Rephonic
Artwork for Pod Have Mercy
United Methodist Church
Houston
Mental Health
Hurricane Helene
Spirituality
American Politics
Family Traditions
Islam
Wine
Christmas
Christianity
Grief
Election
Polarization
American Muslim Identity
Community Service
Alcoholism
Community Support
Church and Politics
Bullitt County

Tune in every week for a lively conversation with Chapelwood's Senior Pastor, John Stephens and Executive Pastor, Matt Russell as they "go deep" on how today's church has changed and what the church will look like in the future!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes252Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ChristianityReligion & Spirituality

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Pod Have Mercy

Latest Episodes

What's happening at Highland Park Methodist Church, and what does it mean for the broader United Methodist Church?

Rev. Dr. John Stephens and Rev. Dr. Michael Jarboe discuss Highland Park's decision to separate from the UMC, the ongoing questions su... more

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? And what does this spooky holiday have to do with All Saints Day?

Rev. John Stephens welcomes back Rev. Michael Jarboe, senior pastor of Wildwood United Methodist Church, for a Halloween special filled with hum... more

YouTube

What does it mean to show up for someone who is grieving, and what can other cultures teach us about loss, remembrance, and community?

In this episode of Pod Have Mercy, Rev. John Stephens and Rev. Matt Russell discuss the importance of grief work a... more

YouTube

What can a vineyard teach us about faith, patience, and spiritual growth? And how can the church remain faithful to its mission in an increasingly divided world?

In Episode 246 of Pod Have Mercy, John Stephens and Matt Russell are back together for ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Michael Jarboe
Senior pastor of Wildwood United Methodist Church
Wildwood United Methodist Church
Episode: Episode 248: The Halloween Special (with Rev. Michael Jarboe)
Matt Rawle
United Methodist pastor, author, speaker
Author; United Methodist Church
Episode: Episode 245: Matt Rawle | Rethinking Church, Innovation, and the Courage to Fail
Zach Lambert
Pastor of Restore Austin; author of Better Ways to Read the Bible
Restore Austin; Brazos Press (publisher)
Episode: Episode 244: A Conversation with Zach W. Lambert
Magrey deVega
Pastor at Hyde Park United Methodist Church, author
Hyde Park United Methodist Church
Episode: Episode 243: A Conversation with Rev. Magrey deVega
Lovett H. Weems
Distinguished professor of church leadership emeritus and senior consultant at the Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Wesley Seminary / Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Episode: Episode 242: A Conversation with Dr. Lovett H. Weems
Rachel Billups
Pastor in New Albany, Ohio; co-author
New Albany United Methodist Church; author
Episode: Episode 241: Bishop Tom Berlin & Rachel Billups
Tom Berlin
Bishop, Florida Conference
Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church
Episode: Episode 241: Bishop Tom Berlin & Rachel Billups
Justin Martindale
Master of Wine, Wine Scholar Guild member
Wine Scholar Guild
Episode: Episode 240: Wine, Faith, and the Sacred Table (Justin Martindale)
Ilia Delio
Franciscan sister, theologian, holder of the Josephine Connelly Chair in Theology at Villanova University, founder of the Center for Christogenesis
Villanova University Center for Christogenesis
Episode: Episode 239: A Conversation with Dr. Ilia Delio

Hosts

John Stephens
Senior Pastor at Chapelwood Church; host focusing on formation and church leadership; frequently collaborates with Matt Russell.
Matt Russell
Executive Pastor at Chapelwood; co-host guiding discussions on church life, formation, and community work.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 53 ratings
  • New Find

    I have just discovered Pod Have Mercy while attending Mercy Street (which I also love). I find Matt and John to be very real and down to earth, love their humor and humanness….kept it up.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JonS1984
    United States3 years ago
  • Excellence.

    This is a podcast that thoroughly engages the heart and the mind. Its hosts are not squeamish about tackling tough subjects going on in the Church and its point of intersection with the world in which we live.

    It is true excellence. Everytime.

    Thank you Rev Dr Matt Russell and Rev Dr John Stephens for you wit, humour, and serious focus in what is truly important.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kipsand
    United States4 years ago
  • Important information as UMC struggles with division

    I have found this podcast extremely helpful as I try and learn all I can about the current struggles in the UMW. I have found their guest to be most informative. Thank you for clearing up so many issues of misinformation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LEdenfield
    United States4 years ago
  • POD Have Mercy

    I’m really enjoying this podcast, the timing couldn’t be better. What a great tool to use during this season of Lent and wondering in the wilderness. I really appreciate the vulnerability that is being given in this space. Vulnerability we don’t often get in worship.

    Of course the due of John Stephens and Matt Russell is entertaining for me. 😊

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kidneyash
    United States7 years ago
  • So good

    What a great conversation.

    I’m lucky to know both of you and this podcast is so real and fun.

    I enjoyed and was enriched by what y’all shared with us.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Leo Lozano
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show blends heart and intellect with practical spirituality, earning trust from faith-based and lay audiences.
Guests and topics are diverse, offering fresh perspectives on modern faith, community, and leadership.
Listeners appreciate the hosts' honesty, humor, and willingness to tackle tough church issues.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 248: The Halloween Special (with Rev. Michael Jarboe)
Q: Did your church, like when you were growing up, or churches, you don't do a Halloween party, you do a fall festival?
Jarboe confirms that churches often held fall festivals instead of Halloween parties, while Stephens recalls efforts to avoid frightening or gory costumes at church events.
Episode 248: The Halloween Special (with Rev. Michael Jarboe)
Q: What are your thoughts on Halloween, All Saints Sunday and kind of all that?
Michael Jarboe enjoys Halloween's imaginative traditions and connects its festivities with All Saints Day, which offers a time to remember those who have died and reflect on the past year.
Episode 245: Matt Rawle | Rethinking Church, Innovation, and the Courage to Fail
Q: What have you learned about measuring ministry effectiveness beyond attendance?
Look for indicators like linger time after worship and community engagement, not just numbers; focus on leadership, adaptability, and the ability to form meaningful, lasting relationships within the congregation.
Episode 245: Matt Rawle | Rethinking Church, Innovation, and the Courage to Fail
Q: What is the Hub for Innovation and how does it actually help churches implement change?
A collaborative, adaptive leadership model with a fourfold path—curiosity, leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation—designed to test ideas in low-risk settings and scale impactful practices through partnerships with seminaries and conferences.
Episode 243: A Conversation with Rev. Magrey deVega
Q: How did your experience in different contexts shape your ministry and your writings?
His work as a pastor in Iowa and in an urban Florida setting taught him to listen to people, embrace uncertainty, and translate personal experience into universal truths in his writing and teaching.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Pod Have Mercy

What is Pod Have Mercy about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on thoughtful conversations about faith, contemporary church life, and how spirituality intersects with culture, technology, and everyday human experience. Across recent episodes, topics range from AI and its impact on formation and work to contemplative practices, grief, interfaith relations, and leadership within church contexts. A distinctive thread runs through discussions about belonging over belief, the role of community in healing, and navigating viral media, social change, and global church dynamics with a warm, pastoral lens. Noteworthy is the blend of personal storytelling, practical spirituality, and formation-oriented insights that encourage listeners to reflect deeply while staying engaged with real-world issue... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Pod Have Mercy?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Pod Have Mercy. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Pod Have Mercy and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Pod Have Mercy get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Pod Have Mercy, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Pod Have Mercy?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Pod Have Mercy, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Pod Have Mercy have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Pod Have Mercy has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Pod Have Mercy?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Pod Have Mercy:

1. Chapelwood Sanctuary Podcast
2. For The Love With Jen Hatmaker Podcast
3. Kelly Corrigan Wonders
4. The Holy Post
5. Become New with John Ortberg

How many episodes of Pod Have Mercy are there?

Pod Have Mercy launched 7 years ago and published 252 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Pod Have Mercy?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Pod Have Mercy?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Pod Have Mercy from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Pod Have Mercy?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Pod Have Mercy. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Pod Have Mercy?

Recent guests on Pod Have Mercy include:

1. Michael Jarboe
2. Matt Rawle
3. Zach Lambert
4. Magrey deVega
5. Lovett H. Weems
6. Rachel Billups
7. Tom Berlin
8. Justin Martindale

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days