Why this room exists
Some of the holiest moments of my ministry never happened in a sanctuary. They happened in living rooms and hospital rooms, where somebody put the kettle on, pulled a chair in close and finally asked the question they had carried for years.
This fall I turn 70. Seventy years of ministry, failure, grief and grace have taught me that people don't need another stage. They need a room. So I'm opening the door.
Beloved, come as you are. I've saved you a seat.
Meet your host
Rev. Dr. Zina Jacque
Rev. Dr. Zina Jacque is an American Baptist pastor, preacher and pastoral counselor, and the creator of the Sacred Pause devotional series. For fifteen years she was lead pastor of the Community Church of Barrington in Illinois. She founded the Pastoral Counseling Center of Trinity Church in Boston, led the Boston TenPoint Coalition, and has taught pastoral care at Boston University and the University of Chicago. She holds an M.Div. and Th.D. from Boston University. Today more than 260,000 people start their mornings with her Sacred Pause.
What happens in the room
It isn't a class, a webinar or a Bible study, and nothing is sold inside these walls. Faith is at the center, and every question is welcome.
Devotional and conversation
A devotional from that week's Sacred Pause theme, a community thread with a question, and a new video.
Live with Dr. Zina
About 20 minutes of teaching, then the floor is yours: "If you had one question to ask me, what would it be?"
The book
We read together. November's book is Matters of the Heart by Dr. Thema Bryant.
Mark your calendar
Streaming live on Substack and YouTube. Subscribe to get the link and the reminders.
What it costs
Everything here is free through December 31. In January, membership opens at
$15.16
a month / John 15:16
The sixteen cents is on purpose. Look up John 15:16. You were chosen. A free way in will always stay open.
Come on in, freeThe reach
As of October 2026. Instagram, Facebook and YouTube from October 9; email and Substack from October 29.
For partners and press
The room is for faith-rooted adults who are still hungry for God but no longer find Him only in a pew on Sunday. Many carry quiet grief. Many are the person everybody else calls.
Zina and Friends
Guest conversations with pastors, writers, counselors and thought leaders, starting in January.
Share the room
Podcast hosts, churches and communities who want to pass the invitation along.
Brand partnerships
Faith, wellness, book and lifestyle brands that fit a reverent, story-first audience.
Gatherings
In-person tables in 2027, in the cities where members gather.