Pass The Mic: Endings and Evolutions

Closing one chapter and opening new ones

This is a bittersweet announcement, but you can continue to support my work here on Substack. Become a paid subscriber today.

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We stated the Pass The Mic podcast late in 2013, now—more than a decade later—the podcast as you’ve known it is coming to a close.

We officially made the announcement on this week’s podcast: The End of an Era.

This is not so much an ending, but an evolution.

We still have several more episodes airing every other week, and Tyler will continue to use the feed for a new show he is launching later this year.

I will occasionally grab the mic on the new iteration of the show that Tyler is starting.

And we’re planning a live, online finale episode later this year that you will all be invited to.

So stay subscribed and stay tuned.

But Why Tho?

Let’s address the natural question: WHY?!?

First, Tyler, Beau, and I are all good.

There was no fallout, blowup, or disagreement that led to this decision.

We are glad to say that closing out Pass The Mic did not come as a result of interpersonal drama or conflict.

We have been engaged in this conversation for nearly a year. We reasoned together and concluded that this season of Pass The Mic has come to an end.

Then we gave each other the time and space to process both the bitter and the sweet that comes with such a significant transition.

You’ll hear it on the podcast episode—our genuine love and affection for one another has never been stronger.

My deepest thanks for the labor, the wisdom, and the friendship of the whole team: Tyler, Beau, and Ryan.

We Have to Move Differently

So the shift is not about drama, it is about adapting.

This decision did not arise from a place of fear or scarcity but of health and growth.

We’ve been saying for several episodes now that we have to move differently.

The culture is changing. Our political situation is in a free fall to fascism. The church is being called to witness in a new way.

Tyler is doing life-shifting work as a pastor, and he has so many more ideas for other projects that he is now free to pursue.

Beau is doing the vital work of storytelling employing imagination to spark conversation and joy. Check out his upcoming show at MidnightHTX.com.

Ryan has a new day job, and is faithfully serving his church community.

Personally, I’ve been sensing the Holy Spirit moving me to do more online teaching and acting as a bridge between academic study and church practice.

To that end, my next project is “The Justice Journey: A Biblical Guide to Making Wrong Things Right.”

It’s a six-week live, online biblical, historical, and cultural examination of justice from a Christian perspective.

Don't Just React--Return

I’ll be launching the course in June. Sign up here to join the waitlist.

Thanks to Our Community

We will, of course, miss Pass The Mic.

This has been part of our lives for more than ten years. We have had so many laughs, memories, and bonding moments.

Most importantly, you, our listeners and viewers, have been with us for the journey.

What I will miss most is the community we’ve formed around the show and how you all have encouraged us, challenged us, and loved us along the way.

The PTM Meetup in Houston

In times when the broader evangelical and Reformed community rejected us for our commitment to Christ and the blackness he gifted us with.

You have been our steady and supportive siblings in the faith.

There is much more to say, and I encourage you to tune in to the episode where you can hear me and Tyler talk in more detail about the evolution.

Remember to keep listening. We still have more episodes coming, a live finale episode, and a new show by Tyler launching on the same podcast feed.

With gratitude for what lies behind and expectation for what lies ahead, we say:

See you soon on the next…?

What has Pass The Mic meant to you over the years? How have our conversations shaped your perspectives on faith, race, justice, and culture? Let us know in the comments.