PlainSpoken

Richard Ackerman AKA Redeemed Zoomer started the Operation Reconquista movement in earnest almost a year ago. Since then, he has amassed quite a following of young people aiming to "retake the mainline." In this conversation, we talk about the various strategies available to Christians of many traditions to fight those forces that would see the church dismembered and coopted. Ackerman is o...

The Africa Initiative released a statement dealing with their consensus positions with respect to the primary issues before the UM General Conference next week. There has been a good deal of confusion about how United Methodists in Africa are perceiving their treatment by UM leadership. Recent statements from the UM Africa Forum and Africa Voices of Unity have made it clear that they have not been...

After a conference Zoom meeting to present the Dakotas delegation and the issues they will be dealing with, there were follow-up questions that were addressed on a conference Q&A document. Whoever wrote the response was candid in a way that the institution of the UMC would almost certainly not approve. This sort of breaking rank is a breath of fresh air when institutional forces are working so...

As final preparations are made for the 2020/2024 General Conference of The United Methodist Church to begin, unfortunate realities continue to be revealed. In this episode, we read over a newly-published release from the UM Africa Forum, a group that was ostensibly put together to support institutionalist goals. The state of affairs has gotten so dire that even they have now accused the UMC of psy...

Alongside the GMC's Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline is a document called Judicial Practice & Procedure, which is referred to as the "JPP." This document carries the force of church law. It will be edited and approved at this upcoming Convening Conference. The JPP will govern how judicial proceedings are conducted. It is an important document, so TJ and I are making...

This episode really centers around the concept of salvation. Jesus came to save us. What does that mean for us? What does it have to do with the Holy Spirit? It is a relatively simple concept, but the scriptures clearly add much needed texture. Consider joining my daughter and me for a time of worthy consideration. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Alongside the GMC's Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline is a document called Judicial Practice & Procedure, which is referred to as the "JPP." This document carries the force of church law. It will be edited and approved at this upcoming Convening Conference. The JPP will govern how judicial proceedings are conducted. It is an important document, so TJ and I begin tacki...

Rev. Dr. David Watson wrote an article that piqued my interest recently on how claims that we are building God's Kingdom are badly placed and theologically problematic. This phrase, however, is very commonly proclaimed throughout evangelical churches. I knew I needed to speak with him. The conversation ranged from all kinds of topics, from Christian Nationalism, to Charlie Kirk, to Donal Trump...

On my most recent live stream, I read the article that notified everyone of Keith Boyette's intention to retire this September after the Global Methodist Church's Convening General Conference. I also did a cursory review of the the job description for the person found to take his place (sorta). Keith was gracious to accept an invitation to speak with me about the job he has done, the legac...

This question deals with the nature of Christ in that he was active during the creation of all things. We go through the scriptures as usual to learn more about how that came to be. Enjoy this shorter episode! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Dan Latta, joining me from his wife’s artistic studio (hence the flowery stuff in the background), has been leading a small group of faithful who left their United Methodist local church behind. The Lord has providentially cared for them as they have sought to build a new fellowship together. Rev. Matt Sichel connected Dan and me, hoping that this segment might speak to those who are perhaps consi...

Recent budgetary reporting from the General Council on Finance and Administration is sobering. The quadrennial budget is being slashed almost in half. Meanwhile, a report on reserves offers some hope about potential additional resources in the short term that could potentially offset some of the burden for those churches that have stayed in the fold. This segment deals with the general topic, how...

This is the final section of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline. It covers how property is going to work in the GMC. I was actually a little distressed to find that I have not administered my own GM local churches correctly. It turns out there are a few expectations that very few seem to be aware of or concerned about. It might be worth taking some time to make sure your own church...

Many heresies have developed over the years around the person of Christ. Specifically, is he a created being, lesser than the Father? Without a doubt, the answer is ‘no.’ In this segment, we go through many scriptures equating the Son with the Father, and we talk about the mystery of the God-man, who was the image of the invisible God. Take some time to think through this truth with us. If you wou...

John Ed Mathison is a respected leader in Methodism. He was the pastor of Frazer United Methodist Church in Montgomery, AL for more than two decades. He passionately worked to make the church an engine of reaching as many people as possible, and he was met with great success. In retirement, he has continued to joyfully serve in ministry with the churches of the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conferen...

Jamie Bambrick is the creator of the famous “The Christian Super Bowl Ad They SHOULD Have Made,” which was circulated in response to the wrongheaded “Jesus Gets Us” campaign. He is an Irish Anglican associate pastor at a vital church outside of Belfast. In this conversation, Jamie and I speak about the larger cultural forces that impact our ministries despite thousands of miles between us. We find...

I was sent a copy of a document submitted to Sara Hotchkiss, the Business Manager of the UMC General Conference. Africa Initiative leadership, on behalf of the many delegates they have consulted, made a formal request on March 4 to meet several needs in order for African participation to be possible. It seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as Hotchkiss has refused to respond. What is obviously at st...

After six questions dealing with the nature of God the Father, we now approach the second person of the Trinity: the Son. Christ is at the center of our salvation. This segment lines out only the starting foundation upon which we will build in the coming weeks. The authors of the catechism laid out several New Testament texts for us to review and connect when considering the person and work of Chr...

Rev. Forbes Matonga recently published an op-ed in UM News saying that if Regionalization does not require a reworking of the episcopacy, then none of it counts for very much. The way that bishops interact with the denomination, as well as the general boards and agencies, seems to have greater power than most appreciate. As delegates assemble next month in Charlotte, Regionalization will be at the...

On Friday, the usual folks gathered to record our 'Considering Charlotte' series. As we were to talk about the episcopacy of the UMC, I invited Rev. Forbes Matonga. Forbes had just published an op-ed through UM News, stating that without reforming the episcopacy, the Regionalization of the UMC was a smoke screen. It was my original intent that our time with him would fit into the larger to...

Last week video was circulated on Twitter of Mark Nakagawa, who had retired as a District Superintendent from the California Pacific Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church last year. He recently made headlines when he wrote a swastika on a neighbor's property.  This segment deals with why he might have done this, what ideology would undergird such behavior, and what, if anything, tha...

This episode builds on top of the foundation already covered. Namely, the nature of God the Father. All of these first episode have intersected with Article I of the Confession of Faith of the EUB. It is becoming clear how the authors wove a doctrinal web for us to construct a theological foundation upon. This series is seeking to establish a solid doctrinal foundation for Global Methodists and al...

The three key words for this session are “Creator, Sovereign, Preserver.” What do each of them mean? How do they impact our relationship with the Lord? How do the realities of God’s nature impact the ways in which we go about our lives together?  As always, I urge you to consider the ways in which you can use this material to benefit your local church, especially the children in your orbit. Folks...

Links: Robert’s Regular Blog & Bible Study - https://www.mattchristiansenmedia.com/bible-study William 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_Cr6E6JB Willi...

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 juris...