PlainSpoken

Steve Blakemore is the Professor of Christian Thought at Wesley Biblical Seminary. He is the author of the recently released book Recovering the Soul (https://a.co/d/5CQ8mRB)and is the author of many scholarly essays, as well as popular level articles on philosophical and theological topics of contemporary concern.  His areas of specialization include Moral Theology (Christian Ethics), Systematic...

I do a live stream show every Friday at 4:00 PM CDT. Some of it is talking to supporters and audience friends, but a lot of it is offering what I hope is helpful commentary on current affairs in the church and in the world. I clipped these portions up and have published them separately on YouTube, but I put them all together here for your listening pleasure! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircl...

Do you know what is in the primary covenant document of the Global Methodist Church? We don't. That's why TJ and I are making our way through it together. Given how covenant disobedience is what took The United Methodist Church down, we want to be a part of building the GMC up. That means familiarizing ourselves and others with our shared governing documents. The portion this episode deals...

What is to be said when a major publication associated with The United Methodist Church publishes an article that compares, in all seriousness, people and churches who want to disaffiliate from the UMC with Hamas terrorists? Is this something that should be ignored? Can it be? If things like this are publicly said, if bishops allow their clergy to malign their peers this way, then what kind of con...

Fifty local churches are involved in a lawsuit against the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, represented by the National Center for Life and Liberty. Similar cases are being litigated around the country. Some places like Georgia have seen limited victories for churches seeking to sever times from the UMC. Other locations like Oklahoma have seen courts refusing...

Matt joined me once already to talk about an engaging list he published, enumerating twelve doctrinal distinctives that the Global Methodist Church should, to his mind, champion. We were able to get through the first 7 last time. In this second segment, we cover the last 5. This will not disappoint you. Doctrine matters. Matt has a sharp mind and a warm heart for his Methodist faith. You should ca...

The Association of Independent Methodists is another group, not quite a denomination, necessarily, that seeks to bring out the best of the Wesleyan tradition in its constituent local churches while not exercising any coercion over them. In the context of this season of disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church, many local churches would surely be interested in their culture and polity. Adam...

Rev. Rob Renfroe, newly retired clergy from the Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and continuing President of Good News, took time to visit with me about the dynamics of neocolonialism in the church generally and The United Methodist Church specifically. We cover some important history for understanding our present moment with respect to African United Methodists participating...

This is the third in a series we have begun, walking through the GMC's Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline. This particular segment covers seven pages that line out some of the ecclesiology (theology around the nature of the church) of the GMC. It is more interesting than it sounds. If you want to know what the GMC stands for and how you can anticipate it operating in the coming ye...

This one deals with the threat of conferences blocking the disaffiliations of churches that have faithfully gone through the process. In light of the successful disaffiliations of 120 churches in Virginia last week, and Oklahoma's special called conference coming up this weekend, I go through a spreadsheet reflecting that Oklahoma may actually lose almost half of its size due to disaffiliation...

Last week, I was invited to be part of a Zoom meeting at which they announced the date and location of next year's Convening Conference for the Global Methodist Church. They gave us permission to record it and publish it ourselves. I thought y'all might enjoy watching this select crew as they received the news. I follow the footage with a demonstration of how to donate to the cause and I g...

This is the second in a series I have begun for the sake of educating the public as to the nature of the Global Methodist Church, within which I serve as an elder. Last week, I did an overview of the doctrinal basics of the GMC with TJ, my producer. This week, I sat down with my brother, Daniel, to review the ‘Social Witness’ of the Global Methodist Church. These two pages of the Transitional Book...

This is the second in a series I have begun for the sake of educating the public as to the nature of the Global Methodist Church, within which I serve as an elder. Last week, I did an overview of the doctrinal basics of the GMC with TJ, my producer. This week, I sat down with my brother, Daniel, to review the ‘Social Witness’ of the Global Methodist Church. These two pages of the Transitional Book...

A stroll through the Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline This is the second in a series I have begun for the sake of educating the public as to the nature of the Global Methodist Church, within which I serve as an elder. Last week, I did an overview of the doctrinal basics of the GMC with TJ, my producer. This week, I sat down with my brother, Daniel, to review the ‘Social Witness’ of...

Tomorrow the Supreme Court of Oklahoma is going to hear the oral arguments on behalf of two churches that have filed against the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, as well as arguments made by the conference. This is uncharted territory, and there have been irregularities along the way. Take a few minutes to consider the particulars of what is going on here, its implication...

Rev. Dr. Daniel Topalski is the Presiding Elder of the Global Methodist Church in Bulgaria. He is passionate in his desire to reclaim much of the Methodist legacy, and to speak at length about his hopes for Bulgaria and the world. In this conversation, we cover his personal history and the history of Methodism in Bulgaria. It is a very different context than the US. If we are serious about being a...

To join the Global Methodist Church, the assembled membership of a local church must take a vote on a statement with respect to an explicit acceptance of sections of the GMC’s Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline. In this segment, as a measure to prepare my own churches to take such a vote, I walk through Part 1 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline, using TJ as a sound...

The second half of our interview with the Fugate family Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Nathan Fugate is an elder in the Global Methodist Church, serving in Ohio. He and his wife, Holly have been active in advocating on behalf of the unborn since before their marriage. The two of them have children of their own, but their convictions have also led them to become parents to orphans, as well. In this conversation, they minister to me and my wife as we seek clarity about how it is that...

Rev. Dr. Andy Miller III comes from a long line of Salvation Army believers, but he has bought into the vision of the Global Methodist Church, serving as an elder in the academy. He is the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at Wesley Biblical Seminary. He also hosts a podcast called More to the Story. He has published many resources for the local chur...

Part 2 of our conversation with Heartland President Pro Tempore The Reverend Jordan McFall Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

The Heartland Provisional Conference of the Global Methodist Church will be established on October 1 of this year. Until the convening conference of the denomination as a whole gathers, it will be necessary to utilize presidents pro tempore for the oversight of each conference. The Heartland Conference recently decided on Rev. McFall to be their first leader in this capacity. In this conversation,...

Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean, a professor at Princeton University and author of many books, including "Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church," took some time to visit with me about problems our culture is having around inculcating authentic Christian faith and doctrine into our youth. We talk about many realities in the current context, centralizing...

Roughly a year ago, I was summoned to the office of Bishop Jimmy Nunn of the Oklahoma Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church to be intimidated and threatened in response to questions I had been asking about conference finances. This video is a recounting of things said and done around that disciplinary action, acknowledging benevolence, while also highlighting the dysfunction of the UMC’...

Part 2 of Jeffrey's conversation with Lonnie Brooks Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands