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This week we are joined by Rev. Adam Hamilton, Rev. Lindsay Kirkpatrick, Rev. Lawrence Young, Rev. DeAndre Jonson, Rev. Tom Pace and Rev. Emily Chapman.  We discuss some of the key issues that our denomination faces and how we will move in to the future as one church.  For more video resources visit: Www.UMC.org Www.resourceumc.org Www.twmbo.org

Lo Alaman is a spoken word poet, writer, and preacher. Today we discuss how Lo has processed grief throughout his life and how God continues to lead him through that. We discuss some of the narratives in the christian life that need to change and we hear some poetry from Lo!

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for "a new kind of Christianity" - just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is an Auburn Senior Fellow, a contributor to We Stand With Love, and a leader in the Convergence Network, through which he is developing an innovative training/mentoring program for pastors and church planters.

This week we are recording in Lake Charles, Louisiana! We are joined by Joseph Patty and Evan Nehring to talk about Chapelwood's annual mission trip called Summit. We discuss the work that the team has been doing in the community and also the impact that serving has had on the youth and adult leaders who are attending. 

Bill Kerley is a counselor and spiritual director. Today we talk about how to manage fear.  http://www.billkerley.com/about-bill-kerley

This week we are joined by Ted Campbell. Dr. Campbell is a member of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and currently serves as co-chair of the AAR’s Wesleyan Studies Group. He also belongs to the American Society of Church History, and the Wesleyan Theological Society. He is currently the Albert C. Outler Professor of Wesley Studies at SMU Perkins School Of Theology.  Today we continue to discuss the United Methodist Church and Ted gives insight into how the church can move forward. 

Bishop David Graves was elected to the episcopacy by the Southeastern Jurisdiction in 2016. He is the Resident Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Area, which includes the Alabama-West Florida Conference in the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church. Today we discuss denominational issues and how Bishop Graves is leading his districts through these times. We discuss how the book of discipline has changed over time and how to live and lead with a Wesleyan lens of grace.  

This week Matt and John discuss easter prep and what it means to live our faith through Christ's life, death and resurrection. They unpack the meaning of the word Kenosis and how it relates to our spirituality.  Chapelwood.org/easter

This week we go over Harwood Institute's Civic Virus Report. This report reveals that Americans don’t feel polarized or antagonistic toward one another. They feel isolated and disoriented, like they are trapped in a house of mirrors with no way out. They are in the grips of a perilous fight or flight response. John and Matt discuss the church's responsibility in this new age of discourse and how leaders can engage in conversation.    https://theharwoodinstitute.org/civic-virus-report

This week is the everything episode! The conversation wanders from Will Smith to the effects of TikTok on mental health. We talk about how we made community before social media and how people are trying to make connections in the digital age. We also cover some spiritual practices that John and Matt have used to unplug from technology and find balance. Article 1 Article 2

Jeremy Steele is an Associate Pastor at Los Altos United Methodist Church. Jeremy has developed an app called Zoay that seeks to engage with Gen Z and Millennials who used to attend church but do not anymore. In this conversation, we discuss Jeremy's call into ministry, some data that Jeremy has collected through the creation of his app and what it means to do ministry in the digital world.   

Bishop Scott Jones was elected to the episcopacy in 2004 and currently serves as the resident bishop of the Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church with an office in Houston. Today we discuss the current state of the UMC and how we got here. We talk local church disaffiliations, conference disaffiliations, the jurisdictional conference in 2022 and Bishop Jones' hopes for the future.

This week Tod Bolsinger is back! We discuss leadership and vulnerability, spiritual formation in churches, how to ask the hard questions and the purpose of the christian life.  Tod's Blog

Today we are joined by Teer Hardy. Teer is a UMC pastor and the cohost of the podcast Crackers & Grape Juice. Teer has been podcasting since 2016 and we hear stories about some of his favorite conversations that span over 300 episodes. We talk current church trends, doubt and faith, how Christians responded to the pandemic and much more!  Crackersandgrapejuice.com

Kenneth DeVon is the Director of Navigation Programs at The Salvation Army. In this conversation we talk about Kenneth's experience as a background vocalist for artists like Steve Wonder and Alicia Keys, his education at Berklee College of Music and how he discovered God's call on his life through a chance reconnection with his brother.   Texas Monthly Article 

This week John and Matt discuss current events and the future of the church. They have conversation about 12 DISRUPTIVE CHURCH TRENDS THAT WILL RULE 2022 and how churches will need to adapt to continue to serve in the post-pandemic era. 

This week we have another update from Dr. Marc Boom. John and Matt get information on the current state of the pandemic and how our medical system in Houston is responding. They discuss variants, new health initiatives and the data around the decrease in cases worldwide. 

This week John and Matt wrap up the 4 week series on following Jesus. They talk about the community of Jesus and why it's important to remain in fellowship with one another instead of isolation. 

This week John and Matt continue their discussion around following Jesus. They cover three main points:  1. In order to walk the path of Jesus, we must follow the leading of God’s Spirit, as Jesus did. 2. To follow the path of Jesus means to hold at the center of your mission – and our mission – the kinds of things Jesus held at the center of his mission. 3. If we are going to follow the path of Jesus, we must commit ourselves to the liberation of all people, as Jesus committed himself to the liberation of all people.

This week Matt and John are live again talking about the temptation of Jesus. They discuss the 3 temptations that Jesus experienced in the wilderness and how those correlate with modern Christianity.