Thrive

Dr. Stephen L. Martyn

Christian Spiritual Direction

Today on the podcast we are joined by Dr. Steve Martyn, Professor of Christian Spirituality at Asbury Theological Seminary. Dr. Martyn talks to us about Christian spiritual direction and the new M.A. in Christian Spiritual Direction at Asbury Seminary. We discuss the history of spiritual directions within Christianity, their importance within the church and what a Christian spiritual director does. Dr. Martyn also shares his experience as a spiritual director and how other Christian spiritual directors have been influential in his life.

*The views expressed in this podcast don’t necessarily reflect the views of Asbury Seminary.

Dr. Stephen L. Martyn

Professor of Christian Spirituality

Dr. Stephen L. Martyn is professor of Christian Spirituality at Asbury Theological Seminary. Before coming to Asbury he served for 28 years as a United Methodist pastor.

He received a B.A. from McMurry University; a M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary; a M.A. from Duquesne University; and a Ph.D. from Duquesne University.

Dr. Martyn has a passion for reclaiming the ministry of the laity and has spent the last 30 years refining a Spiritual Formation model for laity and clergy. The Servant Leaders Academy, which is heavily steeped in the Wesleyan Class Meeting model, is a two-year process of transforming, training, equipping and commissioning laity for the work of the ministry in their local church and community.

He was the recipient of the New Mexico Annual Conference Evangelism Award in 1992 and was named a John Wesley Fellow and awarded a John Wesley Fellowship by A Foundation for Theological Education in 1985. In 1983, he was the recipient of the Texas Methodist College Association Award for Outstanding Leadership in Church and Community, Seymour District of the United Methodist Church.

He has co-authored a book with Virginia Todd Holeman, Inside the Leader’s Head: Unraveling Personal Obstacles to Ministry (Abingdon Press, 2008).

Dr. Martyn is married to Diane Moore. He has three married children and eight grandchildren.

Wes Wilcox

Host of the Thrive Podcast

Wes is a worship leader, artist and podcast host. He loves talking with people about their passions and what helps them thrive. When he is not drawing or playing music, he is likely relaxing with his best friend and wife, Heidi, and their dog Barney.

Latest

Andrea Baare

As a businesswoman and theologian with experience in both the marketplace and ministry, Andrea Baare struggled with a sense of guilt for many years. She often wondered if she made the right choice moving into the business world instead of pursuing full-time ministry. [...]

Nik Fraustro

Nik Fraustro remembers when Sunday traditions changed in his family growing up. According to him, Sundays were for football, baseball, and other sports. His family didn’t go to church and his father was a corpsman in the United States Navy, meaning they were accustomed to moving. [...]

Generation Awakened

Today on the podcast we are joined by Rev. Dr. Sarah Baldwin to talk about her book, Generation Awakened. Dr. Baldwin is the Vice President of Student Life & Dean of Students at Asbury University and […]

Eddie and Allyson Willis

Camp ministry and retreats had already played a significant role in both Eddie and Allyson’s lives before they met. When they did meet it was, serendipitously, at a United Methodist Conference camp [...]

The Global Impact of the Asbury Outpouring

Today on the podcast we are joined by Robin Lim (M.Div. ’23) and Mark Sayers. Rob and Mark became friends following the Asbury Outpouring, which began in February 2023. We talk about their individual experiences […]

Jess Avery

For Jess Avery, one of the first calls to leadership in the church came at a Dairy Queen in Dublin, Georgia, when she was 16 years old. At that age, Jess had already developed a desire for spiritual community and started a small group at her high school of like-minded students in their pursuit of the Lord. [...]