Oliver Green has been heavily involved in the Great Plains Conference since its inception. As we wrap up Black History Month, Oliver shares his story and what it was like to move into adulthood — as an African-American man — during the Civil Rights Movement. Oliver shares how the movement of the 1960s is similar to…Read more »
Author: Todd Seifert
Continuing the push for racial justice
It’s been nine months since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, so Todd Seifert, host of the “In Layman’s Terms” podcast, decided to tell some follow-up stories featuring guests who helped explain the impact of police and other kinds of violence upon people of color in the spring of 2020. The communications team took…Read more »
Listening & Response — Part 2
In the second of a two-part series examining how God calls us to service, Todd shares a reflection from Mark 1 that recounts the way Peter, Andrew, James and John responded to Jesus’ call to follow Him. Download this episode.
Listening & Response — Part 1
In the first of a two-part series examining how God calls us to service, Todd shares a reflection from 1 Samuel that recounts the call of the prophet who would anoint the first two kings of Israel. As you listen to the episode, consider how God may be reaching out to you. Download the episode.
Jesus: Child of Light — A Re-telling of the Christmas story
This compilation of the Christmas story takes the accounts from Matthew, Mark and Luke — framed in the concept of light coming into the world from John — to tell the story of the birth of Jesus. Download the episode. Watch the video presentation. (scroll to the bottom of the page)
Advent Week 4 — Showing Love
In this fourth week of Advent, Todd continues to explore the themes of each week’s candle. This week we light the candle of love. See how Jesus showed love to others and, particularly, to all of us through his sacrifice on the cross. Download the podcast.
Advent Week 3 — Enduring Joy
We often think of joy as a feeling we have after a fun activity or an emotion to be felt when we’re among loved ones. But Jesus explained that joy is something much deeper than that. It’s a state of being, an enduring trait. Jesus explains how we find joy and how we maintain it,…Read more »
Advent Week 2 — Seeking Peace
In this second episode in a special series during Advent, we explore how Jesus gave us the gift of His inner peace and how that has three very real impacts on our lives. May you embrace inner peace as you listen to this episode. Download the episode.
Advent Week 1 — Attitude of Hope
We celebrate the coming of the Christ child during Advent, but we sometimes forget to celebrate why Jesus came to earth in the first place. Many Christians recognize that He came to provide for our salvation and reconciliation with God. This holiday season, let’s embrace Jesus’ mission, and recognize that because of Jesus’ arrival as…Read more »
Miracle of Innocence
Darryl Burton, a newly ordained elder in The United Methodist Church sat in prison for 24 years. Lamont McIntyre sat in prison for 23 years. Neither man actually committed the murders for which they were accused. A ministry in New Jersey helped exonerate them, but there was no assistance to help them reacclimate to society.…Read more »