Pod Have Mercy

This week we have a quick conversation about ways that we can respond to the turmoil in Israel and Gaza. We talk about the background of the dispute and how we can pray for those who are affected by the violence.

Today we are joined by David Worthington. Since arriving in 2006, David has overseen the development at John Wesley's New Room, including the delivery of the Broadmead Garden project and Horsefair Visitor Centre project. During this time, he has acquired an in-depth knowledge of the site and its significance in the story of the early Methodist movement which he shares in talks to groups and vi...

Today we talk about the Book of Joel, an ancient prophetic text, and discover its astonishing parallels with the contemporary Christian Church. We explore the timeless wisdom and insights embedded within this often overlooked book, revealing its striking relevance to our present-day faith and community. We'll navigate through themes of repentance, restoration, and revival, drawing connections...

This week on the podcast we discuss Russell Moore's book, Losing Our Religion . We also reflect on an article that Moore wrote about exile. We catch up on what John and Matt have been up to lately and we cover many more topics!

Today Rev. Maggie Wood joins us again to talk about addiction and recovery! We discuss how the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, the opposite of addiction is connection. We discuss Maggie and Matt's story of addiction and recovery and how the pandemic ramped up consumption for many people. If you or a family member would like to learn more about recovery please visit mercystreet.org for r...

This week we are joined by Mercy Street's new pastor, Rev. Maggie Wood. Maggie talks about her call story, how she found Mercy Street years ago, the journey back to Chapelwood and much more! https://mercystreet.org/

Matt and John are back in studio after an extended summer break. Today we discuss what they've been up to the past few months and what is coming for the future of the podcast! We also reflect on an article written by David French called, "How Did America Get Mean?".

Today we are joined by Rev. DeAndre Johnson, Rev. Lindsay Kirkpatrick and Rev. David Horton. We talk about their experiences as young clergy, why they remain in The United Methodist Church and their hopes for the future!

Today we are joined by Bishop Thomas Bickerton! As a respected bishop, Bishop Bickerton carries immense responsibilities, serving on the General Board of Global Ministries, the Standing Committee on Central Conference affairs, and the Commission on the General Conference. With an impressive tenure that spans several decades, he brings a wealth of knowledge and a true global perspective to our conv...

Today we are joined by Bishop Michael McKee! Bishop McKee is the dean of SMU’s Perkins School of Theology. He has served as episcopal leader of the North Texas Annual Conference since his election by the South Central Jurisdiction in 2012, and he retired from that position on January 1, 2023. We catch up with Bishop McKee and his involvement at the Texas Annual Conference and about his hopes for t...

This week we are recording at the Texas Annual Conference and we are joined by 3 pastors who are planting new churches! Rev. David Briggs, Rev. Shuler Sitsch and Rev. Jennifer Hodson talk about the process of planting new churches, what God is doing in their communities and their hopes for the future of the United Methodist Church and their congregations.

Today we sit down with the esteemed author, speaker, and leadership expert, Tod Bolsinger, to explore the art of meaningful conversations. Tod is a frequent guest and friend of the podcast. Join us as we delve into the transformative potential of dialogue and discover practical strategies for engaging in fruitful discussions in our increasingly polarized world. Tod Bolsinger has spent years studyi...

This week we are joined by Drew McIntyre! Drew McIntyre is the Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina. He grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and earned degrees in history and religion from High Point University and a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School. He is an avid reader, writer, and student, and currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor in...

This week we are joined by Rev. Tammy Heinrich, Rev. Sarah Barnett, Rev. Melissa Maher, Rev. Joy Johnston and Rev. Rachel Sciretti!

This week we revisit one of our favorite conversations with Dr. Rudy Rasmus. Dr. Rudy Rasmus is the founder of the Bread of Life, Inc., Temenos Community Development Corporation and St. John’s Downtown. He has spent the past three decades serving the most challenged demographics in Houston, Texas and his four books that tell the stories of love without conditions and service without expectations o...

The Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery is the dean of Duke University Chapel and associate professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School. A national leader in the theological study of the art of preaching, Powery regularly delivers sermons at Duke Chapel as well as at churches throughout the United States and abroad. He is often a keynote speaker and lecturer at educational institutions, conferences, sympo...

This week we talk about how the parallels between spiritual formation and Live Oak trees and how faith communities can act as a root system to hold each other together through times of crisis.

"Today the primary human problem, the core issue that defeats human history, is both revealed and resolved. It is indeed a “good” Friday. The central issue at work is the human inclination to kill others, in any multitude of ways, instead of dying ourselves—to our own illusions, pretenses, narcissism, and self-defeating behaviors. Jesus dies “for” us not in the sense of “in place of ” but “in...

Today John and Matt discuss how Christians should talk about gun violence in the wake of the most recent mass shooting event in the United States. They look at recent gun violence data from https://www.gunviolencearchive.org and they talk about how the culture has shifted over time.

Today we catch up with John and Matt. Matt has been out for the last few weeks of the podcast so we talk about his recent trip to Cambridge where he spent time teaching and preaching. We discuss some recent news about The Southern Baptist convention and women in ministry. We talk about how The Church of England is exploring gender neutral terms to refer to God in prayers and much more!

Professor Douglas Campbell was born in London but raised a New Zealander. He did his undergraduate degree in Political Philosophy at the University of Otago in New Zealand, and his graduate degrees in Religious Studies at the University of Toronto in Canada, where he was supported by a Commonwealth Scholarship. He is currently teaching at Duke Divinity School, where he is now a Professor of New Te...

Bishop Mande Muyombo was elected to the episcopacy in 2017. He is the Resident Bishop of the North Katanga Area, which includes North Katanga, Tanganyika and Tanzania conferences in the Congo Central Conference of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Muyombo joins us in studio this week to talk UMC issues and how we need to revive, renew and reclaim who we have always been as United Methodists...

Today we are joined by Keith Cowart. Bishop Cowart is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and Asbury Seminary for the M.Div. and D.Min. degrees. He and his wife Pam, who is also a graduate of the Seminary, have two adult sons. In 1997 Keith planted Christ Community Church in Columbus, Georgia, where he served for 21 years as lead pastor. Christ Community planted or played a major role in pla...

This week we are joined by Joy Johnston and Andrew Wolfe. Joy and Andrew are two new pastor's here at Chapelwood. We get to know a little bit about their background and we also talk about mental health, trauma and what they are experiencing both here at Chapelwood and in other communities around Houston. 

Today we are joined by Chris Kolkhorst. Chris started a podcast called The Gritmen Show. The Gritmen Show is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of grit, something we believe may be on the verge of extinction. The show features entertaining interviews and discussions of grit in popular culture, news, sports and history. Most of all, this show highlights stories of grit and how we can pas...