What does it look like to have a faith that holds when life feels exhausting?

In this episode of Pod Have Mercy, John and Matt sit down with Bishop Tom Berlin and Rev. Rachel Billups for a wide-ranging conversation about resilience, discipleship, courage, innovation, and what gives them hope for the future of the church.

Bishop Berlin and Rachel discuss their work around Christian resilience and why resilience is about more than simply pushing through difficult seasons. They explore the habits and communities that help us remain grounded in faith, hope, love, courage, and joy when life does not cooperate.

The conversation also turns to Bishop Berlin's book, "Jesus Is Lord," and what that familiar Christian confession actually demands of us. What happens when politics, culture, ambition, or certainty begin competing with Jesus for the center of our lives? What would it mean for Christians to genuinely allow everything else to orbit around Christ?

Rachel shares about the work of Hub4Innovation, the importance of curiosity and experimentation in ministry, and why leaders need the courage to dream, dare, disrupt, and sometimes fail as they imagine new ways of serving their communities.

Bishop Berlin also reflects on more than two decades of ministry relationships in Sierra Leone, including the Child Reintegration Centre and Mercy Hospital, and the life-changing impact global partnerships can have on both the communities being served and those who choose to serve.

John, Matt, Rachel, and Tom also talk candidly about clergy exhaustion, the state of The United Methodist Church, Christian nationalism, rebuilding trust, finding hope in ordinary people, and why tangible expressions of love may be one of the church's most important witnesses.

Finally, Rachel and Tom become the first guests to take a seat in a new Pod Have Mercy segment: The Mercy Seat.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BISHOP TOM BERLIN

Bishop Tom Berlin:
https://www.bishoptomberlin.com

Council of Bishops Profile:
https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/person-detail/4174935

Shop Bishop Tom Berlin's books on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004M71V5U?ccs_id=09172b4a-93d5-4297-a356-67ecd2fb1cf8

LEARN MORE ABOUT RACHEL BILLUPS

Rachel Billups:
https://www.rachelbillups.com

Shop Rachel Billups' books on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07MFVQYWW?ccs_id=ab7e652e-b6c5-4f20-a5ff-04b66cc0f925

Hub4Innovation:
https://www.hub4innovation.org

BOOKS DISCUSSED

"Be Strong in the Lord: The Resilient Way of Christ" by Tom Berlin and Rachel Billups

"Jesus Is Lord" by Tom Berlin

"Dream, Dare, Disrupt: How Experiments, Risk, & Embracing Failure Can Build Life-Giving Ministry" by Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups

Explore Tom and Rachel's Amazon author pages above to find these books and more.

Why has wine held such a powerful place in religion for thousands of years?
In this episode of Pod Have Mercy, John shares a conversation originally hosted by the Wine Scholar Guild with Justin Martindale exploring the fascinating intersection of wine, culture, history, and faith.
From the ancient world to the modern table, John and Justin discuss why wine became a symbol of blessing and abundance, its central role in Jewish and Christian traditions, and the complicated relationship between Christianity and alcohol throughout history. They also explore how monasteries helped preserve viticulture after the fall of the Roman Empire and how generations of monks helped lay the groundwork for many of the vineyard traditions and regional distinctions we recognize today.
The conversation also turns to the spiritual lessons found in the vineyard itself—from dormancy and pruning to new growth, harvest, stress, and old vines. John reflects on how the life cycle of the vine offers a powerful picture of growth, resilience, generosity, and the ways our lives can bear fruit for people we may never even meet.
Justin Martindale MW is a wine educator, consultant, judge, and the Membership & Community Manager for the Wine Scholar Guild. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Justin’s path to wine began after studying music at Leeds University and briefly working as a classical musician. He entered the wine trade with Majestic in 2008 before establishing the Lothian Wine School in Edinburgh in 2013.Justin earned the prestigious Master of Wine (MW) title in 2022. In the process, he received the Madame Bollinger Award for the best tasting performance and the Quinta do Noval Award for the best research paper. His work spans wine education, broadcasting, consulting, writing, judging, food and wine pairing, and exploring the broader cultural significance of wine.
Links & Resources[https://www.mastersofwine.org/justin-...][https://www.winescholarguild.com/blog...][https://www.mastersofwine.org/]

What does it mean to live faithfully in an unfinished universe - one in which creation is still evolving and Christ is still drawing all things toward communion?

In today's episode, Matt sits down with Dr. Ilia Delio, Franciscan sister, theologian, Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology at Villanova University, founder of the Center for Christogenesis, and author of more than twenty books, including "The Christian Mutation".

Drawing from the work of Bonaventure, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Carl Jung, and modern physics, Dr. Delio explores what Christianity might look like if we took evolution, science, and the deeply relational nature of the universe seriously.Together, Matt and Dr. Delio discuss moving from original sin toward original love, why relationship may be at the very foundation of reality, and what it means to understand sin as a resistance to relationship. They also explore the decline of institutional religion, the questions younger generations are asking, artificial intelligence, the problem of evil, and whether Christianity itself must continue to evolve.

At the center of the conversation is a provocative possibility: What if love isn't simply something we feel or something Christianity teaches, but something woven into the very fabric of existence? And if the universe is still becoming, what would it mean for the church to become with it?\

In this episode:

- Teilhard de Chardin and the relationship between science and faith

- Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, and two ways of understanding Christianity

- Original sin versus original love

- Physics, interconnectedness, and the relational nature of reality

- Sin as a resistance to relationship

- Why younger generations are leaving institutional religion

- Whether Christianity is answering questions people are no longer asking

- Artificial intelligence and the future of humanity

- Love, evil, and human transformation

- What the church might become if it took evolution seriously

- Whether love can endure even if the universe itself eventually dies

Learn more about Dr. Ilia Delio: https://wisrinstitute.org/about/ilia-delio/

What can the history of Methodism teach us about the future of the church?

In Episode 238 of Pod Have Mercy, Matt and John sit down with Dr. Ashley Boggan, General Secretary of the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History, to talk about what she calls the “ministry of memory” and why remembering our history is very different from simply being nostalgic.

The conversation centers on a pivotal moment in John Wesley’s life when he “submitted to be more vile” and began preaching outside the walls of the church to people who were often excluded from traditional religious life. Ashley explains why she sees that moment as foundational to the Methodist movement and explores how Methodism’s early willingness to challenge social and institutional boundaries gradually gave way to a pursuit of respectability, influence, and growth.

Show Notes & Resources

• Wesleyan Vile-tality: Reclaiming the Heart of Methodist Identity — Ashley Boggan’s book exploring Wesley’s call to “submit to be more vile” and what it means for Methodist identity today.
• A Not So Calm Address to American Methodists — Ashley Boggan and Andy Oliver revisit John Wesley’s A Calm Address to Our American Colonies in light of America’s 250th anniversary.
• General Commission on Archives and History / UM History Hub — Resources exploring Methodist history and the church’s “ministry of memory.”
• From Crown to Conferencing: Methodism and the New Republic — A General Commission on Archives and History series exploring Methodism alongside the birth and development of the United States.

What happens when the Church weighs in on artificial intelligence?

In this episode, we discuss Pope Leo XIV's recent reflections on AI, technology, and human dignity. Drawing parallels between today's AI revolution and the Industrial Revolution, they explore how technology shapes our lives, influences our relationships, and challenges our understanding of what it means to be human.

The conversation touches on social media algorithms, political polarization, Christian formation, human identity, and why the most important question may not be whether technology is good or bad, but who we are becoming while we build it.

Plus, the hosts discuss the dangers of reducing people to labels, the importance of seeing others as image-bearers of God, and whether AI might someday replace the voices on the other end of customer service calls.

Fresh off a pilgrimage to Italy, John Stephens and Josef Klam reflect on the spiritual, historical, and personal impact of traveling through some of Christianity’s most significant sites.

From Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence, and Venice, they explore why pilgrimages continue to shape faith today. The conversation dives into sacred spaces, Christian history, the power of community, and how stepping away from everyday routines can open us to transformation.

Along the way, they share memorable moments from the trip, discuss the importance of experiencing biblical history firsthand, and even recount a few encounters with Roman pickpockets and unforgettable Italian meals.

Whether you've been on a pilgrimage before or have always wondered what makes these journeys meaningful, this episode offers a glimpse into how travel, faith, and shared experiences can deepen our understanding of God and one another.

Laura Husband joins the podcast for a deeply honest conversation about grief, faith, healing, and the stories that shape us. Laura shares her experience growing up as the daughter of astronaut Rick Husband, commander of the Space Shuttle Columbia, and reflects on the tragedy that changed her life at just 12 years old.

Together, Matt and Laura explore what it means to navigate public grief, wrestle with abandonment and loss, and discover the presence of God in suffering. They discuss counseling, healing, storytelling, forgiveness, and the ways our deepest wounds can become places of connection and hope for others.

Laura also shares about her new podcast, Stories That Serve, where she invites guests into meaningful conversations about how pain, healing, and faith can shape lives that serve others.

This episode is honest, vulnerable, hopeful, and full of wisdom for anyone walking through grief, loss, or the process of healing.

Links & Resources

Follow Laura Husband:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelaurahusband

Stories That Serve Podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storiesthatservepodcast
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@StoriesThatServe
All Platforms & Links:
https://linktr.ee/storiesthatserve

What does it actually take to send humans back to the moon? This week on Pod Have Mercy, John sits down with NASA engineer Jimmy Warner to talk about the future of space exploration, moon bases, Mars missions, and the real science behind the Artemis program. Jimmy shares stories from his 18 years at NASA working on projects including Orion, the Space Shuttle, Gateway, and future lunar habitat systems.

The conversation explores everything from lunar dust and ion propulsion to space station living, flat earth conspiracies, sci-fi movies, and the spiritual awe that comes from seeing Earth from space. Jimmy also shares how NASA is preparing for permanent human presence on the moon and why the moon is only the first step toward Mars.

It’s a fascinating conversation about science, engineering, wonder, and what humanity’s future in space could look like.

This week on Pod Have Mercy, Jerry Webber joins John Stephens for a thoughtful conversation on contemplative spirituality, the interior life, and the wisdom hidden within the rhythms of a vineyard. Drawing from years of ministry, spiritual direction, and soul work, Jerry reflects on why silence, dormancy, weakness, and even loss can become sacred teachers in our spiritual lives.

Together, they explore the imagery of vineyards, old vines, mystics, and spiritual practices that help us slow down long enough to notice where God is already at work within us. From Thomas Merton and Richard Rohr to the “dark night of the soul,” this episode is an invitation to move beyond performance-driven faith and toward deeper awareness, attentiveness, and connection.

Whether you’re navigating a difficult season, searching for spiritual grounding, or simply curious about contemplative spirituality, this conversation offers practical wisdom and hopeful perspective.

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Matt sits down with Shariq Abdul Ghani — Executive Director of Bridges and a Muslim leader passionate about peace-building. We explore what it really means to be neighbors in a divided world.

From growing up Pakistani-American in Texas to reclaiming his faith after 9/11, Shariq shares how his journey led him to build bridges across faiths and cultures. Together, they unpack misconceptions about Islam, the meaning of Sharia, and the role of culture vs. religion.But more than anything, this episode is about connection—how simple conversations, curiosity, and proximity can dismantle fear and reshape the future of our communities.

If we don’t talk to our neighbors… what are we really building?