Shows
Holy Roast PodcastS3E4 - Zach LambertIn this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Zach Lambert. Zach is the Lead Pastor and co-founder of Restore. Born and raised in Austin, he holds a Bachelors of Science in Communication, a Masters of Theology, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry at Duke Divinity School. Zach is also the author of the book, Better Ways to Read the Bible, which is all about transforming the Bible from a weapon that condemns, oppresses, and excludes into a tool that liberates.
In this Episode, Zach shares what led him to plant Restore, how it...
2025-12-0939 minHoly Roast PodcastS3:E3 - Martha ChristianIn this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Martha Christian, the Worship Minister at the Melrose Campus of Broadway United Methodist Church in Bowling Green, KY. Martha has been leading worship in various capacities in the local church since she was a young girl, noting it as an early way the church made room for her to lead as a youth. She describes herself as a singer/songwriter with a passion for inspiring others to see worship as a way of life, not just something we “do” on Sunday.
In this episode, Martha shares more a...
2025-11-1041 minHoly Roast PodcastS3E2 - Tami ColemanIn this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Tami Coleman, the Chief Ministry Officer for the Kentucky Annual Conference. Over her 27 years in ministry, Tami has served in local churches in Georgia and Kentucky, on conference staff with Connectional Ministries, and now serves as the acting Assistant to the Bishop in this new position as our Chief Ministry Officer.
In this episode, Tami shares more about her vision for healthy clergy and churches, the power of telling the story of the gospel today, the importance of sharing good news across our connection, and he...
2025-10-2240 minHoly Roast PodcastS3E1 - Amy-Jill LevineIn this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, a scholar in New Testament and Jewish Studies known for her groundbreaking work in biblical studies.
Amy-Jill holds the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professorship at Hartford International University and is Professor Emerita at Vanderbilt University. Amy-Jill Levine’s books include The Difficult Words of Jesus, Entering the Passion of Jesus, Signs and Wonders, Short Stories by Jesus, Toward the Kingdom of Heaven, and The Bible With and Without Jesus, among many others. Additionally, she co-edited the influential Jewish Annotated New Testament, establishing her...
2025-09-2643 minHoly Roast PodcastHoly Roast - Live from Annual ConferenceIn this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Eliza Love. Eliza serves as the Director of the The Wesley at EKU and Associate Pastor at Richmond First UMC.
This was a Live Recording at the Kentucky Annual Conference! Thanks to The Creme Coffee House for hosting us and thanks for all those who came out to enjoy the night with us.
In this episode, Eliza talks about ministry with young people, what she’s learned in her first year of full-time ministry, how the local church can be in ministry with youn...
2025-06-2040 minHoly Roast PodcastS2E9 - Bishop David Gravesn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Bishop David Graves. Bishop Graves serves as the Bishop for the Kentucky, Tennessee-Western Kentucky, and Central Appalachian Missionary Conferences.
It has been seven months since we sat down with Bishop Graves, so we thought it was a good time to check back in and see what he’s been up to!
In this episode, Bishop Graves talks about some of the biggest surprises he’s seen in the last year, his heart behind the discipleship priorities and how they have affected our conference, what he’s m...
2025-05-1652 minHoly Roast PodcastS2E8 - Matt MiofskyIn this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Matt Miofsky. Matt is the Lead Pastor of the Gathering United Methodist Church in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Since Matt founded The Gathering in 2006, it has grown into a thriving multi-site congregation with four locations scattered throughout St. Louis. With over 1500 in worship a weekend, The Gathering was recently named the 3rd fastest growing large United Methodist Churches.
Matt is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis where he majored in mathematics then completed his Master’s of Divinity at Emory University in Atla...
2025-04-0753 minHoly Roast PodcastS2E7 - Mizari SuarezIn this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Mizari Suárez and Rev. John Gallaher. Suárez is the Executive Director of Neighbors Immigration Clinic and Gallaher is the Pastor at Embrace UMC.
Suárez has a community-organizing background with deep connections to the immigrant rights movement on a local and national level. As a previously undocumented immigrant, Mizari knows firsthand the importance of affordable immigration legal services and culturally competent outreach to immigrant communities. Suárez is a facilitator and community organizer/connector. Neighbors, an affiliate of the United Methodist Immigration Law and Justic...
2025-03-171h 02Holy Roast PodcastS2E6 - Dr. PraylowIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Dr. Perzavia Praylow.
The Reverend Dr. Perzavia Praylow, PhD is an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament ordained in The Presbyterian Church (USA). She is currently the Director of Black Church Studies and Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Louisville Seminary where she teaches courses in Black Church Studies and Practical Theology. Dr. Praylow is a historian, practical theologian and teacher-scholar called to serve at the intersection of teaching, scholarship, and pastoral leadership.
Her credentials include:
Drew University, BA; The University of...
2025-02-2444 minHoly Roast PodcastS2E5 - Jim Savage (Disaster Relief)In this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Jim Savage. Jim is the Kentucky Conference and Eastern Kentucky Disaster Response Ministry Director.
In this episode, Jim talks about his role in disaster relief efforts, some of the biggest challenges of disaster relief, logistics of helping those in immediate need, how local churches can get involved in relief efforts, and how the connection of the UMC is alive through the Kentucky Conference, UMCOR, UMVIM, and more!
Click here for more information about Kentucky Conference Disaster Response Ministry.
For more information ab...
2024-11-1833 minHoly Roast PodcastS2E4 - Dr. Marcia McFee (Creative worship planning)In this week’s episode, Rob and sits down with Dr. Marcia McFee to talk about creative worship planning!
Dr. McFee is a professor, worship designer, author, preacher and ritual artist. Drawing on a first career in professional dance and musical theater and equipped with a Master's in Theology and a PhD in Liturgical Studies and Ethics, she understands the role of any worship artist in the church as that of creating extraordinary portals through which communities journey with the Spirit.
In this episode, Dr. McFee talks about why she is passionate about worship planning an...
2024-11-0658 minHoly Roast PodcastHoly Roast S2E3 - Amanda Henderson (on Christian nationalism)In this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson. Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture at the Iliff School of Theology, where she leads research exploring the relationship between religion and politics.
She is the author of “[Holy Chaos, Creating Connections in Divisive Times](https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Chaos-Creating-Connections-Divisive/dp/0827215150#:~:text=Village%3A Building Community-,In Holy Chaos%2C interfaith leader%2C activist%2C and pastor Amanda,and our families and friendships.)” and hosts the Complexified podcast. Amanda lives in Littleton, Colorado, is a parent to three young adults...
2024-10-2153 minHoly Roast PodcastS2E3- Bishop David GravesIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Bishop David Graves. Bishop Graves serves as the Bishop for the Kentucky, Tennessee-Western Kentucky, and Central Appalachian Missionary Conferences.
Bishop David Graves’ passion is sharing Jesus, seeing the overlooked, joining God in transforming lives, and changing the world one person at a time. His study of leadership permeates all his work as a pastor, district superintendent and bishop. He has been an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church for over 35 years. Bishop Graves is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and graduated from the University of Tenn...
2024-10-071h 01Holy Roast PodcastS2E1 - Laura HamrickIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Laura Hamrick. Laura serves as Clergy Engagement Coordinator for both the Clergy Health Initiative and the Religion and Social Change Lab.
A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and Wesley Theological Seminary, Laura is a second career pastor who worked in the field of group health insurance prior to entering seminary. An ordained elder in the Western NC Annual Conference, she served churches of various sizes in urban, suburban, and rural settings for seventeen years prior to entering ministry beyond the local church. Prior to joining the te...
2024-09-1636 minHoly Roast PodcastHoly Roast Annual Conference SpecialWelcome to our Holy Roast Annual Conference Special! This recording is our special bonus episode, Live from Annual Conference, where Rachel and Rob sat down with Rev. Caleb Wheat.
In this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Caleb Wheat. Caleb is the Pastor at Antioch UMC, a new church start in Northern Kentucky. In this episode, Caleb will talk about his call to church planting, the story of Antioch UMC, some initiatives throughout the Kentucky Conference, and what every local church should be doing in this season.
2024-06-1843 minHoly Roast PodcastHoly Roast Season FinaleIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Tami Coleman and Rev. Dr. Jay Smith to talk about General Conference. Tami was our lead Clergy Delegate (and the Pastor at Hanson UMC) and Jay was a Clergy Alternate Delegate (and the District Superintendent of the Owensboro District.) In this episode, Tami and Jay will talk about their experience at General Conference. They will talk about how it felt to be in the room during GC, what gives them hope for the future of the UMC, the biggest questions they’ve received from Kentucky United Methodists abou...
2024-06-031h 06Holy Roast PodcastS1E11: Rachel GilmoreIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Rachel Gilmore. Rachel is the Director of New and Vital Faith in the Desert Southwest Conference of the UMC.
Rachel graduated magna cum laude from Duke Divinity School as a Distinguished Leader after serving for two years in the Peace Corps in Bulgaria. She is the author of Expanding the Expedition Reach with Missional Communities and a contributor to Launching a New Worship Community: a Practical Guide for the 2020s (Upper Room, 2021). Rachel is married to Rev. Brandon Gilmore, a pastor at Central United Methodist Church i...
2024-04-2957 minHoly Roast PodcastS1E10 - Will WillimonIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Bishop Will Willimon. The Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon **is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Willimon is a graduate of Wofford College (B.A., 1968), Yale Divinity School (M.Div., 1971) and Emory University (S.T.D., 1973). He is the author of...
2024-04-1550 minHoly Roast PodcastS1E09 - Jean HawxhurstIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Dr. Jean Hawxhurst. Rev. Dr. Jean G. Hawxhurst serves as an Ecumenical Staff Officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops. Her responsibilities include general ecumenical engagement with organizations and groups, grants and scholarships, and leadership development. She has served in this ministry position since 2015. Dr. Hawxhurst holds a BA degree in mathematics and education from the University of Richmond, an MDiv degree in theology from Lexington Theological Seminary, and a DMin degree from Louisville Seminary, with a focus on theological diversity. She also holds a certificate in ecu...
2024-04-0241 minHoly Roast PodcastS1E08 - Kate BowlerIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Dr. Kate Bowler*.* Kate Bowler, Ph.D. is a 4x New York Times bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and professor at Duke University. She hosts the Everything Happens podcast where, in warm, insightful, often funny conversations, she talks with people like Malcolm Gladwell, Tig Notaro, and Archbishop Justin Welby about what they’ve learned in difficult times. Author of seven books including Good Enough, The Lives We Actually Have, and her latest, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!, she lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her family and continues to teach d...
2024-03-1830 minHoly Roast PodcastS1E07 - Leigh Ann MaynardIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Leigh Ann Maynard. Rev. Leigh Ann is the Associate Pastor for Bridge Ministries at Christ Church United Methodist in Louisville, KY.
In this episode, Leigh Ann will reflect with Rachel and Rob on what it means to be a woman in ministry. Leigh Ann will discuss her call to ministry, ridiculous things said to female clergy, unique gifts that female leaders can offer the local church right now, and how local churches and leaders can empower female disciples.
Are you sensing a call to...
2024-03-041h 19Holy Roast PodcastHoly Roast Podcast S1E06 -Jemar TisbyIn this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Dr. Jemar Tisby. Jemar Tisby (BA, University of Notre Dame; MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is the New York Times bestselling author of “The Color of Compromise” and the award-winning “How to Fight Racism.” He is a historian who studies race, religion, and social movements, and serves as a professor at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically Black college.
In this episode, Dr. Tisby reflects upon what motivated him to write, “The Color of Compromise,” the historical complicity of the church in racial injustice, the role he’d like to see th...
2024-02-1953 minHoly Roast PodcastTess Welch (S1E5)In this episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Tess Welch. Tess is a WKU grad and a current 2nd year Master of Divinity student at Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a certified candidate in the Kentucky Annual Conference and plans to pursue ordination as an elder. In this episode, Tess talks about what she is learning in seminary, how her theological perspective has deepened, what the church should be talking about that it’s not talking about right now, and her hope for the future of the United Methodist Church.
2024-02-0650 minHoly Roast PodcastRyan Dunn (S1E4)In this episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Ryan Dunn, Minister of Online Engagement for ReThink Church and host of the Compass Podcast. In this episode, the trio talks through what it’s like to pastor in a digital first age, some tips for creating healthy online boundaries for pastors, tips for calculating engagement on social media, and more. This episode can be helpful for any pastor, church staff member, or church volunteer looking for a conversation on online engagement.
Ryan has a BA in English from the University of Iowa and a MA in C...
2024-01-1647 min2024-01-151h 03Holy Roast PodcastMatt Kimmons (S1E3)In this week’s episode, Rob and Rachel have a conversation with Rev. Dr. Matthew Kimmons about calling and emotional intelligence. Rev. Dr. Kimmons talks through the biggest surprises of working at the Children’s Home, the changing role of leadership, creating healthy boundaries within congregations, leading through crisis and stability, the evolving call of clergy, and more. Rev. Dr. Matthew Kimmons is the Chief Strategic Officer for the Kentucky United Methodist Children’s Homes and an Ordained Elder in the Kentucky Annual Conference.
2024-01-0237 minHoly Roast PodcastDr. Amy Oden (S1E2)This week we sit down with Dr. Amy Oden to have a conversation about life and spirituality.
https://www.amyoden.com/
Are you a UMC clergy in the Heartland or Bluegrass Districts? Dr. Amy Oden will be leading a Clergy Retreat in April at Camp Loucon for the Heartland and Bluegrass Districts! The retreat is open to the first 35 clergy in the Heartland and Bluegrass District, so register today! Click the links below for more information and to register.
https://www.theheartlanddistrictumc.org/post/clergy-retreat-18169482
http://www.thebluegrassdistrictumc.org/p...
2023-12-1820 minHoly Roast PodcastHoly Roast Episode 1 (The Pilot Episode)This is the pilot episode of our new podcast. Our mission is to encourage and equip the church - give it a listen and let us know what you think!
2023-12-0427 min