Troubling the Water
by Ben McBride
Book Review: Troubling the Water: The Urgent Work of Radical Belonging
By Ben McBride (2023)
Rating: ★★★★★
Ben McBride’s Troubling the Water is both a personal testimony and a public call to action—a deeply spiritual, emotionally honest, and politically relevant work that challenges the reader to live differently.
Overview
The book takes its title from the biblical motif of the troubled waters at Bethesda, where healing required stepping into stirred, uncertain waters. McBride weaves this metaphor through his own journey, inviting readers to wade into discomfort as a pathway to transformative belonging. What unfolds is not only memoir but a movement-building manual grounded in the practice of proximity, vulnerability, and courageous engagement across difference.
Themes and Structure
McBride structures the book around three key movements:
Waking Up – Recognizing the brokenness of our systems and selves.
Disrupting the Status Quo – Confronting power, privilege, and inherited systems of harm.
Walking Together – Building bridges, not as a form of passive civility but as a radical reimagining of what it means to belong to one another.
Each section is enriched with personal stories—from his early life as a preacher’s kid to his community activism post-Ferguson—alongside thoughtful reflections and practical questions for engagement. McBride doesn’t flinch from the complexity of race, violence, faith, and politics, but instead leans into them with grace and clarity.
Strengths
Intimacy and Honesty: McBride’s storytelling is vulnerable without being performative. He speaks candidly about his own transformation, missteps, and learning, modeling the self-work required of all of us.
Spiritual Depth: The book is grounded in a theological imagination that prioritizes justice, mercy, and the image of God in all people.
Actionable Wisdom: Rather than prescribing easy answers, McBride equips the reader with tools for reflection and sustained engagement.
Critique
The only minor critique is that those unfamiliar with faith language may need to navigate some biblical and theological references. However, McBride is inclusive and clear, making the concepts accessible regardless of background.
Impact
In an era marked by polarization and fear, Troubling the Water is a prophetic invitation to choose a different path—one defined by radical belonging, where healing begins not in avoiding conflict but in embracing our shared humanity through it.
Conclusion
Troubling the Water is more than a book—it’s a movement manifesto. Whether you’re a community leader, faith practitioner, activist, or someone simply seeking to understand your place in creating a more just world, Ben McBride offers a roadmap grounded in empathy, truth-telling, and hope. Read this book with your heart open and your feet ready to move.
Author Profile: Ben McBride
Ben McBride is a visionary peacemaker, spiritual leader, and activist who has spent decades at the intersection of faith, justice, and community healing. A native of San Francisco, McBride is known for his work in reducing violence, building bridges across lines of difference, and promoting radical belonging. He is the founder of Empower Initiative, a movement-building organization that fosters social transformation through empathy, proximity, and collective action. McBride’s theology and activism are rooted in a deep commitment to disrupting systems of oppression and rehumanizing people and communities that have been marginalized.
His leadership has influenced national conversations on race, policing, and public safety reform, particularly through his work in Oakland and broader California initiatives. As a Black man, father, and faith leader, McBride brings an embodied wisdom to his work—navigating vulnerability and hope while calling others into bold action.
