PlainSpoken

Will Willimon is a United Methodist bishop, retired, who has recently published a book detailing the disaffiliation of his childhood church, Buncombe Street Methodist Church in Greenville, SC. In this conversation, we talk about the book. We talk about disaffiliation. We talk about the theological rifts between us, the general inability of churches to disagree well, and the challenges posed by trying to be united in such a divided world.Willimon is not a centrist, nor does he value centrism. Neither do I, really. We actually agreed about a number of words that don't belong in the lexicon of Christians. We agreed about the unwholesome impact of secrecy and dishonesty in the local church. We agreed about the virtue of argument and persuasion.And yet, we disagreed about those things that we have been talking about for so long. And we didn't beat around the bush. We didn't brush things under the rug or try to cover things over with corny preacher humor. We spoke plainly, as good Methodists do, in hopes that you would benefit from the conversation. And I hope you do. God bless you as you try to sanctify your local church in light of all of the failures and disappointments of the past.Links:Will's Book, "The Church We Carry: Loss, Leadership, and the Future of Our Church" - https://www.cokesbury.com/The-Church-We-Carry"New Willimon book explores disaffiliation of Buncombe Street" by South Carolina United Methodist Advocate - https://advocatesc.org/articles/book-disaffiliation-buncombe-street"This is a book that shouldn’t have been published" by Talbot Davis on Baptist News Global - https://baptistnews.com/article/this-is-a-book-that-shouldnt-have-been-published/ Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

The Considering Charlotte crew got together again to reflect on the present moment in our culture and consider the ways in which The United Methodist Church may or may not be positioned for effective ministry with the present age. Last time, we spoke about the Modernist/Fundamentalist split that took place in the early-20th century. This time, we focus more on contemporaneous issues.We talk about human sexuality to some degree, alternative living situations, and the ideology that is so effectively pushing the church to consider its moorings. Of course, I couldn’t help but read some history pertaining to 19th century Methodist shifts. Odell brought the concern to contemporary college campuses and the kind of discourse that has become somewhat hegemonic in western culture. The crew didn’t render many/any firm answers, but we did have a good exchange of ideas. We hope our discussion of these topics helps you to likewise suss out where you are and where you think your local church should be. How should our churches be in dialogue with the world around us? What posture should the church have to this generation?Links:“Explainer: how campus policies limit free speech” at The Conversation - https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-campus-policies-limit-free-speech-58974 Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Greg West and Brandon Nichols are both part-time primary leaders in the Virginia Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church. In this conversation, we talk about their personal journeys in Christ, their passions in ministry, and the unique promise and hope of the Wesleyan tradition. In particular, we talk about small group intentional discipleship, sanctification and holiness, and the right presentation of the gospel to this generation. Greg is an evangelist and Brandon a local church elder. Take time to learn about them and receive the clarity that comes from hearing the thoughts of others. Links: Greg West's Bio - https://gmcvirginia.org/conference-gathering/speakers/greg.html Brandon Nichols' Bio - https://gmcvirginia.org/leadership-team/brandon-nichols.html The Virginia Conference of the Global Methodist Church - https://gmcvirginia.org/ Conference Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/VAGMC Greg's Evangelistic Ministry - https://www.lifeinhisname.net/ Socials - https://www.instagram.com/lihnmin2020/ https://www.facebook.com/lifeinhisname.net https://x.com/gregwest120 Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Rev. Dr. Gabriella Kopas is the Conference Superintendent of the Central Europe Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church. She met the Lord Jesus in college and has been walking in obedience since then. GMC leadership saw her great potential in the hostile climate of post-Soviet regions, and he accepted the invitation to serve.In this conversation, we hear the story of how she came to Christ and found a home in the Methodist tradition. She characterizes the current state of Methodism in Eastern Europe, she gives some history and demographics of the area, explains contemporary missional challenges, and invites the prayers of those who care about Christ reaching those nations. It was a very pleasant conversation that I benefited from. You will, too!Links:Central Europe Conference Website in English - https://www.metodisti.sk/english/My conversation with Daniel Topalski of Bulgaria -My conversation with Vatroslav Župancic of Croatia -Rod Dreher's 'Live Not By Lies' - https://a.co/d/dk9UcvYIf you would like to join my Locals community to help support this ministry, go to plainspoken.locals.com and become a supporter!If you would like to subscribe to my pastoral Substack, where I publish articles on topics pertaining to pastoral ministry and Methodism, you can go to jeffreyrickman.substack.com.If you would like to subscribe to the PlainSpoken Podcast Substack, where I publish articles, video, and audio pertaining to Methodism and the culture war, you can go to plainspokenpod.substack.com.If you're not interested in any of that stuff, but you want to give directly to my church, you can go to https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 and make a donation there. Thanks! Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Every Christian tradition is tasked with articulating how it is, biblically, that God saves us. My tradition, the Methodist tradition, is known to stress a concept called "prevenient grace," which is broadly the notion that God makes the first move. Brian Shelton, a professor at Asbury University, has researched and written on the topic of prevenient grace to the degree that I knew I needed to learn from him on this topic.Specifically, as this generation works to reclaim foundational biblical doctrines, how do we need to understand salvation in light of sin, depravity, and the fall? How is it that our youngest generations are inclined to embrace the notions of grace presented in Methodism? What facets of our doctrine are more challenging to receive or to boldly articulate?Shelton was really gracious with me as I got a little scatterbrained in how I processed this information. I hope you will be, too. It wasn't my best performance as an interlocutor. Please forgive me. Shelton was great, though. I hope you benefit greatly from his time spent with me.Links:Shelton's Book, "Prevenient Grace" - https://a.co/d/20NyCm6My conversation with Mark Olson on the topic of Justifying Grace -If you would like to join my Locals community to help support this ministry, go to plainspoken.locals.com and become a supporter!If you would like to subscribe to my pastoral Substack, where I publish articles on topics pertaining to pastoral ministry and Methodism, you can go to jeffreyrickman.substack.com.If you would like to subscribe to the PlainSpoken Podcast Substack, where I publish articles, video, and audio pertaining to Methodism and the culture war, you can go to plainspokenpod.substack.com.If you're not interested in any of that stuff, but you want to give directly to my church, you can go to https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 and make a donation there. Thanks! Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

A few weeks ago, Mark Tooley of the Institute for Religion and Democracy published a piece highlighting a seeming disinterest on the part of Wesleyan Christians in America to attempt new church communities in the midst of urban areas. In particular, there is a dearth of Methodist/Wesleyan new church plants in Washington DC, where he has been professionally engaged for decades. Contrasting Wesleyanism with other theological traditions in our nation, Mr. Tooley notes how difficult it is to find any pioneering young leaders to try to save the cosmopolitan masses. In this segment, we talk through the various factors involved, both practical and theological. Mr. Tooley speaks with clarity, concisely about an intimidating challenge, issuing the summons to a new generation of gospel-proclaiming Methodists to again engage in God's saving work in our nation. Consider his voice: If you want to answer his summons for consideration to plant a church with the resources he has offered, you can reach him at mtooley@theird.org If you would like to make yourself available to the Northeast Conference of the Global Methodist Church as a potential church planter, please email them at churchplanting@northeastgmc.org.Source Article - "Doug Wilson Plants in DC; Methodism Shuns DC" by Mark Tooley - https://juicyecumenism.com/2025/07/17/doug-wilson-plants-in-dc-methodism-shuns-it/ The John Wesley Institute - https://nextmethodism.org/ If you would like to join my Locals community to help support this ministry, go to plainspoken.locals.com and become a supporter! If you would like to subscribe to my pastoral Substack, where I publish articles on topics pertaining to pastoral ministry and Methodism, you can go to jeffreyrickman.substack.com. If you would like to subscribe to the PlainSpoken Podcast Substack, where I publish articles, video, and audio pertaining to Methodism and the culture war, you can go to plainspokenpod.substack.com. If you're not interested in any of that stuff, but you want to give directly to my church, you can go to https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 and make a donation there. Thanks! Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This year stands at the 1700-year anniversary of the convening of the First Council of Nicaea, which had huge implications for the definition of the church. We also stand at the centennial for the Scopes Monkey Trial, which was so massively influential in drawing the cultural battle lines in our society. The world in which we are living was powerfully impacted by both of these events. In this segment, my United Methodist friends discuss these events in light of our present standing. What was good and right about these events? What was regrettable? Are there any lessons for us to learn from them today? Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Robert Gagnon is going to be teaching a course at Wesley Biblical Seminary soon, so I thought I might try to get him on. He's perhaps the most expert thinker on the topic of human sexuality. As you'll see in this conversation, he has a great passion for the plain meaning of scripture. He has the resolve to meet bad arguments with better ones and has been of benefit to the larger discourse through writing books and scholarly articles, writing thoughtful think pieces on social media, and recently by starting a YouTube channel (see links below). This conversation details not only the topic of the course he will be teaching, but it also serves as a decent primer for the topic of biblical sexual ethics. May this conversation be of benefit to you in your attempts to grow closer to the Lord. Links: "The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics" Dr. Gagnon's book - https://a.co/d/5gTTzlJ "The 15 Most Important Texts in Scripture" Course at WBS - https://wbs.edu/15-texts/ Dr. Gagnon's Website - http://robgagnon.net/ Dr. Gagnon's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@robertgagnon7647⁩ Dr. Gagnon on X - https://x.com/RobertAJGagnon1 Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

The extremes of the left and right often form a short of horse shoe, in which they have more in common with one another than those in the middle. It could be said that, with respect to Jews, we are seeing the same thing: Both left and right and experiencing a resurgent anti-Jewish impulse. It is not hard to find people who have a desire to argue that modern Judaism and modern Israel have little to no correspondence with the biblical people/nation of Israel. One doesn’t have to look hard for those eager to make the case that modern Jews are deluded to believe that God still cares for them in any special or particular way. Rev. Dr. Gerald McDermott has written several books on the topic of “New Christian Zionism” or post-supersessionism. The basic idea is that God’s gifts and callings are irrevocable. Despite our unfaithfulness, God remains faithful. God’s salvation story throughout history is unified, rather than bifurcated. Gerald McDermott teaches at Jerusalem Seminary and the Reformed Episcopal Seminary (ACNA) in Philadelphia. He retired from the Anglican Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham AL in 2020. Before that he was the Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion at Roanoke College, where he taught courses for 26 years in the history of Christianity and Christian theology of world religions. He has written, co-written or edited 25 books and hundreds of articles.Spend the time with him. I think he is right, and that understanding his insights could lead to a future in which the church is not committing the same sins against God’s covenant people, the Jews, that we pretty consistently have over the centuries…Links:Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land - https://a.co/d/4f7BZ1vThe New Christian Zionism: Fresh Perspectives on Israel & the Land - https://a.co/d/3VJNWOZA New History of Redemption: The Work of Jesus the Messiah through the Millennia - https://a.co/d/hcj1ltQ“New antisemitism rising among Christians is heresy” in The Christian Post - https://www.christianpost.com/voices/new-antisemitism-rising-among-christians-is-heresy.html"No, You Don’t Have To Be A Dispensationalist To Believe In Zionism" in The Federalist - https://thefederalist.com/2025/07/15/no-you-dont-have-to-be-a-dispensationalist-to-believe-in-zionism/ Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Bishop Jeff Greenway is a significant figure in the Global Methodist Church. As we talk about in this conversation, he has been one of the voices in pretty much every room that has determined the quality of this new covenant body. Raised by Methodist clergy, he has given his entire adult life to the glorification of God by edifying his church. He has served on all levels of church leadership, and he is now spending his final years in service through humble leadership at the top as a bishop (episcopos) (overseer). Bishop Greenway published a piece in Firebrand last month that thoughtfully worked through considerations regarding faithful episcopal leadership. I found many of the specifics to be worthy reflections and was able to get him to speak with me about many of them here. Listeners would do well to consider Bishop Greenway's insights about the nature of Christian leadership in light of his efforts alongside many others to build something new that reflects the timeless truths of Christ. Link to Firebrand article, "Escaping Gravity: Bishops as Servants of Christ and His Church" - https://firebrandmag.com/articles/escaping-gravity-bishops-as-servants-of-christ-and-his-church Link to Bishop Greenway's mailing list - If you would like to join my Locals community to help support this ministry, go to plainspoken.locals.com and become a supporter! If you would like to subscribe to my pastoral Substack, where I publish articles on topics pertaining to pastoral ministry and Methodism, you can go to jeffreyrickman.substack.com. If you would like to subscribe to the PlainSpoken Podcast Substack, where I publish articles, video, and audio pertaining to Methodism and the culture war, you can go to plainspokenpod.substack.com. If you're not interested in any of that stuff, but you want to give directly to my church, you can go to https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 and make a donation there. Thanks! Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe