Where Do We Go From Here Lessons on Justice and Hope in 2026
On this moving episode of the To Be Encouraged podcast, hosts Rev. Dr. Brad Miller and Bishop Julius C. Trimble come together with raw honesty to mark Black History Month, tackling its significance as a lens to interpret and challenge the upheaval, injustice, and trauma facing our communities today.
As the episode opens, Rev. Dr. Brad Miller acknowledges the growing distress—tragedies like ICE raids, murders, and harassment that recall troubling echoes from the Civil Rights era. These events, he notes, serve as a sobering reminder of history’s cycles and the need for reflective action. Referencing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s pivotal question, “Where do we go from here?” the conversation builds toward exploring whether our society is headed toward chaos or community.
Rev. Dr. Brad Miller and Bishop Julius C. Trimble courageously address the erosion of compassionate democracy in America. Bishop Julius C. Trimble shares firsthand accounts of ICE agents blocking church ministries and the harrowing reality for brown and Black Americans facing increased racial profiling and systemic abuse. He connects these present-day injustices to the church’s legacy, recalling the Methodist Social Creed of 1908—a bold declaration that advocated fair wages, child labor protections, and the Golden Rule. Both hosts lament how these basic tenets of dignity and justice are under siege but emphasize the Christian imperative to act.
Several key lessons and takeaways emerge from their discussion:
1. The Choice Between Chaos and Community: Our nation stands at a “tipping point,” echoing Dr. King’s challenge. Faith communities and individuals are called to intentionally rebuild “community” instead of allowing chaos to dictate our social fabric.
2. The Role of Faith in Protest and Advocacy: Bishop Julius C. Trimble lifts up the need for prayer coupled with action. Churches must lead by speaking up for vulnerable populations—children, immigrants, and the oppressed—refusing to be silent in the face of injustice.
3. The Power of Voice and Vote: Every person has a voice, and, as Rev. Dr. Brad Miller emphasizes, “everybody’s got a vote.” The hosts urge listeners to use their influence, register to vote, and actively support leaders advocating for the least and the marginalized.
4. A Biblical and Moral Mandate: From Matthew 25 and the Methodist Social Creed to the prophetic examples of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Congressman John Lewis, listeners are reminded that justice, mercy, and neighborly love are foundational Christian virtues and indispensable to social renewal.
5. The Hope of Community Action: Stories of clergy and churches standing up provide seeds of hope. Bishop Julius C. Trimble ’s reflections and poetry from his book encourage pastors, laypersons, and all listeners to be agents of change by choosing dignity, respect, and beloved community over apathy and fear.
This episode stands as a call to action and a word of encouragement: as for us and our houses, let us choose to serve the Lord and pursue community, not chaos.
Links to Bishop Julius C. Trimble 's book “I Dreamed of Life in Living Color,” referenced throughout the episode, will be in the show notes.
