the biblical ideas of justice, proportionality, and human dignity – without compromising public safety.

Guest Biography

David Jimenez serves as the manager of government affairs for Prison Fellowship’s advocacy and public policy team, where he oversees federal and state legislative campaigns. His background is in public policy advocacy and institution building, most recently as a primary manager for the American Enterprise Institute’s outreach to college students, faculty, and administrators. As an undergraduate at Bowdoin College in Maine, Jimenez studied history and political theory. After graduating, he participated in the Hudson Institute’s Political Studies Fellowship and was a Fulbright English teaching assistant in Romania.

A proud alumnus of Prison Fellowship’s internship program, he first became passionate about criminal justice reform while serving urban youth in New Jersey, where he saw up close the urgent need for restorative approaches to incarceration, law enforcement, and violence. He is passionate about theology, social policy, ethics, and culture. A Pittsburgh native, Jimenez lives in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Resources from the Conversation

• Follow Prison Fellowship’s work
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

As Russia continues to wage war in Ukraine, the most vulnerable people are suffering, including vulnerable children and children in need of safe, permanent, and loving families.

Chelsea Sobolik welcomes Dr. Rick Morton, the Vice President of Engagement for Lifeline Children’s Services to discuss how the Russian invasion of Ukraine impacts orphans, vulnerable children, and families in the process of adopting. They discuss how the war harms vulnerable children, and ways the church can get involved in caring for vulnerable children. 

Guest Biography

As Vice President of Engagement, Rick Morton shepherds the Lifeline Children’s Services outreach to individual, church, and organizational ministry partners as well as the ministry’s commitment to publishing resources that aid families and churches in discipling orphans and vulnerable children. Holding both the Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts degrees in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Rick taught on the faculty of his alma mater as well as the faculties of Bryan College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also served local churches in Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He is an accomplished writer and sought after speaker. Most notably, Rick is the co-author of the popular Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-centered Adoption and Orphan Care and the author of KnowOrphans: Mobilizing the Church for Global Orphanology. Rick and his lovely wife Denise have been married for over 26 years, and they have 3 children, all of whom joined their family through international adoption from Ukraine. 

Resources from the Conversation

• Lifeline Children’s Services
• Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care by Rick Morton and Tony Merida
• KnowOrphans: Mobilizing the Church for Global Orphanology by Rick Morton
• Christians, remember the vulnerable children of Ukraine
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

Sponsors

• Dobbs Resource Page Prayer Guide | Right now, the Supreme Court is considering a major Mississippi abortion case called Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The ERLC and other pro-life organizations filed an amicus brief in this case urging the Supreme Court to overturn the disatrous Roe v. Wade decision. Members of our team also joined pro-life advocates on the steps of the Supreme Court when oral arguments were heard last December. As we approach the Supreme Court’s final decision in June of this year, it’s important for Christians to pray for this landmark case and begin preparing our churches to serve vulnerable women and children in a potential post-Roe world. Download our free prayer guide at ERLC.com/Dobbs. That’s ERLC.com/Dobbs.
• Dobbs Resource Page | Many Christians are aware that an important case about abortion is being decided at the Supreme Court this June. But for many, this case is confusing and wrapped in a lot of legal jargon. The ERLC wants to help with that, so we’ve created a resource page that will help you and your church understand what this case means, what could happen if Roe v. Wade is overturned, and how your church can prepare to serve vulnerable women and children in the aftermath. To learn more about the Dobbs case and how you can pray, visit ERLC.com/Dobbs. That’s ERLC.com/Dobbs.

This week, Chelsea Sobolik sits down with David Curry, President and CEO of Open Doors USA. They discuss the release of Open Door’s 2022 World Watch List, and where it’s the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. David shares ways that Christians can pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

Guest Biography

Open Doors USA President and CEO David Curry advocates on behalf of those who are persecuted for their Christian faith. He provides leadership to Open Doors in its mission to strengthen and equip Christians who live under extreme restrictions, while encouraging these believers to remain strong in their faith.

For over 60 years, Open Doors has worked in the world’s most oppressive regions, empowering and equipping persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries by providing Bibles, training, and programs to help strengthen the church.

Since assuming the role of CEO in August 2013, Curry has traveled extensively to encourage those living under persecution and support the work of Open Doors. In addition, Curry is often present in Washington, D.C., advocating for religious freedom at the highest levels of our government. He has testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and met with a wide range of policymakers in Washington from both sides of the aisle, including at the White House, in the Senate and at the U.S. State Department.

Curry appears frequently on Fox News and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. He has also been published or featured in sources such as CBS News, CNN, The Washington Post, Christianity Today, USA Today, The Christian Post, and other news outlets.

Prior to coming to Open Doors, Curry served as CEO and president at Christian organizations that serve homeless and neglected children in several countries, including India and Peru.

Curry is the author of four books and holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwest University in Seattle and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Faith Evangelical College and Seminary based in Tacoma, Washington

Resources from the Conversation

• Open Doors USA World Watch List
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter
• Subscribe to ERLC’s The Weekly

Sponsor

• Prison Fellowship — Second Chance Month // Every person has dignity and potential. But one in three American adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, and other things they need to reach that potential. Join Prison Fellowship this April as they celebrate "Second Chance Month”. Find out how you and your church can help unlock second chances for formerly incarcerated people who have repaid their debt to society. Learn how at prisonfellowship.org.

This week, Chelsea Sobolik sits down with Jeanne Mancini, President of the March for Life. They discuss how and why the March began, this year’s theme and how Christians can get involved in caring for women and their preborn children.

Guest Biography

Jeanne Mancini was appointed to the role of President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund in the fall of 2012. In this capacity she proudly directs the small non-profit organization committed to restoring a culture of life in the United States, most notably through the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., held on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

Previously Jeanne worked with the Family Research Council (FRC), where she focused on issues related to the inherent dignity of the human person, including abortion, women’s health, and end-of-life issues. Prior to FRC Jeanne worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of the Secretary. Her federal government experience includes global health policy, as well as domestic and international health care issues. Before working in public policy, Jeanne worked for the Catholic Church in a variety of positions involving educating on life issues, human sexuality, marriage, and family.

Jeanne has made frequent media appearances including interviews on MSNBC, CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, and others. Jeanne’s writings have appeared in The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, the Washington Post and numerous others publications.

Jeanne holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from James Madison University and a Master’s degree in the theology of marriage and family from the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. Jeanne resides in northern Virginia with her husband, David.

Resources from the Conversation

• Follow March for Life’s work
• Live stream the March for Life
• Equality Begins in the Womb | 2022 March for Life
• Virtually attend March for LIfe’s “Capitol Hill 101”
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter
• Subscribe to ERLC’s The Weekly

Sponsors

• The Big Wide Welcome // This episode was brought to you by The Good Book Company, publisher of The Big Wide Welcome by Trillia Newbell. Building on the popular book God’s Very Good Idea, The Big Wide Welcome inspires kids to be like Jesus and love others. Grab your copy and some free coloring sheets at thegoodbook.com.
• Prison Fellowship — Second Chance Month // Every person has dignity and potential. But one in three American adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, and other things they need to reach that potential. Join Prison Fellowship this April as they celebrate "Second Chance Month”. Find out how you and your church can help unlock second chances for formerly incarcerated people who have repaid their debt to society. Learn how at prisonfellowship.org.

Chelsea Sobolik welcomes Ambassador John Cotton Richmond, the former U.S. Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons from 2018 to 2021 to human trafficking, forced labor, how Christians can get involved in caring for vulnarble people, and how the Lord led Ambassador Richmond into this work.

Listen to part one here.

Guest Biography

Ambassador Richmond’s career has taken him to the front lines in the global battle against human trafficking. As a Partner at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, he focuses on the intersection between business and human rights. John advises companies on how to keep their supply chains free of forced labor and their workforces free of sex trafficking.

Before joining Dentons, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed John, and he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons from 2018 to 2021. Serving in the nation’s highest-ranking position dedicated to human trafficking, John led U.S. foreign policy related to modern slavery and coordinated the U.S. government’s response to the crime.

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, John served for over a decade as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, where he prosecuted numerous victim-centered labor and sex trafficking cases. He also co-founded the Human Trafficking Institute and lived in India for three years pioneering International Justice Mission’s slavery work.

John has received numerous honors and commendations, including being named a “Prosecutor of the Year” and receiving the David Alred Award for exceptional contributions to civil rights. His work caused the former head of the FBI’s human trafficking program to call him “every trafficker’s worst nightmare.”

John received his undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington and his law degree from Wake Forest University. Ambassador Richmond is a writer and frequent speaker on topics of faith, justice, vocation, and parenting and is a Fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute. He lives outside Washington, D.C., with his “Lovely and Talented” wife and their three robust and remarkable children.

Resources from the Conversation

• John Cotton Richmond’s Website
• Download 10 Things Everyone Should Know About Human Trafficking
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

Chelsea Sobolik welcomes Ambassador John Cotton Richmond, the former U.S. Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons from 2018 to 2021 to human trafficking, forced labor, how Christians can get involved in caring for vulnarble people, and how the Lord led Ambassador Richmond into this work.

Guest Biography

Ambassador Richmond’s career has taken him to the front lines in the global battle against human trafficking. As a Partner at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, he focuses on the intersection between business and human rights. John advises companies on how to keep their supply chains free of forced labor and their workforces free of sex trafficking.

Before joining Dentons, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed John, and he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons from 2018 to 2021. Serving in the nation’s highest-ranking position dedicated to human trafficking, John led U.S. foreign policy related to modern slavery and coordinated the U.S. government’s response to the crime.

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, John served for over a decade as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, where he prosecuted numerous victim-centered labor and sex trafficking cases. He also co-founded the Human Trafficking Institute and lived in India for three years pioneering International Justice Mission’s slavery work.

John has received numerous honors and commendations, including being named a “Prosecutor of the Year” and receiving the David Alred Award for exceptional contributions to civil rights. His work caused the former head of the FBI’s human trafficking program to call him “every trafficker’s worst nightmare.”

John received his undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington and his law degree from Wake Forest University. Ambassador Richmond is a writer and frequent speaker on topics of faith, justice, vocation, and parenting and is a Fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute. He lives outside Washington, DC with his “Lovely and Talented” wife and their three robust and remarkable children.

Resources from the Conversation

• John Cotton Richmond’s Website
• Download 10 Things Everyone Should Know About Human Trafficking
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

This week, Chelsea Sobolik sits down with Herbie Newell of Lifeline Children’s Services to discuss National Adoption Month, how the church can care for vulnerable children, and how we can be preparing for a post-Roe world.

Guest Biography

Herbie Newell is the President/Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and it’s ministry arms including (un)adopted, Crossings, and Lifeline Village. Herbie holds a Master’s degree in Accounting from Samford University. He joined the Lifeline staff in 2003 as Executive Director. From January 2004 to December 2008, he served as the president of the Alabama Adoption Coalition. Herbie was chosen as a Hague Intercountry Adoption evaluator and team leader by the Council of Accreditation and serves in that capacity currently. Under Herbie’s leadership, Lifeline has increased the international outreach to 23 countries, helped Lifeline attain membership in the ECFA (Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability), and led the creation of foster care ministry. Having witnessed the plight of older orphans on many trips overseas, Herbie’s burden for the fatherless was a catalyst for starting (un)adopted during 2009. He worked with WAKM Companies, LLC, a prominent accounting firm, for many years as an independent auditor before being led to Lifeline. He and his wife, Ashley, live in Birmingham, Alabama, and are parents to son, Caleb, and daughters Adelynn and Emily.

Resources from the Conversation

• Lifeline Children Services
• Lifeline resources for churches
• Book: Adopted for Life by Russell Moore
• Order Herbie’s Book | Image Bearers: from pro-birth to pro-life
• Lifeline Children’s Services
• Herbie’s articles, panels, and podcasts with ERLC
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter
• Subscribe to ERLC’s The Weekly

The digital age promised deep connections, rich communication, and more access to information than we could ever imagine. But while technology has brought incredible benefits and conveniences into our lives, it also has led to countless unintended consequences and deep ethical challenges that push us to consider how to live out our faith in a technological society.

This week, Chelsea Sobolik’s ERLC colleague Jason Thacker joins her to discuss his new project, the digital public square and important tech policies that you need to know about.

Guest Biography

Jason serves as chair of research in technology ethics at the ERLC. He also serves as an adjunct instructor of philosophy, ethics, and worldview at Boyce College in Louisville, KY. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Following Jesus in the Digital Age with B&H Publishing, as well as The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity with Zondervan. He also serves as the editor of a forthcoming volume with B&H Academic on Christian ethics and the digital public square, focused on content moderation and online governance. He is the project leader and lead drafter of Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles, and his work has been featured at Slate, Politico, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and World Radio.

Resources from the Conversation

• Follow Jason Thacker’s work
• The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity by Jason Thacker 
• Preorder: Following Jesus in a Digital Age by Jason Thacker 
• Subscribe to the Digital Public Square
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter
• Subscribe to ERLC’s The Weekly

ERLC’s acting director of public policy, Chelsea Sobolik shares the top three stories from Washington, D.C., that you need to know about, shares how Christians ought to think about these issues, and ways Christians can get involved. 

Resources from the Conversation

• Send Relief and World Relief work together to resettle Afghan refugees
• Why the U.S. should provide Priority 2 refugee status for Afghans fleeing persecution
• Evangelical Leaders Call on the Biden Administration to Stand with Afghan Allies
• ERLC disapproves of efforts to strip Hyde Amendment, other protections in federal funding
• Explainer: What you should know about the Texas Heartbeat Act and the Supreme Court
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

As the United States departed from Afghanistan, there remains an urgent humanitarian crisis in the country, both for the U.S.’s Afghan allies and those fearing persecution from the Taliban.

Chelsea Sobolik welcomes Matthew Soerens, the U.S. Director of Church Mobilization for World Relief to discuss how and why Christians can serve Afghans who qualified for the Special Immigrant Visa Program and the Refugee Resettlement Program.

Guest Biography

Matthew Soerens is the U.S. Director of Church Mobilization for World Relief, where he helps evangelical churches to understand the realities of refugees and immigration and to respond in ways guided by biblical values. He also serves as the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition that advocates for immigration reforms consistent with biblical values.

Matthew previously served as a Department of Justice-accredited legal counselor at World Relief’s local office in Wheaton, Illinois and, before that, with World Relief’s partner organization in Managua, Nicaragua. He’s also the co-author of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis (Moody Publishers, 2016).

Resources from the Conversation

• ad: Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis by Stephan Bauman, Matthew Soerens and Dr. Issam Smeir
• Read: Welcoming the Stranger by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang
• Send Relief’s Response to the Afghanistan Refugee Crisis
• Learn more about World Relief
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

With Congress in August recess, we take a break from our usual policy focused conversations and host interviews with leaders we admire. This week, Chelsea Sobolik sits down with Yuval Levin of the American Enterprise Institute.

Levin’s work in recent years have been instrumental to many of us here at the ERLC in thinking well about what has gone wrong in the public square and to see clearly why now is a time to build toward renewal.

Guest Biography

Yuval Levin is the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). He also holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy. The founding and current editor of National Affairs, he is also a senior editor of The New Atlantis and a contributing editor to National Review.

Dr. Levin and scholars in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies research division study the foundations of self-government and the future of law, regulation, and constitutionalism. They also explore the state of American social, political, and civic life, while focusing on the preconditions necessary for family, community, and country to flourish.

Dr. Levin served as a member of the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush. He was also executive director of the President’s Council on Bioethics and a congressional staffer at the member, committee, and leadership levels.

In addition to being interviewed frequently on radio and television, Dr. Levin has published essays and articles in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Commentary. He is the author of several books on political theory and public policy, most recently A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream (Basic Books).

He holds an MA and PhD from the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago.

Resources from the Conversation

• Read: A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream by Yuval Levin
• Read: Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants - President George W. Bush
• Listen: Yuval Levin on the fractures in American public life and the path to renewal
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter
• Subscribe to ERLC’s The Weekly

We are in a season of transition at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission after Russell Moore’s move to Christianity Today. The team in D.C. is changing as well, and so we wanted to bring you a final show with the current team: Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow.

This show will air in two parts with reflections on the ERLC’s work in Washington and a conversation with David French of The Dispatch about religious liberty, pro-life policy, and January 6th. Listen to part one here.

The motivating aim of Capitol Conversations was to foster a new evangelical imagination for political engagement and we hope it’s done that for you. On behalf of all of us at the ERLC in Washington, thanks for listening.

In the meantime, stay subscribed to Capitol Conversations as there will surely and soon be something new on this channel. And be sure to check out The ERLC Podcast as well, with new episodes from Nashville released every Friday.

Guest Biography

David French is senior editor of The Dispatch. He’s also a columnist for Time. He’s the author of Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can’t Ignore, and Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation, among others.

Resources from the Conversation

• Connect with David French’s work at The Dispatch
• Read issues of David’s newsletter, The French Press, on the topics discussed
  • Liberty Gained and Power Lost from January 10, 2020
  • Punitive Intolerance Is No Way to Preserve Pluralism from July 6, 2021
  • How To Be Pro-Life in Joe Biden’s America from February 7, 2021
  • The Institutionalist Case for Reversing Roe v. Wade from July 27, 2021
  • Only the Church Can Truly Defeat a Christian Insurrection from January 10, 2021
  • January 6 and the Awesome Power of Republican Cognitive Dissonance from July 1, 2021
• Read 4 important SCOTUS cases for life and religious liberty: looking back and looking ahead by Chelsea Patterson Sobolik
• Watch ERLC’s event from July 29, 2021: Baptists and the Court: A Review of Recent SCOTUS Decisions
• Watch the NYT video about January 6th that David recommended: Inside the Capitol Riot: An Exclusive Video Investigation
• Listen to the short podcast series from The Dispatch that Travis recommended: The Hangover with Chris Stirewalt
• Watch Russell Moore’s conversation with Jeff Pickering about January 6th: Chaos at the Capitol: A Conversation about Conspiracies and Violence
• Read How the ERLC advocates on the Hill by Chelsea Patterson Sobolik
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

We are in a season of transition at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission after Russell Moore’s move to Christianity Today. The team in D.C. is changing as well, and so we wanted to bring you a final show with the current team: Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow. 

This show will air in two parts with reflections on the ERLC’s work in Washington, D.C., and a conversation with David French of The Dispatch about religious liberty, pro-life policy, and January 6th.

The motivating aim of Capitol Conversations was to foster a new evangelical imagination for political engagement and we hope it’s done that for you. On behalf of all of us at the ERLC in Washington, D.C., thanks for listening.

In the meantime, stay subscribed to Capitol Conversations as there will surely and soon be something new on this channel. And be sure to check out The ERLC Podcast as well, with new episodes from Nashville released every Friday.

Guest Biography

David French is senior editor of The Dispatch. He’s also a columnist for Time. He’s the author of Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can’t Ignore, and Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation, among others.

Resources from the Conversation

• Read David French’s work at The Dispatch
• Read How the ERLC is advocating for Southern Baptists in Washington, D.C. by Jeff Pickering
• Read How the ERLC advocates on the Hill by Chelsea Patterson Sobolik
• Read Why do we send advocacy letters in D.C.? by Chelsea Patterson Sobolik and Jeff Pickering
• Listen to our favorite episodes
  • Chelsea: Melissa Ohden on Surviving Abortion
  • Jeff: Kenneth Bae, the longest held U.S. prisoner in North Korea, on hope in a hard labor camp
  • Travis: Matti Friedman on the Middle East after the Abraham Accords
  • Interns: Staff Roundtable with our spring 2020 intern on her semester in D.C. and how the pandemic changed everything and the episode when Brooke was an intern Year in Review with the 2018 Interns
• Read about the issues we highlighted
  • Chelsea: China’s Main Threat Is a Moral One
  • Jeff: Citing ERLC brief, SCOTUS protects religious liberty
  • Travis: SBA issues new safe harbor for small Paycheck Protection loans
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

Jeff Pickering and Brooke Kramer are joined by the Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero to discuss why Christians should care about ending the payday debt trap and how the Faith for Just Lending (FJL) coalition is advocating against payday lending. Salguero is the pastor at The Gathering Place, a Latino-led multi-ethnic Assemblies of God congregation in Orlando and also the president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC).

“Payday lending is a form of economic predation and grinds the faces of the poor into the ground. As Christians, we are called by Jesus, by the prophets and by the apostles to care for the poor, individually, and also about the way social and political and corporate structures contribute to the misery of the impoverished. Groups across this diverse coalition don’t agree on every issue in the public square, but I am happy to work together on this issue to stand against unchecked usury and work for economic justice, human dignity and family stability.” — Russell Moore

Guest Biography

The Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero is pastor at The Gathering Place, a Latino-led multi-ethnic Assemblies of God congregation in Orlando, Florida. Salguero is also the president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC), a coalition of several thousand evangelical congregations in the United States. He was the former Director of the Hispanic Leadership Program (HLP), and the Institute for Faith and Public Life at Princeton Theological Seminary. Salguero has been named as one of the nation’s most prominent Latino evangelical leaders by the New York Times, NBC Universal, Univisión, and many other outlets. In addition, his leadership on issues of young male education and criminal justice reform has been featured by the Discovery Channel and the Oprah Winfrey Network. Rev. Salguero has served on the White House Faith-Based Advisory Council, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), and the National Advisory Council of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. Salguero holds a BA in Spanish and History from Rutgers University, and M.Div (magna cum laude) from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, he pursued a Ph.D in Christian Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, and holds a Doctorate in Divinity from Eastern Nazarene College. Rev. Salguero lives together with his wife, the Rev. Jeanette Salguero and their two sons in Orlando, Florida.

Resources from the Conversation

• Learn more about the Faith for Just Lending Coalition
• Learn more about the National Latino Evangelical Coalition
• ERLC supports the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act
• ERLC opposes the OCC’s “True Lender” rule
• Faith Leaders Applaud Congress’ Decision to Challenge OCC’s ‘True Lender’ Rule
• SBC Payday Lending Resolution
• 5 facts about Payday Lending
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

Jeff Pickering and Travis Wussow welcome Matthew Soerens of World Relief, a refugee resettlement agency, to the roundtable to talk about what happened with President Biden’s decision on the refugee admissions ceiling. The group also discusses the Evangelical Immigration Table advocacy both for refugee policy and for solutions to the ongoing migration humanitarian crisis at the U.S. southern border.

“Rhetoric is no refuge for the persecuted — we need action. The refugee resettlement ceiling should be raised immediately so our nation can welcome those we already vetted. … We know the program is a secure and thorough process by which America can serve as a beacon of freedom and safe harbor for the oppressed, including persecuted Christians and other imperiled religious minorities.” — Russell Moore on April 16, 2021

“I’m thankful President Biden revised his decision on the refugee ceiling. This action is the first step in bringing admissions back to the historical average and our nation back to our own ideals as a beacon of freedom.” — Russell Moore on May 4, 2021

Guest Biography

Matthew Soerens serves as the U.S. Director of Church Mobilization and Advocacy for World Relief and as the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition of evangelical organizations of which both World Relief and the ERLC are founding members. He previously served as a Department of Justice-accredited immigration legal counselor for World Relief’s local office in suburban Chicago. Matthew is the co-author of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis (Moody Publishers, 2016) and Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate (InterVarsity Press, 2018). Matthew earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College (IL), where he also has served as an adjunct faculty member for the Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership graduate program. He also earned a Master’s degree from DePaul University’s School of Public Service. Originally from Neenah, Wisconsin, he now lives in Aurora, Illinois with his wife Diana and their four children.

Resources from the Conversation

• Learn more about World Relief
• Learn more about the Evangelical Immigration Table
• Check out Matthew Soerens’ books about seeking refuge and the immigration debate
• Read EIT’s advocacy statements to President Biden
  • Evangelical Leaders Urge President Biden to Revise Refugee Resettlement Ceiling Immediately, April 16, 2021
  • Evangelical Leaders Commend President Biden for Raising Refugee Ceiling, May 4, 2021
• Listen to previous episodes on immigration and refugees
  • Laura Collins on immigration and border policy solutions
  • Jonathan Hayes on how our government shelters unaccompanied migrant children
• Read Jeff’s article at Providence: A Case for Rebuilding the US Commitment to Refugees
• Read the ERLC and EIT’s series on Thinking Biblically about Immigration
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

This week, Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow are honored to welcome Gayle Manchin, Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom to discuss USCIRF’s recently released annual report.

Comprised of nine commissioners, USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal body that is principally responsible for reviewing the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and making policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The President and leadership of both political parties in the Senate and House of Representatives appoint USCIRF Commissioners.

Guest Biography

Gayle Manchin is an educator who has worked in Marion County Schools at the secondary level, on the faculty of Fairmont State University in Developmental Education, and was the Director of the university's first Community Service Learning Program. From 2005-2010, Gayle Manchin served as West Virginia's First Lady. She was appointed by the Governor to serve as a member of the State Board of Education, where she also served as President. She also served for one year as West Virginia’s Cabinet Secretary for the Office of Education and the Arts. At the national level, Gayle Manchin has been President of the National Association of State Boards of Education. She was appointed by then Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to the Federal Improvement for Post-Secondary Education Board in 2010. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of The Ford Theatre in Washington, D.C. Gayle Manchin has spoken at the state and national levels on the challenges of rural education, poverty, and student achievement. She holds a Master of Arts in Reading and a Bachelor of Arts in Language Arts and Education from West Virginia University, and a master's specialization in Educational Technology Leadership from Salem International University.

Resources from the Conversation

• Learn more about USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin
• Check out USCIRF’s 2021 Annual Report
• Learn more about USCIRF’s Prisoners of Conscience Project
• USCIRF releases 2021 annual report on international religious freedom by ERLC Policy Staff
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

Jeff Pickering welcomes back Heather Rice-Minus of Prison Fellowship to talk about the church, criminal justice reform, and why Christians value second chances. This episode comes as we are engaged in Second Chance Month, a nationwide effort each April to raise awareness about barriers to reentry and unlock brighter futures for people with a criminal record.

This conversation was recorded on Friday, April 16, the week before the verdict was announced in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. 

Guest Biography

Heather Rice-Minus serves as Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Church Mobilization at Prison Fellowship, the nation's largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families. She is a powerful, knowledgeable voice articulating the case for restorative criminal justice solutions. She is also the co-author of Outrageous Justice, a Bible study curriculum and book. A native of Virginia, Rice-Minus resides in Washington, D.C., with her husband and daughter, and they welcomed a second child as foster parents in 2020.

Resources from the Conversation

• Learn more about Second Chance Month with Prison Fellowship
• Register for the Second Chance Month Gala on April 29
• Read Heather’s article What the Bible says about second chances
• Listen to the previous episode with Heather A Story of Criminal Justice Reform: How the First Step Act Became Law
• Learn more about the EQUAL Act
• Here are the articles Jeff recommended in the introduction
  • The George Floyd Trial and the Longing for Justice by Russell Moore
  • How I’m Talking to My Kids About the Derek Chauvin Verdict by Esau McCaulley at the New York Times
  • George Floyd and Me by Shai Linne at TGC
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

Adoption is a priority of the ERLC’s work, both in policy advocacy and family ministry. Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow talk about three adoption issues you should be aware of. They cover the effects of the pandemic on adoption, the Adoptee Citizenship Act, and an important case at the Supreme Court for child welfare providers.

At the end of the episode, the crew is joined by our awesome audio engineer, Gary Lancaster to wish him a farewell, say thanks, and reflect on his decade with the ERLC. anniversary 

Resources from the Conversation

• Listen to the podcast by Lifeline Child Services: COVID: One Year Later
• Read Chelsea’s article: How the coronavirus is affecting vulnerable children
• Listen to the podcast on the Fulton case: Lori Windham on Fulton v. Philadelphia, the Supreme Court foster-care case
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

Phillip Bethancourt, now lead pastor of Central in College Station, Texas and former ERLC executive vice president, joins Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow to discuss how Christians can engage conversations on COVID vaccine hesitancy. Bethancourt’s church recently served their community as a vaccination site.

Guest Biography

Phillip Bethancourt is lead pastor of Central in College Station, Texas. Before he was called to pastor Central, he served as the Executive Vice President of the ERLC team for seven years. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, class of 2004, and he then went on to earn an MDiv and PhD in Systematic Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Phillip and his wife, Cami, have been married since 2005, and have four boys. Phillip’s authored books and curriculum include: Exalting Jesus in Genesis, Christ-Centered Parenting: Gospel Conversations on Complex Cultural Issues, and Religious Liberty: How the Gospel Shapes Our First Freedom.

Resources from the Conversation

• Connect with Phillip Bethancourt
• Read the AP story where Phillip is quoted: Vaccine skepticism runs deep among white evangelicals in US by David Crary
• Listen to the episodes we referenced: NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins on the COVID-19 vaccines + Russell Moore on the ethics of the COVID-19 vaccines
• Read Dr. Moore’s Washington Post op-ed co-authored with Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals: Not the mark of the beast: Evangelicals should fight conspiracy theories and welcome the vaccines
• See more COVID19 related resources from the ERLC
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter

We want to help you think well about immigration, especially as the surge in unaccompanied children at the U.S. southern border leads to greater public debate of these issues. Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow welcome Jonathan Hayes, a former federal official, to the roundtable to explain how our government shelters unaccompanied migrant children. Hayes served as Director of the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, the agency responsible for caring for unaccompanied migrant children.

“Yet again, the situation at the southern border ought to remind us that unaccompanied migrant children are not a mere problem to be solved. They bear the image of God, and are endowed by him with dignity and worth. Jesus loves them, and so should we. These kinds of problems will persist at our border for as long as our immigration system is allowed to languish in incoherence. A better path forward will require government leaders — both in Congress and the administration — coming together in an honest search for solutions based on long-term strategies. In the meantime, we should do everything we can do, through both Christian ministry and government policy, to help alleviate the suffering of those who are attempting to flee violence in their home countries.” – Russell Moore on March 18, 2021

Guest Biography

Jonathan Hayes served as the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the Administration for Children & Families at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services until March 2020 when he transitioned to the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response until January 2021. Prior to joining HHS, Jonathan served as chief of staff to two members of Congress spanning over eight years. Additionally, he has experience in the private sector working in broadcast television, sales and marketing, business development, international trade and customs and commercial airline operations. Jonathan received his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and minor in political science from Florida State University. Born in Greenwood, Mississippi, and raised in Panama City, Florida, he now lives in northern Virginia with his wife Tammy and their five children. He is also an elder at McLean Presbyterian Church.

Resources from the Conversation

• Listen to Laura Collins on immigration and border policy solutions
• Read ERLC’s Explainer: The crisis of unaccompanied minors at the border
• Read EIT’s letter to President Biden | Evangelical Leaders Urge Compassionate Response to Vulnerable Children at the Border
• Read Time Magazine piece | How Foster Families Are Stepping Up to House Unaccompanied Children Arriving at the U.S.-Mexico Border by Jasmine Aguilera
• Subscribe to ERLC’s Policy Newsletter