Pod Have Mercy
Episode 243: A Conversation with Rev. Magrey deVega
In Episode 243 of Pod Have Mercy, John and Matt sit down with Rev. Magrey deVega, Senior Pastor of Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, Florida, for a conversation about pastoral ministry, writing, uncertainty, wisdom, preaching, and what it means to pursue holiness in the Wesleyan tradition. Magrey reflects on the unexpected years he spent serving a small church in Cherokee, Iowa, and how that experience helped reconnect him with the heart of pastoral ministry before returning to Hyde Park as Senior Pastor. He also shares how a formative week with Eugene Peterson reshaped the way he thinks about writing, including the important distinction between wanting to be an author and learning to love the craft of writing itself. The conversation explores themes from Magrey’s work, including "Embracing the Uncertain" and his forthcoming book "Time for Wisdom." Drawing from Ecclesiastes, Magrey talks about approaching uncertain times with curiosity, humility, and openness rather than certainty and fear. John, Matt, and Magrey also reflect on doubt, deconstruction and reconstruction, and how faith can make room for questions rather than eliminate them. They also discuss the challenge of preaching into a polarized culture, Magrey’s recent Faith 250 sermon series, and how pastors can begin difficult conversations from places of shared story and common ground. Later, Magrey introduces the upcoming Lenten study "The Way of Holiness: A Wesleyan Journey through Lent," a collaborative project exploring holiness through the Great Commandment and the Wesleyan understanding of both personal and social holiness. The conversation considers what holiness looks like when it is understood not simply as following rules, but as becoming more fully who God created us to be and growing in love of God, neighbor, and self. Along the way, the conversation touches on hurricane recovery in Tampa, the resilience of communities, poetry, favorite writers, the role of suffering, and a rapid-fire round that gets into everything from Iowa casseroles to biblical characters and the words Magrey hopes to hear when he meets God. Learn more about Rev. Magrey deVega: Biography + Books: https://hydeparkumc.org/magrey-biography-and-books/ Hyde Park United Methodist Church: https://hydeparkumc.org/ Magrey deVega at Abingdon Press: https://www.abingdonpress.com/authors/magrey_devega/ "The Way of Holiness: A Wesleyan Journey through Lent": https://www.abingdonpress.com/product/9781791044596
