Claim OwnershipCompass Podcast: Finding the spirituality in the day-to-day
Subscribed: 48Played: 1,455
Subscribe
© Copyright 2025 United Methodist Communications
Description
Faith and spirituality sometimes leave us with more questions than answers. The Compass podcast shares stories about deconstructing faith, finding meaning, seeking justice, and deepening spiritual connection through contemplative practices and worship. Join fellow spiritual seekers Michelle Maldonado and Ryan Dunn as they seek orientation to the Divine presence in the day-to-day through a Christian perspective. A production of United Methodist Communications.
190 Episodes
Reverse
![[172] AI, ethics and the spiritual journey](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Compass-172-Square-Thumb-1024x1024.jpg "[172] AI, ethics and the spiritual journey")
We’re exploring the spiritual implications of Artificial Intelligence with pastor and author Reverend Nathan Webb. Nathan is the founding pastor of Checkpoint Church, a digital-first church aimed at connecting with individuals who identify as nerds, geeks, and gamers. Through the conversation, they explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and spirituality, discussing how AI can … Continue reading "[172] AI, ethics and the spiritual journey"
![[171] Wrestling with suffering and grace](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/From-opioids-to-renewal-compass-171-mp3-image.jpg "[171] Wrestling with suffering and grace")
What does it really look like to find spiritual vitality and hope in the hardest of places? Rev. Jabe Largen opens up about his journey through addiction, tragedy, and healing in the heart of Appalachia. We explored how radical honesty and vulnerability can transform not just our personal faith but entire communities. Jabe’s story is … Continue reading "[171] Wrestling with suffering and grace"
![[170] A Christmas full of presence!](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Compass-170-Square-1.jpg "[170] A Christmas full of presence!")
This Christmas season, let’s be real—distraction and busyness can drain our joy. But the true gift isn’t in doing more; it’s about being more present. Host Rev. Ryan Dunn shares how simple spiritual practices—like focused breathing, one-word prayers, and sacred noticing—can interrupt the stress loop and reconnect us with what matters: ourselves, others, and the … Continue reading "[170] A Christmas full of presence!"
![[169] Why justice, equity and inclusion are spiritual, not just political](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Compass-169-square-thumb.jpg "[169] Why justice, equity and inclusion are spiritual, not just political")
What makes issues like immigration, equity, inclusion, and societal violence spiritual matters—not just political ones? In this episode of Compass: Finding Spirituality in the Everyday, host Ryan Dunn sits down with Bishop Julius Trimble, General Secretary of the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Church and Society, to explore the vibrant connection between justice work … Continue reading "[169] Why justice, equity and inclusion are spiritual, not just political"
Let’s revisit an older episode of Compass: Finding Spirituality in the Everyday because it’s so relevant for the space we’re inhabiting right now. In this episode, originally released in August of 2022, Brian McLaren joined the podcast to address questions like: “What does it mean to claim the Christian faith when there are terrible things … Continue reading "Am I still Christian? Episode 91 with Brian McLaren revisited"
![[168] Listener questions, curiosity and community](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Compass-168-square-thumb.jpg "[168] Listener questions, curiosity and community")
After 8 years, we’re finally do a listener-questions episode on Compass: Finding spirituality in the everyday. Whether you’re a spiritual seeker, questioning your relationship with church, or simply curious about how faith fits into our polarized world, this candid, heartfelt episode is for you. Host Ryan Dunn opens up about the podcast’s origins, the challenges … Continue reading "[168] Listener questions, curiosity and community"
![[167] Contemplation is resistance](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Compass-167-square-thumb.jpg "[167] Contemplation is resistance")
Host Ryan Dunn guides us through a timely and deeply practical exploration of how contemplative spiritual practices can become acts of resistance against the overwhelm and exhaustion so many of us face today. In this episode, we dive into the ways our attention is commodified—by social media, politics, and nonstop demands—and how practices like gratitude … Continue reading "[167] Contemplation is resistance"
![[166] How Advocacy Becomes Ministry with Rev. Ben Roberts](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Compass-166-square-thumb.jpg "[166] How Advocacy Becomes Ministry with Rev. Ben Roberts")
What happens when prayer meets practical action? In this compelling episode of Compass: Finding Spirituality in the Everyday, host Ryan Dunn sits down with Reverend Ben Roberts, Director of Social Justice Ministries at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. Together, they explore how faith, justice, and tangible service intersect on city streets—especially in the … Continue reading "[166] How Advocacy Becomes Ministry with Rev. Ben Roberts"
![[165] Transforming your experience with the Bible with Zach Lambert](https://s3.castbox.fm/f0/87/19/a048af1cb611347464871c8cc4d4bc97b2_scaled_v1_400.jpg "[165] Transforming your experience with the Bible with Zach Lambert")
Discovering Better Ways to Read the Bible with Zachary Lambert on Compass: Finding Spirituality in the Everyday. In this episode, Zach Lambert and host Ryan Dunn explore how many of us have been handed rigid, harmful ways to interpret the Bible—and how moving toward healthier, life-giving lenses can transform both our understanding of scripture and … Continue reading "[165] Transforming your experience with the Bible with Zach Lambert"
![[164] Moving beyond White-Guy Jesus with Angela Denker](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Compass-164-square.jpg "[164] Moving beyond White-Guy Jesus with Angela Denker")
Unpacking faith, masculinity, and hope with Rev. Angela Denker on Compass 164: Disciples of White Jesus. Dive into a candid conversation exploring how our images of Jesus, shaped by culture and media, influence everyday faith, identity, and relationships. Discover practical wisdom for nurturing authentic spirituality at home, at church, and in daily life — plus … Continue reading "[164] Moving beyond White-Guy Jesus with Angela Denker"
![[163] Turning screen time into soul time](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Compass-163-square.jpg "[163] Turning screen time into soul time")
Are your phone habits feeding your soul or draining your spirit? Host Ryan Dunn reimagines “screen time” as “soul time” in this insightful episode of Compass: Finding Spirituality in the Everyday. Ryan introduces practical and inspiring apps designed to support your spiritual journey—transforming everyday moments into opportunities for sacred reflection, mindful prayer, and spiritual renewal. … Continue reading "[163] Turning screen time into soul time"
![[162] Championing Justice and Hope with Ingrid McIntyre](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Compass-162-ingrid-square.jpg "[162] Championing Justice and Hope with Ingrid McIntyre")
What does it mean to live out faith in real, tangible ways? In this moving episode, Compass host Ryan Dunn sits down with Rev. Ingrid McIntyre—a United Methodist pastor and seasoned community organizer based in Nashville, Tennessee—to explore activism, justice, and the spiritual fuel that sustains hope in challenging times. Ingrid shares her journey from … Continue reading "[162] Championing Justice and Hope with Ingrid McIntyre"
![[161] From YouTube rabbit holes to spiritual awakening with the Connexionalist](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Compass-160-MattP-Square-1.jpg "[161] From YouTube rabbit holes to spiritual awakening with the Connexionalist")
What happens when your questions about faith lead you into the world of YouTube? Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Reverend Matt Patrick—Oklahoma pastor, theologian, and creator of the Connexionalist YouTube channel—as we explore how digital spaces are reshaping spiritual discovery. Matt shares his journey from campus ministry to online community-building, revealing how deep … Continue reading "[161] From YouTube rabbit holes to spiritual awakening with the Connexionalist"
1In a world that feels overwhelming, hope isn’t just a feel-good idea—it’s vital for resilience and growth. This episode of Compass helps cultivate a mud-on-the-boots kind of hope, even when it feels like too much. Real hope isn’t about ignoring pain—it’s about facing it and choosing to believe in something better anyway. Hope is spiritual … Continue reading "[160] Hope is not optional: Resisting numbness and finding light"
NOTE: New episodes of Compass will resume July 9, 2025. Feeling overwhelmed by digital noise and daily stress? In this mini-episode of Compass: Finding Spirituality in the Everyday, host Ryan Dunn introduces the Ignatian Examen—a centuries-old contemplative prayer practice that helps bring clarity, gratitude, and peace to modern life. Discover how this simple daily ritual … Continue reading "[159] How a 500-year-old prayer practice can calm modern anxiety"
![[158] From vinyl rituals to sacred community with Bishop Andrew Doyle](https://podcast.umc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Compass-158-square.jpg "[158] From vinyl rituals to sacred community with Bishop Andrew Doyle")
Join Bishop C. Andrew Doyle—Episcopal Bishop, author, and passionate vinyl record collector—and explore the sacred within the ordinary and the power of embodied spiritual practice. Bishop Doyle opens up about his latest book, “Unabashed Faith: Resisting Spiritual Forces in the Modern World,” and shares practical wisdom on carving out sacred spaces, reclaiming rest in a … Continue reading "[158] From vinyl rituals to sacred community with Bishop Andrew Doyle"
![[157] Soulful practices for healing and belonging](https://s3.castbox.fm/e1/93/91/0482a6b93c673e58ca9b71db31b1ab2442_scaled_v1_400.jpg "[157] Soulful practices for healing and belonging")
How do we find spiritual belonging and healing in a world filled with loneliness, uncertainty, and division? In this special episode of Compass: Finding Spirituality in the Everyday, host Ryan Dunn is joined by Dori Grinenko Baker and Anna Del Castillo for a heartfelt conversation about tapping into the “deep wells” of soulful practice, community … Continue reading "[157] Soulful practices for healing and belonging"
![[156] Exploring the Enneagram and spiritual simplicity with Hunter Mobley](https://s3.castbox.fm/86/58/44/8b722ed24ad69f2cfad3b7d4b6b6e56cb3_scaled_v1_400.jpg "[156] Exploring the Enneagram and spiritual simplicity with Hunter Mobley")
Navigating spiritual growth through the Enneagram with Hunter Mobley on Compass: Finding spirituality in the everyday. Hunter shares his personal journey from evangelical “five-step spirituality” to a deeper, more contemplative faith that sees spiritual practices as pathways to soul transformation. Discover how the Enneagram can help unearth your truest self, why letting go is key … Continue reading "[156] Exploring the Enneagram and spiritual simplicity with Hunter Mobley"
![[155] Are the End Times at hand?](https://s3.castbox.fm/29/f4/b6/b943ce1ff815e4be2875fd68b4b4afd4a3_scaled_v1_400.jpg "[155] Are the End Times at hand?")
Let’s explore the fascinating and often complex world of Christian eschatology, unraveling the various interpretations of end times theology. In this episode, Ryan leads us through the evolution of eschatological beliefs—from historical premillennialism to amillennialism, postmillennialism, and premillennial dispensationalism.
![[154] Fantastical beasts and where to find them (in the Bible)](https://s3.castbox.fm/3f/5e/a5/ac382da098dddc192ab17bab163ab05234_scaled_v1_400.jpg "[154] Fantastical beasts and where to find them (in the Bible)")
It’s a Biblical exploration of the strange, fantastical and mysterious. From Leviathan to unicorns to UAPs, we’re inspiring curiosity and awe as we see what these strange occurrences and observations in the Bible tell us about the Divine. In this episode: [00:00] Introducing a little levity [02:01] God-human hybrids [05:18] Sea monster [07:11] The talking … Continue reading "[154] Fantastical beasts and where to find them (in the Bible)"
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
this was an especially good episode. loved the book and sent me in a great journey of self growth!