The United Methodist Church is going to be in the news due to the big General Conference Gathering. Here’s why. ALSO, we’re going to miss a couple of full episodes due to the big event. We’ll be back with new episodes on May 15, 2024.

[131] Keeping Christianity weird with Dr Richard Beck

23 days ago 37m 30s

Join us as Dr. Richard Beck discusses mysticism in daily life, and how enchantment can transform our view in “Hunting Magic Eels.” Feeling world-weary? Richard discusses how moral beauty & acts of kindness can awaken awe. Explore the mystical i

[130] Faith vacations and lostness with Debie Thomas

Mar 20th, 2024 27m 57s

Are you sometimes afraid to ask questions about faith and spirituality? Does doubt scare you a little bit? Do you have some questions you’re skeptical about ever finding the answers to? Debie Thomas’s approach to faith as a storied theology cha

[129] Beats, peacemaking and authenticity with lenny duncan

Mar 6th, 2024 44m 19s

Lenny duncan takes us through a spiritual journey in hip-hop on Compass. Engage in conversations about systemic change and personal faith. If you want to hear some cultural commentary from a spiritual perspective, if you want to explore how hip

[128] Lent, fasting and spiritual nourishment with Christine Valters Paintner

Feb 21st, 2024 32m 9s

We’re talking with Christine Valters Paintner about the spiritual significance of fasting and Lent. Christine, the founder of the Online Abbey of the Arts, shares her insights on how fasting can go beyond traditional ideas of abstaining from fo

[127] Engaging faith and reason: Kara Slade's spiritual journey

Feb 7th, 2024 39m 11s

Faith, science and life calling! In this episode, we have the pleasure of talking with Rev. Kara Slade, an engineer turned priest whose journey from the world of mechanical engineering to the pulpit is an interesting blend of spirituality and p

[126] Church Rethought: Embracing Unconventional Spaces for Community and Spirituality

Jan 24th, 2024 46m 24s

We’re talking with Rev. Heather Jallad about the creative, fun and innovative ways that church is coming together and meeting the world. It’s an invitation to Rethink Church. This episode of Compass dives into new expressions of church like Din

[125] Cultivating everyday spirituality in 2024 with Abigail Browka

Jan 10th, 2024 34m 22s

In this episode, we sit down with Abigail Browka, the curator of the Everyday Sanctuary app, and we get into the importance of real-life experiences and faith journeys. Pastor Abigail shares profound insights into tapping into creative spiritu

[124] Contemplative practices for a peaceful Christmas

Dec 13th, 2023 7m 20s

Ryan Dunn addresses the struggle to find peace during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Offering contemplative practices for a more peaceful Christmas, Ryan explores ways to connect with God’s loving and peaceful spirit during this s

[123] Nice church, not nice patriarchy: A conversation with Liz Cooledge Jenkins

Nov 29th, 2023 26m 41s

Niceness in church communities can sometimes conceal deeper issues of injustice. It’s important to disrupt the status quo and engage in conversations about patriarchy, inequality, and systems of oppression. In this episode, you probably want to

Quick takes on tough questions of the Christian faith

Nov 15th, 2023 24m 9s

We’ll explore questions like: Does God need our worship? Are some sins worse than others? How does spirituality affect mental health? Can science and religion coexist? Where do we see evidence of God? And why would a good God allow for evil? We

[121] Israel, conflict, end times and interventions of peace

Nov 1st, 2023 25m 45s

The Compass Podcast looks into a topic that has been making headlines and stirring heated debates: the Israel and Gaza conflict. Specifically, we will address a perplexing phenomenon: the religiously driven blind support of Israeli militarism b

[120] Discovering evidence of the Divine in everyday moments with Mark Feldmeir

Oct 18th, 2023 33m 14s

Join us as we explore the intersection of faith, culture, and personal experiences with Rev. Mark Feldmeir. Mark’s faith journey led him to question the nature of God’s power, especially in the face of suffering and evil. He emphasized that God

[119] What makes United Methodists different?

Oct 4th, 2023 32m 58s

Hosts Ryan Dunn and Michelle Maldonado, alongside guest Ashley Boggan, take us on a journey to uncover the distinctiveness of the Methodist faith. Initially produced as part of the United Methodist Podcast-a-thon, this episode offers insightful

[118] Artificial intelligence and your spiritual journey

Sep 20th, 2023 48m 25s

Are you ready to explore the intersections of artificial intelligence and spirituality? Join us on the latest episode of Compass as we dive into the impact of AI on the Christian spiritual journey. We navigate the potential benefits and pitfall

[117] Does the Bible contradict itself? With Josh Scott

Sep 6th, 2023 38m 28s

Rev. Josh Scott, author of “Bible Stories for Grown Ups” explores with us the paradoxical possibilities of the Bible’s ancient narratives. We dive deep into the serious question of faith: “What do we make of the seeming contradictions and incon

[116] The Force and the Final Frontier

Aug 23rd, 2023 41m 54s

It’s time for cosmic theology as we examine the spiritual depths of Star Wars and Star Trek. Covering everything from Jedi to Klingons, Michelle Maldonado and Ryan Dunn are going boldly forth seeking the spiritual in space. Join us as we explor

Re-listen: Rediscovering church with Jerry Herships

Aug 9th, 2023 44m 47s

Reverend Jerry Herships shares his unique perspective on creating a nontraditional community that connects with something bigger and provides a sense of belonging. Jerry has worked as stand-up comedian. He wrote for Jay Leno. He’s authored a co

Re-listen: Wagon of grace with Ryan Canaday

Jul 26th, 2023 38m 57s

Rev. Canaday shared with us his story of recovery in alcoholism and finding deep connection with a higher power. This connection led Ryan to explore the power of support groups and specifically the role of spirituality in recovery. All this ult

113: Art and your spiritual journey

Jul 12th, 2023 31m 34s

Art and prayer share much in common–so much so that art can lead us into prayer and connection with the Divine. In this episode of Compass, Michelle and Ryan try out two art-based spiritual practices… and they provide directions on how you can

112: Disrupt Your Busy Life and Cultivate a Heart of Loving Kindness with this Meditation

Jun 28th, 2023 14m 51s

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the busyness of life? In the latest episode of Compass: Finding spirituality in the everyday, Ryan Dunn invites listeners to disrupt their busyness through loving-kindness meditation. The episode features a dis

111: Why People Are Leaving Church: 7 Reasons Explored

Jun 14th, 2023 24m 17s

On this episode of Compass: Finding spirituality in the everyday, host Ryan Dunn, a former youth minister, explores the factors that contribute to people leaving the church. Ryan starts by sharing how a student’s experience made him question th

Spirit-filled: May 2023 Rethink Church audiomagazine

Jun 8th, 2023 24m 24s

Through May, our articles focused on the work of the Holy Spirit… which we’ll see can show up in some surprising places. In this edition of the audiomagazine, we’ll hear: (00:00) Introduction to the Rethink Church audiomagazine (00:43) “The ama

110: Linking love and justice with Otis Moss III

Jun 2nd, 2023 30m 26s

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III reflects on his upbringing with parents involved in the civil rights movement and his journey towards identifying with the black prophetic and spiritual tradition within the black church. He also dives into everyday disru

109: From heroes to villains: The role of iconoclasm with Diana Butler Bass

May 17th, 2023 52m 6s

We delve into the topic of iconoclasm and the conflict it causes in communities as they grapple with troubling figures from their spiritual history. From Confederate statues in Richmond to famous theologians who have committed atrocities, we ex