Maybe I'm Amazed

Dr. Howell speaks with Dr. Rebecca Bruff, author of the award-winning book Trouble the Water, about the life of Robert Smalls, exploring how historical fiction offers a unique perspective on his motivations and relationships. Dr. Bruff is a graduate of Texas A&M University and Southern Methodist University, where she earned her Masters and Doctorate degrees in Theology.

Dr. Howell talks with Greg Jarrell about the ongoing and historical systems of inequality that result in urban renewal and gentrification, and the role religion plays in that process. Greg is a scholar, cultural organizer, and the author of Our Trespasses: White Churches and the Taking of American Neighborhoods.

Dr. Howell hosts Kate Bowler, New York Times bestselling author, host of the Everything Happens podcast, and Duke University professor. Kate shares her journey of finding resilience amidst life’s challenges and looks deeper into the themes of her new book, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!

Dr. Howell talks with Matt Miofsky about faith and the importance of spiritual practice in everyday life. Founder and Lead Pastor of The Gathering, a United Methodist Church in St. Louis, Missouri, Matt is also the author of several books, including his latest, The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer. Matt graduated from Washington University, where he played football, and completed his Master's of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University.

Dr. Howell talks with award-winning biographer and bestselling author Jonathan Eig about his recent biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr. (King: A Life) and Muhammad Ali (Ali: A Life). Eig's books have been listed among the best of the year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. Eig studied journalism at Northwestern University, and was a reporter for The New Orleans Times-Picayune, The Dallas Morning News, Chicago Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Howell talks with Ken Howle about Lake Junaluska's rich history of hospitality and connection. Howle, executive director and a long-time leader at Lake Junaluska, oversees its preservation, development, and outreach, ensuring it will continue to be a sacred place of renewal and transformation for generations to come.

Dr. Howell talks with Laura Belcher, President & CEO of Habitat Charlotte Region, about the history and life-changing work of Habitat for Humanity.

In October, Dr. Howell and Dr. Mark Holland, co-founder and executive director of Mainstream UMC, an advocacy group working for unity in the Body of Christ and the United Methodist Church. Together, talked about where the United Methodist Church is right now, what is coming up at General Conference in May, when our future will be decided, what’s at stake, and how we can be involved.

Dr. Howell talks with Jan and Ron Kimble about their daughter Jamie and how domestic violence changed their lives forever. Now, through the Jamie Kimble Foundation for Courage, they are sharing their story to help prevent domestic and intimate partner violence and encourage healthy relationships.

Dr. Howell talks with Rev. Dr. Clifford Matthews about his journey as a pastor and a therapist and his work on citywide initiatives to address race, affordable housing, and poverty. A graduate of Duke Divinity School, Dr. Matthews is the senior pastor of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church and is a Licensed Clinical Social Work Associate.

Dr. Howell talks with Jeremy Coffey, founder of Good Soles, an organization that provides steel-toed boots and non-slip shoes to our neighbors in need while they transition out of homelessness. Good Soles was born out of a random act of kindness at a stop light and has provided more than 6,500 pairs of footwear over the last five years.

Dr. Howell talks with Wil Bailey about his experiences with mission work in Costa Rica and the value of building relationships and being church together. A North Carolina Conference Missionary, Wil received his Master of Divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School in May 2003 and has been commissioned as a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Individual Volunteer.

Dr. Howell talks with Pastor Laura Heikes, Lead Pastor of McAllen First United Methodist Church in Texas, about what it's like at a church on the border and finding God in unexpected places. Pastor Laura has a Master of Theology from Asbury Theological Seminary and is the author of Finding God: Discovering the Divine in the Gritty and Unexpected.

Dr. Howell talks with Rev. Magrey deVega, senior pastor at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, Florida, about his book Questions Jesus Asked and the theological reflection involved in looking deeply at those questions.

Dr. Howell talks with Dr. Mark Wilson about Turkey - its biblical history and archeology and what it looks like today. An archaeologist and historian, Dr. Wilson is founder of the Asia Minor Research Center in Antalya, Turkey and author of Biblical Turkey: A Guide to the Jewish and Christian Sites of Asia Minor. Dr. Wilson serves as a Research Fellow in Biblical Archaeology at the University of South Africa and an Associate Professor Extraordinary of New Testament at Stellenbosch University.

Dr. Howell talks about therapeutic landscapes and healing places with Dr. Wil Gesler, author of Healing Places and retired Professor of Geography at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Gesler's major research interest is health care delivery, and he has made significant contributions to cultural geography, Africa, and social theory.

Dr. Howell talks with Dr. Steve Cheyney about the appeal, study, and understanding of conspiracy theories. The University Pastor and Honors College faculty member at UNC Charlotte, Dr. Cheyney holds a B.S. from Western Carolina University, a master’s degree from Duke University, and a doctorate from Emory University.

Dr. Howell speaks with Rev. Grady Moseley, a Presbyterian pastor and general contractor, about his recent lung transplant and the hope and healing throughout that process.

Dr. Howell talks with Karen González, speaker, writer, public theologian, and immigrant advocate, on the theology and politics of immigration and the need to be welcoming. Ms. González is the author of Beyond Welcome, which draws from the Bible and her own experiences immigrating from Guatemala as a child to examine why the traditional approach to immigration ministries and activism is, at best, incomplete, and, at worst, harmful. A former public school teacher, Ms. González studied theology and missiology at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Dr. Howell talks with Brian Childers, Director of Handbells and Children's and Youth Music, about the musical history of bells, how handbells are played, and how they enrich worship at church. Brian is also an accomplished composer, conductor, and clinician, and serves as Music Advisor for Handbell Musicians of America, helping to promote the wealth of handbell music in the AGEHR Catalog.