Means of Grace
By Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church
Means of Grace, a podcast from the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, equips church leaders through expertise and examples. Twice a month, we feature local experts on a variety of topics from leadership to innovation and share examples of churches in our conference reaching their communities in news ways through mission engagement, Fresh Expressions and much more.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, defined Means of Grace as the outward signs, words or actions that are the ordinary channels conveying God’s grace to the souls of people. So when we’re talking about leadership or discipleship or an outreach initiative, it’s about more than doing a program well, it’s a means of God’s grace to the world.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, defined Means of Grace as the outward signs, words or actions that are the ordinary channels conveying God’s grace to the souls of people. So when we’re talking about leadership or discipleship or an outreach initiative, it’s about more than doing a program well, it’s a means of God’s grace to the world.
Latest episode
-
The Quest for Historical John Wesley
Today we explore the life and legacy of John Wesley, focusing on his early influences, the development of Methodism, and its impact on American Christianity. Hosts Jesse Ennis, Jonathan LeMaster-Smith and John Yeager discuss Wesley's background, his.… -
Sports Theodicy: God’s Role in the Game
Fall is here, football is in the air, and the Means of Grace team explores the intersection of sports and faith. Hosts Jesse Ennis, John Yeager and Jonathan LeMaster-Smith share their favorite teams and the impact of sports on their lives. They also.… -
Interfaith Dialogues with Special Guest Christopher Harris
No man is an island, and no religion exists in a vacuum. Within the US alone, there are more than 200 denominations of Christianity, and many more globally. In today’s episode of Mean of Grace, hosts Jesse Ennis, Jonathan LeMaster-Smith and John... -
Suspending the Rules: When and Why?
In this episode of Means of Grace, hosts Jesse Ennis, John Yeager and Jonathan LeMaster-Smith explore the concept of unspoken rules and their impact on society. The discussion covers various examples, such as funeral processions, phone etiquette,... -
Conference Season Recap
In this episode of Means of Grace, hosts Jesse Ennis, John Yeager and Jonathan LeMaster-Smith are joined by Kim Ingram, Director of Ministerial Services and former host of the Means of Grace podcast. Together, they discuss the recent post-conference.… -
The Tapestry
In today's episode of Means of Grace, Jesse, John, and Jonathan discuss the importance of connection within the United Methodist Church. They explore the historical roots of connectionalism and how it is reflected in the church's polity and ethos.... -
2024 Annual Conference Update from Lake Junaluska
A busy conference season continues with 2024 Annual Conference, held in beautiful Lake Junaluska, NC. Means of Grace hosts Jesse Ennis, John Yeager and Jonathan LeMaster-Smith recorded live from Annual Conference, and provide us with critical updates… -
WNCC Annual Conference Preview with Bishop Ken Carter
Annual Conference returns to beautiful Lake Junaluska June 20-23. Means of Grace hosts Jesse Enniss, John Yeager, and Jonathan LeMaster-Smith preview this year's conference, with a special guest appearance from Bishop Ken Carter. -
General Conference Recap, A Brief History of the United Methodist Church, and a Look Into the Future of the UMC
General Conference 2024 is over and it was clearly one of the most historic conferences in the United Methodist Church’s history. In this episode of the Means of Grace podcast, hosts Jesse Ennis, John Yeager and Jonathan LeMaster-Smith discuss the... -
Spiritual Direction: Deepening a Relationship with God Through the Instruction of the Holy Spirit
Jesse Enniss and Kim Ingram talk with three spiritual directors, Rev. Dr. Donnell FitzJefferies from WNCC, Ms. Kris Ford from NCC, and Rev. Dr. Debbie Allen from Florida, about the practice of spiritual direction: what it is, how to access it, why...
