February 26, 2025 • 40 mins
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Can faith and politics work hand in hand? In this powerful episode of Living Reconciled, Representative Ronnie Crudup Jr. shares his journey from political skepticism to a faith-driven calling in public service. We dive into the challenges of being a Christian politician, the importance of integrity, and how reconciliation moves beyond theory into action. Join us for an inspiring discussion on stepping outside our comfort zones, advocating for our communities, and letting faith guide meaningful change.
Special thanks to our sponsors:
Nissan, St. Dominic's Hospital, Atmos Energy, Regions Foundation, Mississippi College, Anderson United Methodist Church, Grace Temple Church, Mississippi State University, Real Christian Foundation, Brown Missionary Baptist Church, Christian Life Church, Ms. Doris Powell, Mr. Robert Ward, and Ms. Ann Winters.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
This is Living Reconciled, a podcast dedicated
to giving our communitiespractical evidence of the gospel
message by helping Christianslearn how to live in the
reconciliation that Jesus hasalready secured for us by living
with grace across racial lines.
Hey, thanks so much for joiningus on this episode of Living
Reconciled.
I am your host, Brian Crawford,and I am with my very
(00:36):
incredible and good friend,Nettie Winters.
Sir, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm wonderful man.
I'm wonderful, I'm alwaysexcited.
I stay in that category ofincredible friend man,
absolutely Always, alwaysexcited to keep you in that
category, man, I'm wonderful,I'm always excited.
I stay in that category ofincredible friend man.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Absolutely Always, always, excited to keep you in
that category, brother.
Give a quick shout out to oursponsors Nissan, st Dominic's
Hospital, atmos Energy RegionsFoundation, mississippi College,
anderson United MethodistChurch, grace Temple Church,
mississippi State, realChristian Foundation, brown
Missionary Baptist Church andChristian Life Church, also good
friends like Miss Doris Powell,mr Robert Ward and Ms Ann
Winters.
(01:06):
Thank you, guys, so much forthe support that you give
Mission Mississippi and LivingReconciled.
It's because of what you dothat we're able to do what we do
, and if you're interested injoining this group of sponsors
and investors in the work ofreconciliation, it's very easy
to do.
You can do so by visitingmissionmississippiorg, again,
(01:27):
missionmississippiorg, again,missionmississippiorg.
At the top of that page there'sa button that says invest.
Click that button and you canalso invest in the work of
reconciliation.
That includes not only a podcast, but that includes hosting and
conducting community days ofdialogue, that includes training
and equipping, that includesour work in local universities
and schools, that includes allof our content that we're
(01:52):
authoring and things of thatnature.
But it also includes greatinterviews, and one such great
interview that we're havingtoday, that we're incredibly
excited to have, is with noneother than Representative Ronnie
Crudup Jr.
Ronnie Crudup Jr, isarepresentative for the
Mississippi House ofRepresentatives, and he is in
(02:14):
the Jackson area.
Ronnie is a devoted Christian,devoted father, devoted husband
and a devoted citizen of thestate of Mississippi, the city
of Jackson, where he serves andwhere he in which he also loves
deeply.
So we're incredibly excited tohave a conversation with
(02:34):
Representative Crudup.
Sir, how are you doing today?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I'm doing wonderful, glad to be here today, excellent
, excellent.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
If you don't mind, for those who don't know Ronnie
Crudup Jr, would you take amoment and share with us a
little bit about yourself, aswell as your story and your
testimony of faith?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Ronnie Crudup Sr.
I am married.
I've been married now 19 years,three lovely children.
They were all in the JacksonPublic School District but been
(03:13):
in South Jackson, living Jackson, all my life, but been in South
Jackson predominantly most ofmy life and my working career.
Graduated Murrah High Schoolbut also Bell Haven University I
got the sweatshirt on today andso I'm just somebody who just
loves the city of Jackson andwho tries to, you know, seek to
(03:37):
do some good around this place.
So that's who I am.
I came to, you know.
I've been in church all my life, except my father's a pastor.
But it was probably the age ofabout 21 to 22 when I really
came to know Christ and reallysought to, you know, follow his
ways and follow the truth.
So just kind of building thatjourney ever since then, trying
to seek God and trying to dowhat's best, not only for me and
my family, but just being ledby God of what he wants me to do
(03:58):
in life.
So that's kind of a little bitwho I am and I desire what I
plan to do.
Who I am and I desire what Iplan to do, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Representative, you represent District 71.
Many times, oftentimes, I getintroduced to various elected
officials and they tell me whatdistrict they serve in, but many
times I don't have a clue whatthat means.
So what is District 71?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
So there's 122 districts in the House and so I
represent District 71, which ismore of the central area.
It's Hines County.
I have a portion of SouthJackson and I represent a
portion of Barrow, and so indistricts we all have about
twenty five thousand residentsthat we we represent the Senate
a little bit more, but yeah, sothere's twenty five thousand, I
(04:41):
represent this portion of HinesCounty.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I'm so.
I'm so close to calling youBishop Crudup, I'm so close to
calling you Bishop Crudup, andso it just, it just rolls off
the tongue.
Representative Crudup, so talkto us a little bit about the
unique challenges as it relatesto faith and politics.
Challenges as it relates tofaith and politics.
(05:07):
You know a lot, a lot of people.
When you think about a lot ofChristians, when they think
about politics in general, theyjust kind of, you know, it's
like it's like the vampiremovies where you put the
crucifix up and you kind of holdit away, it's like almost
trying to avoid it at all costs.
And so, and so you, you havethis unique role where you are
deeply devoted to the Christianfaith and yet you have this
(05:29):
civil commitment where youreally consider the work that
you do in the political sphereto be more than just vocation
but calling.
Talk to us about the connectionbetween the two and how you're
able to hold that tension in ahealthy way as it relates to the
two.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Sure.
So you know, just like a lot ofthings of faith, I try to seek
to follow God and the call thathe has for my life and I feel
like being in politics isdefinitely a calling for me, and
I believe any Christian thatthey want to get in politics
should make sure there is acalling so that way you know at
the end of the day, who you doserve, I mean, who's your king
(06:12):
of kings and lord of lords, andnot just you know, a certain
party.
And so I would say my journeystarted back, actually in 2016,
when I really felt like God toldme to run for mayor.
You know you're talking tosomebody who I did not like
politics, didn't care about it,tried to avoid it at all costs.
But in 2016, I felt like Godtold me to run for mayor, and my
(06:37):
wife sort of felt the same way,and so we jumped in the race,
not having a clue what we weregetting into.
But we just kind of be obedientand we dove head in and, you
know, not knowing disappointingof the loss at that point, but
still feel like, ok, people say,well, you lost.
I'm like you know, it wasn'tabout the wins or loss, we just
felt like God told us to do that.
(06:59):
And so then comes around in 2000, I think it was 17 when the
race was but then two yearslater, in 19, when the position
of the representative of thisdistrict 71 opened up because my
predecessor, she, won a judgeseat and it opened up, everybody
who was in my community, myneighborhood, was saying you got
(07:21):
to run for that position.
And I was like okay, what doesthat mean?
And so really prayerful aboutit, and I just decided, okay,
again with prayer and fastingand talking to my wife and
spouse about it, we decided togo for it and we won pretty
handily, pretty easily I think,and that was kind of and I would
(07:41):
say that that made it easyrunning for mayor first to kind
of get my name out to be able togo into here.
So, again, just going off thecalling, not necessarily knowing
you know what I was doing.
When I first got in, I remembera key moment when I got elected
.
Philip Gunn at that point, whowas the speaker, called me and
said say, could come to myoffice, I want to talk to you.
(08:01):
And he said hey, you know mostfolks come here with certain
ambitions.
So what's your ambitions, whyare you here?
And I told him my ambition issimple.
I feel like I'm just here justto try to help the city of
Jackson.
I live in the city of Jackson,I don't think you know.
A lot of times we get our fairshake on things.
I just here to try to help thecity of Jackson as much as I can
.
He said that's it.
I said that's it.
(08:21):
I'm not here.
I don't want to be governor, Idon't want to be a speaker, I
don't want to be any of thosethings.
I just want to try to helpserve the city of Jackson best I
can, and so that's what I'vebeen trying to do.
There's a lot of things that Iagree with, sometimes things
that I don't agree with, but Iknow, at the end of what
somebody else asked me to do, Idon't answer the man, I answer
(08:46):
the God first, you know, and sothat's when I vote on something
or when I raise a concern issue,that's what I do, cause I know
it's my calling to be there tolead by an example.
And so I've been blessed to bea part of and I'm a guy who
loves to serve, you know, I'vebeen blessed the relationships
(09:07):
that I've made at thelegislature have helped me in so
many different capacities.
You know we had our watercrisis here back in a couple of
years ago when the area Irepresent in South Jackson we
had literally no water.
A lot of folks don't understand, and when I say we had no water
, we had not a drip of water,but the connections that I was
able to make at the statecapitol helped us to get water
(09:28):
continuously in for theresidents of South Jackson.
You know connections with thegovernor's office that they
declared a state emergency, butthen also some of my colleagues
on the coast and other placesthat we were able to make a huge
impact.
Helping the citizens here inthis area and other things is
too.
So yeah, it's a real callingfor me and I don't take that
lightly.
Be honest, I tell some of mycolleagues all the time I don't
(09:51):
want to be a lifer here.
There are some guys who arethere 25, 30, 40, 50 years.
I told them that is not what Iwant to do.
I don't want to be a lifer.
I'm here as long as I feel likeGod is telling me to be here,
and I'm praying every day, lord,how long you want me to be here
, Because sometimes there's somedays I don't want to be there.
But it's not about me, it'sabout him.
So, yeah, that's who I am, it'swhat I do.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Well, I was going to say Representative.
You know God might want you tobe alive for that and you're
ready for God to keep you therefor life If he says it.
But I sure don't want to you.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
You churched on this just a little bit, but help us
understand how your christianityinform your politics.
Yeah, so, uh, when I vote onissues, you know, I I think
about.
I mean, I'm, I'm somebody.
I read my devotion to myscripture every morning.
That's the first thing I dowhen I wake up in the morning.
I'm going to make sure I takemy time to do my devotions and
usually it's interesting how Godsets things up.
Sometimes there's some of thethings that come under my
devotion to some issues that wedeal with on a daily basis, and
so anything I vote on, I thinkabout.
(10:56):
Okay, what do I feel like?
You know, is this the best votefor the people in my area?
You know, what does God sayabout this?
Even things concerning the poor, things, concerning family
issues.
Those are the things that I tryto make sure that I keep my
faith grounded in that, that I'mnot here just to be voting,
just based on my political party.
(11:16):
You know my party.
I'm at the Capitol as aDemocrat, but I operate more
from an independent standpointin my faith because I, you know,
can't follow just, you know,the the normal, certain issues,
things like that.
So, yeah, my faith is and mybelief in God is all of what I
(11:37):
do and how I live.
I tell you I'm all in, and soyou know I can change at any
point now.
And so you know I can change atany point now.
But then they, I got to answerthe guy, no-transcript, hey.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Representative, you know you raise a good point
around this idea of just kind offollowing your convictions as
it relates to your faith and asit relates to your Christian
faith to make decisions.
People on two different sidesof an issue and both of those
people can be deeply devotedChristians that are saying
(12:18):
they're following theirconvictions and so that creates
an opportunity for dialogue,discussion, negotiations,
conversations where we get achance to explore where the root
of those convictions exist forus.
How do you explore that in thepolitical space that you exist
(12:38):
in when you have deeply devotedChristians that are on two
different sides of the issue?
How do you, how do you explorethat in your, in your current
tenure in the House?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Well, it can be difficult at times.
And I'll say this I was verynaive when I first came up here
to certain thinking and certainunderstanding of how people
think.
You know, I I, I guess, beingin Jackson all my life and sort
of moving around a center areaof the state of Mississippi, I
had no clue of how the people inNorth Mississippi and how the
(13:10):
people in the Delta and how thepeople down on the coast they
think they think a lotdifferently than we do, and so
I've confronted that a lot oftimes.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Yeah, that's one of the big issues, right, that's
one of the big issues is that wethink this is a monolith and
it's not.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
So we call them the Soto County legislators.
Sometimes they have a differentway of thinking than the folks
in the South and CentralMississippi think.
But I try to balance that andreally go and talk to them, tell
me why you're thinking this,tell me why you feel this way
about this subject.
And I try to be open that wetalk to.
(13:50):
I try to be open that we canhave these serious conversations
and dialogue.
I think that's the only waywe're going to be able to get
can have these seriousconversations and dialogue.
I think that's the only waywe're going to be able to get
things done.
I mean, one of the things yousee at the Capitol you can't get
anything done withoutrelationships.
That's how this process works.
If you don't have therelationships, you can't get
divorced, can't get things done.
And so I try to have theseconversations, let people know
where I stand, what I feelstrongly about, and people know
(14:14):
that.
What I feel strongly about, andpeople know that I mean you
know I've got up and discussedvery heavily on issues that
affect Jackson and I stand realstrong.
There are some issues, you knowI may not be as strong as some
of my other counterparts on theDemocratic side.
But I try to get a feel fromsome of the Republicans or some
of the other folks like, hey,why are you so passionate about
this?
And so I try to keep theconversation up, because we are
(14:38):
children of God and I think weought to be able to try to find
ways.
If nobody else can reconcileand talk, it should be people
who claim God to be able to havethese conversations.
And so if we can't have theconversations, we shouldn't
expect the world to have theseconversations.
So I have to be open about that.
In knowing the scripture, I meanthey.
You know description is whatconvicts me.
(15:01):
You know there's times when Idon't want to hear a certain
thing, I don't want tonecessarily forgive somebody for
certain things.
Then I hear the scripture comesand says you got to forgive
them.
You know seven times seven.
You know what I'm saying.
Or some other issues that maycome out and say you know I got
to love my neighbor.
You know I can't hate all thosethings.
So I have to make sure that youknow, whatever my feelings may
(15:24):
be, that day I got to put myfeelings aside to know in day
I'm here to represent Christ,the things that I say, the
things that I do, the way that Iwalk, people are watching to
know that, hey, there's somebodywho's really trying to seek to
do what's good and do what'sright, and I got to be held
accountable, you know, to thegood Lord at the end of the day,
for it.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I want to just step a little further into the
challenge because I mean, for meit's a fascinating conversation
.
The Christians in politicalspace is just an incredibly
fascinating conversation.
So, as you, as you know, wetalked about one of those
challenges, which is thatsometimes that there's
Christians on on on both sidesof a political issue that are
(16:04):
holding convictions and saying,man, you know, I just feel like
the Lord is calling me, uh, toto hold this line that I'm
holding Right, and how do younavigate through that?
And we appreciate you sharing,um, some of the ways in which
you're navigating through it,which I feel like is healthy,
not just for politicians, but Ithink it's healthy for just
regular folks every day tonavigate this issue in a way
that you just articulated.
(16:25):
But could you unpack a few morechallenges that you find
significant being a Christian inthese political spaces and and
and what, what, what pulls, whattensions do you experience, um,
being a Christian and trying tohold that line and walking in,
walking the integrity that Godhas called you to walk in?
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Sure, like I said, uh , I try to be somebody, like I
said, who really, uh, talks toand, um, you know, meets
everybody at different places.
I know you're you're nevergoing to get anybody who likes
you, everybody's never going tolike you but I try to be friends
with everybody as much as I can.
The Bible says, hey, those whowant friends, you got to show
(17:07):
yourself friendly and so I tryto be friendly with everyone.
But you do encounter thosefolks and you quickly see they
don't want anything to do withyou.
But there's always going to betimes and occasions where you
still can share the love ofChrist, even during those
difficult seasons.
And you know the Bible says,hey, pray for those who
persecute you, pray for thosewho hate you.
You know what I'm saying.
(17:27):
So all those things come up.
Even this past week or last weekthere was one of my colleagues
who came to me, who there's beena lot of.
You know, there's sometimes alot of issues that come in on
the house side on the floor, andrumors that swirl, and the
speaker had to sort of put somerules in place last week.
(17:49):
That kind of I'll say this thatsort of kind of lays some
groundwork for something andsome of our colleagues were
pretty upset and hurt about thatand they're like I don't have
anybody I can trust.
I don't have anybody.
I feel like people are tryingto backstab me.
And I had to go to that personand say, listen, you can trust
me.
But if you allow me to, let mebe honest with you on certain
(18:12):
things.
You know, I said there arethings the way you behave.
You should not behave that way.
I said there's a reason whysometimes you get punished or
there's a thing like this,because there's a certain level
of integrity and way you have towalk and carry yourself and
conduct yourself.
Within this framework.
I said I know you don't like itall the time, I don't like it
all the time, but we still haveto operate within the rules of
(18:35):
the um, of where we are.
I mean, there are ground rules,there's rules within our house
how we do business, and you gotto operate within the rooms and
so sometimes you got to findways, ask God to give you ways
to um, not necessarily break therules, but it got to be smart
with it.
You know I'm saying, uh, yougot to be wise, a serpent, but
(18:58):
harmless as a dove.
You know, uh, a lot of timespeople like to use you know we
race bait.
Way too often something comes upif somebody doesn't like,
they'll start saying, oh well,they're racist, they're this,
this.
I said, well, you know, andthen a lot of times we start
calling somebody racist.
Usually you just shut down thewhole conversation.
You decide, you know what, wecan't even be friends and we
(19:19):
can't even talk.
I said find other terminologiesto use instead of saying racist
.
Find other words that you knowbe less offensive.
Because, again, you know,proverbs 15, one says a soft
answer is, you know, a generousis concerned to turn away.
You know, saying some of thesethings that we have to use, even
in our daily lives, to helpmake an impact on where we are.
(19:43):
And so I feel like, while I'mup there, sometimes I feel like
it's me being an advisor tocertain people.
I have a really good feel ofpeople, how they feel, how they
think, you know, people feelcomfortable coming to talk to me
while I'm there, and so I tryto use that time to give folks
some wise counsel, some goodadvice on certain issues,
(20:04):
certain things, and so, yeah,that's, that's kind of some of
the things I use my, my platformfor to try to make an impact,
you know, while I'm at theCapitol for to try to make an
impact.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
You know, while I'm at the Capitol.
Yeah, representative, we sayall the time at Mission
Mississippi that honestconversation is the quickest way
to gain ground, but harshconversation is the quickest way
to destroy whatever ground yougain.
And there are times in whichthere are times in which when
you, when you throw out thatterm, right, racist, it is so
(20:36):
loaded and it carries so muchsocial weight that that that
when you put that term out there, it's going to absolutely shut
down the conversation Becauseit's a, it's a term that, in and
of itself, has the power toisolate a person, has a power to
ostracize a person.
Nobody wants to be around aquote-unquote racist, yeah.
(20:58):
And so once you throw that termout there, then you're putting
that person in an incrediblydifficult position, and so it
becomes deeply offensive andeasy to shut down dialogue when
you toss it out there.
And so I appreciate you yourwillingness to walk so carefully
and to help folks navigate outthere, and so I appreciate you
your willingness to to walk socarefully, um, and to help, to
help folks navigate throughthese types of, uh, very tough
(21:20):
situations.
I mean one of the things that,one of the things that that I
hear when I'm talking to you isyou just bring an incredible
amount of hope um to the futureof politics.
I'll be honest with you Um,there are times in which I turn
on my TV and then I just want toturn it back off.
Uh, because there's not a lotof hope that comes um in the, in
(21:42):
the, in the political spacethese days.
What?
What brings you hope about the,the future?
Uh, political engagement in ourstate is just in general.
Are there some things that youcan look at in that, that in
your space, and find hope?
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Well, I mean, my hope is totally in Jesus Christ.
I don't I don't look at it fromany person or anything.
I know what I'm saying, thatI'm all in.
Again, I read the scriptures.
I mean, if you read a lot ofthe Old Testament, new Testament
, government and politicalpolitics is all in it.
You know from Daniel, you knowbeing there in government role,
(22:25):
from Shadrach, meshach andAbednego.
You know all these folks yousee in governmental spots, david
, these, these men that God putin place have certain things
that are there to testimonies todo.
You know you have a job to do.
He has a call.
You have a job to do.
And so my hope always is hey,god, what do you have me here
(22:46):
for?
So when I'm saying I hope Idon't want to be here, I'm
always praying God.
Why am I here, you know?
Am I here just for a season?
Or why am I here just for acertain event or even a person
to be connected to?
You know I've been blessed thatI have great relationships with
some of our top leaders on thehouse side and you know that
(23:09):
I've been able to benefit to getsome things done here in my
district.
Fit, to get some things donehere in my district and there
are certain people who and Iknow that's the favor of God
that allowed me to even get someof that favor sometimes.
So my hope is strictly in JesusChrist, that I'm following his
direction to tell me which wayto go, direct me, what to say at
(23:30):
every key point.
You know there are some times,you know we have to go and speak
certain ways on bills and youknow I'll get that.
You know that nudge.
That morning I feel like God totell me hey, these are the
exact words I want you to saythis morning and I'll go and
share those words.
Somebody came and said man,that was powerful, what did you
get there for?
I just felt like there was anudge and Holy Spirit telling me
(23:50):
to say this.
And so we have to stand up anddo things when that time is
there.
And so that's, that's all myhope.
And when I first started ourconversation earlier I was
saying you know, I believe thatChristians, I think we need more
Christians in politics, butagain, I think it needs to be a
calling.
(24:10):
That way you understand thatyour hope has to be in Jesus
Christ, because if your hope isin, you know certain leaders or
certain people, these men andwomen, they will let you down.
People would, people.
They will tell you one thingand go do something totally
different.
And so you have to understandLord, you're my hope, I get you
(24:35):
know.
I like to say you know, put theword, can't think of it now, but
when you realize that God isyour source and when I
understood that that God is mysource is not my father, is not
the speaker, is not my father,it's not the speaker, it's not
the governor, at the end of theday, when God is your source,
(24:57):
you know who your source is.
God can make things happen whennobody else can make stuff
happen.
You know God will put thosefolks in place.
Or have people come to you andsay, ronnie, what do you need?
You know one of my colleaguesright now she's dealing with a
situation in Utica where yourUtica residents don't have any
water right now, and so I'mtrying to help her even navigate
where to go, to who to dealwith, to help get some of these
(25:20):
needs met for your district.
So I really enjoy sometimesgoing through the situation, the
tough things, because it allowsme to help somebody else to go
and help them to navigatethrough some of this same stuff,
some of these politicalchallenges dealing with the city
or the county or the state.
Well, I've been through that,so let me help you on some of
(25:40):
this now.
And so I love to just kind ofdo what I can from you know my
point to try to help serve andmake people's lives better.
I mean, I think government, in asense, we're supposed to be
there to help solve problems.
Government, in a sense, we'resupposed to be there to help
solve problems.
You know we, I see government.
You know, pastor Winters, I'mlike the church a little bit.
You know churches, people paytithes, you know, and there's a
(26:07):
percentage of the tithes thatyou use to help do a lot of
things in the church.
From the government's side,people pay taxes and from the
taxes, the tax funds that comein are there supposed to be able
to help meet the needs ofpeople but also other
obligations.
A lot of times we're not doingit correctly.
I remember when I first startedworking at the church and I got
(26:29):
involved in the budget processat the church and I saw pretty
quickly I was like man, it's alot of wasteful spending going
on around here.
And I got, I got called out andmissed it on some things, but
you know what it taught me avaluable lesson that the church
politics in there and uh, butsome of the same things happen
at the government.
You know it's like man, why arewe spending money on this?
(26:50):
We could be really helpingmeeting some real needs, uh, at
the state level and in thesecities.
So, yeah, but it's good, I'mthere.
You can't wear your feelings onyour sleeves.
You got to understand.
You put your big boy britcheson every day and seek to do
what's good and seek to followGod and let him handle the rest.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I like the way you roll the church into that.
I'm impressed with your answerto how your faith inform your
politics and so forth.
And there are difficult timesahead, I'm sure, as we get more
into how all things are workingout now, not only in the
(27:31):
political realm but in theeconomic arena as well.
And so the Christian community,I believe, has the greatest
opportunity in my lifetime to bewho they say they are and who
they confess to be, to stand upand stand firm and go forward in
the name of the Lord.
That's just my littlecommentary for some of our
(27:53):
discussions.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yeah, you know.
I mean, you know, as Christiansbelieve, the light always
shines brightest in the darkestand even in these times of you
know, some dark time situations,right now, I think it's a great
time for believers to showtheir light and be the salt of
the earth and show a difference.
You know, even though peopleare bullying each other, college
, all kind of names all over thespectrum, right now it's time
(28:17):
for believers to try to bringfolks together and say listen,
we're better than this.
How can we meet the needs ofthe people that really care and
show a difference in our nationof who we really are?
Yes, sir, amen to that, ronnie.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Let me ask you another question, representative
Cruder, as you reflect on againyour calling in the political
sphere.
How does your calling in thework of politics and in your
faith, how does it play out interms of reconciliation and
(28:55):
racial healing?
Racial healing what are some ofthe things that you found, or
what are some of the ways thatyou've been able to experience
healing across divides throughyour work in the political space
?
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Well interesting the racial healing I would say.
I mean there has been some real, just honestly.
There's been some times whensome of the politics can get in
the way of really.
You know the hard feelings.
You know because, be honest, atthe Capitol there are not a
black folks who are really incharge of anything and you know,
(29:31):
a lot of times there are whitegentlemen who are making
decisions that affect ourcommunity and you're not
necessarily brought to the tableof, you know, in the decision
making process.
So it could easily sometimesget you down and weigh you down.
So you know, man, I don't wantto deal with these white folks
and all this kind of stuff.
(29:51):
You know, you have thesefeelings of that sometimes.
But then quickly I remember ofsome of the folks who really
support me.
But then quickly I remember ofsome of the folks who really
support me.
You know, I have a wonderfulfriend who's supported me
wonderfully, financially out ofIowa, he, and who's a white
gentleman, another guy, whohelped support us in the pool,
whatever we've done, and so evenwhen I get frustrated on the
(30:15):
political side of things, godbrings me back to remember, like
you know, again, he's my source.
I can't worry about those guys.
You know, because you know whenwe as political leaders we all
can ask for resources to come toour communities for certain
things, you know somecommunities get very little and
(30:39):
some communities get a whole lotand but again there are certain
leaders who are making thesedecisions and you get frustrated
.
You're like man, why can't weget this, some of this resource?
But then again, when yourealize who your source is, god
always finds a way to bring thethings that you need during
those times.
So I've never lacked foranything.
And so that's when it comes toreally my uh, my the, the, the
(31:01):
racial reconciliation, thatpoint of you know what.
I can't hate that person, uh,hopefully that you know God has
showed him.
They can see and you know the.
The source of knowing who Godis will help them to understand
and open their eyes Like it'ssomebody who's really trying to
work to help make things better.
You know I tell folks I'm not.
(31:22):
The things that I ask for moneyfor are things that really
affect our day-to-day living.
You know streets how to pavestreets, water.
You know making sure I park tosave.
You know kids are not going toschool.
Look at all these abandonedbuildings all the time.
All these things, these arethings that I'm really
passionate about.
But yet, you know, we seeresources go to certain places
(31:43):
that are just like man.
They got streets of gold downthere, you know.
But Again, I come to the pointof the realize.
God, you know what You're goingto make these things happen
every time.
He always makes it happen.
And so that's where I realize.
And then most times God usepeople who don't look like me,
who are from the other race, totry to help make make those
(32:04):
things happen.
So that's where I find my, myreconciliation kind of comes
from that, because, you know,I'd say it, there's a lot of
times I am very disappointedabout that.
Things could be better from thepeople that could make it
better.
But you know, again, that's why.
That's why, quickly, I'm alwayssaying you have to know who's
(32:27):
your King, who's your source,who's your Lord and saver, cause
if not man, folks, they willlet you down all the time.
And and you just got to knowthat.
Hey, okay, I mean when I, whenI I'll, I'll say this last
little point, I'll finish.
But a couple of years ago therewas a big debate, there was a,
(32:47):
there was a thing I was workingon.
So one of the things I've beenpassionate about since I've been
there is kids come out offoster care too, because those
kids are the least of these.
And so we had a bill that wewere working on to try to get
free scholarship for kids comingout of foster care.
And it was moving through theprocess, you know, pretty easily
.
But then it got left on, itkind of got kicked down the rug
and it's like, man, whathappened?
I was and I left very upset, youknow, and I had to go home and
(33:11):
pray.
My wife could tell you I wasreally upset about it, couldn't
talk.
But then you know, god's like,you know what, I'm going to fix
this and I, I, I, I felt theease from it when God fixed it.
Then they found a way to bringit back to life, even when the
bill was dead.
That you know what we got to dothis.
(33:33):
We got to take care of thesekids and help provide this.
So we, we did a thing two yearsago called the faith
scholarship, and now here's,coming out of foster care, can
go to any college in the stateof Mississippi, private or
public, for free of charge, andso, but again, it's having that
faith and hope in God that he'sgoing to make sure those things
come through, and I've been awitness to see that over and
over again.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Representative Mann, we're so incredibly grateful for
, for your service, not just ourthe city of Jackson and to our
state, but to the kingdom.
We desperately need politicianslike yourself.
We need Christians like you inthe political space and in the
(34:13):
political sphere.
So thank you so much.
And we haven't even got achance to touch the work that
you're doing with the ARC andthe incredible work that the
pillar that it is in ourcommunity and how it's serving
kids all around South Jacksonand so so there are so many
things that you have your handsin man that just that serve,
that serve our cities and serveour, serve our communities but
(34:36):
serve our Lord so incrediblywell, serve our communities but
serve our Lord so incrediblywell.
So we're so grateful, sothankful.
Let me let me let me try to seeif I could put a bow on this by
just asking you this lastquestion If there was one thing
from your, from your vantagepoint as a Christian, a public
servant in the political space,in the political sphere, if
there was one thing that youfelt like Christians could do to
(34:59):
step into their communities andmake them better, be a part of
the solution, what instruction,what encouragement would you
give Christian listeners thatmay be listening to this podcast
right now.
What help would you give them?
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Pray and do something .
You know, a lot of times wepray and we just kind of sit
back and wait.
I would say pray and dosomething, Find out something,
Even if that's just cleaning upyour street.
You know, when you start withthose small things, it's being
faithful.
Those few things, God will makeyou a steward of many and bless
you with many.
(35:37):
So a lot of the ideas that I'vehad, things that I've done,
just kind of start with thosesmall things.
There's a and I'll tell you so,in that timeframe when I did not
win the seat of the mayor, whenI lost that election there were
, there was like a year and ahalf when I was really deeply
depressed.
Just being totally transparent,my wife and I, you know, we
both quit our jobs per se justto try to run for that seat
(35:59):
because we felt like God tendedto do it.
But then it was like, OK, God,now what we're here, you know,
not knowing, not necessarilyworking.
You know my wife had to getanother job that was sort of out
of her purview, myself too, andthen just didn't know.
And I'll be honest, I heard, Ithink there was a message that
our bishop, Henry Joseph,preached one day at our church
(36:20):
and I was going, and he justsaid you know what?
You got to do something.
You can't just be sitting down.
You got to do something.
And you know what?
I just started gathering somepeople to do some prayer walks
in my community.
We started just going arounddoing prayer walks and then from
there you start seeing, OK,some of these neighborhoods need
to be cleaned up.
(36:41):
We started doing some cleaning,cleanup days.
Then from the cleanup days westart, you know, renovating
houses, and for renovating houseyou start seeing other needs
that need to be met.
And so I would say pray, but,like I said, do something.
You know, be the hands and feetof Jesus.
You know what I'm saying.
But you got to get out of yourcomfort zone, not just staying
(37:01):
there, not staying in it.
And once you get out and startdoing something, you will see
there's a lot more opportunitiesto be able to serve and to
bless.
You know, the Bible says theharvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few.
He says but pray to the God ofthe harvest to send the laborers
, and but pray to the God of theharvest to send the laborers.
And so we need more laborerswho are going to be out here, be
(37:22):
in the hands and feet of Jesusto do the work, the tough work.
It's not always easy, it'sgoing to be hard, but it's worth
it.
It's worth it.
You know, we'll get out, we'llget our crown in glory, so you
don't worry about here, but weget to clap crown in glory.
So that was the truth.
I say pray and do something.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
It's been a pleasure, Representative Crudiff, to have
you join us on this episode ofLiving Reconciled.
It's easy to keep up withRepresentative Crudiff.
You can search onRepresentative Ronnie Crudiff Jr
and there'll be plenty ofinformation on Google and,
whether it's the House web page,whether it's social media
channels, he's easy to find, sowe don't even have to ask him.
(38:03):
How can we keep up with you?
Because if you search RonnieCrudup Jr online, you're going
to find Ronnie Crudup Jr Veryeasy to keep track of him and
all the incredible work thathe's doing.
Thank you so much, sir, foryour service to the kingdom,
first and foremost, but alsoyour service to our state, your
service to uh, to ourcommunities.
We're incredibly grateful foryou.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
I want you so much, appreciate it.
Yeah Well, I'm praying for youthat you'll keep up the good
work and, uh, there, as youalready know, there are a lot of
people praying for you andbehind you.
So you keep up the good work onthat line that you call
independent between the DNR, andyou're doing good.
God bless you Will do.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
It's been a pleasure to have Representative Ronnie
Crudup on this episode of LivingReconciled.
Please feel free to subscribe.
You can go to any podcast appto find us Living Reconciled
Mission, mississippi and alsofeel free to share.
Share this episode, but alsoshare the podcast.
We have incredibleconversations like this all the
time and we would love for youto be a part of those
(39:05):
conversations as they arehappening.
But on behalf of my good friendNettie Winters and Austin Hoyle
, who is out on today, I amBrian Crawford signing off
saying God bless, god bless.
Thanks for joining LivingReconciled.
If you would like moreinformation on how you can be a
part of the ongoing work ofhelping Christians learn how to
(39:27):
live in the reconciliation thatJesus has already secured,
please visit us online atmissionmississippiorg or call us
at 601-353-6477.
Thanks again for listening.
This is Living Reconciled, a podcast dedicated
to giving our communitiespractical evidence of the gospel
message by helping Christianslearn how to live in the
reconciliation that Jesus hasalready secured for us by living
with grace across racial lines.
Hey, thanks so much for joiningus on this episode of Living
Reconciled.
I am your host, Brian Crawford,and I am with my very
(00:36):
incredible and good friend,Nettie Winters.
Sir, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'm wonderful man.
I'm wonderful, I'm alwaysexcited.
I stay in that category ofincredible friend man,
absolutely Always, alwaysexcited to keep you in that
category, man, I'm wonderful,I'm always excited.
I stay in that category ofincredible friend man.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Absolutely Always, always, excited to keep you in
that category, brother.
Give a quick shout out to oursponsors Nissan, st Dominic's
Hospital, atmos Energy RegionsFoundation, mississippi College,
anderson United MethodistChurch, grace Temple Church,
mississippi State, realChristian Foundation, brown
Missionary Baptist Church andChristian Life Church, also good
friends like Miss Doris Powell,mr Robert Ward and Ms Ann
Winters.
(01:06):
Thank you, guys, so much forthe support that you give
Mission Mississippi and LivingReconciled.
It's because of what you dothat we're able to do what we do
, and if you're interested injoining this group of sponsors
and investors in the work ofreconciliation, it's very easy
to do.
You can do so by visitingmissionmississippiorg, again,
(01:27):
missionmississippiorg, again,missionmississippiorg.
At the top of that page there'sa button that says invest.
Click that button and you canalso invest in the work of
reconciliation.
That includes not only a podcast, but that includes hosting and
conducting community days ofdialogue, that includes training
and equipping, that includesour work in local universities
and schools, that includes allof our content that we're
(01:52):
authoring and things of thatnature.
But it also includes greatinterviews, and one such great
interview that we're havingtoday, that we're incredibly
excited to have, is with noneother than Representative Ronnie
Crudup Jr.
Ronnie Crudup Jr, isarepresentative for the
Mississippi House ofRepresentatives, and he is in
(02:14):
the Jackson area.
Ronnie is a devoted Christian,devoted father, devoted husband
and a devoted citizen of thestate of Mississippi, the city
of Jackson, where he serves andwhere he in which he also loves
deeply.
So we're incredibly excited tohave a conversation with
(02:34):
Representative Crudup.
Sir, how are you doing today?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I'm doing wonderful, glad to be here today, excellent
, excellent.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
If you don't mind, for those who don't know Ronnie
Crudup Jr, would you take amoment and share with us a
little bit about yourself, aswell as your story and your
testimony of faith?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Ronnie Crudup Sr.
I am married.
I've been married now 19 years,three lovely children.
They were all in the JacksonPublic School District but been
(03:13):
in South Jackson, living Jackson, all my life, but been in South
Jackson predominantly most ofmy life and my working career.
Graduated Murrah High Schoolbut also Bell Haven University I
got the sweatshirt on today andso I'm just somebody who just
loves the city of Jackson andwho tries to, you know, seek to
(03:37):
do some good around this place.
So that's who I am.
I came to, you know.
I've been in church all my life, except my father's a pastor.
But it was probably the age ofabout 21 to 22 when I really
came to know Christ and reallysought to, you know, follow his
ways and follow the truth.
So just kind of building thatjourney ever since then, trying
to seek God and trying to dowhat's best, not only for me and
my family, but just being ledby God of what he wants me to do
(03:58):
in life.
So that's kind of a little bitwho I am and I desire what I
plan to do.
Who I am and I desire what Iplan to do, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Representative, you represent District 71.
Many times, oftentimes, I getintroduced to various elected
officials and they tell me whatdistrict they serve in, but many
times I don't have a clue whatthat means.
So what is District 71?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
So there's 122 districts in the House and so I
represent District 71, which ismore of the central area.
It's Hines County.
I have a portion of SouthJackson and I represent a
portion of Barrow, and so indistricts we all have about
twenty five thousand residentsthat we we represent the Senate
a little bit more, but yeah, sothere's twenty five thousand, I
(04:41):
represent this portion of HinesCounty.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I'm so.
I'm so close to calling youBishop Crudup, I'm so close to
calling you Bishop Crudup, andso it just, it just rolls off
the tongue.
Representative Crudup, so talkto us a little bit about the
unique challenges as it relatesto faith and politics.
Challenges as it relates tofaith and politics.
(05:07):
You know a lot, a lot of people.
When you think about a lot ofChristians, when they think
about politics in general, theyjust kind of, you know, it's
like it's like the vampiremovies where you put the
crucifix up and you kind of holdit away, it's like almost
trying to avoid it at all costs.
And so, and so you, you havethis unique role where you are
deeply devoted to the Christianfaith and yet you have this
(05:29):
civil commitment where youreally consider the work that
you do in the political sphereto be more than just vocation
but calling.
Talk to us about the connectionbetween the two and how you're
able to hold that tension in ahealthy way as it relates to the
two.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Sure.
So you know, just like a lot ofthings of faith, I try to seek
to follow God and the call thathe has for my life and I feel
like being in politics isdefinitely a calling for me, and
I believe any Christian thatthey want to get in politics
should make sure there is acalling so that way you know at
the end of the day, who you doserve, I mean, who's your king
(06:12):
of kings and lord of lords, andnot just you know, a certain
party.
And so I would say my journeystarted back, actually in 2016,
when I really felt like God toldme to run for mayor.
You know you're talking tosomebody who I did not like
politics, didn't care about it,tried to avoid it at all costs.
But in 2016, I felt like Godtold me to run for mayor, and my
(06:37):
wife sort of felt the same way,and so we jumped in the race,
not having a clue what we weregetting into.
But we just kind of be obedientand we dove head in and, you
know, not knowing disappointingof the loss at that point, but
still feel like, ok, people say,well, you lost.
I'm like you know, it wasn'tabout the wins or loss, we just
felt like God told us to do that.
(06:59):
And so then comes around in 2000, I think it was 17 when the
race was but then two yearslater, in 19, when the position
of the representative of thisdistrict 71 opened up because my
predecessor, she, won a judgeseat and it opened up, everybody
who was in my community, myneighborhood, was saying you got
(07:21):
to run for that position.
And I was like okay, what doesthat mean?
And so really prayerful aboutit, and I just decided, okay,
again with prayer and fastingand talking to my wife and
spouse about it, we decided togo for it and we won pretty
handily, pretty easily I think,and that was kind of and I would
(07:41):
say that that made it easyrunning for mayor first to kind
of get my name out to be able togo into here.
So, again, just going off thecalling, not necessarily knowing
you know what I was doing.
When I first got in, I remembera key moment when I got elected
.
Philip Gunn at that point, whowas the speaker, called me and
said say, could come to myoffice, I want to talk to you.
(08:01):
And he said hey, you know mostfolks come here with certain
ambitions.
So what's your ambitions, whyare you here?
And I told him my ambition issimple.
I feel like I'm just here justto try to help the city of
Jackson.
I live in the city of Jackson,I don't think you know.
A lot of times we get our fairshake on things.
I just here to try to help thecity of Jackson as much as I can
.
He said that's it.
I said that's it.
(08:21):
I'm not here.
I don't want to be governor, Idon't want to be a speaker, I
don't want to be any of thosethings.
I just want to try to helpserve the city of Jackson best I
can, and so that's what I'vebeen trying to do.
There's a lot of things that Iagree with, sometimes things
that I don't agree with, but Iknow, at the end of what
somebody else asked me to do, Idon't answer the man, I answer
(08:46):
the God first, you know, and sothat's when I vote on something
or when I raise a concern issue,that's what I do, cause I know
it's my calling to be there tolead by an example.
And so I've been blessed to bea part of and I'm a guy who
loves to serve, you know, I'vebeen blessed the relationships
(09:07):
that I've made at thelegislature have helped me in so
many different capacities.
You know we had our watercrisis here back in a couple of
years ago when the area Irepresent in South Jackson we
had literally no water.
A lot of folks don't understand, and when I say we had no water
, we had not a drip of water,but the connections that I was
able to make at the statecapitol helped us to get water
(09:28):
continuously in for theresidents of South Jackson.
You know connections with thegovernor's office that they
declared a state emergency, butthen also some of my colleagues
on the coast and other placesthat we were able to make a huge
impact.
Helping the citizens here inthis area and other things is
too.
So yeah, it's a real callingfor me and I don't take that
lightly.
Be honest, I tell some of mycolleagues all the time I don't
(09:51):
want to be a lifer here.
There are some guys who arethere 25, 30, 40, 50 years.
I told them that is not what Iwant to do.
I don't want to be a lifer.
I'm here as long as I feel likeGod is telling me to be here,
and I'm praying every day, lord,how long you want me to be here
, Because sometimes there's somedays I don't want to be there.
But it's not about me, it'sabout him.
So, yeah, that's who I am, it'swhat I do.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Well, I was going to say Representative.
You know God might want you tobe alive for that and you're
ready for God to keep you therefor life If he says it.
But I sure don't want to you.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
You churched on this just a little bit, but help us
understand how your christianityinform your politics.
Yeah, so, uh, when I vote onissues, you know, I I think
about.
I mean, I'm, I'm somebody.
I read my devotion to myscripture every morning.
That's the first thing I dowhen I wake up in the morning.
I'm going to make sure I takemy time to do my devotions and
usually it's interesting how Godsets things up.
Sometimes there's some of thethings that come under my
devotion to some issues that wedeal with on a daily basis, and
so anything I vote on, I thinkabout.
(10:56):
Okay, what do I feel like?
You know, is this the best votefor the people in my area?
You know, what does God sayabout this?
Even things concerning the poor, things, concerning family
issues.
Those are the things that I tryto make sure that I keep my
faith grounded in that, that I'mnot here just to be voting,
just based on my political party.
(11:16):
You know my party.
I'm at the Capitol as aDemocrat, but I operate more
from an independent standpointin my faith because I, you know,
can't follow just, you know,the the normal, certain issues,
things like that.
So, yeah, my faith is and mybelief in God is all of what I
(11:37):
do and how I live.
I tell you I'm all in, and soyou know I can change at any
point now.
And so you know I can change atany point now.
But then they, I got to answerthe guy, no-transcript, hey.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Representative, you know you raise a good point
around this idea of just kind offollowing your convictions as
it relates to your faith and asit relates to your Christian
faith to make decisions.
People on two different sidesof an issue and both of those
people can be deeply devotedChristians that are saying
(12:18):
they're following theirconvictions and so that creates
an opportunity for dialogue,discussion, negotiations,
conversations where we get achance to explore where the root
of those convictions exist forus.
How do you explore that in thepolitical space that you exist
(12:38):
in when you have deeply devotedChristians that are on two
different sides of the issue?
How do you, how do you explorethat in your, in your current
tenure in the House?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Well, it can be difficult at times.
And I'll say this I was verynaive when I first came up here
to certain thinking and certainunderstanding of how people
think.
You know, I I, I guess, beingin Jackson all my life and sort
of moving around a center areaof the state of Mississippi, I
had no clue of how the people inNorth Mississippi and how the
(13:10):
people in the Delta and how thepeople down on the coast they
think they think a lotdifferently than we do, and so
I've confronted that a lot oftimes.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Yeah, that's one of the big issues, right, that's
one of the big issues is that wethink this is a monolith and
it's not.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
So we call them the Soto County legislators.
Sometimes they have a differentway of thinking than the folks
in the South and CentralMississippi think.
But I try to balance that andreally go and talk to them, tell
me why you're thinking this,tell me why you feel this way
about this subject.
And I try to be open that wetalk to.
(13:50):
I try to be open that we canhave these serious conversations
and dialogue.
I think that's the only waywe're going to be able to get
can have these seriousconversations and dialogue.
I think that's the only waywe're going to be able to get
things done.
I mean, one of the things yousee at the Capitol you can't get
anything done withoutrelationships.
That's how this process works.
If you don't have therelationships, you can't get
divorced, can't get things done.
And so I try to have theseconversations, let people know
where I stand, what I feelstrongly about, and people know
(14:14):
that.
What I feel strongly about, andpeople know that I mean you
know I've got up and discussedvery heavily on issues that
affect Jackson and I stand realstrong.
There are some issues, you knowI may not be as strong as some
of my other counterparts on theDemocratic side.
But I try to get a feel fromsome of the Republicans or some
of the other folks like, hey,why are you so passionate about
this?
And so I try to keep theconversation up, because we are
(14:38):
children of God and I think weought to be able to try to find
ways.
If nobody else can reconcileand talk, it should be people
who claim God to be able to havethese conversations.
And so if we can't have theconversations, we shouldn't
expect the world to have theseconversations.
So I have to be open about that.
In knowing the scripture, I meanthey.
You know description is whatconvicts me.
(15:01):
You know there's times when Idon't want to hear a certain
thing, I don't want tonecessarily forgive somebody for
certain things.
Then I hear the scripture comesand says you got to forgive
them.
You know seven times seven.
You know what I'm saying.
Or some other issues that maycome out and say you know I got
to love my neighbor.
You know I can't hate all thosethings.
So I have to make sure that youknow, whatever my feelings may
(15:24):
be, that day I got to put myfeelings aside to know in day
I'm here to represent Christ,the things that I say, the
things that I do, the way that Iwalk, people are watching to
know that, hey, there's somebodywho's really trying to seek to
do what's good and do what'sright, and I got to be held
accountable, you know, to thegood Lord at the end of the day,
for it.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I want to just step a little further into the
challenge because I mean, for meit's a fascinating conversation
.
The Christians in politicalspace is just an incredibly
fascinating conversation.
So, as you, as you know, wetalked about one of those
challenges, which is thatsometimes that there's
Christians on on on both sidesof a political issue that are
(16:04):
holding convictions and saying,man, you know, I just feel like
the Lord is calling me, uh, toto hold this line that I'm
holding Right, and how do younavigate through that?
And we appreciate you sharing,um, some of the ways in which
you're navigating through it,which I feel like is healthy,
not just for politicians, but Ithink it's healthy for just
regular folks every day tonavigate this issue in a way
that you just articulated.
(16:25):
But could you unpack a few morechallenges that you find
significant being a Christian inthese political spaces and and
and what, what, what pulls, whattensions do you experience, um,
being a Christian and trying tohold that line and walking in,
walking the integrity that Godhas called you to walk in?
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Sure, like I said, uh , I try to be somebody, like I
said, who really, uh, talks toand, um, you know, meets
everybody at different places.
I know you're you're nevergoing to get anybody who likes
you, everybody's never going tolike you but I try to be friends
with everybody as much as I can.
The Bible says, hey, those whowant friends, you got to show
(17:07):
yourself friendly and so I tryto be friendly with everyone.
But you do encounter thosefolks and you quickly see they
don't want anything to do withyou.
But there's always going to betimes and occasions where you
still can share the love ofChrist, even during those
difficult seasons.
And you know the Bible says,hey, pray for those who
persecute you, pray for thosewho hate you.
You know what I'm saying.
(17:27):
So all those things come up.
Even this past week or last weekthere was one of my colleagues
who came to me, who there's beena lot of.
You know, there's sometimes alot of issues that come in on
the house side on the floor, andrumors that swirl, and the
speaker had to sort of put somerules in place last week.
(17:49):
That kind of I'll say this thatsort of kind of lays some
groundwork for something andsome of our colleagues were
pretty upset and hurt about thatand they're like I don't have
anybody I can trust.
I don't have anybody.
I feel like people are tryingto backstab me.
And I had to go to that personand say, listen, you can trust
me.
But if you allow me to, let mebe honest with you on certain
(18:12):
things.
You know, I said there arethings the way you behave.
You should not behave that way.
I said there's a reason whysometimes you get punished or
there's a thing like this,because there's a certain level
of integrity and way you have towalk and carry yourself and
conduct yourself.
Within this framework.
I said I know you don't like itall the time, I don't like it
all the time, but we still haveto operate within the rules of
(18:35):
the um, of where we are.
I mean, there are ground rules,there's rules within our house
how we do business, and you gotto operate within the rooms and
so sometimes you got to findways, ask God to give you ways
to um, not necessarily break therules, but it got to be smart
with it.
You know I'm saying, uh, yougot to be wise, a serpent, but
(18:58):
harmless as a dove.
You know, uh, a lot of timespeople like to use you know we
race bait.
Way too often something comes upif somebody doesn't like,
they'll start saying, oh well,they're racist, they're this,
this.
I said, well, you know, andthen a lot of times we start
calling somebody racist.
Usually you just shut down thewhole conversation.
You decide, you know what, wecan't even be friends and we
(19:19):
can't even talk.
I said find other terminologiesto use instead of saying racist
.
Find other words that you knowbe less offensive.
Because, again, you know,proverbs 15, one says a soft
answer is, you know, a generousis concerned to turn away.
You know, saying some of thesethings that we have to use, even
in our daily lives, to helpmake an impact on where we are.
(19:43):
And so I feel like, while I'mup there, sometimes I feel like
it's me being an advisor tocertain people.
I have a really good feel ofpeople, how they feel, how they
think, you know, people feelcomfortable coming to talk to me
while I'm there, and so I tryto use that time to give folks
some wise counsel, some goodadvice on certain issues,
(20:04):
certain things, and so, yeah,that's, that's kind of some of
the things I use my, my platformfor to try to make an impact,
you know, while I'm at theCapitol for to try to make an
impact.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
You know, while I'm at the Capitol.
Yeah, representative, we sayall the time at Mission
Mississippi that honestconversation is the quickest way
to gain ground, but harshconversation is the quickest way
to destroy whatever ground yougain.
And there are times in whichthere are times in which when
you, when you throw out thatterm, right, racist, it is so
(20:36):
loaded and it carries so muchsocial weight that that that
when you put that term out there, it's going to absolutely shut
down the conversation Becauseit's a, it's a term that, in and
of itself, has the power toisolate a person, has a power to
ostracize a person.
Nobody wants to be around aquote-unquote racist, yeah.
(20:58):
And so once you throw that termout there, then you're putting
that person in an incrediblydifficult position, and so it
becomes deeply offensive andeasy to shut down dialogue when
you toss it out there.
And so I appreciate you yourwillingness to walk so carefully
and to help folks navigate outthere, and so I appreciate you
your willingness to to walk socarefully, um, and to help, to
help folks navigate throughthese types of, uh, very tough
(21:20):
situations.
I mean one of the things that,one of the things that that I
hear when I'm talking to you isyou just bring an incredible
amount of hope um to the futureof politics.
I'll be honest with you Um,there are times in which I turn
on my TV and then I just want toturn it back off.
Uh, because there's not a lotof hope that comes um in the, in
(21:42):
the, in the political spacethese days.
What?
What brings you hope about the,the future?
Uh, political engagement in ourstate is just in general.
Are there some things that youcan look at in that, that in
your space, and find hope?
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Well, I mean, my hope is totally in Jesus Christ.
I don't I don't look at it fromany person or anything.
I know what I'm saying, thatI'm all in.
Again, I read the scriptures.
I mean, if you read a lot ofthe Old Testament, new Testament
, government and politicalpolitics is all in it.
You know from Daniel, you knowbeing there in government role,
(22:25):
from Shadrach, meshach andAbednego.
You know all these folks yousee in governmental spots, david
, these, these men that God putin place have certain things
that are there to testimonies todo.
You know you have a job to do.
He has a call.
You have a job to do.
And so my hope always is hey,god, what do you have me here
(22:46):
for?
So when I'm saying I hope Idon't want to be here, I'm
always praying God.
Why am I here, you know?
Am I here just for a season?
Or why am I here just for acertain event or even a person
to be connected to?
You know I've been blessed thatI have great relationships with
some of our top leaders on thehouse side and you know that
(23:09):
I've been able to benefit to getsome things done here in my
district.
Fit, to get some things donehere in my district and there
are certain people who and Iknow that's the favor of God
that allowed me to even get someof that favor sometimes.
So my hope is strictly in JesusChrist, that I'm following his
direction to tell me which wayto go, direct me, what to say at
(23:30):
every key point.
You know there are some times,you know we have to go and speak
certain ways on bills and youknow I'll get that.
You know that nudge.
That morning I feel like God totell me hey, these are the
exact words I want you to saythis morning and I'll go and
share those words.
Somebody came and said man,that was powerful, what did you
get there for?
I just felt like there was anudge and Holy Spirit telling me
(23:50):
to say this.
And so we have to stand up anddo things when that time is
there.
And so that's, that's all myhope.
And when I first started ourconversation earlier I was
saying you know, I believe thatChristians, I think we need more
Christians in politics, butagain, I think it needs to be a
calling.
(24:10):
That way you understand thatyour hope has to be in Jesus
Christ, because if your hope isin, you know certain leaders or
certain people, these men andwomen, they will let you down.
People would, people.
They will tell you one thingand go do something totally
different.
And so you have to understandLord, you're my hope, I get you
(24:35):
know.
I like to say you know, put theword, can't think of it now, but
when you realize that God isyour source and when I
understood that that God is mysource is not my father, is not
the speaker, is not my father,it's not the speaker, it's not
the governor, at the end of theday, when God is your source,
(24:57):
you know who your source is.
God can make things happen whennobody else can make stuff
happen.
You know God will put thosefolks in place.
Or have people come to you andsay, ronnie, what do you need?
You know one of my colleaguesright now she's dealing with a
situation in Utica where yourUtica residents don't have any
water right now, and so I'mtrying to help her even navigate
where to go, to who to dealwith, to help get some of these
(25:20):
needs met for your district.
So I really enjoy sometimesgoing through the situation, the
tough things, because it allowsme to help somebody else to go
and help them to navigatethrough some of this same stuff,
some of these politicalchallenges dealing with the city
or the county or the state.
Well, I've been through that,so let me help you on some of
(25:40):
this now.
And so I love to just kind ofdo what I can from you know my
point to try to help serve andmake people's lives better.
I mean, I think government, in asense, we're supposed to be
there to help solve problems.
Government, in a sense, we'resupposed to be there to help
solve problems.
You know we, I see government.
You know, pastor Winters, I'mlike the church a little bit.
You know churches, people paytithes, you know, and there's a
(26:07):
percentage of the tithes thatyou use to help do a lot of
things in the church.
From the government's side,people pay taxes and from the
taxes, the tax funds that comein are there supposed to be able
to help meet the needs ofpeople but also other
obligations.
A lot of times we're not doingit correctly.
I remember when I first startedworking at the church and I got
(26:29):
involved in the budget processat the church and I saw pretty
quickly I was like man, it's alot of wasteful spending going
on around here.
And I got, I got called out andmissed it on some things, but
you know what it taught me avaluable lesson that the church
politics in there and uh, butsome of the same things happen
at the government.
You know it's like man, why arewe spending money on this?
(26:50):
We could be really helpingmeeting some real needs, uh, at
the state level and in thesecities.
So, yeah, but it's good, I'mthere.
You can't wear your feelings onyour sleeves.
You got to understand.
You put your big boy britcheson every day and seek to do
what's good and seek to followGod and let him handle the rest.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I like the way you roll the church into that.
I'm impressed with your answerto how your faith inform your
politics and so forth.
And there are difficult timesahead, I'm sure, as we get more
into how all things are workingout now, not only in the
(27:31):
political realm but in theeconomic arena as well.
And so the Christian community,I believe, has the greatest
opportunity in my lifetime to bewho they say they are and who
they confess to be, to stand upand stand firm and go forward in
the name of the Lord.
That's just my littlecommentary for some of our
(27:53):
discussions.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yeah, you know.
I mean, you know, as Christiansbelieve, the light always
shines brightest in the darkestand even in these times of you
know, some dark time situations,right now, I think it's a great
time for believers to showtheir light and be the salt of
the earth and show a difference.
You know, even though peopleare bullying each other, college
, all kind of names all over thespectrum, right now it's time
(28:17):
for believers to try to bringfolks together and say listen,
we're better than this.
How can we meet the needs ofthe people that really care and
show a difference in our nationof who we really are?
Yes, sir, amen to that, ronnie.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Let me ask you another question, representative
Cruder, as you reflect on againyour calling in the political
sphere.
How does your calling in thework of politics and in your
faith, how does it play out interms of reconciliation and
(28:55):
racial healing?
Racial healing what are some ofthe things that you found, or
what are some of the ways thatyou've been able to experience
healing across divides throughyour work in the political space
?
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Well interesting the racial healing I would say.
I mean there has been some real, just honestly.
There's been some times whensome of the politics can get in
the way of really.
You know the hard feelings.
You know because, be honest, atthe Capitol there are not a
black folks who are really incharge of anything and you know,
(29:31):
a lot of times there are whitegentlemen who are making
decisions that affect ourcommunity and you're not
necessarily brought to the tableof, you know, in the decision
making process.
So it could easily sometimesget you down and weigh you down.
So you know, man, I don't wantto deal with these white folks
and all this kind of stuff.
(29:51):
You know, you have thesefeelings of that sometimes.
But then quickly I remember ofsome of the folks who really
support me.
But then quickly I remember ofsome of the folks who really
support me.
You know, I have a wonderfulfriend who's supported me
wonderfully, financially out ofIowa, he, and who's a white
gentleman, another guy, whohelped support us in the pool,
whatever we've done, and so evenwhen I get frustrated on the
(30:15):
political side of things, godbrings me back to remember, like
you know, again, he's my source.
I can't worry about those guys.
You know, because you know whenwe as political leaders we all
can ask for resources to come toour communities for certain
things, you know somecommunities get very little and
(30:39):
some communities get a whole lotand but again there are certain
leaders who are making thesedecisions and you get frustrated
.
You're like man, why can't weget this, some of this resource?
But then again, when yourealize who your source is, god
always finds a way to bring thethings that you need during
those times.
So I've never lacked foranything.
And so that's when it comes toreally my uh, my the, the, the
(31:01):
racial reconciliation, thatpoint of you know what.
I can't hate that person, uh,hopefully that you know God has
showed him.
They can see and you know the.
The source of knowing who Godis will help them to understand
and open their eyes Like it'ssomebody who's really trying to
work to help make things better.
You know I tell folks I'm not.
(31:22):
The things that I ask for moneyfor are things that really
affect our day-to-day living.
You know streets how to pavestreets, water.
You know making sure I park tosave.
You know kids are not going toschool.
Look at all these abandonedbuildings all the time.
All these things, these arethings that I'm really
passionate about.
But yet, you know, we seeresources go to certain places
(31:43):
that are just like man.
They got streets of gold downthere, you know.
But Again, I come to the pointof the realize.
God, you know what You're goingto make these things happen
every time.
He always makes it happen.
And so that's where I realize.
And then most times God usepeople who don't look like me,
who are from the other race, totry to help make make those
(32:04):
things happen.
So that's where I find my, myreconciliation kind of comes
from that, because, you know,I'd say it, there's a lot of
times I am very disappointedabout that.
Things could be better from thepeople that could make it
better.
But you know, again, that's why.
That's why, quickly, I'm alwayssaying you have to know who's
(32:27):
your King, who's your source,who's your Lord and saver, cause
if not man, folks, they willlet you down all the time.
And and you just got to knowthat.
Hey, okay, I mean when I, whenI I'll, I'll say this last
little point, I'll finish.
But a couple of years ago therewas a big debate, there was a,
(32:47):
there was a thing I was workingon.
So one of the things I've beenpassionate about since I've been
there is kids come out offoster care too, because those
kids are the least of these.
And so we had a bill that wewere working on to try to get
free scholarship for kids comingout of foster care.
And it was moving through theprocess, you know, pretty easily
.
But then it got left on, itkind of got kicked down the rug
and it's like, man, whathappened?
I was and I left very upset, youknow, and I had to go home and
(33:11):
pray.
My wife could tell you I wasreally upset about it, couldn't
talk.
But then you know, god's like,you know what, I'm going to fix
this and I, I, I, I felt theease from it when God fixed it.
Then they found a way to bringit back to life, even when the
bill was dead.
That you know what we got to dothis.
(33:33):
We got to take care of thesekids and help provide this.
So we, we did a thing two yearsago called the faith
scholarship, and now here's,coming out of foster care, can
go to any college in the stateof Mississippi, private or
public, for free of charge, andso, but again, it's having that
faith and hope in God that he'sgoing to make sure those things
come through, and I've been awitness to see that over and
over again.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Representative Mann, we're so incredibly grateful for
, for your service, not just ourthe city of Jackson and to our
state, but to the kingdom.
We desperately need politicianslike yourself.
We need Christians like you inthe political space and in the
(34:13):
political sphere.
So thank you so much.
And we haven't even got achance to touch the work that
you're doing with the ARC andthe incredible work that the
pillar that it is in ourcommunity and how it's serving
kids all around South Jacksonand so so there are so many
things that you have your handsin man that just that serve,
that serve our cities and serveour, serve our communities but
(34:36):
serve our Lord so incrediblywell, serve our communities but
serve our Lord so incrediblywell.
So we're so grateful, sothankful.
Let me let me let me try to seeif I could put a bow on this by
just asking you this lastquestion If there was one thing
from your, from your vantagepoint as a Christian, a public
servant in the political space,in the political sphere, if
there was one thing that youfelt like Christians could do to
(34:59):
step into their communities andmake them better, be a part of
the solution, what instruction,what encouragement would you
give Christian listeners thatmay be listening to this podcast
right now.
What help would you give them?
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Pray and do something .
You know, a lot of times wepray and we just kind of sit
back and wait.
I would say pray and dosomething, Find out something,
Even if that's just cleaning upyour street.
You know, when you start withthose small things, it's being
faithful.
Those few things, God will makeyou a steward of many and bless
you with many.
(35:37):
So a lot of the ideas that I'vehad, things that I've done,
just kind of start with thosesmall things.
There's a and I'll tell you so,in that timeframe when I did not
win the seat of the mayor, whenI lost that election there were
, there was like a year and ahalf when I was really deeply
depressed.
Just being totally transparent,my wife and I, you know, we
both quit our jobs per se justto try to run for that seat
(35:59):
because we felt like God tendedto do it.
But then it was like, OK, God,now what we're here, you know,
not knowing, not necessarilyworking.
You know my wife had to getanother job that was sort of out
of her purview, myself too, andthen just didn't know.
And I'll be honest, I heard, Ithink there was a message that
our bishop, Henry Joseph,preached one day at our church
(36:20):
and I was going, and he justsaid you know what?
You got to do something.
You can't just be sitting down.
You got to do something.
And you know what?
I just started gathering somepeople to do some prayer walks
in my community.
We started just going arounddoing prayer walks and then from
there you start seeing, OK,some of these neighborhoods need
to be cleaned up.
(36:41):
We started doing some cleaning,cleanup days.
Then from the cleanup days westart, you know, renovating
houses, and for renovating houseyou start seeing other needs
that need to be met.
And so I would say pray, but,like I said, do something.
You know, be the hands and feetof Jesus.
You know what I'm saying.
But you got to get out of yourcomfort zone, not just staying
(37:01):
there, not staying in it.
And once you get out and startdoing something, you will see
there's a lot more opportunitiesto be able to serve and to
bless.
You know, the Bible says theharvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few.
He says but pray to the God ofthe harvest to send the laborers
, and but pray to the God of theharvest to send the laborers.
And so we need more laborerswho are going to be out here, be
(37:22):
in the hands and feet of Jesusto do the work, the tough work.
It's not always easy, it'sgoing to be hard, but it's worth
it.
It's worth it.
You know, we'll get out, we'llget our crown in glory, so you
don't worry about here, but weget to clap crown in glory.
So that was the truth.
I say pray and do something.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
It's been a pleasure, Representative Crudiff, to have
you join us on this episode ofLiving Reconciled.
It's easy to keep up withRepresentative Crudiff.
You can search onRepresentative Ronnie Crudiff Jr
and there'll be plenty ofinformation on Google and,
whether it's the House web page,whether it's social media
channels, he's easy to find, sowe don't even have to ask him.
(38:03):
How can we keep up with you?
Because if you search RonnieCrudup Jr online, you're going
to find Ronnie Crudup Jr Veryeasy to keep track of him and
all the incredible work thathe's doing.
Thank you so much, sir, foryour service to the kingdom,
first and foremost, but alsoyour service to our state, your
service to uh, to ourcommunities.
We're incredibly grateful foryou.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
I want you so much, appreciate it.
Yeah Well, I'm praying for youthat you'll keep up the good
work and, uh, there, as youalready know, there are a lot of
people praying for you andbehind you.
So you keep up the good work onthat line that you call
independent between the DNR, andyou're doing good.
God bless you Will do.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
It's been a pleasure to have Representative Ronnie
Crudup on this episode of LivingReconciled.
Please feel free to subscribe.
You can go to any podcast appto find us Living Reconciled
Mission, mississippi and alsofeel free to share.
Share this episode, but alsoshare the podcast.
We have incredibleconversations like this all the
time and we would love for youto be a part of those
(39:05):
conversations as they arehappening.
But on behalf of my good friendNettie Winters and Austin Hoyle
, who is out on today, I amBrian Crawford signing off
saying God bless, god bless.
Thanks for joining LivingReconciled.
If you would like moreinformation on how you can be a
part of the ongoing work ofhelping Christians learn how to
(39:27):
live in the reconciliation thatJesus has already secured,
please visit us online atmissionmississippiorg or call us
at 601-353-6477.
Thanks again for listening.
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