What does holy risk actually look like, and how is it formed?

In a moment when the church has confused nationalism with faithfulness and cruelty with obedience, we need to recover what it means to follow Jesus courageously. But courage isn't something we summon in a crisis. It's cultivated long before the moment arrives.

This episode explores the essential components of holy risk through the lives of people who chose obedience over safety: Esther, who prepared spiritually before approaching the king. Jesus, who deliberately broke the Sabbath to expose a broken system. Bonhoeffer, who returned to Nazi Germany when he could have stayed safe.

Their stories reveal a pattern and a path. Holy risk requires spiritual preparation, community discernment, and a willingness to act when the cost is real. And it's formed through practices most of us are skipping.

We close with six ancient disciplines that shape risk-ready disciples: practices that ground us in Scripture, anchor us in community, and prepare us to respond faithfully when neutrality is no longer an option.

The crisis is already here. The question isn't whether you'll be ready someday. It's whether you're being formed today.

Content Note: This episode discusses immigration policies, family separation, Christian nationalism, and historical references to Nazi Germany.

Primary Passages:

• Esther 4:13-16 - "For such a time as this" & "If I perish, I perish"
• Luke 14:1-6 - Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath
• John 5:1-18 - Jesus heals the paralyzed man, tells him to carry his mat on the Sabbath
• Exodus 1:15-21 - Hebrew midwives (Shiphrah and Puah) defy Pharaoh's order
• Daniel 3:16-18 - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: "But if not..."
• Mark 5:25-34 - The bleeding woman touches Jesus' garment
• Joshua 4 - Stones of remembrance

Music:

• Kirk Franklin - "The Last Jesus"

Books:

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer - The Cost of Discipleship

If this episode was meaningful for you, the best way to help others find the show is to:

• Text this episode to a friend who might need it
• Leave a 5-star rating and review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes

Here’s to a faith that tells the truth, refuses silence in the face of harm, and follows Jesus all the way into healing and justice.

RESOURCES:

www.kristenannette.com

Holy Disruption: Reclaiming a Justice-Rooted Faith course info and interest list

Justice Coaching options!

"Find your justice mindset" quiz!