PlainSpoken

Robert Worthington is an immigrant from Chile. Having studied here as a foreign exchange student, he came to love the Christian faith through the Methodist lens. He is somewhat of a polymath in the professional world, but his calling seems to be to apologetics, which is rightly understood as effectively engaging detractors of the faith. In our conversation, Robert winsomely presented the gospel, as well as how to advance the cause of Christ against our many cultured despisers. He has personal experience engaging in the sort of interfaith dialogue that is required in our pluralistic society. He is also patient in his demeanor, which is important when dealing with hardheaded people like me. Many are sure to enjoy learning from Robert quite a bit!Links:Robert’s Regular Blog & Bible Study - https://www.mattchristiansenmedia.com/bible-studyWilliam Layne Craig’s “Defenders” Series - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIpO3BUiq2IH1ocE76paUM_OxUZTL3XYh&si=OmrVaS16H6UKNm2S"Doctrine of Election: Doctrine of Salvation” Podcast Series - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIpO3BUiq2IHt7bJnTIuln-uDzSxaOGGu&si=B7TCPlsk_Cr6E6JBWilliam Layne Craig’s “Doctrine of Man” Series - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIpO3BUiq2IFJ7TORDSoj3VLiTv5oMbVj&si=FbO-3R3uj1ZhmUspA Write-Up on the Kalam Cosmological Argument - https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/popular-writings/existence-nature-of-god/the-kalam-cosmological-argument?gad_source=1Presentation of the Ontological Argument by Gavin Ortlund -Presentation of the Fine Tuning Argument by Luke Barnes - Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Lathem is the Co-Founder and President Emeritus of the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela (Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela). www.semwesven.org The Seminary is 21 years old and offers an Associate and a Bachelor Degree. It is located in Barquisimeto, Venezuela and has trained over 1,000 Christian leaders, and in partnership with the International Leadership Institute has trained over 5,000 leaders. The Seminary is the only school of its kind in Venezuela offering academically sound educational/Christian opportunities to pastors and students in an affordable and accessible manner within the Wesleyan Tradition. This is a great opportunity for partnerships by people who want to make a real difference in the lives of people serving Christ in one of the most critical countries in the Western Hemisphere. Dr. Lathem also had the privilege to preside at the founding conference of the Methodist Church of Venezuela in 2007. The conference began with 12 churches and now has 59 churches. He considers this one of the greatest honors of his life. In 2014 he co-founded the Wesley Medical Center on the Campus of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. It is the first Protestant Medical Center in Venezuela, employing 100 medical professionals in 5 locations. The work in Venezuela has been accomplished through the support of Venezuela Now, Inc. a non-profit GA corporation he founded in 2002. www.venezuelanow.org Dr. Lathem is the former District Superintendent of the Atlanta-Marietta District of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church where he supervised the work of 42,000 members. He has pastored churches since 1972. His experience includes numerous seminars, training events, church consultations, mentoring, teaching in 5 seminaries, crusade evangelism, ministry pioneer, camp meetings, and revivals nationally and internationally. His last pastoral appointment was to the Mount Pisgah UM Church which he served for over 17 years. During his tenure, it grew from 75 in worship to an average of 3,000, the fourth largest UMC (based on average attendance) in the U.S. More importantly, during those years over 60% of the 5000 new members (net) who joined were by Profession of Faith. He has always been committed to reaching the unchurched with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Links: Venezuela Now, Inc. - www.venezuelanow.org Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This episode picks up where we left off previously. We began by addressing questions presented by viewers and commenters. We talked about the likelihood that petitions from those who have since left will be discarded, among other topics. The largest area of concern for this episode was the utility of the favored regionalization plan when it does not plan to eliminate the previously-racialist jurisdictional system. To download your own copy of the Advance Daily Christian Advocate, go to https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/general-conference-2020-advance-daily-christian-advocate. To download a copy of Lonnie's Matrix of Petitions, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KTnzUbOO6NORahwa_nrdxKV1ftNxUQpQ/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=117124792218903575974&rtpof=true&sd=true Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Rev. Housholder has an MDiv. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Bonn. As a multi-vocational pastor at The Well at Surf City, he has 40 years of ministry experience. David is a biblical linguist specializing in Semitic studies. He also happens to be a STEM Representative for the Senior Leadership Team at Concordia University-Irvine. David is the author of four books. He is an ordained pastor in the Foursquare Church and a founding pastor of the Well a Surf City. HE has been married 42 years to Wendy and is father of Lars. He lives in California, so of course he is a surfing Instructor. He climbed Mt Whitney this past August. A message from Dave: "Write, call, and email. Your voice makes a difference! We encourage everyone who listens to PLAIN SPOKEN to contact them asking them simply to let the congregations leave who choose to leave. Dottie Escobido, Bishop: 626.568.7313. bishop@calpacumc.org US MAIL: P.O. Box 6006, Pasadena, CA 91102-6006 Sandra Olewine, District Superintendent: 619.239.9980 southdistrict@calpacumc.org US MAIL 26001 Muirlands Blvd, Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Links: Surf City Church's Website - https://surfcity.church Video of Christmas at Surf City Church a couple months ago - Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This segment begins Part 8, which deals with the judicial branch of the denomination. Virtually all parties are agreed that there needs to be a means for the denomination to defend itself against bad actors on the inside. What does that look like? Will the denomination be able to correct bishops? Laity? What is the process for bringing up clergy on charges? Are those accused protected very well, or is it a guilty until proven innocent framework? This area, in particular, caused a lot of dysfunction in the UMC. In our conversation, I highlight a number of issues presented by our past that will hopefully be remedied in this new covenant body. Link to Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline - https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Transitional-Discipline.20231130.pdf Link to Judicial Practice and Procedure Rules of the Global Methodist Church (JPP) - https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Judicial-Practice-and-Procedure-Rules-English.pdf If you would like to make a gift directly to the church that sponsors this, here is the link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 If you would like to become a supporter on Locals, where we offer unique content and host exclusive live streams, go to plainspoken.locals.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This segment deals with five of God's qualities that are to be found throughout Christian scripture. Susanna and I walk through the suggested readings in the catechism and identify what we can see in each, connecting these themes in the end to Article I of the Confession of Faith. This is honestly a great exercise for anyone to meditate upon God's nature. I know Susanna is a little out of focus. Very frustrating, as I'm sure she is easier on the eyes than my haggard face. Forgive me! If you would like to purchase your own copy of the Catechism, go here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/a-catechism-of-christian-faith-and-doctrine-for-the-global-methodist-church/ If you would like to make a gift directly to the church that sponsors this, here is the link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 If you would like to become a supporter on Locals, where we offer unique content and host exclusive live streams, go to plainspoken.locals.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

I have recently been covering the formation of the Revised Social Principles in The United Methodist Church. I have also done a segment covering the Social Witness of the Global Methodist Church. Both documents were crafted in part by Chappell Temple. C. Chappell Temple is a husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and teacher, who has been appointed to serve as the lead pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Sugar Land, Texas, a southwestern suburb of Houston. He  holds degrees from SMU, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Rice University, and is an adjunct faculty member in the Houston program of Perkins School of Theology, teaching United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity. He has started teaching for Baylor at Truett in the last couple of years, teaching Methodist topics and Pastoral Care. He is now a Presiding Elder in the Trinity Conference of the GMC. He is a great fan of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, G.K. Chesterton, C.K. Barrett, J.I. Packer, N.T. Wright, and other British thinkers who, like him, don’t believe in using their actual first names. He blogs at chappelltemple.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This section deals almost exclusively with the Transitional Leadership Committee. This is the group that currently oversees the daily needs of the denomination, overseeing a number of other groups, some of which are stipulated in this section. This section spells out, commission, and limits the authority of this board, doing the same for Keith Boyette's position. It is illuminating in that it better explains all the developments of these last few months. It has been a wild ride, but the TLC has had a firm had on the wheel. We also try to speak to what the odds are that any group like this will exist after the Convening Conference this September. Link to Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline - https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Transitional-Discipline.20231130.pdf If you would like to make a gift directly to the church that sponsors this, here is the link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 If you would like to become a supporter on Locals, where we offer unique content and host exclusive live streams, go to plainspoken.locals.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Regionalization is perhaps the biggest push this year's General Conference is receiving from institutional bodies. As this episode demonstrates, it is the latest iteration of a legislative effort that has failed at the last couple General Conferences. The basic idea is to create a new level of administration for the denomination that will allow for continental regions to become more isolated from the influence of other continental regions, simultaneously gaining rights to further adjust their norms to suit their context. It will require a very invasive amendment to the denomination's constitution, which will require, not just a 2/3 majority vote at General Conference, but also a 2/3 vote of all annual conference delegates the following year. There is a lot on the line with this issue. This is only the first episode in which we will talk about it, with two more to follow. This episode covers a good deal of the history and the framework out of which this push has come. The topic isn't boring. It is rather necessary to understanding the precipice upon which the UMC currently sits. To download your own copy of the Advance Daily Christian Advocate, go to https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/general-conference-2020-advance-daily-christian-advocate. To download a copy of Lonnie's Matrix of Petitions, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KTnzUbOO6NORahwa_nrdxKV1ftNxUQpQ/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=117124792218903575974&rtpof=true&sd=true Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Listening to Kenneth Feinberg reflect on the disavowal of his mediation efforts caused me to really question if I had seen things wrongly all along. Mr. Feinberg seems at peace about it all. Maybe I should be. For reasons I explain in this segment, it still seems blatantly wrong, especially when the consequences are so huge. Spend a few minutes with me as I explain some basic Christian ethics that many can't see because they are too close. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe