Pod Strangely Warmed

Christians will not always agree, but disagreement does not have to end in division. Rev. Dr. O. Wesley Allen Jr. and David Taylor join Rev. Daniel Hawkins to consider how intentional dialogue can help us listen across our differences, approach difficult conversations with humility and hold our convictions without losing connection.

Following an evening engagement with Dr. Allen at Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church, this conversation looks beyond the pressure to win an argument and asks what it means to remain curious, value relationships and make room for voices different from our own.

Whether the disagreement involves politics, theology, church life or a conversation around the family table, this episode invites Christians to practice a way of speaking and listening rooted in love of God and neighbor.

LEARN MORE about Rev. Dr. O. Wesley Allen Jr.: https://www.smu.edu/perkins/facultyacademics/facultylistinga-z/allen Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence: https://pcpe.smu.edu/ Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@smuperkinscenterforpreachi7022 The Homiletic of All Believers: https://www.wjkbooks.com/bookproduct/0664228607-the-homiletic-of-all-believers/ For more content from the Horizon Texas Conference, follow our social media channels! Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference SCRIPTURE REFERENCES 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 | One Body with Many Members Paul describes the church as one body made up of many members, each valued and needed. Read in the NRSVue: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012%3A12-27&version=NRSVUE 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known." Read in the NRSVue: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013%3A12&version=NRSVUE 1 Corinthians 8:1–13 | Food Offered to Idols Paul considers how knowledge, freedom and being right should remain guided by love and concern for others. Read in the NRSVue: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%208%3A1-13&version=NRSVUE Matthew 22:39 "And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Read in the NRSVue: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022%3A39&version=NRSVUE Matthew 7:12 | The Golden Rule "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Read in the NRSVue: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207%3A12&version=NRSVUE

This week, POD Strangely Warmed comes to you from Cedarbrake Retreat Center, where clergy from across the Horizon Texas Conference gathered for the Do Justice Retreat. The three-day gathering created space for worship, spiritual formation, honest conversation and discerning how the church can faithfully pursue justice together.

Kristin Warthen is joined by Rev. Debra Crumpton and Rev. Julie Harding for a conversation about the connection between justice and discipleship. They discuss the courage to speak up, the importance of seeing every person as made in the image of God and the spiritual practices that help keep justice work from becoming isolating or exhausting.

If you care about justice but do not know where to begin, this episode offers a practical and hopeful reminder: start by listening for God, take the next faithful step and do not do it alone.

Book mentioned in this episode: Tarry Awhile: Wisdom from Black Spirituality for People of Faith by Dr. Selina Stone For more content from the Horizon Texas Conference, follow our social media channels! Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

For Maye and Isaac Saenz, cheering for the Dallas Cowboys has always been about more than football. It is a family tradition rooted in shared Sundays, memorable road trips and the joy of experiencing the game together. In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, they share how Cowboys fandom became woven into their family's story.

Maye reflects on raising her children with Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. and keeping Christian faith at the center of their home. Isaac shares how those family traditions shaped his life and his journey into professional sports media. Together, they explore how faith, family and football can bring people together, carry us through disappointment and remind us that we belong to something bigger than ourselves.

Follow Isaac Saenz's work

• https://www.facebook.com/footballforeverhq/
• https://www.instagram.com/footballforever
• https://x.com/fballforeverhq

For more content from the Horizon Texas Conference, follow our social media channels! Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

Bestselling author and historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez joins Rev. Kristin Warthen and guest co-host Rev. Raegan Gilliland to discuss Live Laugh Love: The Secret History of White Christian Women and the World They Made.

The conversation explores how Christian media, consumer culture, and messages about women's roles have shaped the faith of generations of Christian women. Kristin Kobes Du Mez traces connections among holiness traditions, evangelicalism, power, submission, and the promise that the right beliefs and behaviors will lead to happiness and success. These themes are central to the book's historical examination of popular Christian culture and white Christian womanhood.

The discussion then turns toward deconstruction, doubt, and the difference between questioning a religious system and abandoning God. Together, the guests consider how churches can make room for curiosity, complexity, accountability, and a faith that remains honest when simple answers no longer work.

Buy Live Laugh Love: https://kristindumez.com/books/live-laugh-love/

Follow Kristin on socials:https://www.instagram.com/kkdumez/ https://www.facebook.com/kkdumez https://www.youtube.com/@kristinkobesdumez3072

Learn more:

• Visit Kristin Kobes Du Mez's website
• Subscribe to Du Mez CONNECTIONS
• Use the Live Laugh Love book-club discussion guide
• Follow The Convocation Unscripted

For more from the Horizon Texas Conference UMC:

Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

In Matthew 25, Jesus said, "What you've done to the least of these, you've done to me." What does that mean for our neighborhoods today?

Rev. Billy Lane and Dr. India Stewart of the Innercity Community Development Corporation (ICDC) join Rev. Daniel Hawkins to share how their work in sunny South Dallas is helping families put down roots, build stability, and create stronger neighborhoods. Through stories from their work, they explore how homeownership creates opportunity, why communities are strongest when everyone has a voice, and what it looks like to walk alongside neighbors as they shape the future of their own communities.

This episode is about seeing Christ in our neighbors and discovering that building stronger communities is not separate from the Gospel. Billy and India describe a ministry that walks with people, helps them find their voice, and creates pathways toward lasting change. It's a conversation about faith, dignity, and what can happen when Christians take seriously the call to love their neighbors.

To learn more about Innercity Community Development Corporation: https://www.icdc.biz/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085055830212 https://www.instagram.com/southdallasfairparkicdc/

Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Kristin Warthen sits down with Rev. Dr. HiRho Park, Director of Belonging, Inclusion and Cultural Engagement for the Horizon Texas Conference. From serving a local church in Maryland to developing clergy through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, HiRho reflects on the experiences that prepared her for this new chapter of ministry in the Horizon Texas Conference.

Listen in to hear about the difference between diversity, inclusion and belonging, the spiritual practice of listening and the question HiRho returns to again and again: What else might be possible? It is a hopeful conversation about building beloved community and becoming the kind of church God is calling us to be.

Horizon Texas article Introducing Dr. Park: https://www.htcumc.org/news/tf2u77875vwrugkdm7wtl7m7k62r0o

Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Patrick Booth shares stories from Cambodia that reveal both the devastating reality of human trafficking and the remarkable resilience of people finding hope after exploitation. Through his work with Global Ministries and the ARK (Advancing Resilient Khmer) program, Patrick helps us understand that healing is not quick or simple, but it is possible when survivors are surrounded by safety, community, and long-term support. This conversation gives listeners a glimpse into the courageous work being done by missionaries, mission partners, and local leaders, and reminds us that the church has a meaningful role to play in standing with those seeking freedom and restoration.

Through the work of the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodists have a trusted way to support specific missionaries and mission projects around the world. The Advance allows churches and individuals to come alongside the people and ministries doing this work, offering support where it is needed most and helping make long-term mission possible. When a church supports a missionary through this connection, it becomes more than a financial gift. It becomes a relationship rooted in prayer, encouragement, and shared commitment to God's mission.

If you or your church would like to contribute financially, you can give through the links provided below. Churches that choose to support missionaries through Covenant partnerships are encouraged to consider giving $10 per member per year, a practical way for congregations of every size to participate in global mission. Your generosity helps remind missionaries and mission partners that they are not serving alone, and that the wider church is standing with them in the work of Christ around the world.

Donation, email, and bio page: https://gbhem-umc.my.site.com/hemgm/s/campaign/a3fPo000000D4BcIAK/booth-patrick

Email Patrick at: [email protected]

Covenant form online: https://umcmission.org/resources/covenant-partner-relationship-form

Project ARK webpage: https://arkcambodia.com/outreach/

Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

Pastoral moves are part of the rhythm of United Methodist life, but every transition carries real stories, real relationships, and real opportunities for grace. In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Daniel Hawkins is joined by Rev. Allie Johnson and Rev. Ruben Saenz III for a lighthearted and meaningful conversation about starting fresh, saying goodbye well, and discovering where God is already at work in a new appointment.

As Rev. Allie Johnson begins serving at Ovilla UMC and Rev. Ruben Saenz III begins serving at Custer Road UMC, they reflect on the practical, emotional, and spiritual parts of moving into a new ministry setting. Along the way, Rev. Daniel Hawkins shares from his own transition to Trietsch Memorial UMC, creating space for honest encouragement for pastors, churches receiving new pastors, and congregations preparing for future seasons of change.

Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

This week on POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Daniel Hawkins is joined by Bishop Connie Shelton of the North Carolina Conference and Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. After hearing Bishop Shelton preach at our opening worship of snnual conference 2026, we wanted to spend more time with her, listening to her story, her perspective, and the way she leads with clarity, humility, and trust in the Holy Spirit.

Together, they reflect on calling, communication, and what it means to love boldly in real communities. From the formation of leaders to the small, relational moments where ministry takes shape, this conversation offers a grounded and hopeful reminder that God is already at work and our invitation is simply to join in.

While at Annual Conference, Rev. Daniel Hawkins sat down with keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean to continue a conversation many churches are already having: what does church growth look like in a time when old assumptions no longer hold? Drawing on the image of shipwreck and the hope of finding a different boat, they reflect on the future of the church, congregational renewal, and the kind of ministry innovation that is beginning to take shape in local communities.

As the conversation unfolds, Kenda and Daniel explore faithful experimentation, young adult spirituality, faith formation, and the shift from a destination church to a more embedded way of being the church in everyday life. Rather than chasing one big strategy, this episode wonders whether the path forward may be found in smaller acts of courage, deeper attention to culture, and a renewed openness to where God is already at work.

https://www.princetonseminary.edu/

https://www.ministryincubators.com/

https://ministryarchitects.com/

https://www.churchleadership.com/