This week on The Bulletin, hosts Russell Moore and Nicole Martin explore questions of belonging as they head behind the news headlines to deeper conversation about adoption, international student ministry, and psychedelic spiritual experiences. Special guests Cameron Lee Small and CT’s Kara Bettis Carvalho discuss the complexities of embryo adoption. Greg Jao of InterVarsity stops by to offer ideas on integrating international students into our church communities, and New York pastor Aaron Bjerke shares the gentle path of Jesus that can attract those longing to escape life’s struggles.
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Joining us this week:
Kara Bettis Carvalho is a journalist, storyteller, and associate editor of features and opinion for Christianity Today. Read more of her writing here.
Cameron Lee Small, author of This Is Why I Was Adopted, has been working to raise consciousness about faith, child welfare, and mental health since 2012, after meeting his biological mother in Korea. Transracially adopted and founder of Therapy Redeemed, he holds a master’s in counseling psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a licensed professional clinical counselor. Cam is PACC certified and registered as an accredited service provider through TAC via Center for Adoption Support and Education. He is also a vetted clinician with MN ADOPT.
Greg Jao serves as senior assistant to the president, diversity and external relations, for InterVarsity. Prior to his ministry with InterVarsity, Greg Jao was an employee benefits attorney in Chicago. He is the author of Your Mind’s Mission (2012) and The Kingdom of God (LifeGuide Bible Studies, 2003) and contributed to Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents (2009), all published by InterVarsity Press. Greg also helped develop the Daniel Project, a leadership acceleration program for InterVarsity ethnic minority staff and fraternity/sorority ministry staff.
Aaron Bjerke has served New York City since 2008 when he was a pastoral intern under veteran New York City pastor Tim Keller. He was an assistant pastor and community group director at Redeemer Presbyterian Church East Side for five years until he began church planting in November 2018. Today he serves as pastor of The Well.
Read More from Christianity Today about Today’s Topics:
Adopted Children Have Already Been ‘Re-Homed’
Frozen Embryos Are the New Orphan Crisis
I Started Attending Diwali Parties to Break Out of My Christian Bubble
The Dangers of a Psychedelic Gospel
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Former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp has died, according to the Associated Press. Kemp was diagnosed with cancer in January.
Kemp ran on the presidential ticket with Sen. Bob Dole in 1996. A 1996 New York Timesarticle provides more background on Kemp’s faith and politics.
After his marriage, Mr. Kemp became a Presbyterian. He does not like to talk about his religion, although he says he has become a born-again Christian. He is a staunch opponent of legal abortions. But as a politician, he has always been more interested in economic issues than in the social issues like abortion that dominate the political thinking of organizations on the Christian right.
