Pilgrimages are not tourism. Rather, these holy treks have the power to change lives. The Rev. Steven Manskar and the Rev. Chris Heckert discuss their roles as both pilgrimage leaders and pilgrims on “Get Your Spirit in Shape.”

Learn more about this episode at https://www.umc.org/en/content/pilgrimage-a-path-to-getting-unstuck-get-your-spirit-in-shape-ep-132

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“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” is indisputably one of the most popular Christmas hymns of all time. When Charles Wesley penned the lyrics, however, the opening line read, “Hark, how all the welkens ring!” World-renowned Wesley scholar Paul Chilcote shares fun and interesting insights about a selection of Wesley hymns and explains how all of the 9,000 hymns written by The United Methodist Church’s most enduring and prolific hymn writer centers on one theme: love.

Learn more about this episode at https://www.umc.org/en/content/stories-behind-the-songs-of-charles-wesley-get-your-spirit-in-shape-ep-130

Have questions or comments? Send an email to [email protected].

What is gaslighting? What is cultural bias? What is implicit bias? We hear these terms in the news, on social media, perhaps even at church. Dr. Enger Muteteke who works with The UMC’s General Commission on Religion and Race, shares how understanding the terms and viewing them through a scriptural lens can help us build a culture of belonging in our congregations and communities.

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We all have an inner critic, that voice in our heads that is sometimes quite loud telling us we are not good enough, we are not in control and even that we are not lovable. In his new book, “Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted life,” author Andrew Lang shares steps for how we as people of faith can expand through these constrictions to a place of healing for ourselves and offer healing to those around us.

After more than 20 trips to Africa to work primarily with vulnerable children who often lived in orphanages, Laura Horvath and her work with Healing Children Worldwide, has determined that centuries’ old wisdom about caring for underserved areas may need reimagining. Laura shares how the lessons she learned while working with communities across the globe have led her to engage in a radical initiative to unite and empower families.

When it comes to the Brothers Wesley, most people know John as the preacher and Charles as the hymn writer. What is less recognized, however, is how Charles, the younger of the two, was a trailblazer, often forging ahead of his brother.

The Rev. Dr. Paul Chilcote, world-renowned Wesley scholar, discusses the lingering influence of Charles’ lyrical theology on the Methodist movement and poses the question that Chilcote believes Charles would ask: What is the song that sings in your heart?

As a freshman at Memphis State University, Kyla Smith was shy and introverted when she joined her college’s Wesley Foundation chapter. Two years later, Kyla has been transformed into a leader who now believes she can take on anything, as evidenced by her role of traveling to United Methodist churches throughout the state to speak about the importance of campus ministries, a message she wants the entire denomination to hear.

Seven times in the Gospel of John, Jesus describes himself in ‘I am’ statements: I am the light of the world, I am the bread of life, and others. In this episode, we talk with the Rev. Matt Rawle about his new book ‘Jesus Revealed’ and how the ‘I am’ statements depict a beautiful mosaic that help us discover the person of Jesus and God’s narrative for our own lives.

In the mid-1700s, John and Charles Wesley were known as radical dissidents who had a lot to say about the church, faith and following God. The UMC’s General Commission of Archives and History’s chief executive, Dr. Ashley Boggan, shares why the Methodist movement message shared by John and Charles Wesley remains relevant almost 300 years later.

Helping men live a bold life of faith by overcoming isolation and anxiety is a passion for the chief executive of United Methodist Men.