PlainSpoken

Rev. Tozoona Jacob Maforo is a Global Methodist elder at a two-point charge in Kansas, within the Heartland Annual Conference, He was born in modern day Zimbabwe, but he has been preaching Christ in the US since the 1990s. This man loves Jesus and the church. In this conversation, I learn a bit about him, his churches, his personal history, developments in contemporary Zimbabwean Methodism, and his prayers for the Global Methodist Church. Many have already written me to convey how blessed they were to hear from him. Take the time to learn and grow a bit! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

Debra Baty is the head of Resources 4 Redemption, which is an effort aimed at spreading good information about sexual orientation and gender identity. She recently published an article about “sexual fluidity” and how it impacts our sanctification in Firebrand Magazine. It is a good piece, and Debra does worthy work. All believers in the West have to contend with the artificial ideas of the sexual revolution. There is nowhere we can go that these issues do not impact us. The only way out is through.Debra has a personal story that is quite compelling. She is a trustworthy, thoughtful, and conscientious resource. All covenant Christian bodies need to know where they stand on these things, lest the evil one sow confusion. Now is the time to reflect upon these things. Days are coming when what we believe will be put to the test. If we have not prepared, then we cannot expect to prevail.Resources 4 Redemption can be found at https://substack.com/@resources4redemptionIf you would like to follow up with Debra directly, you can contact her at resources4r@gmail.com If you would like to join my Locals community, where I give extended attention and interviews, 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! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

Cambron and I have corresponded digitally in text format for a few months, off and on. He published a piece on Methodist itinerancy that got some positive attention several months ago. I enjoyed the exchange.He recently sent me a clip that I found engaging. I decided he would be a good voice to consult. He and I have a lot of overlap with having young children and leading Global Methodist local churches as elders. In this piece, we talk about our differing approaches to education and inculcation of the young minds in our care. We couch these things in light of our cultural moment, which is the byproduct of a century of drift into secularism. It is almost a certainty that all people trying to do family in a Christian way will find a lot to intersect with in this conversation.If you want to consult Cambron’s other work, you can find his Substack at cambron.substack.com.If you would like to join my Locals community, where I give extended attention and interviews, 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! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

The Convening Conference of the Global Methodist Church is coming together this Friday to begin several important conversations, one of which being whether or not to immediately elect and mobilize new bishops. I think this is premature and potentially harmful, for reasons I outline in this segment. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

Consider spending some time with one of the three episcopal candidates from the new GMC conferences in Nigeria. I got to get to know him much better, learning about his ministry context, the ways in which God has uniquely equipped him, and the common convictions we share. I hope this is of benefit to you as you pray for our leadership in the GMC! Link to GMC Profile on Rev. Hassan - https://globalmethodist-my.sharepoint.com/personal/mhowe_globalmethodist_org/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fmhowe%5Fglobalmethodist%5Forg%2FDocuments%2FAdditional%20Nominee%20Profiles%2FSalama%20Hassan%2Epdf&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Fmhowe%5Fglobalmethodist%5Forg%2FDocuments%2FAdditional%20Nominee%20Profiles&ga=1 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

Matt has appeared on PlainSpoken before. He is a thought leader in Global Methodism and Pan-Methodism. He recently published a book on holiness, which you can find hyperlinked below. Today, he and I visited in order to try and reach clarity on the differences between the TLC’s plan for the episcopacy in the GMC and the Florida plan. Jay Therrell came on a couple weeks ago to explain the Florida plan, so Matt was gracious enough to offer himself to speak to the plan put forward by the primary governing body of the GMC thus far.The hope for this segment is that it will give clarity to the delegates, in particular, who will be deciding on a plan at the Convening Conference in a couple of weeks. God bless you as you learn from my stupid questions! I do genuinely hope this is illuminating. We talk, not just about the particulars of the superintendency plan, but also about the history, theology, and theory behind it. It is engaging on multiple fronts!Links:Matt’s New Book: “Free to Be Holy” - https://my.seedbed.com/product/free-to-be-holy/Printed Seedbed Interview w/ Matt - https://seedbed.com/free-to-be-holy-interview-with-matt-oreilly/Ryan Danker’s bummer article on Firebrand: “Wesleyans and Episcopacy” - https://firebrandmag.com/articles/wesleyans-and-episcopacy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

Rev. Dr. Jerry Kulah is one of the most courageous and faithful public figures in world Methodism today. His love of Christ and the church shines brightly through him, as does his passion for the purity of the ministry that has been entrusted to us. In recent months, since the close of General Conference 2024 for the United Methodist Church, affairs have heated up in Liberia. I have covered developments there as violence has been threatened and political maneuvering has become commonplace. In this segment, I was touched to learn of the friendship between Rev. Dr. Kulah and Bishop Quire. Though they are at odds at the present moment, his strong convictions do not eliminate the love he has for his bishop, nor his unwavering commitment to his people in Liberia. It is a very refreshing and encouraging conversation. You will be enriched if you listen to him. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

Rev. Dr. Wendy Mohler-Seib is a professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. She is an expert in the field of young Christian discipleship. I encountered her a year or so ago and was clear that I needed to hear her speak on a number of topics. In this segment, we talk about the challenges involved in doing discipleship correctly, especially as it pertains to young folks in the church. She names a number of false beliefs churches have around how discipleship is best done, and we talk about how it is that modern local churches can work our people in the right direction. Wendy also speaks about discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit, and how that has taken place in her own walk with God. Y'all are going to like this one. I know it. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

As delegates prepare to gather in San Jose for the Convening Conference of the Global Methodist Church, some are reflecting on where we came from. In order not to reproduce the sins of the past, Rev. Robert Sparkman and I look back on the reality of western monied interests perpetually maintaining power through representation in the general boards and agencies of The United Methodist Church.Rev. Sparkman was involved in general conference and jurisdictional conference-level activity aimed at reworking how his former denomination cut up the pie for representative groups inside and outside of the US. His history is replete with many examples of dirty politics. Many details and developments are lost to time, but Sparkman does an excellent job reconstructing much of the disappointing history that led to eventual split and splintering.Take some time to learn where we came from so that we can resolve to do better with this new iteration of the Methodist movement. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com

I recently showed some footage from a large church fight in a United Methodist local church in Jalingo, the capitol of Nigeria. There seems to be a turf war going on, in some capacity. How can people pray for those impacted in that area? Is there anything for denominational entities to do? Take some time to learn from Absalom about these developments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit plainspokenpod.substack.com