Jo Saxton trains women to lead, which makes her an automatic hero to us. She is a podcast co-host along with Steph O-Brien (the podcast is called Leading Stories), an internationally known speaker, the author of four books (More than Enchanting, The Dream of You), and a leadership coach focusing on helping women find their voice. Her newest book is called Ready to Rise. Using her own story as a backdrop, Jo uses these pages to help women find the relationships, tools, and voice they need to lead well.  

This week, we are honored to air a recent conversation recorded with Dr. William J. "Billy" Abraham. It was a privilege that Billy graciously gave us his time during the NewRoom Conference to talk about a broad range of issues. Tragically, just two weeks later, Billy passed from this life unexpectedly. Pierce and I  want to remember him by airing this conversation together with two friends who were an integral part of this final chapter of Billy’s life. Ryan Barnett, pastor of Waco First United Methodist Church, will talk with us about the establishment of The Wesley House of Studies and Billy’s work there. After we hear the conversation with Billy, Kevin Watson will help us to put words around where his vision of a renewed Methodism can go from here. 

We were honored to sit down at NewRoom Conference 2021 with Allen Hood. Allen is first and foremost a lover of Jesus, Husband, and Dad. 

Allen served as the Associate Director of IHOPKC from 2000-2020 and as the President of the International House of Prayer University from 2003-2016. 

In January 2019, Allen founded the Excellencies of Christ Ministries, which exists to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth and to disciple the body of Christ through prayer, preaching, creative resources, and the building up of the local church. 

Allen also regularly travels, ministers, and consults with various churches and ministries around the world.

We pray this is a blessings for you as it has been for us! 

This week, you’ll listen in as we talk with three friends about the love of God. Two you’ve heard from before. Jorge Acevedo is co-pastor of Grace Church in Cape Coral, Florida, and Tom Tanner is the pastor of Riverstone Church in Kennesaw, Georgia. Our third guest is new to The Art of Holiness. Jerry Coleman is with The Francis Asbury Society in Wilmore, Kentucky. In these three conversations, we hear stories of God’s love experienced cross-culturally, as brotherly love, in seasons of ministry. This is rich conversation offered by faithful friends. We hope you listen. 

Mark Swayze is a husband, father, pastor, a worship leader and someone we are all learning from year in and year out! We are excited to host Mark on the podcast today as we catch up with him at the New Room Conference in 2021. Mark is the pastor of Rebelbase, the youth pastor at Woodlands Methodist Church in Woodlands, Texas. Grab some coffee and enjoy this blessings of an episode! 

J.D. is an author, speaker, thought-leader, and is the "Sower-in-Chief" at Seedbed (and New Room). Formerly the Dean of Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary, J.D. founded Seedbed in 2012 to begin the work of sowing for a great Awakening. He writes daily to a community of thousands via the Seedbed Daily Text.

We wanted to talk to Mark Nysewander because he wants to talk about revival. His book, Revival Rising, is an inspiring look at the ingredients of revival. Over several decades, he has ministered as an evangelist, missionary, church planter, and pastor. He served as the teaching pastor at RiverStone Church in Kennesaw, Georgia until he retired (he may not know the meaning of the word!), after which he became interim pastor at Church on the Hill in Dalton. Georgia. We are excited to welcome Mark to The Art of Holiness to talk about getting a revival worldview. 

Today, it's us. Pierce and Carolyn talk like family about how prayer is working for them right now, and about the kinds of prayer we are putting into the toolbox to help build a bridge through the trauma of our collective reality. Pierce shares his journey into using a prayer language to deepen faith, and Carolyn discusses options for helping to discern beyond emotion into the mind of Christ. We hope you listen.

Dr. Randy Clark is an international itinerant minister birthed from a 4-day meeting in Canada, known to many as the "Toronto Blessing." Randy is the founder of Global Awakening, a teaching, healing, and impartation ministry that crosses denominational lines. An in-demand international speaker, he leads the Apostolic Network of Global Awakening and travels extensively for conferences, international missions, leadership training, and humanitarian aid. Randy has a DDiv and DMin from United Theological Seminary, and he and his wife, DeAnne, live in Pennsylvania. 

Peter and Esther Pereira are the founding Directors of Hope for Today, an evangelistic ministry serving southeast Asia. Through their leadership and vision, Hope for Today teams serve soy milk to children, meals to the poorest of the poor, education and training to women, and the gospel to some of the least reached people groups in southeast Asia. Peter’s partners with International Leadership Institute to provide training to tens of thousands of ministry leaders, bringing the hope of Christ to many. It is a great privilege to share with you this conversation with a wise and effective servant of the Kingdom.