PlainSpoken

St. Paul Methodist Church of Amarillo is not too far from West Texas A&M University in Canyon (Texas). Well, it's about a 20-minute drive. There are many churches that are closer. Yet a significant amount are not only making the drive to worship, but are actually integrating into the life and work of the church alongside folks of all ages. Young men and women are meeting and being married here as they learn to do adult things like assume responsibility like their own spiritual lives while managing money and starting families. In the midst of this, the church is being reinvigorated and growing in generosity.In this conversation, Bill talks about the prophetic words spoken over him and how they have come to fruition. The Lord brought Will to this church alongside many other peers who have been trained to lead within the body of Christ in the last few years. The Lord has endowed Will with a transformative ministry, partnering with The Wesley at West Texas A&M. In the process, he is learning a lot about what it is that the faith of Jesus Christ has to offer, or rather how it speaks, to young men and women.Consider spending some time with us to think through modern issues of discipleship, coed indoctrination, and intergenerational ministry. This one got a little spicy, so y'all will almost certainly enjoy it!Article About The Wesley at A&M - https://globalmethodist.org/the-wesley-at-west-texas-am-university/———————————If you would like to join my Locals community, where I give a full morning briefing (where this came from), 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'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

Andrew Case is one of these weird guys who just reads the Bible and then looks at the world and sees that some things are wrong. Of course, this is one of the primary functions of the scriptures. Yet most of us read the scriptures with blinders on, unable to see the ways in which we and our culture are corrected. Case is of the mind, and it turns out he isn't the only one, that the ways in which most churches today deal with money and copyrights is a real problem.How might churches augment our behavior around money such that we aren't compromising ourselves and our faith so profoundly? I myself was moved to change my monetization practice on my YouTube channel.Whether or not you come to share Case's conclusions, I would urge you to consider his ideas and to consult the resources he is providing (for FREE) online. The Lord doesn't need more closed-minded believers who think everything they do is basically great. The Lord requires that we judge ourselves so that on the day of Judgment we might be found faultless, covered in the blood of the Lamb.------------------Andrew's Website - https://hismagnificence.comAndrew's Spotify -Andrew's Podcast on Bible Translation - https://workingfortheword.com/Selling Jesus Website - https://sellingjesus.orgSelling Jesus Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sellingjesus.orgHelpful Partner Site - https://copy.churchThe Dorean Principle (book on theology of money) - https://thedoreanprinciple.orgFree Hebrew Course He & His Wife Teach - https://freehebrew.online------------------If you would like to join my Locals community, where I give a full morning briefing (where this came from), 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

Rev. Dr. Lester Spencer is the Conference Superintendent of the Alabama Emerald Coast Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church. He served as the Lead Pastor at Saint James Church in Montgomery/Pike Road, Alabama for over 25 years. Lester has also served as the Senior Pastor at Gulf Breeze UMC in Gulf Breeze, Florida and as the Associate Pastor at Auburn UMC in Auburn, Alabama. All of these churches ranked among the top 100 largest congregations in the United Methodist Church. Under his leadership, one of the churches was ranked as one of the top 25 fastest growing large United Methodist churches in America.Lester has worked alongside his peers in the region for decades, seeking to build up disciples where he is and benefit disciples around the world. In this conversation, I learn some of his story, some of the ministries he cares about, and some of the ways that his conference is unique. My hope is that talking to him helps folks around the GMC connection to start feeling as though you know who a lot of the people in leadership are, what motivates them, and what the faith is that we hopefully all share.Rev. Spencer is an affable man of God, aiming his life and his people at reclaiming a tradition with many treasures. You'll do well to learn from him for a bit!Links:- Alabama-Emerald Coast Conference Website - https://aecgmc.org- Donation to Congo Mission - https://donorbox.org/congo-missions- Lester's Book "Free For All" - https://a.co/d/eRPoDfR- Compassion International (Lester's favorite charity to support) - https://www.compassion.com———————————If you would like to join my Locals community, where I give a full morning briefing (where this came from), 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

I believe there is much to learn from other Christian traditions. From where I stand, the Methodist tradition has lost much of what once made us great and effective. I recently noticed a church that is strong where many churches are weak: singing, family ministry, men, and children. I wanted to learn from these folks about how to effectively facilitate such a dynamic in my own tribe.This is a conversation with two men who have seen the power of the scriptures to plant a countercultural community within San Diego. They lead a high standards community, with a quality membership covenant, a shared sense of identity, and a culture of happy warriors for Jesus. They do not conform to the big box evangelical squishy churches. They, rather, model zeal and integrity for the Lord. We would do well to consider their witness.To learn more about the ministry and ethos of San Diego Reformed Church, visit https://sdreformed.com/.------------------If you would like to join my Locals community, where I give a full morning briefing (where this came from), 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

When one believes that the church of Jesus Christ is global and multiethnic in nature, the one is eventually moved to try to understand and love cultures around the world. An immature faith imagines one's own culture and nation to be the center of God's story. A mature Christian comes to understand our equal standing among the cultures of the earth. We are all fallen and in need of a Savior.Stephen Bachmeier answered the call to invite a people group other than his own into a salvific relationship with Jesus. He is currently deployed in Shunan, Japan. In this conversation, we talk about the particular gifts and challenges of his mission field. What unfolds is largely an exercise in Christian discernment. How does the gospel speak to this particular culture. How is it similar to American culture? How is it different?By learning about others, we learn about ourselves. Christ died for all of us. All of us are called to respond in faith. Stephen has only been in Japan for five months. He wanted me to make sure to say here that Japan has been in flux, and it is continuing to slowly change. Be charitable in your interpretation of Japan, as well as the words of these imperfect conversation partners.If you want to support Stephen in his work, you can contribute to his mission here: https://www.christar.org/worker/738If you would like to join my Locals community, where I give a full morning briefing (where this came from), 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

Many local United Methodist churches have found themselves in a position to either abandon the buildings and assets that they have stewarded for years or to litigate. Many churches, like Fifth Avenue UMC, have chosen to make their appeal in court. The lawyer representing them is Gavin Parsons. He took some time today to help me to understand a recent decision of an appeals court to compel a trial court to hear their case. They had previously been dismissed, but the dismissal was odds, given the particulars of the case. We cover those particulars, as well as the implications for other local churches wanting out, in this conversation. For the recent appeals court decision and rationale: https://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/court-of-appeals/2024/23-1013.html Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

In my chronicling the various chapters of mishaps and mangling of local church disaffiliations for discernment, more than once I was told of unjust developments in Belin, South Carolina. Yet efforts at finding a representative of the church to speak with me were unsuccessful. This is a hobby of mine, not a career, so I don’t have tons of time to call around for leads.Yet my coverage of a recent article about Belin’s failed attempt to continue conversations about discernment motivated an intermediary to connect me with Dan Temple, a member of the church and professional CPA, who was able to walk me through the timeline of what has transpired, with supporting documents and media.My interest in covering this topic is not at all to spread discontent, but rather to spread information. Temple shared a good deal of practical information, including a legal statement, that could potentially be useful to other churches seeking to discern their way forward after the unholy events that transpired in Charlotte last year. As thorough as Temple is in this conversation, one would be wise to consult the documents contained in the Google Drive folder linked below. Make sure to pray for Dan and his church. They celebrated their centennial this last weekend. It is a strange and unfortunate time to try to be a biblical local church within a mainline denomination. Yet there are surely blessings that can come with such challenges. Let’s pray for God’s blessing to be upon them.Links:Google Drive folder w/ Belin documents - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZO9GS-wcWmDJoUbYNYPiVRu4NVF0n87-?usp=sharing1. Resolution and Legal Memo of Understanding (attached) (i.e. reason for 1/6/25 meeting)2. Link to Resolution Website (bmcmisc.org) if you’d rather not post pdf. Just have link to this site at top3. Flip Flop meeting of November 2023 nobody knew was coming or even possible (see 1:53 – 1:56): 4. Vote to Re-Enter Discernment August 2024 5. Monday the 6th Meeting (1st 1.5 hours highlights breach of trust again, similar to November 2023 D.S. heavy handed, undue influence): 6. Letter I read: attached, I have permission to share7.Council of Bishops Letter: Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Jared Smith is a one man metal musician. As an artist he is known as Heliocentric. He was a deeply committed Christian for over a decade and was deeply formed by Christ-followers in the local church and the academy. Although he has left the faith, he still cares about the Christian faith and its adherents. On his YouTube channel, Heliocentric, he conducts what he calls “Atheist Church Audits,” where he attends local church worship services of various traditions and then responds to what he encounters from the people he meets and the conversations he has.I have watched a lot of Jared’s stuff. I like him quite a bit on a personal level. I reached out to him, asking for a conversation on the topic of how it is that mindful Christians can respectfully witness to people of this age. To be honest, while I am interested in this conversation, it was mostly an excuse just to talk to the guy. I hope you can see why.I think Jared is a great resource for assessing different Christian traditions, including one’s own. I hope you’ll pray for him, and that you’ll consider him as a resource. I genuinely think he is helpful in finding a good tone to speak to people in the right way. Even if you don’t glean the same lessons from this conversation that I did, it is my fervent hope that this is a blessing to you.Link to Jared’s YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@HeliocentricOfficial Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Both Wendy Mohler-Seib and Andrew Sullivan (previous guests on PlainSpoken) recommended that I speak with Dr. Clark. Despite my conversation with Brian Abasciano, the case for Arminian biblical interpretation (the notion that God makes room for our free will in matters of great importance) has been slim on my podcast. Meanwhile I gave a platform to Gilbert Grayson, an accomplished Calvinist and primary content creator for The Chorus in the Chaos. Even after all this groundwork being laid, you’ll see my conversation with Richie reveals a good deal of confusion on my part. You’ll also see he’s very patient with me and adept in the conversation. My hope is that my struggling with the concepts involved helps viewers/listeners.Bio on Richie ClarkRichard has taught at a variety of schools and is currently the visiting scholar at Southwestern College. His PhD work (he’s in his final year) is in historical theology related to Arminian theology. He has a heart for apologetics and has published articles in many places. Richie and his wife, Lydia, and their son, Gabriel are members of Wellington Methodist Church (GMC) in Wellington, KSLinks:Professional Links to Richie:Manchester Wesley Research Centre Junior Fellow in TheologyVisiting Scholar in Religion & Philosophy at Southwestern CollegeRecommended Readings on Arminianism:(1) J. Matthew Pinson's 40 Questions About Arminianism (Kregal Academic, 2022).(2) Thomas H. McCall and Keith D. Stanglin, After Arminius: A Historical Introduction to Arminian Theology (Oxford University Press, 2021).(3) Keith D. Stanglin and Thomas H. McCall, Jacob Arminius: Theologian of Grace (Oxford University Press, 2012).(4) Roger E. Olson, Arminian Theology Myths and Realities (IVP Academic, 2006).Open access works that he has written:Omnipotence Pseudocide by a Single Qualification: A Reflection on Omnipotence’s ‘Death by a Thousand Qualifications’ in the Work of Thomas OordAntinomianism and Reformed ArminianismA Review of "Anyone Can Be Saved" written by Southern Baptist anti-Calvinists Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Zach Kingery is the Network Director for the Dirt Roads Network, a ministry aimed at revitalizing and planting churches across rural America. They are dedicated to a vision of a future in which every small town has at least one life-filled, faithful church. This ministry is the outgrowth of a local church in a town of 40 people that was able to grow into 350 people. They split into satellite churches, then began planting and revitalizing churches. If you live in a rural area, or if you want to better understand the needs and ethos of rural churches, spend some time here. Zach is eager to help rural churches that are ready to submit to the lordship and direction of Christ. If you want to contact him, you can email him at zach@dirtroadsnetwork.com To learn more about the Dirt Roads Network, you can go to www.dirtroadsnetwork.com.Meeting Summary from Zoom’s AI CompanionRural Ministry and Local ChurchesJeffrey and Zach, both Methodist pastors, discussed their passion for rural ministry and the importance of local churches. Zach, the network director for the Dirt Roads Network, shared his experiences growing up in a small rural church and how it shaped his faith. He emphasized the value of local churches in providing a supportive community and fostering deep faith connections. Zach also shared his journey to becoming a pastor, including his initial doubts and the moment when he felt called to serve the dead, the dying, and the forgotten. Jeffrey agreed with Zach's sentiments and highlighted the challenges of balancing Biblical faith with interpersonal relationships in churches. Both pastors expressed their commitment to rural ministry and the importance of nurturing faith in local communities.Zach's Journey Into Pastoral MinistryZach shared his journey into pastoral ministry, starting with his experiences in rural communities and his transition from the Wesleyan denomination to the United Methodist Church. He emphasized the importance of serving the "dead, the dying, and the forgotten" and how his calling to ministry has evolved over time. Zach also discussed his experiences as a pastor in rural South Dakota, where he learned about the significance of rural churches in their communities. He highlighted the need for these churches to understand their importance in advancing the kingdom of God. Jeffrey listened attentively and responded with affirmations and questions.Small Town Ministry and Rural AmericaJeffrey and Zach discussed the importance of small town ministry and the role of the local church in rural environments. They highlighted the theological conviction of the imago dei, emphasizing that every human being is made in God's image and deserves attention. They also discussed the trend of centralizing power in Western civilization and the potential of small towns and small churches to preserve traditions and values. Zach shared the history of the Dirt Roads Network, which originated from Lamont Wesleyan Church's mission to reach new people and make disciples of Jesus Christ. They agreed that rural America is a mission field and that small towns are areas of need, requiring training as missionaries. The conversation concluded with the understanding that small towns are not necessarily more Christian than cities, but may have different moral standards due to their close-knit communities.Rural Ministry Challenges and OpportunitiesJeffrey and Zach discussed the challenges and opportunities of rural and small-town ministry. Zach shared about the Dirt Roads Network, a platform that connects rural pastors, provides resources, and encourages discernment in decision-making. They emphasized the importance of viewing their areas as mission fields, studying the culture, and shifting their scorecards to focus on community integration and spiritual growth. Zach also shared the story of Lamont Wesleyan Church, which grew through a collaborative effort among laity who made faithful decisions in the same direction, sublimating themselves for the gospel of Christ. Jeffrey appreciated the gentle yet convicting reflections and the emphasis on discernment and collaboration.Empowering Laity in Church RevitalizationJeffrey and Zach discuss the importance of empowering laity in church revitalization efforts. Zach emphasizes that laity should discover their spiritual gifts and lead ministries with discernment and accountability. He explains that Dirt Roads Network helps churches discern their values, see themselves as missionaries, and create action plans through revitalization programs and coaching. They also facilitate church planting by networking rural churches. Zach highlights that their focus is on greater obedience to God's will over worldly success metrics. He stresses the importance of spiritual practices and discerning the Holy Spirit's leading for the church.Rural Church Revitalization and MultiplicationJeffrey and Zach discussed their shared passion for rural church revitalization and multiplication. Zach shared his work with the Dirt Roads Network, which is self-funded and offers affordable services to churches. They also discussed the importance of obedience over success and the value of strong marriages and families. Zach mentioned his wife's role in reminding him to prioritize obedience over success. Jeffrey expressed his interest in helping Zach and others in their rural ministry efforts and suggested a series of conversations about the virtues of small town, rural living. They agreed to stay in touch and Zach offered to send Jeffrey a picture and any necessary resources for the show notes. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe