Christian Community Development Association
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A local real estate agent put American flags in our yard last week. We found them after a quick trip to the grocery store. My daughter pulled them up after words that communicated a mix of wonder and disgust. Things that I have said and done taught her to do this. She is a living mirror of my …
Continue Reading about Celebrations of Empire Are Not New; We Must Choose Who We Will Worship →
For nearly 40 years, CCDA has been loving God and loving our neighbors. During this time, a philosophy emerged that was grounded in the Christian faith and intended to be practical and contextual. The CCD philosophy is not a concept developed in a classroom or formulated by people foreign to …
Continue Reading about Exploring the CCD Philosophy With the Next Generation →
There is a tension I have been carrying: Proximity does not automatically produce belonging. In Christian Community Development (CCD), we are invited to draw near – to move closer to our neighbors, our communities, and the places we serve. But proximity alone is not enough. Without listening, …
Continue Reading about When Proximity Is Not Enough: What Listening Is Teaching Me About Belonging →
“Pursuing commitment over convenience, building bridges not just boundaries, and demonstrating tenacity in the face of relational challenges are countercultural preconditions for the life of togetherness Jesus invites us into.” From The Way Back to One Another by Jeff Galley and Phillip …
My fellow pastor and I pass along the gray walls of our county jail and descend to the bottom floor. Each time I cross this threshold—after handing my badge to the attendant and stretching my arms to be patted down—my body still acts like I’m descending into hostile territory. Here, I’m more …
For years, I lived in and out of a system that monetized bondage while prioritizing finality over truth. I came to understand that the system was not searching for the truth but rather for what it could prove—or, more accurately, what I could not prove: my innocence. Without making excuses for …
Continue Reading about Beyond the Verdict: Finding Hope and Solidarity After “Still Convicted” →
I spent about ten years of my life incarcerated. Not all at once, but in pieces: going in, getting out, and going right back in again. That cycle is something people like to talk about in statistics, but living it is different. It’s not just bad decisions or bad luck—it’s the way the system was …
By Rev. Kevin Burns and Rev. Dr. Kevin Riggs This is an excerpt from the Locked in Solidarity Preaching Guide, which is part of CCDA's Locked in Solidarity Bundle. Click here to download the bundle and get resources to help you and your community stand in solidarity with your incarcerated …
Continue Reading about Prophets in Prisons: Locked in Solidarity 2026 →
