Stewards & Stories: Real Voices, Shared Wisdom, United in Mission

What happens when student needs, innovative ministry, and generous support come together? Join Rev Annalee Allen as she welcomes Justin Smith and Mariana Smith to discuss a groundbreaking project at the Appalachian Wesley Foundation: a portable, student-designed journaling Bible that makes Scripture more accessible and engaging for college students. This conversation highlights the power of listening to young adults, fostering authentic faith communities, and creating practical tools that support spiritual growth in everyday life

In this episode of Stewards and Stories, host Rev. Annalee Allenwelcomes Rev. Melvin Amerson, longtime stewardship leader, author, and former Texas Methodist Foundation executive, for a conversation about cultivating generosity as a way of life. Drawing from his book Stewardship in African American Churches: A New Paradigm, Amerson challenges churches to move beyond viewing stewardship as an annual fundraising campaign and embrace it as an essential part of Christian discipleship.

Together, they explore practical ways congregations can build lasting cultures of generosity through year-round teaching, leadership by example, spiritual gift development, and intentional stewardship of church facilities,finances, and people. Amerson shares personal stories, biblical insights, and actionable strategies for church leaders seeking to inspire faithful giving and strengthen ministry impact.

The conversation also highlights the importance of legacy giving, financial literacy, connecting generosity to mission, and understanding the values of different generations within the church. Whether you are a pastor, lay leader, stewardship committee member, or church supporter, this episodeoffers encouragement and practical wisdom for helping the church remain a vibrant force for transformation in its community and for generations to come.

A common question churches and nonprofits ask is, "Where can we find funding?" According to Dr. Andrea Johnson, the better question is, "Are we ready to receive it?" In this conversation, she explains why grant readiness begins with defining your ministry's vision, documenting community needs, developing measurable goals, and creating systems for financial accountability. Learn how to avoid chasing the wrong grants, strengthen your stewardship practices, diversify funding sources, and position your ministry for long-term impact. This conversation is packed with practical wisdom for anyone seeking to turn a compelling vision into a sustainable reality.

This conversation highlights a hopeful and practical vision for the future of the church. In Part 2 of this discussion, Beth Crissman, District Superintendent of the Smoky Mountain District, shares inspiring examples of congregations that are moving beyond survival and embracing collaborativeministry to meet community needs in transformative ways. Drawing from experiences in Western North Carolina following natural disasters and economic challenges, Beth explores how churches can accomplish far more together thanthey can alone.

What happens when churches stop asking, “How do we survive?” and start asking, “How can we be faithful together?”

In Part 2 of our conversation with Beth Crissman, District Superintendent of the Smoky Mountain District, we move from principles to practice. Beth shares powerful stories of congregations partnering across communities to create lasting impact, including the Pigeon River Cooperative and The Wider Circle, ministries serving hundreds of neighbors each week through food assistance, healthcare, and community support.

Together, we explore:

• How collaboration helps churches accomplish what no single congregation can do alone
• Real examples of cooperative ministry across Western North Carolina
• The importance of listening to God, one another, and our neighbors
• Practical first steps congregations can take toward greater partnership and mission
• How The Faithful Path for...Now can help churches discern their next faithful step
• Beth reminds us that faithfulness is not about preserving the past. It is about courageously following where God is leading next. Whether your congregation is thriving, struggling, or discerning its future, this episode offers encouragement, practical wisdom, and a vision for collaborative ministry that builds the church for generations to come.

Finding the Faithful Path for Today's Church with Rev. Beth Crissman

How can churches remain faithful in a rapidly changing world? In this episode of Stewards and Stories, host Rev. Annalee Allen sits down with Rev. Beth Crissman, District Superintendent and Director of Peace Building Ministries for the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church, to discuss her new curriculum, The Faithful Path for ...Now.

Drawing on decades of ministry experience, Beth explores how demographic shifts, the COVID-19 pandemic, political polarization, and denominational changes have transformed the landscape of local churches. Rather than focusing on survival, she challenges congregations to ask a deeper question: What does faithfulness look like in this moment?

Listeners will learn how to recognize signs of congregational decline before they become crises, why fear often hinders faithful change, and how Jesus' teachings in Matthew 22, 25, and 28 can serve as a framework for evaluating ministry priorities. Beth also shares practical insights on letting go of nonessential programs, embracing discernment, and creating space for renewed mission and discipleship.

Whether you're a pastor, church leader, or engaged layperson, this conversation offers wisdom, encouragement, and practical guidance for leading through seasons of change faithfully.

The future of the church depends not on preserving familiar traditions, but on continually discerning God's call and adapting faithfully to the community's needs.

In this episode of Stewards and Stories, Rev. Annalee Allen is joined by Rachel Sease and Matthew Blackburn of First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, recipients of the 2025 Reynolds Legacy Award for Outstanding Disciple Making. Together, they share the story of a dynamic, youth-centered ministry that has grown into a vital, intergenerational movement of faith, belonging, and community impact.

Rooted in a forward decision made decades ago to invest in youth leadership, this ministry has expanded to meet real needs across its community, from after-school programs and middle school Bible studies to Faith Friends Camp and outreach initiatives that serve thousands through food, care, and connection. At the heart of their work is a simple but powerful message: You are loved, you are forgiven, and you are needed.

Rachel and Matthew reflect on how disciple-making doesn’t require perfection or expertise; it begins with presence, relationships, and a willingness to step outside of comfort zones. By bringing generations together and empowering both young people and adults to lead, their ministry creates spaces where everyone can grow in faith and discover their purpose.

Grounded in relationships, shaped by innovation, and sustained through faithful risk-taking, this conversation offers a hopeful and practical vision for churches seeking to make a lasting difference in their communities, one relationship at a time.

In this inspiring episode of Stewards and Stories, Rev. Annalee Allen sits down with Reverend Jerry Webb and Reverend Loana Ferrer De Diaz of Hillsdale United Methodist Church, recipients of the 2025 Reynolds Legacy Award for Outstanding Disciple Making. Together, they share the powerful story of how a simple gathering for prayer grew into a thriving Spanish-speaking worshiping community.

What began organically, through relationship, hospitality, and a deep response to God’s calling, has become a vibrant ministry marked by transformation, belonging, and bold leadership. Loana reflects on how creating authentic community and emphasizing a personal relationship with God has helped individuals move from cultural faith to lived discipleship.

This conversation explores what disciple-making really looks like in everyday life: building relationships, meeting people where they are, and trusting the Holy Spirit to guide the journey. Jerry and Loana offer practical and encouraging insights for anyone who feels called but unsure where to begin, reminding us that meaningful ministry often starts with something as simple as sharing a meal or opening your home.

Rooted in the values of innovation, integrity, and relationships, this episode challenges us to rethink how the church engages in its communities, not by waiting for people to come, but by boldly going out to meet them.

In this episode of Stewards and Stories, Annalee Allen sits down with Reverend Dustin Mailman of Deep Time Coffee, a bold and innovative ministry of Trinity United Methodist Church in Asheville, North Carolina, and a 2025 recipient of the Reynolds Legacy Award for Outstanding Disciple Making.

Born out of deep relationships, loss, and a commitment to meet people where they are, Deep Time Coffee is reimagining what church can look like. Dustin shares how the ministry emerged from walking alongside neighbors on the margins, particularly those impacted by incarceration, housing instability, and substance use, and grew into a community rooted in belonging, healing, and real-life transformation.

Rather than starting with traditional worship, Deep Time began with presence: roasting coffee, building trust, and creating space for authentic connection. Through this “church built backwards” approach, discipleship happens in everyday moments, over shared work, honest conversations, and radical hospitality. The result is a fresh expression of church where individuals rediscover their identity as beloved children of God.

This conversation challenges listeners to rethink evangelism and disciple-making, not as programs, but as relationships. Dustin offers a compelling invitation to move beyond transactional ministry and instead engage others with openness, dignity, and courage.

Grounded in the Foundation’s values of innovation, integrity, and relationships, this episode is a powerful reminder that when the Church shows up authentically, lives and entire communities can be transformed.

Rev. Annalee Allen has an in-depth conversation with Rev. Magrey deVega, Senior Pastor of Hyde Park UMC in Tampa, Fla., and author of the forthcoming book A Time for Wisdom: Finding Hope in Ecclesiastes (Abingdon Press, 2027). Rev. deVega offers a fresh perspective on mortality, doubt, and what happens after we die. "Even if the lives we mourn," Rev. Devega tells Annalee, "There is still something of their essence that lives on within us....and in eternity in the heart of God."

In this episode of Stewards and Stories, we conclude our four-part series on The Seven Principles of Christian Stewardship with a timely, practical conversation on leadership, generosity, and culture.

Annalee Allen is joined by returning guest Rev. AJ Thomas to explore how church leaders, clergy, and laity alike play a vital role in shaping how generosity is taught, practiced, and experienced within a congregation. AJ emphasizes that stewardship begins with leadership by example, calling leaders to model joyful, faithful generosity in their own discipleship and decision-making.

Together, the conversation highlights the importance of focusing on abundance rather than scarcity, connecting giving to real ministry impact, and regularly telling the stories of lives changed through the church’s mission. From offering testimonies to weekly “mini stewardship moments,” listeners will hear practical, accessible ways leaders can create meaningful connections between generosity and transformation.

The episode also introduces In God’s Hands, a stewardship worship resource designed to help churches bring theological depth and clarity to offering moments, while reinforcing generosity as an act of faith rather than obligation.

This closing episode invites listeners to reflect on their leadership, recommit to practices that nurture generosity, and remember the privilege of investing in God’s work through the church.

Key themes include:

• Leadership through example in stewardship
• Moving congregations from scarcity to abundance
• Connecting giving with mission and real-life impact
• Practical tools and resources for stewardship leaders