Thrive With Asbury Seminary

Today on the podcast we have Dr. John Oswalt, Visiting Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Asbury Seminary. He shares his story of coming to know Jesus, how he discerned his call to teaching and preaching, and why he is passionate about his work. We also talk about the importance of understanding Scripture and why theological education is vital when pursuing a call to pastoral ministry.

Today on the podcast we have Maryanne J. George. Maryanne is a a multifaceted artist who sings, writes, and plays many different instruments. She is also a worship leader who is passionate about encountering the Lord. You may know her from her work with Maverick City or from her solo album, "Not Just Stories." On this episode we talk about her journey as a musician, the surprising path that led to her joining Maverick City and what authenticity means to her as an artist and worship leader. This interview was recorded while Maryanne was on campus to lead worship during our Kingdom Conference event in October.

Today on the podcast we have Dr. Emilio Alvarez, Associate Provost of Lifelong Learning at Asbury Seminary. We talk about Dr. Alvarez’s latest book, “Pentecost: A Day of Power for All People,” and how learning from other church traditions expands our faith.

Today on the podcast we have Dr. Janet Dean, Professor of Pastoral Counseling Education at Asbury Seminary and Dr. Marcus Kilian, Associate Professor of Psychology at Asbury University. We talk about their experience teaching trauma-informed counseling in Ukraine this past May.

Born and raised in Spring, Texas, Zahriya Zachary, the newest member of the Bethel Music Collective, didn’t come from a musical family, but her love of music began at the early age of six while learning to play the piano. She didn’t begin leading worship until she was a freshman in college, when the Lord clearly spoke to her and told her that it was time. Throughout her time in college, she began volunteering on her church’s worship team while the Lord was teaching her more about what it means to have a worshiper’s heart. She currently leads worship in Houston, Texas at The Woodlands Methodist Church. Zahriya believes that worship is the place where we belong and her heart is that people will forget about her and be led straight to Jesus. In today's episode we talk about her journey as a singer, songwriter and worship leader and how she balances life on the road with leading worship in a local church.

Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley, Ph.D., is a farmer, activist/scholar, distinguished speaker, teacher and wisdom keeper who addresses a variety of issues concerning American culture, faith/spirituality, justice, race/diversity, regenerative farming, our relationship with the earth and Indigenous realities. He graduated from Asbury Seminary with a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies in 2010. His expertise has been sought in national venues such as Time Magazine, The Huffington Post and Christianity Today. Dr. Woodley currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture at Portland Seminary. Dr. Woodley was raised near Detroit, Michigan and is a Cherokee descendent recognized by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma. He co-hosts the Peacing it all Together podcast with Bo Sanders. Dr. Woodley and his wife are co-sustainers of Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds, a regenerative teaching center and farm in Yamhill, Oregon. The Woodleys have been innovators and activists for over three decades. They have four grown children and six grandchildren. He has authored nine books, all of which we’ll link to in the show notes, in case you want to grab a copy. In today’s conversation we talk about how he came to know Jesus, Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm and Seeds. We talk about his books and what we can learn from indigenous wisdom. Let's listen!

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Winfield Bevins, an internationally recognized author, teacher, and coach. He is Director of Church Planting at Asbury Seminary and co-founder of Healthy Rhythms Coaching , which is a global online coaching and training platform to help leaders thrive. He has helped train leaders in over twenty nations and six continents. He frequently speaks at conferences, seminaries, and universities on a variety of topics. His writing and research explores the intersection of tradition, innovation, and the future of the church. He is the author of several books including Ever Ancient Ever New: The Allure of Liturgy for a New Generation (Zondervan, 2019) and Marks of a Movement (Zondervan, 2019), and his most recent, which releases today Liturgical Mission: The Work of the People for the Sake of the World . In today’s conversation we talk about how Winfield first encountered liturgy and the journey he has been on since then, and, of course, his new book Liturgical Mission: The Work of the People for the Life of the World. Let’s listen!

Today on the podcast, we kick off our centennial celebration with a conversation with Dr. Ron Smith, President of the Francis Asbury Society in Wilmore, Ky. Dr. Smith has a longtime relationship with FAS, first serving as a fellow and later an evangelist before becoming president. He has desired to live his whole life being “wholly devoted to God.” Dr. Smith holds a special burden for mentoring students in higher education, and he and his family have hosted a weekly meeting for spiritual growth and study with college and seminary students for many years. In addition, he has written articles for many denominational and missional publications and has a special interest in producing substantive theological literature for the Church today. In today’s conversation, you guys are in for a real treat. We get to know Dr. Smith a little bit more, which is a real treat, and we talk about his dissertation which is being published as a book called Henry Clay Morrison: Remembering the Old Paths. Ever the story teller, Dr. Smith gives us a little snapshot of the life and legacy of Asbury Seminary’s founder, Dr. Henry Clay Morrison. Let’s listen!

Today on the podcast, I got to talk to Dr. Mike Voigts, Professor of Spiritual Formation at Asbury Seminary. Dr. Voigts’ academic interests lie in personal and community spiritual direction and in drawing connections between spiritual traditions in the global church. In addition to several articles, he is the author of The Fourth Degree of Prayer (Cascade, 2022) and Letters of Ascent: Spiritual Direction in the Letters of Bernard of Clairvaux (Wipf & Stock, 2013). In today’s conversation we’ll talk about calling, community and, of course, his new book The Fourth Degree of Prayer. We’ll link to in in our show notes. It’s available on Wipf and Stock and Amazon. So now, let’s listen to my conversation with Dr. Voigts!

Today on the podcast, I got to talk to Rev. Jessica LaGrone, Asbury Seminary alum and dean of chapel at the Seminary. Jessica enjoys mentoring and multiplying as she serves as pastor to a vibrant seminary community. She is an acclaimed pastor, teacher, speaker, and writer whose engaging communication style endears her to groups throughout the United States. A native of Texas, Jessica previously pastored in churches in the Houston area, including nine years at The Woodlands Methodist Church. She is a member of the Transitional Leadership Council of the Global Methodist Church. She’s written several books and studies, including Namesake: When God Rewrites Your Story, Under Wraps, and Broken and Blessed: How God Used One Imperfect Family to Change the World, Set Apart: Holy Habits of Prophets and Kings, and The Miracles of Jesus. Jessica blogs at jessicalagrone.com. She and her husband, Jim, have two young children, Drew and Kate, and a dog named Bluebell, who is the color of Homemade Vanilla. Jessica’s most recent book, which we talk about on today’s podcast is Out of Chaos: How God Makes New Things from the Broken Pieces of Life. It explores the beauty that God can bring out of the chaotic state of our lives and worlds. In this conversation we talk about Jessica’s new book and the relationship between calling, creativity and chaos. Let’s listen!