Thrive With Asbury Seminary

Latest Episodes:

Dr. Barbara Peacock: Soul Care in African American Practice Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

Overview
Today on the podcast, I had the true delight of getting to talk to Dr. Barbara L. Peacock. Dr. Peacock is a D.Min. graduate of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. She’s a spiritual director, author, teacher and preacher. She is the founder of Barbara L. Peacock Ministries, a ministry committed to developing disciples through prayer, spiritual direction, soul care, mentoring and teaching.
In today’s conversation, we talk about Dr. Peacock’s call to ministry, her own struggle with depression, how she overcame that and the freedom that she has found on the other side of that suffering. We talk about her new book Soul Care in African American Practice that received the 2021 Christianity Today Award of Merit in the Spiritual Formation category. In this book, Dr. Peacock reflects on the disciplines of prayer, spiritual direction and soul care and how these are woven into the African American culture and lived out in the rich heritage of its faith community. She uses the examples of 10 significant men and women in the African American community to offer us the opportunity to engage in practices of soul care as we learn from these spiritual leaders.
You can find a link to her book and the workbook that goes with it in our show notes today. You can purchase it through InterVarsity Press, Amazon or your local bookstore, so if you haven’t already done so, make sure you grab a copy of that.
So without further ado, let’s listen to my conversation with Dr. Peacock!

Thrive with Asbury Seminary Episode Break Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

Overview
Hey Everyone just popping into your podcast feed for just a minute to let you know that will not be releasing a podcast today. We are taking a break to celebrate Holy Week and Easter and to give our team a chance to rest from that so that we can continue to bring you really great conversations with authors, thought leaders and people just like you who are looking to connect where your passions and the world’s deep need connect. We look forward to being back in your feed on April 20 so you can look for a podcast to release then. In the meantime, we hope you’ll follow us in all the places on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @asburyseminary. Until next time, go do something that helps you thrive!

A Conversation with Counseling Faculty Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

Overview
Today on the podcast I got to talk to three of the counseling faculty at Asbury Seminary, Dr. Toddy Holeman, Dr. Steve Stratton and Dr. Laklieshia Izzard. We talked about the ways that 2020 has affected all of our mental health, ways we can practice self-care and God care, how we can incorporate that into our daily lives and some signs and symptoms when it’s time to look to a counselor to help us with our mental health. They even offer some online options so that you can find the help you need in the area you live. I’m so grateful for today’s conversation and I hope you enjoy it as well.
Let’s listen!

Ranjo Clements–Calling, Discipleship and Worship Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

Overview
Ranjo Clements, associate pastor and worship leader at Great Commission Fellowship in Wilmore, Ky., joins the Thrive with Asbury Seminary Podcast today. Ranjo is from Mumbai, India, is an Asbury Seminary alum and is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the Seminary. In today’s conversation, we talk about Ranjo’s story of calling, his heart for discipleship and worship, and his Ph.D. program.
Let’s listen!

Sandra McCracken–Singer. Song-writer. Hymn writer. Feb 23, 2021

Show notes

Overview
Sandra McCracken, singer-songwriter and hymn writer from Nashville, Tennessee, joins the podcast today. She is a prolific recording artist and has produced 14 solo albums over two decades. Her best-selling release, Psalms (2015) received critical acclaim, followed by God’s Highway (2017) which made the top 50 on Billboard Heatseekers chart without a major label.
Blending the old and new, Sandra has also shown a unique ability to recast sacred scripture texts into theologically rich yet accessible songs. Her thoughtful lyrics and gospel melodies in songs like “We Will Feast In The House Of Zion,” “Steadfast" and “Thy Mercy My God” have become staple anthems in churches across the U.S. As a published writer, she contributes a regular column in "Christianity Today" and is working on her first book that will come out later this year.
In today’s episode, we talk about her new album "Patient Kingdom," how we keep worshipping in difficult times, her spiritual journey and, of course, her new book. Sandra will be speaking in chapel at Asbury Seminary on March 9 at 11 a.m. ET in Estes Chapel. We invite you to join in-person with COVID-19 policies in place, or online at Asbury.to/live or on the Asbury Seminary Chapel Facebook page.
Now, let’s listen to my conversation with Sandra!

Dr. Gregg Okesson–Public Missiology Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

Overview
Today on the podcast, I talked to Dr. Gregg Okesson, Dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism at Asbury Seminary. Dr. Okesson is a church planter and served as a faculty member at Scott Christian University in Kenya. All told, he spent 13 years serving and working alongside the people of East Africa. He also recently released a book entitled "A Public Missiology: How Local Churches Witness to a Complex World." This book received Christianity Today’s 2021 book award in the Mission/Global Church category.
This conversation was an absolute delight! We talk about Dr. Okesson’s background, why he wrote "A Public Missiology," some of the problems facing the church right now, and how we can develop a faith that isn’t shaped by culture, but that is deep, thick and complex enough to encounter the complexities of the world. We talk about how to recognize and tear down idols that have become cultural norms and how to develop sustainable habits that transform not only our lives, but the communities in which we live.
Let’s listen!

Tracy Balzer–Spiritual Direction Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

Overview
Today on the podcast, I had the real joy of talking to Tracy Balzer. Tracy is an author, speaker and guide. She’s written Thin Places, A Listening Life, and Permission to Ponder, and releasing this June A Journey of Sea and Stone. It’s available for pre-order now, so if you’d like, go ahead and order a copy from your favorite book store. In addition to all of that, Tracy is the director of Christian formation at John Brown University and serves as a spiritual director. She describes her calling as a calling to listen to God and people to God and people, using the tool of spiritual direction. In today’s conversation we talk, of course, about spiritual direction—what that is, its role in our lives and some ways that we can use that even if there isn’t a physical person that we can talk to. She recommends some great resources that we’ll link to in the show notes. So without further ado, let’s listen!

Dr. Winfield Bevins–Living Room Liturgy Dec 22, 2020

Show notes

Overview
Today on the podcast, I had the privilege of talking to Dr. Winfield Bevins, Director of the Church Planting Initiative at Asbury Seminary. Dr. Bevins recently released a book this month called Living Room Liturgy, a book of worship for the home. This book is just that--a compilation of guided prayer, scripture reading and prompts for reflection that Winfield has written to help the individual and family unit alike worship in the everyday moments of life that occur at home. And a lot of us are still at home right now, so it gives families a chance to gather in prayer for events ordinary and extraordinary.
Let’s listen!

Mr. Lo Alaman–We Sang a Dirge Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

Overview
Today on the podcast, I had the real privilege of getting to talk to Lo Alaman. Lo is an artist, speaker and minister. He works as Director of Community Life at the Harvest Campus of the Woodlands UMC the Woodlands, Texas. He is also a husband, a father, and a son of the Most High God. Whether preaching, spitting poetry, or just chilling with his new best friends, Lo seeks to create moments to minister the love of Jesus in every space he enters.
Today on the podcast, we talk about Lo’s new book We Sang a Dirge that released on December 3. This book is his first full-length work of poetry and is part lament of what is and part longing for what will be. It really is a powerful deep dive into his perspective on the events of and leading up to 2020. So if you haven’t already, make sure you grab a copy of We Sang a Dirge.
Lo, in this podcast, even reads one of his poems “20” to us and you won’t want to miss that, so join the conversation and let’s listen!

Dr. Girma Bishaw–The Gratitude Initiative Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

Overview
Today on the podcast, I had the real privilege of talking to Rev. Dr. Girma Bishaw. Dr. Bishaw is a 2019 Asbury Seminary alum and presently serves as the director of The Gratitude Initiative in Great Britain. The Gratitude Initiative is a charity that exists to promote the sharing of gratitude to change the social imagination that leads to relational transformation, a fulfilled self, a sense of belonging, and a harmonious and just society.
They’re formally launching the Gratitude Initiative on November 28, and we talk about what The Gratitude Initiative is, Girma’s own story of developing a lifestyle of gratitude, the benefits to us of making gratitude a practice, not just in the month of November, but throughout the entire year and ways that looking for the good can help us resolve conflict and build unity in our own communities.
Let’s listen!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Thrive With Asbury Seminary

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected