UNSPOKEN Documentary

An in-depth look into the Christian heritage of Africa and people of African descent, intended to dispel the notion of Christianity being an exclusively white man’s religion.

Below, you'll find detailed biographies of the talented individuals who not only led the production of this documentary but also those who were interviewed and contributed significantly to this remarkable work.

CLICK HERE for the booklet we are using for Sunday School.

CLICK HERE for a list of books that the documentary suggest for diving deeper into this subject.

CLICK HERE to be taken to Unspoken’s home page where you can watch the entire documentary for free on Tubi.

Leadership

Christopher Lamark - Director

A Houston, Texas native, Christopher LaMark is a visionary who delights in telling heartfelt stories through film that reflect the human experience. He attended the University of Houston where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in media production.

Upon graduating he immediately began honing his skills as a writer, director, and director of photography. His most recent works include the award-winning short film entitled "Shine," as well as numerous music videos and a web series.

In addition to writing and directing, Christopher has appeared in various acting roles, co-starring in FOX's "Prison Break," CBS's sit-com "Gary Unmarried" and TNT's "Hawthorne" along side Jada Pinkett-Smith.

The multi-talented filmmaker whose work is influenced by his faith continues to develop films under his brand, Cross Culture Studios.

Lisa Fields - Producer

Lisa Fields, one of the world’s most sought-after Christian apologist, combines her passion for biblical literacy with her heart for sharing God’s love to all those she meets. During college at the University of North Florida, she took a New Testament course that shifted the trajectory of her life. As a pastor’s kid, she was familiar with church, the Christian faith, and the importance of reading the Bible. On the first day of her New Testament class, the professor declared, “I’m going to change everything you thought you knew about Jesus.” Throughout the course, her professor focused on biblical contradictions and textual criticism. In every sense of the matter, Lisa’s faith was challenged – she was forced to rethink what she believed and decide if she would keep believing or abandon her faith.

After college, she wrestled with God’s call on her life to further her education to better defend the faith. Eventually pursuing her Master of Divinity from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Her time in seminary propelled her into her calling as an apologist.

Lisa is the Founder and President of the Jude 3 Project, whose primary mission is to help the Black Christian community know what they believe and why they believe. In August 2018, the Jude 3 Project hosted its first annual Courageous Conversations in Chicago, Illinois. This first-of-its-kind, national event brought together 24 prominent black scholars and pastors from different theological backgrounds to discuss justice, authority of the scripture, sexuality, and gospel preaching.

Don J. Carey III - Executive Producer

A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Don J. Carey III graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and Norfolk State University (NSU), before becoming the first NSU football player drafted into the NFL in the Division I era. Over his 10 year professional playing career, Carey received numerous awards for accomplishments both on the field and in the community. Among these was the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, presented by the Detroit Lions.

Following his retirement from the NFL, Carey founded The Don Carey REECH Foundation, Inc., which uses sports as a catalyst to connect with and educate students about careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields.

A published author, Carey’s first book, “It’s Not Because I’m Better Than You,” shares his personal story and the principles he and others have used to achieve success. In 2018 Carey received Norfolk State University's Graduate of the Last Decade award and, in 2019, was inducted into the NSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He continues to serve the community of Chesapeake, sitting on various boards and participating in several organizations that spearhead positive change across the city.

Currently, Carey serves on the Chesapeake City Council and was elected to public office May

Yana Connor - Lead Curriculum Editor & Writer

Yana is a proud St. Louis native residing in Durham, NC. She grew up in the church but didn’t encounter God's love and grace until her junior year of college. The good news of God’s love and radical acceptance completely changed the trajectory of her life.

By God’s grace, She has served in full-time ministry for the past fifteen years in both the para-church and church context. In 2019, she graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master in Divinity in Christian Ministry.

Through teaching, writing, and disciple-making, Yana desires to curate content that will help others think well and exchange a secular worldview for a biblical one. She has done this through a blog series called The Miseducation of Music, providing theological training and consultation on race and unity to churches and organizations, and walking alongside women through anxiety, depression, and harmful patterns of sin. You can also find her writings on platforms, such as Gospel-Centered Discipleship and The Jude 3 Project. She also wrote The Jude 3 Project's black apologetics curriculum Through The Eyes of Color.

George Moore - Researcher

George Moore currently serves as Research Intern for the Jude 3 Project. He is from Memphis, TN, and is pursuing his Masters of Divinity at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. For the past decade, he has served in various forms of leadership, including: non-profit, pastoral/urban ministry, and civic engagement. Due to his work with families in the Memphis community, he was nominated for the Benjamin L. Hooks Award for Social Change in 2015. In addition to ministry, he promotes the board game Black Progress (created by his father), which celebrates the historical achievements of African-Americans.

He is married to his wife, Ashley, and they recently welcomed their first child, George E. Moore IV.

Contributors

Adam Coleman

Adam Coleman is passionate about equipping Christians with evidence for the Faith and engaging the culture. He is a husband, father of four busy children, social worker, writer, and public speaker. Upon graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Master’s in Social Work Adam began a career of community development, mentoring youth, and service to our nation’s veterans.

Currently, Adam is the president and founder of Tru-ID Apologetics Ministries. Tru-ID Apologetics Ministries specializes in providing training opportunities for Christians to learn how to defend the Christian Faith with evidence and reason. Much of Adam's public platform revolves around using the Tru-ID Apologetics Youtube Channel, “Tru-ID Podcast”, writing, and public speaking to promote the gospel of Christ through Christian apologetics.

Brian “B.Dot” Miller

Brian “B.Dot” Miller is a New York City-based journalist, broadcaster, and producer. A graduate of Delaware State University, he's currently MTV News' Lead Music Correspondent and co-host of the Rap Radar Podcast on TIDAL.

With nearly two decades in media, B.Dot is one of music journalism's most revered voices. His interviews with luminaries such as Jay Z, Drake, Will Smith, Nipsey Hussle and The 1975 have disrupted pop and mainstream news cycles.

Dr. Charlie Dates

In 2011, at age 30, Dr. Charlie Edward Dates became the youngest Senior Pastor at Chicago's Progressive Baptist Church; a church celebrating a distinctive 100-year history.

He earned the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Communication and Rhetoric at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and both the Master of Divinity and PhD at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.

Dr. Dates' preaching and publications have been featured broadly through the United States.He is widely invited to preach at churches, conferences, and universities. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities at Progressive, Pastor Charlie serves as an Affiliate Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and on a number of boards for Christian organizations, including Preaching Magazine and TogetherChicago. He is a contributing author to the 2014 book Letters To A Birmingham Jail, and the 2019 book, Say It: Celebrating Expository Preaching in The African American Tradition. His first solo book on the subject of Christianity and Social Justice called “What Hath Justice to do with Righteousness?” will release in 2021 on IVP Press.

For reasons that please Him, God has blessed the Progressive Church to grow deep and wide under Pastor Charlie's leadership.

Chris Broussard

Chris is an internationally-known sports analyst, commentator and broadcaster for the FOX Sports 1 television network and FOX Sports Radio. He has shared the screen with some of the NBA’s legendary figures, including Magic Johnson, with whom he co-starred on the “KIA NBA Countdown Show” on ESPN. He can be seen regularly on FS1’s “Undisputed,’’ “First Things First,” “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,’’ and “Speak for Yourself.’’ Chris also co-hosts the nationally-syndicated FOX Sports Radio show “The Odd Couple’’ with Rob Parker on weekdays.

Before joining FOX Sports in the Fall of 2016, Chris worked for 12 years as an NBA analyst and reporter at ESPN, ESPN The Magazine, and ESPN.com. Chris’ achievements led to his being named one of the 100 Black History Makers of 2012 by Thegrio.com, the African-American news arm of NBC. He wrote for The New York Times from 1998-2004, The Akron Beacon-Journal from 1994-1998, and The Cleveland Plain Dealer from 1990-1994. Chris graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor’s Degree in English in 1990.

Chris has been a spokesperson for former NBA star Allan Houston’s “Father Knows Best” program and a National Chair for the “Ties Never Broken’’ campaign sponsored by Fathers Incorporated. A Board member for Athletes in Action, Chris is a frequent speaker at colleges, high schools, charitable fundraisers, youth-related events and churches. Chris is also the Founder and President of a National Christian Men's Movement called K.I.N.G., which stands for Knowledge, Inspiration and Nurture through God.

Chris has twin daughters and lives with his wife of more than 25 years in New Jersey.

Damon Richardson

Damon Richardson is a native of Queens, New York, was raised in Clearwater, Florida where he grew up in a Muslim household under the teaching of the Nation of Islam. He became a born again believer of Jesus Christ at the age of 16 and over the last 30 years, he's planted and pastored three churches, traveled itinerantly teaching the Bible, and equipped Christians globally to defend the Christian faith. Damon is married and he and his wife have three sons and one daughter.

Damon Richardson, the founder of UrbanLogia Ministries, is a highly sought after speaker, Bible teacher and Christian Urban Apologist.

It is Damon’s hope and prayer that by deconstructing false ideas about Christianity, you will be better able to articulate the basis of your faith, and point Millennials, Urbanites, and other searching Christians to God’s word, and the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only answer to the needs of all humanity.

Dr. David Daniels

David D. Daniels III is the Henry Winters Luce Professor of World Christianity at McCormick Theological Seminary, having joined the faculty in 1987. His Ph.D. in Church History is from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

Daniels is the author of over 60 essays, academic articles, and chapters in books edited by scholars such as Cornel West, Ogbu Kalu, Vinson Synan, Estrelda Alexander, Cecil Robeck, Amos Yong, Dale Irvin, and Klaus Korschorke. He publishes on topics related to Black Church history, Global Pentecostalism, World Christianity, and African Christians during the Reformation in Europe. He has served as a member of research projects funded by various foundations, including the Eli Lilly Endowment, the Luce Foundation, and Pew Charitable Trust.

Daniels is a member of the American Academy of Religion, having served as a member of the Evangelical Theological Group, the African American History Section, the Pentecostal- Charismatic Consultation, and the History of Christianity Section. He has served as the president of the Society for Pentecostal Studies. He serves as a board member of the Christian Century, Oral Roberts University, the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, and the Seymour Institute on the Black Church and Public Policy; his previous board memberships include the New York Theological Seminary, Louisville Institute and McCormick Theological Seminary.

Dr. David Wilhite

Dr. David Wilhite is a native of Columbus, Georgia. He has served on the pastoral staff of two churches in Birmingham, Alabama, and he is frequently invited to speak, supply preach, and help as interim pastor for various churches. After living and studying in Scotland at the University of St. Andrews, he taught for two years at Seattle Pacific University. He teaches at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminar, where he teaches a required course in early Christian studies, as well as other electives in historical theology.

He has written four books, over 30 articles and essays, and he has helped edit numerous research projects. His primary work has been in ancient African Christianity and more generally in the development of early Christian theology. He is currently co-authoring a three volume work on early Christology, focusing on how the early Christians understood Jesus’ pre-existence and how he was the one appearing in the scriptures as “LORD.”

He and his family stay busy at their "suburban paradise" taking care of the vegetable garden, a dog, a cat, a rabbit, and a small flock of laying hens. In addition to anything involving the outdoors, Dr. Wilhite is currently trying to learn to play the blues on his guitar autographed by Waylon Jennings.

Ekemini Uwan

Ekemini Uwan (pronounced Eh-keh-mi-knee Oo-wan) is a public theologian, international human rights activist, and co-author of the 2023 NAACP Image Award Nominated book Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation. She co-hosts the award-winning podcast Truth's Table and Get In The Word With Truth’s Table. Uwan is a 2022 Aspen Ideas Festival Fellow and a 2023 fellow at The Aspen Institute. She serves as a Special Advisor for The Aspen Institute’s Racial Justice and Religion Collective. In addition to being an NAACP Image Award Nominated Author for Outstanding Literary Work, Ekemini is also a contributing writer for Hallmark Mahogany and a charter member of The International Civil Working Group of the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent at the United Nations.

Her writings have been published in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post Black Voices, and Christianity Today, to name a few. Ekemini has appeared on MSNBC, The Grio, and her insights are quoted by NPR, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker, among other publications. As one who is passionate about theology, Ekemini has a fierce commitment to the gospel and its implications for issues pertaining to reparations, racial injustice, anti-black racism, and white supremacy.

Ekemini believes that theology can and does speak to our present day's culture, social, and political issues. As a result, she often speaks, opines, and writes about the aforementioned for various online publications. Ekemini's voice has been sampled on Lecrae's album, All Things Work Together, and Sho Baraka's The Narrative.

She enjoys spending quality time with loved ones and working out in her spare time. As a self-proclaimed part-time fashionista, she has a penchant for thrift shopping.

Dr. Eric Mason

Dr. Eric Mason is the founder and lead pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA. He and his wife, Yvette, have three sons, Immanuel, Nehemiah, and Ephraim, as well as one living daughter, Amalyah. After more than two decades of gospel ministry, Dr. Mason has become known for his unquenchable passion to see the glory of Jesus Christ robustly and relevantly engaged in broken cities with the comprehensive gospel. Urban ministry is the heartbeat of his ministry and calling.

He is the founder and president of Thriving, an urban resource organization committed to developing leaders for ministry in the urban context, and is the author of four books: Manhood Restored, Beat God to the Punch, Unleashed, and Woke Church.

Dr. Mason has been graced by God to preach and teach at churches and conferences in the United States and overseas. Dr. Mason serves through Epiphany Fellowship in helping coach and train families to plant churches in cities locally, nationally, and internationally.

He is the recipient of multiple earned degrees, including a BS in Psychology from Bowie State University, a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Doctoral degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

Esau McCaulley

The Rev. Canon Esau McCaulley, PhD is a New Testament scholar and an Anglican Priest. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of St Andrews where he studied under the direction of N.T. Wright. His research and writing focus on Pauline theology, African American Biblical interpretation, and articulating a Christian theology of justice in the public square

His doctoral dissertation, called Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance, was published by T & T Clark in 2019. Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance looks at the role Jewish messianism played in Paul’s argument in Galatians that Jesus has made believers heirs in the Messiah to the Abrahamic promises.

His second book Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope will be published by Inter-varsity Academic press (September 1, 2020). Reading While Black looks at the tradition of African American biblical interpretation and argues that the Bible rightly understood and read from a decidedly black perspective can speak a word of hope to African Americans in the United States.

Jackie Hill Perry

Jackie Hill Perry is an author, poet, bible teacher and hip-hop artist whose latest album, Crescendo, released in May 2018. Since becoming a Christian in 2008, she has been compelled to use her speaking and teaching gifts to share the light of the gospel of God as authentically as she can.

Jackie’s work has been featured on "The Washington Times", "The 700 Club", "Desiring God", "The Gospel Coalition", and other publications. She is the author of Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was, and Who God Has Always Been and the bible study “Jude: Contending for the Faith in Today’s Culture”.

At home she is a wife to Preston and Mommy to Eden and Autumn.

Dr. Jamal Hopkins

Jamal-Dominique Hopkins is a native of Southern California. He grew up as an actor, appearing on stage and in film with such notables as Malcolm Jamal Warner of the Cosby Show, Lahmard and Larron Tate of Rocky Balboa, Barbershop and 21 Jump Street, respectively, and Martin Mull of Two and a Half Men and Arrested Development. Prior to attending college, Hopkins was a barber, a badminton coach at his former high school, and a gospel radion station co-host personality.

The only known expert of African Descent on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Hopkins currently serves as Dean and Associate Professor of Biblical Languages and Literature at Dickerson-Green Theological Seminary at Allen University. He also is a Senior Fellow at the Seymour Institute for Black Church and Policy Studies and a Pedagogy Fellow at Yale University's Center for Faith and Culture, where he is part of the Christ and Being Human project focused on revitalizing Christian higher education.

Hopkins earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University, his Masters’ degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, and Ph.D. from the University of Manchester (Manchester, England). He is the author of numerous scholarly publications and has lectured and presented research at venues including the National Leadership Conference of the Church of God in Christ, Bishop T. D. Jakes’ International Pastors and Leadership Conference, as well as Yale University Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, Boston University, The Catholic University of America, Emory University’s Graduate School of Religion and Oberlin College.

His most recent article entitled “Preach What You Practice,” appears in the September 2020 issue of Christianity Today as part of the “Race Set Before Us” series.

Dr. Katharine Gerbner

Dr. Katharine Gerbner is an historian and author of Christian Slavery: Conversion and Race in the Protestant Atlantic World (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018), which shows how religion was fundamental to the development of slavery and race. Dr. Gerbner received her PhD from Harvard University in 2013, and she is currently the Samuel Russell Chair in the Humanities and Associate Professor of History at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches courses on Early American History, Magic & Medicine, the Early Modern Archive, and the Atlantic World.

Dr. Gerbner's research examines the history of race and religion, the origins of White Supremacy, and theories of conversion. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Immanent Frame, Slavery & Abolition, Early American Studies, Friends Journal, History Compass, and several other venues. Dr. Gerbner’s current research, “Constructing Religion, Defining Crime,” examines how Black religious practices under slavery were excluded from emerging categories of “religion” and criminalized over the past three centuries.

Lecrae Moore

Lecrae is a two time Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He is a graduate of the University of North Texas and resides in Atlanta, GA. He is also the President and co- founder of the highly successful independent record label Reach Records.

He's released nine studio albums and several mix-tapes all to critical acclaim. His seventh album, titled Anomaly, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart as well as several other Billboard charts including Digital Album, Rap Album, Christian Album and Gospel Album. For the first time in Billboard chart history, an artist occupied the No. 1 album spot on both the Gospel Albums and Billboard Top 200 list.

Anomaly is Lecrae's sixth No. 1 album.

Dr. Mika Edmondson

Dr. Edmondson earned his Doctorate at Calvin Theological Seminary, with his dissertation entitled Unearned Suffering is Redemptive: The Roots and Implications of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Redemptive Suffering Theodicy.

Dr. Edmondson was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from Calvin, where he also contributed as an Adjunct Professor. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics at Hampton University.

Dr. Edmondson has also authored several Theological publications and has guest-lectured

at many distinguished institutes and conferences.

Quonekuia A. Day

Quonekuia A. Day is a full-time Instructor of Old Testament & Biblical Hebrew at Gordon- Conwell Theological Seminary. She teaches at the Boston campus and the Hispanic Ministries Program at South Hamilton, MA. She serves on the board for the Society of Gospel Haymanot (SGH).

Professor Day has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Emmanuel College, a Master of Social Work from Boston University, a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Prof. Day attends North-West University in South Africa Ph.D. in Theology with the Old Testament program.

As an instructor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary she has taught courses in Old Testament Survey, Genesis, Exodus, Interpreting the OT/NT and Hebrew language. She has taught at Meachum School of Haymanot in St. Louis, MO, and conducted seminars for Pine Manor College and University of Vermont campus ministries.

In addition, Prof Day is a public speaker specializing in the area of Old Testament and Sexuality. She has conducted numerous seminars and workshops focusing on the areas of Old Testament, sexuality, mental wellness, conflict resolution, and leadership development.

Sho Baraka

After being educated at Tuskegee University and the University of North Texas, where he studied Television/Film, Anthropology, and Public Administration, Sho Baraka has spent the last 14 years traveling the world as a recording artist, performer, culture curator, and writer. His overseas work has ranged from leading seminars about race relations in South Africa to establishing artist hubs in Indonesia.

Whether he’s in the classroom as a professor, on camera as an actor, in the streets as an activist, or in the boardroom as a director, Sho is combining his artistic platform with his academic pursuits to contribute a unique perspective in multiple arenas, while attempting to raise the culture.

Sho is a co-founder of The And Campaign. He also served as adjunct professor at Wake Forest Divinity School and just recently released his first book, “He Saw That It Was Good”.

Sho lives in Atlanta, GA with Patreece, his wife of 17 years, and their three children.

Dr. Vince Bantu

Vince Bantu is the Ohene (President) of the Meachum School of Haymanot and is Assistant Professor of Church History and Black Church Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. Vince’s assignment from the Lord is to proclaim that the Bisrat (Gospel) of Yeshua is for all nations, tribes and tongues and to do this by teaching on the earliest history of Christianity in Africa and Asia. Vince is the author of A Multitude of All Peoples (IVP), Gospel Haymanot (UMI) and The Bisrat (Jude 3 Project).

Vince is also the Ohene (President) of the Society of Gospel Haymanot (SGH), an academic society of theological Gospelism—Afro-rooted theology committed to the universal Lordship of Jesus, biblical authority and the liberation of the oppressed. Vince also serves as the Katabi (Editor) of the publication of SGH—the Haymanot Journal. Vince, his wife Diana, and their daughters live and minister in St. Louis and they love to travel, watch movies and bust some spades.

Dr. Walter McCray

Gospelizer Dr. Walter Arthur McCray is “Good-News messenger of the resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ” (cf. Luke 4:18). He is author/publisher of Black Light Fellowship (1979), and president of the National Black Evangelical Association (Chicago) since 1999. Gospelizer Dr. McCray is “certified Black evangelical,” one who is Christ-centered, cultural, and political, but not whitenized. His mission is to be authentically Black and of Christ. In this vein he has written Pro-Black, Pro-Christ, Pro-Cross: African-descended Evangelical Identity (2012).

As a thought-leader, Gospelizer Dr. McCray has written more than 20 culturally-relevant biblically- based publications which exposit ideas of Black Christian faith. His most notable titles are the two- volume series: The Black Presence in the Bible: Discovering the Black and African Identity of Biblical Persons and Nations (vol 1); and The Black Presence in the Bible and the Table of Nations (Genesis 10:1-32): With Emphasis on the Hamitic Genealogical Line from a Black Perspective (vol. 2) (1989).

Gospelizer Dr. McCray is a seasoned minister of 50+ years (since 1969). He serves his people and pastors a small and elderly flock in Chicago, the Greater Union Baptist Church. Gospelizer Dr. McCray shares married life as the husband of Rev. Dr. Thelma L. McCray since 1975. They have several God-children.

Dr. Walter Strickland

Dr. Walter R. Strickland II is an educator who hails from a line of teachers. Viewing education as discipleship, he teaches regularly in a variety of environments as a professor, preacher, consultant, and conference speaker. He was born in Chicago and raised in Southern California, his passion is to equip people to flourish in their context from a deep commitment to God’s design.

Dr. Strickland is the founder of The Strickland Institute LLC and serves as Assistant Professor of Systematic and Contextual Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest, NC). His research includes contextual and systematic theology, the African American theological tradition, and the doctrine of vocation.

Dr. Strickland is also an Associate Fellow at the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge (UK) and an associate Research Fellow of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. His work has appeared in The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, World Magazine, Baptist Press, Canon and Culture, The Gospel Project, and The Biblical Recorder among other media outlets. Walter has written or contributed to over 10 books and holds a PhD in Theology from the University of Aberdeen.