Holy Roast Podcast

The United Methodist Church has been through a lot. COVID. Declining attendance. Disaffiliation. Financial uncertainty. Congregational conflict. And, for many pastors and churches, a whole lot of exhaustion.
But what if we’ve been telling the wrong story about what’s happening to the UMC?
On this episode of Holy Roast, Rev. Rob Tucker and Rev. Rachel Wallace sit down with longtime United Methodist leader, scholar, and author Lovett Weems to talk about his book, An Aura of Hope, and what the data actually tells us about the state of the United Methodist Church.
Lovett challenges us to look beyond 2019 and consider the longer story of United Methodism—what is genuinely a sign of decline, what may be a symptom of profound transition, and where there are signs of new possibility.
We talk about John Wesley’s vision for evangelism and mission, what United Methodists can learn from Francis Asbury, and what it means for the church to go where the people are in 2026. We also get practical: What should bishops and cabinets prioritize? What can local pastors and congregations do right now?
And, because this is Holy Roast, we don’t shy away from the hard question: How do we talk honestly about difficult numbers without surrendering to despair?
For pastors and lay leaders who are tired, discouraged, or wondering whether there is still a future for their congregation, this conversation is an invitation to look again—not with rose-colored glasses, but with honesty, mission, and hope.

Holy Roast: Anti-Racism, Christian Faith & the Work of Change with Rev. Dr. April Casperson
What does anti-racism have to do with Christian discipleship? And what happens when conversations about race make us uncomfortable?
On this episode of Holy Roast, Rev. Rob Tucker and Rev. Rachel Wallace sit down with Rev. Dr. April Casperson, Director of Enrollment Management at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio and the leader of upcoming anti-racism training for clergy in the Kentucky Annual Conference.
April helps us unpack what anti-racism means in a Christian context—and why this work is about more than simply having the “right” beliefs or saying the right things. We talk about navigating discomfort and defensiveness, responding faithfully when conversations about race become difficult, and some of the assumptions and misconceptions April encounters in anti-racism work.
Most importantly, we ask: How do churches move beyond talking about diversity and inclusion toward meaningful, lasting change? What might anti-racism look like in our congregations, leadership, ministries, and communities?
Come for the conversation. Stay for the uncomfortable questions. And, as always, bring your own cup of coffee to the roast.

In this episode of the Holy Roast Podcast,  Rob sits down with Rev. Dr. Andrew Pomerville, President of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, for a thoughtful conversation on the future of theological education. The Rev. Dr. Andrew Pomerville brings to Louisville Seminary successful experience in both higher education and ecumenical parish ministry, defined by innovation, energy and joyful communication as an executive administrator, chaplain, and senior pastor.
Together, they explore how seminaries honor tradition while forming leaders for an increasingly diverse and ecumenical church, the evolving ways students learn and prepare for ministry, and why seminary formation still matters today. Dr. Pomerville also shares insights on Methodist Studies at LPTS and offers a hopeful vision for the next generation of church leaders.
All links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/holyroastpodcast
For more info about Louisville Seminary, visit www.lpts.edu!

In this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. John Randolph. John is the pastor of Genesis UMC and Crescent Hill UMC in Louisville, KY.
Rev. John Allen Randolph is a lifelong Louisville native and graduate of DuPont Manual High School and the University of Louisville, where he studied Justice Administration with a minor in Pan-African Studies. Licensed to preach in 2013 and ordained in 2022 at Bates Memorial Baptist Church under Rev. Dr. F. Bruce Williams, John holds a Master of Divinity in Black Church Studies from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where he co-founded the Gayraud S. Wilmore Society of Black Seminarians.
In this episode, we explore the experience of pastoring in two unique congregations, highlighting the cultural, historical, and spiritual differences that shape ministry in each context. It reflects on how preaching adapts, or remains rooted, across these spaces, and lifts up the wisdom and practices of the Black church that could deepen congregational life. The discussion also names the challenges of navigating dual contexts, the resilience required to sustain such work, and the ways the United Methodist connectional system can both support and complicate cross-cultural ministry.
You can check out John’s Substack here.

In this month’s episode, Rob and Rachel sit down with Rev. Jabe Largen. Jabe is the Senior Pastor of Pinehurst United Methodist Church in Pinehurst, NC, where he has served since 2021. He is ordained in the United Methodist tradition as an Elder and a native of Pulaski, VA. Jabe is the author of the memoir "They Call Me Jabe" published near the end of 2025.
In this Episode, Jabe talks about telling the truth the church often polishes over—addiction and recovery, Appalachian faith, depression in the pulpit, and what it means to preach grace without sentimentality. We dig into incarnational justice, the cost of honest storytelling, and the false hopes pastors may need to let die in order to proclaim a gospel that’s actually good news.

In 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 is “a church for people who have struggled with church,” why he and Restore are becoming a United Methodist Church, how other UMCs can be inspired by Restore’s journey of radical welcome, and practical wisdom for churches considering a major shift (like a merger, re-planting, or denominational affiliation.

In 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 about her theology of worship, what she looks for when choosing worship songs, her team process for Advent design and preparation, and what she believes the world needs to hear this Advent and Christmas. Join us for this conversation and check out the show notes below for more tips from Martha to help you in your worship design and leadership!
Resources: • Our UMC Website - https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship-planning (we often start here to see what the Church is doing)
• Worship Together - https://www.worshiptogether.com/(Helpful for finding new songs) • Song Select - https://songselect.ccli.com/ (Helpful for looking for what the Church is singing and finding songs based on themes and for making sure we're reporting song usage to honor the writers and producers of the songs we sing) My Advent Faves:
• Song to sing with everyone with charts - "Prepare Him Room" by Dave Fournier | Rebecca Elliott https://sovereigngracemusic.com/music/songs/prepare-him-room/ • Song to remind me how very much God is with us - "I'll Find a Way" by Jason Gray | Andy Gullahorn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kISA6hhVh8&t=17s
• Practice to keep away the dark - The Advent Wreath - https://leslieannjones.com/blog/2015/11/18/a-simple-advent-wreath-devotional-for-families-free-printable
• Song to break open Christmastide - "Ring the Bells" by Cindy Morgan | Mark Ford Hammond | Ronnie Freeman | Tony Wood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgW2rMQYa2w&list=RDBgW2rMQYa2w&start_radio=1 For more about Martha Chrisitan:
• Christmas Album - "All Will Be Well" by Martha Christian - https://open.spotify.com/album/1ikNK9UjlR0JTHjazkecHC • Other info - https://linktr.ee/marthachristian

In 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 her hope for the Kentucky Annual Conference.
Listen along and share some good news from your local context in the comments!