Oneya Okuwobi

Oneya Fennell Okuwobi is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Cincinnati. She also serves as teaching pastor at 21st Century Church, a church plant in Cincinnati, OH. You can find Oneya at oneyaokuwobi@bsky.social or oneyaokuwobi.com. Oneya is the author of Who Pays For Diversity? (2025) and has co-authored Multiethnic Conversations: An Eight-Week Journey Toward Unity in Your Church (2016) and Multiethnic Conversations for Kids (2022). She is married to Dele and has one daughter, Cadence. 

Latest Articles

Featured image for “I Set Out to End Racism and Failed”
Oneya Okuwobi

I Set Out to End Racism and Failed

Featured image for “I Thirst”
Julius Shumpert

I Thirst

Featured image for “The Borderlands: What Will We Do?”
Liliana Reza

The Borderlands: What Will We Do?

Featured image for “Reflections on Awakenings 2025 from The Englewood Review of Books”
Christopher Smith

Lindsey Cornett

Reflections on Awakenings 2025 from The Englewood Review of Books

Featured image for “Embers in the Campfire: Awakenings 2025 Day 3”
Missio Alliance

Embers in the Campfire: Awakenings 2025 Day 3

Featured image for “What If We Gave It All Back?: Awakenings 2025 Day 2”
Missio Alliance

What If We Gave It All Back?: Awakenings 2025 Day 2

Featured image for “Lace Up Your Jordans: Awakenings 2025 Day 1”
Missio Alliance

Lace Up Your Jordans: Awakenings 2025 Day 1

Featured image for “The Great Re-Commission: Awakenings 2025 Day 1”
Missio Alliance

The Great Re-Commission: Awakenings 2025 Day 1

Featured image for “Cherry Trees in the Budding Season: Awakenings 2025 Day 1”
Missio Alliance

Cherry Trees in the Budding Season: Awakenings 2025 Day 1

Featured image for “Remembering For the Sake of Our Souls”
Amanda Hecht

Remembering For the Sake of Our Souls

Featured image for “The Immigrant Canary Stuck in the American Evangelical Coal Mine”
Daniel Yang

The Immigrant Canary Stuck in the American Evangelical Coal Mine

Featured image for “Faithful Mission Through The Chaos (Part 2)”
David Swanson

Faithful Mission Through The Chaos (Part 2)

Featured image for “Faithful Mission Through The Chaos (Part 1)”
David Swanson

Faithful Mission Through The Chaos (Part 1)

Featured image for “Discerning 2024: Our Leading Voices”
Missio Alliance

Discerning 2024: Our Leading Voices

Featured image for “Sabbath Isn’t About Stopping”
Eun Strawser

Sabbath Isn’t About Stopping

Featured image for “Reflections on Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church (Pt. 3)”
Amber H. Jones

Sherene Joseph

Bethany Becker

Reflections on Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church (Pt. 3)

Featured image for “Reflections on Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church (Pt. 2)”
Amanda Hecht

Benjamin Park

Emily Beth Hill

Reflections on Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church (Pt. 2)

Featured image for “Sexism in the Church Decreases Missional Effectiveness”
Heather Matthews

Sexism in the Church Decreases Missional Effectiveness

Featured image for “Reflections on Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church (Pt. 1)”
Vatreisha Nyemba

Lamont Hartman

Cheryl You

Reflections on Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church (Pt. 1)

Featured image for “Christianity’s Growing Cultural Identity Crisis”
Robert Chao Romero

Christianity’s Growing Cultural Identity Crisis

Featured image for “Biblical Justice Includes Justice for Women”
Heather Matthews

Biblical Justice Includes Justice for Women

Featured image for “Pray Your Rage”
Jason Gaboury

Pray Your Rage

Featured image for “Reconciling to Place”
David Swanson

Reconciling to Place

Featured image for “Racism Hinders Spiritual Formation”
Nicole Doyley

Racism Hinders Spiritual Formation

Featured image for “Coping with Persistent Relational Isolation as a Pastor of Color”
Lamont Hartman

Coping with Persistent Relational Isolation as a Pastor of Color

Featured image for “Restoring A Masterpiece: God’s Tender Care For Sexual Assault Victims”
Bethany Becker

Restoring A Masterpiece: God’s Tender Care For Sexual Assault Victims

Featured image for “Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church”
Missio Alliance

Wholeness and Beauty in the Life of the Church

Featured image for “Every Woman Has a Story (of Sexism)”
Heather Matthews

Every Woman Has a Story (of Sexism)

Featured image for “Arise and Shine: Missional Living that Boldly Confronts”
Vatreisha Nyemba

Arise and Shine: Missional Living that Boldly Confronts

Featured image for “Finding Our Voice: Introducing the 2024 Writing Fellows Cohort”
Chris Kamalski

Oneya Okuwobi

Finding Our Voice: Introducing the 2024 Writing Fellows Cohort

Featured image for “Listening to Black Voices Experiencing Oppression”
Dennis R. Edwards

Listening to Black Voices Experiencing Oppression

Featured image for “A False Dichotomy: Am I Black or Am I Christian?”
Joylanda Jamison

A False Dichotomy: Am I Black or Am I Christian?

Featured image for “Walking Amongst Our Dry Bones”
Alex Booker

Walking Amongst Our Dry Bones

Featured image for “Flourishing and Cruciformity: Paradoxical Tensions in the Christian Life”
Sahr Mbriwa

Flourishing and Cruciformity: Paradoxical Tensions in the Christian Life

Featured image for “Why Haven’t We Made More Progress?”
Nicole Doyley

Why Haven’t We Made More Progress?

Featured image for “Every Bombed Village Is My Hometown”
Todd Deatherage

Every Bombed Village Is My Hometown

Featured image for “Assimilation Displaces, and the Church is Complicit”
Eun Strawser

Assimilation Displaces, and the Church is Complicit

Featured image for “Disruption in the Life of the Church: Then”
Dennis R. Edwards

Disruption in the Life of the Church: Then

Featured image for “Listening to Black Voices Experiencing Oppression”
Dennis R. Edwards

Listening to Black Voices Experiencing Oppression

Featured image for “What Shall We Do With Our Anger?”
Andrew Arndt

What Shall We Do With Our Anger?

Featured image for “The Blessing of Discomfort: A Global Church Perspective”
Ruth Padilla DeBorst

The Blessing of Discomfort: A Global Church Perspective

Featured image for “Injecting the Tonic of Humility: Could Political Healing Come From An Unexpected Quarter?”
Ian McFadden

Injecting the Tonic of Humility: Could Political Healing Come From An Unexpected Quarter?

Featured image for “I Need A Good Shout!”
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

I Need A Good Shout!

Featured image for “The State of the Church in America Through the Lens of Contemplation”
Tracy Mathews

The State of the Church in America Through the Lens of Contemplation

Featured image for “Reflectively Listening to a New Year”
Missio Alliance

Chris Kamalski

Reflectively Listening to a New Year

Featured image for “Advent: The Poet of Peace”
Derek Vreeland

Advent: The Poet of Peace

Featured image for “Advent: The Nexus of Humility, Justice, and Joy”
Dennis R. Edwards

Advent: The Nexus of Humility, Justice, and Joy

Featured image for “A Thanksgiving Liturgy: Before A Meal”
Missio Alliance

A Thanksgiving Liturgy: Before A Meal

Featured image for “Hungry People and Full People”
Oneya Okuwobi

Hungry People and Full People

Featured image for “Holding Vigil: Beneath a Binary Perspective on the Israeli War in Gaza”
Missio Alliance

Jer Swigart

Jon Huckins

Rich Villodas

Lisa Rodriguez-Watson

Holding Vigil: Beneath a Binary Perspective on the Israeli War in Gaza

Featured image for “Disrupting Legacies of White Supremacy in the Church”
David Swanson

Disrupting Legacies of White Supremacy in the Church

Featured image for “Dr. King Shines a Light Forward for Justice Work Today (‘I Have A Dream’ 60th Anniversary Version)”
Michelle Ferrigno Warren

Dr. King Shines a Light Forward for Justice Work Today (‘I Have A Dream’ 60th Anniversary Version)

Featured image for “The American Church: Has God Left The Building?”
Mariah Humphries

The American Church: Has God Left The Building?

Featured image for “Origin Stories Matter: On Juneteenth”
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

Origin Stories Matter: On Juneteenth

Featured image for “Dr. King Shines a Light Forward for Justice Work Today”
Michelle Ferrigno Warren

Dr. King Shines a Light Forward for Justice Work Today

Featured image for “Tamar: The Righteous Prostitute (Part 2)”
Carolyn Custis James

Tamar: The Righteous Prostitute (Part 2)

Featured image for “The Least of These: Reflections on Learning to Practice a Faith Without Margins”
Angie Ward

The Least of These: Reflections on Learning to Practice a Faith Without Margins

Featured image for “Tamar: The Righteous Prostitute (Part 1)”
Carolyn Custis James

Tamar: The Righteous Prostitute (Part 1)

Featured image for “The Sights & Sounds of Awakenings 2023”
Missio Alliance

The Sights & Sounds of Awakenings 2023

Featured image for “Disruption Doesn’t Have The Last Word; New Life Does”
Lisa Rodriguez-Watson

Disruption Doesn’t Have The Last Word; New Life Does