Lisa Fields is the founder and CEO of the Jude 3 Project, an apologetics organization equipping Black communities in Christian faith. A respected speaker, author and film producer, she wrote “When Faith Disappoints” and “When Heroes Fall,” and produced documentaries including Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom (PBS) and Unspoken. Fields holds degrees from the University of North Florida and Liberty University.
Why are prayer, lament and repentance so important when reflecting on the Church’s witness and history in America?
Prayer is essential because it holds together two things. It is intercession, but it also brings personal reflection. As we navigate the complexity of the world and the ways people have gotten it wrong or used faith to harm, prayer helps us handle that tension with grace.
There are many times I feel frustrated with what’s happening in the world. But when I sit before God, I’m reminded of the journey I’m on and that gives me the grace to navigate others’ journeys. One thing I see in our culture now is a persistence in calling out wrongs but not remembering our own wrongs. Prayer gives us the courage to call out wrong, but it also gives us the heart posture to hope for the redemption of the very people we’re calling out.
What does honest prayer look like in moments of injustice?
We need to be brutally honest in prayer, even when that includes frustration about injustice or confusion about what he allows. If those emotions stay bottled up, they can turn into bitterness that taints your soul. In those moments of prayer, God ministers to me in ways I can’t fully explain.
Lament is part of that honesty: “God, this is terrible. Don’t you see? Don’t you care?” But we can’t stop there. We also remember that if God has changed us, even in hard areas where our hearts were hardened, he can change anyone. That shifts how we pray. Jeremiah tells us to pray for the welfare of the city, because our well-being is tied to it. In an individualistic culture, we forget how connected we are. When we pray this way, we leave with courage, humility and grace — ready to speak truth with redemption in mind.
What does healing and faithful presence look like for Christians today?
Scripture calls out not only what we see out our window, but also what we see in the mirror. Having a sober view of ourselves helps us navigate complexity in others. We need to be prayerful and communicate to God everything that has hurt us, even what he has allowed to happen. Many people are carrying unresolved pain or disappointment with God. If that isn’t processed honestly, it can become bitterness — and bitterness distorts how we understand truth and engage others. Healing is essential if we want to participate in restoration.
This work is both internal and external. Internally, it means bringing our wounds to God and allowing him to restore what’s broken. Externally, it means engaging in tangible ways — supporting organizations that pursue justice, holding leaders accountable and caring for those harmed by injustice. Faithful presence is about that combination: doing the inner work with God while also stepping into the work of repair and restoration in the world.
How does prayer help us resist extremes and engage others well?
People at ideological extremes are usually very afraid. When I see someone as scared, it helps me approach them differently. Fear can be covered with many things, especially anger. Rather than just debating, I try to ask thoughtful “why” questions to help uncover the experiences and fears shaping someone’s perspective.
People don’t hold beliefs based on logic alone. Their experiences shape the lens through which they see the world. That’s why questions are so important. Even Jesus asked more questions than he answered. And, when people discover truth for themselves, they tend to hold onto it more fully. Prayer grounds us in patience and compassion, so we can engage others in this way.
What gives you hope for the next generation?
The gospel still resonates when it’s communicated truthfully and clearly. I see this especially in young people. Many are living in a constant state of comparison, unsure of their worth. When you tell them they’re made in the image of God — and then help them understand who God is (his character, his love and his nature) — they begin to see their value differently. That’s where I see hope: in helping people rediscover who God is and who they are in light of him.
Hear more from Lisa Fields on prayer, repentance and hope ![Arrow]()
Lisa Fields is founder of the Jude 3 Project. Through this organization Fields has hosted four Courageous Conversations conferences featuring prominent Black scholars from different theological perspectives, developed two apologetic curricula, curated a YouTube series addressing the pain points millennials have with the Church and curated a popular podcast covering everything from mental health to the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. She’s helped produce and create two documentaries, Unspoken, an in-depth look into the Christian heritage of Africa and people of African descent, and Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom, through her partnership with Our Daily Bread. Fields attended undergraduate school at the University of Florida and pursued her Masters of Divinity at Liberty University.
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