Pod Have Mercy

What happens when the Church weighs in on artificial intelligence? In this episode, we discuss Pope Leo XIV's recent reflections on AI, technology, and human dignity. Drawing parallels between today's AI revolution and the Industrial Revolution, they explore how technology shapes our lives, influences our relationships, and challenges our understanding of what it means to be human. The con...

Fresh off a pilgrimage to Italy, John Stephens and Josef Klam reflect on the spiritual, historical, and personal impact of traveling through some of Christianity’s most significant sites. From Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence, and Venice, they explore why pilgrimages continue to shape faith today. The conversation dives into sacred spaces, Christian history, the power of community, and how stepping a...

Laura Husband joins the podcast for a deeply honest conversation about grief, faith, healing, and the stories that shape us. Laura shares her experience growing up as the daughter of astronaut Rick Husband, commander of the Space Shuttle Columbia, and reflects on the tragedy that changed her life at just 12 years old. Together, Matt and Laura explore what it means to navigate public grief, wrestle...

What does it actually take to send humans back to the moon? This week on Pod Have Mercy, John sits down with NASA engineer Jimmy Warner to talk about the future of space exploration, moon bases, Mars missions, and the real science behind the Artemis program. Jimmy shares stories from his 18 years at NASA working on projects including Orion, the Space Shuttle, Gateway, and future lunar habitat syst...

This week on Pod Have Mercy, Jerry Webber joins John Stephens for a thoughtful conversation on contemplative spirituality, the interior life, and the wisdom hidden within the rhythms of a vineyard. Drawing from years of ministry, spiritual direction, and soul work, Jerry reflects on why silence, dormancy, weakness, and even loss can become sacred teachers in our spiritual lives. Together, they exp...

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Matt sits down with Shariq Abdul Ghani — Executive Director of Bridges and a Muslim leader passionate about peace-building. We explore what it really means to be neighbors in a divided world. From growing up Pakistani-American in Texas to reclaiming his faith after 9/11, Shariq shares how his journey led him to build bridges across faiths and culture...

In this special crossover episode, Ericka Graham joins Dr. Matt Russell for a wide-ranging conversation on faith, belonging, trauma, addiction recovery, justice, vulnerability, and the future of the church. Together, they explore why people are often longing for connection more than certainty, how curiosity can become a path toward healing, and why authenticity matters more than polished answers i...

This week on  Pod Have Mercy , Matt is out, so John and Geoff take the mic for a wide-ranging conversation on artificial intelligence, the future of creativity, and whether AI will make life easier or eventually take over everything. They also dive into a surprising spiritual metaphor: vineyards. From dormancy and pruning to harvest and renewal, the rhythms of the vine become a powerful lens for u...

Holy Week invites us into something deeper than celebration—it calls us to slow down, face suffering, and wrestle with the reality of death before we ever reach resurrection. In this episode, we’re joined by Michael Sciretti, pastor of the Center for Christian Spirituality, to explore why so many of us rush past Good Friday—and what we lose when we do. Through the lens of contemplative spiritualit...

In a world where every headline demands a response, what does faithfulness actually look like? This week, we unpack the growing pressure on pastors and churches to make public statements after every cultural moment—and the assumption that silence equals complicity. But is that true? We wrestle with questions like: Does speaking quickly mean we care more? Is urgency the same as faithfulness? What d...

Ever notice how everything feels heavier at 2:30 in the morning? In this episode, we unpack the science behind what’s happening in your brain after midnight—and why your thoughts tend to spiral into anxiety, fear, and worst-case scenarios. Turns out, there’s a real neurological reason your “night narrator” sounds so different than your daytime self. But instead of just dismissing those thoughts, w...

In this episode of Pod Have Mercy, we revisit a conversation centered on the writings of Richard Rohr and the meaning of Good Friday. As the church moves through the season of Lent, Matt and John reflect on Rohr’s insights about scapegoating, the human tendency to blame and condemn others, and the deeper meaning of the cross. Rather than viewing the crucifixion only through the lens of punishment...

What happens when students who have been overlooked finally get a stage? In this episode, Matt sits down with  Bill Moran  and  Claudia Crane  of  Iconoclast Artists , a Houston nonprofit using poetry and creative writing to help students process trauma, discover their voice, and build community. Over the last decade, Iconoclast Artists has worked with thousands of students across Houston and Galv...

In this powerful global conversation, we sit down with Bishop Ande Emanuel, bishop of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria, Senegal, and Cameroon. From persecution in Northern Nigeria to reconciliation after years of division, Bishop Emanuel shares how the church in Nigeria has not only survived but is thriving. With over 900 pastors, nearly 1,000 churches, and bold new evangelistic and agricult...

In this special episode of Pod Have Mercy, we honor the life and legacy of our dear friend, Bobby Wooley. Just weeks before his passing, we had the gift of sitting down with Bobby to record a conversation filled with honesty, warmth, and the unmistakable heart he carried for Chapelwood. In this episode, we revisit a meaningful clip from that conversation and reflect on the impact Bobby had on so m...

From the Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year (“rage bait”) to Super Bowl halftime controversy, from Ten Commandments legislation to immigration theology, from Christian influencers to monetized faith — this episode wrestles with what it means to follow Jesus in a world driven by outrage, clicks, and cultural division. Along the way, we explore: Why “rage bait” may define our digital ageWhether Ba...

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Bobby Wooley shares his journey from addiction and recovery to faithful service, and now, to receiving a stage four cancer diagnosis. With honesty, humor, and hope, Bobby reflects on the people who became “Jesus with skin on,” the tools faith and recovery have given him, and what it means to face suffering without fear or denial. This episode is not...

In this episode, John and Matt explore why public statements often soothe anxiety more than they create transformation, and why the Christian response to a broken world may be less about declarations and more about formation, lament, and embodied faith. Drawing from Scripture, systems theory, baptismal vows, and real stories from the life of the church, they ask a deeper question:  What if the sta...

In this festive and hilarious year-end episode, John welcomes Executive Pastor  Josef Klam  to close out 2025 with a conversation full of humor, honesty, and heart. From family traditions to church logistics to the emotional weight of changing long-held rituals, this episode dives into why Christmas is both magical and mildly chaotic for pastors and why it still matters so deeply. John and Joseph...

This week on Pod Have Mercy, John sits down with friend and community favorite Joel Moore, also known to many as the “Gratitude Guru.” Joel shares his journey through addiction recovery, personal transformation, and the development of a powerful daily gratitude practice that has reshaped his mental, spiritual, and emotional life. Joel opens up about building businesses, walking through recovery, a...

In this Thanksgiving episode, John and his brother Matt return to the studio to talk about family memories, hilarious holiday traditions, and all the things people probably should and should not say at the Thanksgiving table. From childhood oyster stories to smoked turkeys, family dynamics, awkward comments, and the stress some people feel going into the holidays, this episode is an honest, warm,...

In this special episode, John sits down with someone who knows him better than anyone - his brother,  Pastor Matt Stephens , a Baptist preacher from their hometown of Columbus, Georgia. Together, they peel back the curtain on a question they get  all the time : “How did two brothers end up as pastors in two different denominations?” Their warm, candid conversation explores: Growing up Methodist, s...

In this wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation, Matt Russell sits down with  The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle , the ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, to explore what it means to live faithfully in an age marked by polarization, digital noise, and spiritual disconnection. Drawing from his background as an artist, pastor, author, and public theologian, Bishop Doyle reflects on: How te...

In this episode of Pod Have Mercy, John Stephens and Joseph Patty dive into a surprising new Barna study revealing that parents and church leaders don’t agree on who should take the lead in discipling children. Should faith formation primarily happen at home or in the church? John and Joseph unpack the data, explore why many parents feel unequipped to talk about faith, and discuss what a true part...

Is Halloween harmless fun, a spiritual battleground, or something in between? In this episode of Pod Have Mercy, John Stephens sits down with Joseph Patty, Director of Student Ministries at Chapelwood, for a thoughtful (and often funny) conversation about how people of faith can approach Halloween with nuance and grace. From animism and All Saints’ Day to trick-or-treating and Dia de los Muertos,...