The Broken Banquet

In this episode of The Broken Banquet , Ashley and Wil welcome Will Faircloth — Director of Spanish Studies of the Wesley House of Studies at Truett Seminary and Director of the Wesley Heritage Foundation. Will’s story stretches from serving in Costa Rica alongside Wil to shaping the next generation of Wesleyan leaders at Baylor University. With a deep passion for theological education and a heart...

This week at the table, we welcome Charles Cross , Vice President of Strategic Growth and International Director with the International Leadership Institute (ILI) . Charles is a French-speaking, leadership-leading, world-traveling father of six whose heart beats for the Gospel. With nearly two decades serving in France and five years in the U.S. with Greater Europe Mission, Charles and his wife, A...

Your co-hosts are taking a little break, but we didn’t want to leave your podcast feed empty. Instead, we’re bringing you something special: a replay episode! We’ve dug back into the archives to highlight one of our favorite authors! Hunter Farrell is the co-author of Freeing Congregational Mission: A Practical Vision for Companionship, Cultural Humility, and Co-Development . Hunter is also the Di...

This week, we sit down with Dr. Elie Haddad , President of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. Elie is a theological giant — both figuratively and literally (he’s super tall!) — and a pioneering leader whose influence reaches far beyond the seminary walls. In this conversation, Elie shares: How he’s reimagined theological education in times of crisis and change Why polycentri...

Wellll. It's no longer Labor Day week, but we're still on a break. So today, we’re bringing you something special: a replay episode of Wil's favorite author! Challenge Accepted! When Wil asked Ashley to book an interview with his favorite author, it at first seemed like an impossible task. But, within a few hours, Dr. Sherwood Lingenfelter responded! Sherwood G. Lingenfelter retired as provost of...

Labor Day Replay Week! Your co-hosts are taking a little Labor Day break, but we didn’t want to leave your podcast feed empty. Instead, we’re bringing you something special: a replay episode every single day this week! We’ve dug back into the archives to highlight some of our absolute favorite conversations - featuring authors, storytellers, and mission leaders who have inspired us (and hopefully...

Labor Day Replay Week! Your co-hosts are taking a little Labor Day break, but we didn’t want to leave your podcast feed empty. Instead, we’re bringing you something special: a replay episode every single day this week! We’ve dug back into the archives to highlight some of our absolute favorite conversations - featuring authors, storytellers, and mission leaders who have inspired us (and hopefully...

Labor Day Replay Week! Your co-hosts are taking a little Labor Day break, but we didn’t want to leave your podcast feed empty. Instead, we’re bringing you something special: a replay episode every single day this week! We’ve dug back into the archives to highlight some of our absolute favorite conversations —featuring authors, storytellers, and mission leaders who have inspired us (and hopefully y...

Labor Day Replay Week! Your co-hosts are taking a little Labor Day break, but we didn’t want to leave your podcast feed empty. Instead, we’re bringing you something special: a replay episode every single day this week! We’ve dug back into the archives to highlight some of our absolute favorite conversations - featuring authors, storytellers, and mission leaders who have inspired us (and hopefully...

What do Peru, Panama, Portugal, and Paul have in common? They’re all part of the story of Rev. Luciano Pereira da Silva. 🇧🇷➡️🇵🇪➡️🇵🇦➡️🇵🇹 Originally from Brazil, Luciano has poured out his life across the globe - serving in Peru, now shepherding in Panama, and always carrying a deep love for Portugal. If it starts with a “P,” chances are Luciano has a story there! But more than geography, Luciano ha...

What happens when the Gospel meets the airwaves across the Middle East and North Africa? You get SAT-7! And you get people like Ray Heinen making it happen. Originally from Egypt, Ray has spent decades living and serving across the Arab world before landing in the U.S. with his wife, Sue. Today, as Senior Director of Ministry Partnerships at SAT-7, he’s helping the Church beam hope, truth, and the...

We’ve been waiting for this one! Ashley’s favorite Colombian, Juan Bravo of Conectar Global, joins The Broken Banquet for a conversation that’s as rich and bold as a fresh cup of Colombian coffee. Juan is passionate about connecting people across cultures for the sake of the Gospel —and he’s got the stories to prove it. From digital evangelism in Latin America to finding creative ways to make disc...

We recorded this conversation nearly a year ago, back in the fall of 2024, just as Ashley was settling into life at The Woodlands Methodist Church . And guess what? Tianna Johnston of Every Village was our very first guest of the season! Now, finally, you get to hear all the giggles, all the stories, and (more importantly) you get to know this precious soul. Tianna is kind, witty, a phenomenal sto...

This week on The Broken Banquet , we're thrilled to welcome Peter Pereira . He and his wife, Esther, are the passionate founders of Global Hope Partners , an extraordinary ministry sharing the love of God with the 1.79 billion unreached people of South Asia. Through their leadership, Global Hope Partners is transforming lives and communities by meeting both physical and spiritual needs across thre...

Refat is AAAAMAZING. Originally from Egypt, Refat is now the Pastor of Arabic Baptist Church in Houston, TX. He and Ashley are traveling to the Middle East soon, and we can’t wait for even more stories! Find out more of Arabic Baptist Church of Houston: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BrowJkNg9/?mibextid=wwXIfr Music by: Irene & the Sleepers Logo by: Jill Ellis Website: menomissions.org Cont...

Darrell Whiteman: Crossing Cultures with the Gospel 📚 It’s the best missions book EVER. And today, you meet the man behind it. Dr. Darrell Whiteman is not just a missiologist. He’s a master storyteller, a cultural bridge-builder, and quite possibly the wisest voice in cross-cultural ministry today. With humor, humility, and hard-earned wisdom, Darrell invites us into a world where anthropology an...

Get ready! Today’s guest might just be the most excitable, passionate, and joy-filled human being we’ve ever had on The Broken Banquet ! Meet Steve Tybor , the founder and CEO of Eight Days of Hope , a ministry that mobilizes thousands of volunteers to rebuild homes, restore hope, and respond when disaster strikes. What started as “just one trip” to help after Hurricane Katrina has exploded into a...

What happens when one woman says yes to the most dangerous prayer imaginable— “Send me where no one wants to go”? In this episode, we sit down with Carole Ward , a missionary and global leader who has followed God into the heart of war-torn nations, daring to believe that faith can transform even the darkest places. Her story begins in 2002 with a simple, radical prayer and unfolds into a powerful...

Ashley is settling into life at The Woodlands Methodist Church in The Woodlands, TX, and Wil is deep in ministry in Costa Rica . And we're so excited to be back! This season, Ashley introduces Wil — and you — to TWMC’s missions family. New places, new friends, same heart. Pull up a chair. The banquet is just beginning. Ashley's Sermon: https://youtu.be/YWBOVvC_-Ug?si=7m0ZVzBmNBkQ3UcQ Myers Park wi...

Season Two is coming to a close. Wil and Ashley take some time to reflect on all of the great interviews from the season and give listeners an update on what's next! Music by: Irene & the Sleepers Logo by: Jill Ellis Website: menomissions.org BB Website: https://www.brokenbanquetpodcast.com Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

Have you ever met Vicki Sullivan? Perhaps at the Accounts Payable desk in the Business Office of First Methodist Church Shreveport, where she's been a friendly presence for over 11 years. Maybe you've shared a pew with her at FaithLink or Traditional services, or perhaps you've walked alongside her on a spiritual journey during a Seekers Class or Walk to Emmaus. Some of you may even have embarked...

Your co-hosts, Wil & Ashley, are taking a break this week. And since we replayed Wil's episode earlier this season, we thought we'd re-introduce you to Ashley this week! Lots of changes are coming for Ashley, and we look forward to filling you in on those soon! Music by: Irene & the Sleepers Logo by: Jill Ellis Website: menomissions.org BB Website: https://www.brokenbanquetpodcast.com Cont...

Friends, do we have a show for you! Meet Dr. Larry Dempsey, the leader of Wil Bailey's first trip to Costa Rica! Larry is a long-time member of 1st Methodist Church of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and over the course of 40+ trips to Costa Rica, he has a unique perspective on what mission relationships look like and how his feelings about missions have evolved over his many years of travel. We're s...

Kay Ferguson loves Jesus, loves missions, loves her husband (Joe), her son (Joseph), her dog (Tracker), and her cat! Kay has been at the helm of the First Methodist Church of Shreveport's Global Mission family for over 10 years. We talk with her today about what led her to go on her first mission trip, what she thought of missions then, and how her perspective has evolved over time. It's a beautif...

You've met his wife, Tamara! She blew the competition away with her episode! It has nearly double the listens of any other episodes we've produced! Now, it's time to hear from hubby, Jeremy. He's a rabid UNC fan and loves Jesus just as passionately. In 2009, Jeremy and Tamara Boone left the United States for Jinja, Uganda, and soon began serving in a refugee camp-turned-slum called Masese III. The...