PlainSpoken

Dr. Felicia Chinyere Priest joined me from Lagos, Nigeria to talk about her new book, Rooted In Christ : Discipleship Strategies for Believers from Muslim Backgrounds. She has been teaching and thinking on these topics pertaining to effective discipleship for 20 years. Nigeria is the most hostile context in the world between Muslims and Christians, where just recently many dozens of Christians were killed in the northern region of the country by Muslims.In the West, numbers of Muslims continue to increase. These Muslims have the same Koran and same traditions as those who are active in Nigeria. We in the West would do well to learn from those on the frontlines how to proactively and productively engage Muslims. Dr. Chinyere and I leaned into these topics, and she was quite helpful in rendering answers. What principles are important to keep in mind when considering how to witness to Muslims? What are the primary issues and challenges involved in converting Muslims? Why do Christians sometimes choose to convert to Islam (her own tribe has experienced this in some measure). Which Christian traditions do better than others at creating discipleship pathways and maintaining a rigorous way of life? We address these and many other important considerations.I think the biggest revelation to me in this time was that the church needs to engage, not just in the marketplace of ideas, but on the level of economics. If we are expecting for folks to leave their old way of life behind, then we need to be better able to facilitate that. Do we have places to put them? Do we have protocols for protection? Do we have networks established for support and comfort? It is actually quite reasonable for the church to anticipate these needs. Why have churches generally failed in this way?This is unfortunately not my highest-quality recording. The internet connection wasn’t stable at all. I didn’t realize it until I started the editing process that Dr. Chinyere’s feed actually clipped out twice. Moreover, her accent is quite challenging for Americans to understand. Both of these factors will make it difficult for an American audience to appreciate. But for those of you who are interested in the subject, I know you’ll enjoy the effort.Consider Dr. Chinyere’s book here - https://a.co/d/6mSLgZYIf 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

Andy Postell is the Conference Superintendent of the North Georgia Conference of the Global Methodist Church. He is the conference's seconded head, following in the footsteps of Rev. Kenny Ott. Andy has a background in church planting, in which he had to learn to lean on the Lord while simultaneously taking responsibility for as much as rightly possible. Having come out of the business world, he and his wife together managed a balance between activity and humility that I think many might benefit to learn from. In this conversation, Rev. Postell and I talk about his story and how it will undoubtedly impact the work of his conference. In particular, we talk about the current challenges of reconstructing a shared identity as Methodists, and what the challenges/opportunities of the present moment are. He has no bluster to offer, but rather an earnest reapproaching of the tradition we have inherited, with an openness to unfamiliarity. It was a refreshing conversation. May it be a blessing to you!Link to Conference Giving Page - https://ngagmc.org/give/, where you can give to any number of causes, including that of the Nigerian partnership.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

Lonnie, Odell, and Joe got together again to talk about recent developments in The United Methodist Church. All three men have been delegates to General Conference and have knowledge of the inner workings of the denomination, as well as the incentive structures in place. All three have done what they can to stay abreast of current dynamics. In this session, they talk about recent Judicial Council decisions that reverse previous decisions and go against promises made. They also talk about the new mission/vision statement put together by the bishops and how much it resembles the Global Methodist Church’s vision statement. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

In 2007, Philip and Samantha Meadows began the Inspire Movement, a modern day international ecumenical attempt at replicating many of the gifts of the Methodist tradition. This is one of the many options available to believers who know that they need a more intimate and biblical faith. At this inflection point of Methodism, we would do well to learn from those who have already been doing the work of helping believers walk together in the Spirit. Dr. Meadows is a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, he has published many books on evangelism, mission, and small group discipleship. He is appreciated and respected by many in contemporary Methodism, and for good reason. I enjoyed this conversation. You will, too. Links The Inspire Movement - https://inspiremovement.org/ YouTube Page - https://www.youtube.com/@UC9fB_bmxdGR4V9U0Aq9YG2g "Missional Discipleship: A Field Guide" - https://a.co/d/3FP9x6G 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

James Mahoney published two articles on baptismal regeneration in Firebrand Magazine over the last month. They are linked below. They got me thinking on how it is that we commonly understand regeneration, justification, and baptism. I asked James to speak with me and he said yes! James got his Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. He is an ordained elder in the Western States Annual Conference. Enjoy learning from him. Articles: "Baptismal Regeneration and the Wesleyan Way" - https://firebrandmag.com/articles/baptismal-regeneration-and-the-wesleyan-way "The Changing Wesley & The Unchanging God: Regeneration and Repentance in the Wesleyan Way" - https://firebrandmag.com/articles/the-changing-wesley-amp-the-unchanging-god-regeneration-and-repentance-in-the-wesleyan-way Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

January Littlejohn is a Christian mother living in Florida. She is currently working to educate the American public and the church about gender ideology and the implications such beliefs have for our children. She herself was impacted by this ideology when her own daughter began to believe that she was actually male. The school system, rather than helping Mrs. Littlejohn, worked against her.In this conversation, January tells her family's story, and together we try to wrap our minds around the reality of our present situation as a society. What is the role for the church in all this? How should pastors and other Christian leaders be talking about it? How can local churches and denominations work against this deluge of ungodly propaganda?Resources Referenced:1. "Church Transgender Response Guide" - https://www.childparentrights.org/church-transgender-response-guide2. Abigail Shrier's "Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters" - https://a.co/d/ecCQWHX3. Timothy Tennant's "For the Body: Recovering a Theology of Gender, Sexuality, and the Human Body" - https://a.co/d/gS0DhrK4. Leonard Sax's "The Collapse of Parenting" - https://a.co/d/cV54VzP5. Gordon Neufeld's "Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers" - https://a.co/d/fmDXo7aIf 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

Dr. Justus Hunter is a tenured professor at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He teaches vital courses for the training of Methodist clergy. His students like him quite a bit, and for good reason. His view of the local church is tempered by his deep knowledge and love of doctrine and Christian history. It was this same love that eventually drew him to the Roman Catholic faith. Dr. Hunter, alongside Dr. Phil Tallon, has authored one of the most widely-used books for and introduction to the Methodist faith, “The Absolute Basics of the Wesleyan Way.”In this segment, we talk about the worthiness of the Methodist/Wesleyan heritage, theological and practical considerations as people continue to try to reclaim the treasures of our past. I’m particularly interested in reflections on the last ten minutes or so of our conversation, as it integrates a lot of the shared passions for family discipleship and the resurgence of rigor and integrity of faith.Link to Dr. Hunter’s book on Wesleyanism - https://a.co/d/fWHscphIf 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

Michael Carpenter is an ordained elder in the Oklahoma Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, currently serving as the lead pastor of Lost Creek United Methodist Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He earned a degree in civil engineering and worked as an engineer before entering ministry and attending Saint Paul School of Theology. Having served urban, suburban, and rural congregations ranging in weekly attendance from 80 to 1,500, Michael has a passion for equipping members of local churches for their discipleship journeys. Michael is married and is the father of five children.Michael has published a new book on the potential gifts for today’s believers that we can have from the Nicene Creed on its 1700th anniversary. In this conversation, we talk about his book, who it is for, and the gifts we can garner from an awareness of its contents and context. Michael and I, now in two different Methodist bodies, talk explicitly about the lessons we could learn from addressing heresy and drawing lines around orthodoxy. I hope to continue forward this conversation with other United Methodists of good faith now that we have facilitated what I would consider to be a healthy separation. For his part, Michael seems to be quite interested in peace and orthodoxy. I hope you find him as helpful in the conversation as I did.Michael’s book - “We Believe: How the Nicene Creed Can Deepen Your Faith” - https://www.cokesbury.com/We-Believe-2If 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

David C. Gibbs III serves as president and general counsel of the National Center for Life and Liberty (NCLL), a legal ministry that protects the rights of churches and Christian organizations nationwide, with offices in California, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas.A graduate of Duke University School of Law, Mr. Gibbs speaks regularly at churches and conferences across the country, while also litigating cases as a trial attorney.In this segment, Mr. Gibbs and I talk through the latest considerations with respect to ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, neutral principles law, trust law, and other considerations for local churches that no longer want to be in The United Methodist Church, but whose assets are legally entwined with the UMC. I learned a good deal from this conversation. You will, too.David's Book, "Fighting for Dear Life" - https://a.co/d/65NyfZyDavid's Book, "Understanding the Constitution: Ten Things Every Citizen Should Know About the Supreme Law of the Land" - https://a.co/d/fCkimiT———————————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

Last year, The United Methodist Church gathered in Charlotte, North Carolina to officiate over an undeniable liberal takeover of the mainline denomination. Fully 1/3 was able to disaffiliate before that point. Those remaining within the UMC continue to understand the implications of that meeting in waves.In this segment, Lonnie presents on the recent Judicial Council Decision #1517, which presents some significant problems for UMC jurisprudence and the future possibility of any amicable separations on the part of local churches from the UMC. Odell, for his part, gives some great analysis on the implications of the regionalization plan that has been recommended to the annual conferences, which are now voting on it. He reminds us of the problems already established and warns current constituencies in consideration of these upcoming annual conference votes.I, for my part, try to weave these things together for the sake of folks in the UMC who want to understand. I hope you find this beneficial!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