On this episode of Faith Rehab Podcast we get to hear from Truls Neal, a career Probation Officer, manager, and Director. He is an accomplished leader, a husband, a father, and a friend. He is the son of a white Norwegian mother and an African American Military father. He has a twin, a wife, and two daughters. When people hear his name and hear that his mother is Norwegian, they expect him to be a blond-haired, blue-eyed man. Truls is more melanated than that and describes himself as “coffee with a little bit of cream” in his complexion. He also reminds us that “None of us are what people expect people to be.” So true!

We follow how his ethnic and racial makeup have affected him from the restrictions of where he could live as a child, through his poor treatment in churches. Through his journey he will remind us of God’s intent in dealing with those that are different from us: “I don't want to be about race relations. I want to be about grace relations because I think that's what Jesus calls me to.”

In his grace, he teaches all of us what it means to be a child of God.

He also tells us about his life mission, “Build community.”

We think we can all learn something more about that; and wouldn’t we all be better off if we were building community.

Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith.

We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers.

Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo
Produced by: CJ Mateo

Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com
— we’d love to hear your story.