PlainSpoken

Andy contacted me to represent a house church he is leading in Austin, TX. The man is quite well-read on Wesleyan doctrine and history. If you have ever wondered at the virtues of a less formal structure for communal faith, you may enjoy thinking through these things with us a bit.If you want to contact Andy with any questions about house churches, you can reach him at: andyhogue@ymail.comLinks Andy proffered for your consideration:"How to Explain Simple Church on a Napkin," YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-147JgJ3ZJsHouse Church Central: http://www.hccentral.com/directoryHouse Church Central: https://housechurchconnect.com"5 Reasons Why Not to Join a House Church," Seedbed: https://seedbed.com/reasons-you-should-not-join-a-house-church"Martin Luther: House Church Advocate?" The Terebinth (our local blog): https://theterebinth.blogspot.com/2018/12/martin-luther-house-church-advocate.htmlAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Rev. Matthew Sichel is an Ordained Deacon in the Northeast TCAT of the Global Methodist Church. He disaffiliated from the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church recently and is actively involved in leading the conversation around how Wesleyanism needs to continue forward as a distinct religious tradition in the future. As a deacon, he serves to bridge the world of the church and the world of the academy. As such, he has a lot of patience and energy for the theological issues that often intimidate others, confidently leaning into how and why it is that each is important. In this conversation, he and I cover a number of nonnegotiable theological distinctives of Wesleyanism as he laid out in a recent Facebook post. For those of you who are interested to understand what is at stake with a number of these issues, as well as why it is that the GMC might consider taking a more narrow approach to doctrine around these issues, consider diving in with us and seeing if Rev. Sichel might persuade you to summon more passion for these doctrines!Links:Scott Kisker Article on how 20th century Methodists broke Methodism - https://firebrandmag.com/articles/segregationism-and-the-corruption-of-methodist-disciplineNT Wright on Rapture - https://ntwrightpage.com/2016/07/12/farewell-to-the-rapture/John Wesley’s beliefs around end times: https://firebrandmag.com/articles/john-wesley-and-the-end-timesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

The Wespath Clergy Wellbeing Study Survey was published last week. It raised a number of concerns around the quality of life for United Methodist pastors. I covered the first four areas of analysis, but I neglected the fifth: finances. In this episode, I try to establish a healthy relationship around money to be reflected in the lives, not just of pastors, but also of all believers, and of the community of faith. I actually recommend some books, which I would urge you to seriously consider consulting, especially as local churches need to better discern how it is that they can and should help the poor. Jesus talked a lot about money. The concern is all over the scriptures. Believers should be better-equipped to deal with finances without anxiety right now.Links:The Wespath Study “2023 Clergy Well-Being Survey Highlights” - https://www.wespath.org/assets/1/7/5991.pdf73% of Americans rank their finances as the No. 1 stress in life, according to new Capital One CreditWise survey - https://www.cnbc.com/select/73-percent-of-americans-rank-finances-as-the-number-one-stress-in-life/More Americans are so worried about money, it's hurting their mental health - https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/financial-wealth-and-mental-health-americans-worried-about-money-rcna83569Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Rev. Guillem Correa is the Presiding Elder over 21 volunteer clergy in Spain. He and his colleagues are mobilized to evangelize to the Spanish and broader European context. Rev. Correa is passionate and authentically Wesleyan in his framework. Take some time to learn about his context, his evangelistic approach, and how it is that you can pray for the new GMC churches in Spain.Presentation on Spain as Provisional Conference - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sssuSE76IJO-gBezmbOCT_uvakMk1803/view?usp=share_link3-Page Summary of Ministry in Spain - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VBAcFdxhyq7anoaNCmh4yso8-n6N6uY7/view?usp=share_linkInvitation to October Event - https://drive.google.com/file/d/13pTSakazwiOhF1e-yTRvzshuXqB-ISvh/view?usp=share_linkAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Following in the footsteps of First Church OKC, Church of the Servant appealed to a worldly court for justice when the Oklahoma Annual Conference seemingly worked against the interests of the local church community. This last week, a state judge, in fact the same one who ruled on the First Church case, also ruled in favor of Church of the Servant. This episode covers the broader story of churches and groups of churches seeking intervention from the state, we consult some scripture, and then I read through the transcript from the court in which Judge Timmons’ decision is pronounced and explained.Links:Scan of court document w/ my editorial notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10WuZ34chaTuqPzpYoPPoN-DEioYB_gjC/view?usp=sharingAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Ever since the President of the Council of Bishops, Tom Bickerton, pronounced that churches outside of America cannot disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church, local churches around the globe have known that freedom would not be an option. However, leadership from a majority of the churches in Kenya-Ethiopia Annual Conference became clear that their latest conference session would mark a cessation from the UMC. Bishop Wandabula vowed that he would not entertain such a measure taking place. When the time came, the bishop bent, and he has allowed 58 churches go leave, directly contravening the edict from Tom Bickerton. What will come of this? Spend a few minutes with me to learn some of the history and dynamics of this exceptional annual conference.Links:Conference Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068945514051Bishop Wandabula’s Bio: https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/person-detail/2463622Map of the UMC’s Episcopal Areas in Africa: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Website_Properties/who-we-are/documents/africa-central-conferences-map-revised.pdfUMNews Article about suspension of Kenya’s funding in 2013: https://archives.gcah.org/bitstream/handle/10516/9233/article5.aspx.htm?sequence=4Simon Mafunda’s WCA article alleging MFSA money corrupting Kenya’s conference: https://wesleyancovenant.org/2023/08/15/methodist-federation-for-social-action-funding-liberalism-in-kenya/UM Insight article details Bishop Wandabula blessing Kenya’s first RMN church: https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-global-nature/bishop-dedicates-reconciling-church-in-kenya/RMN Article detailing Kenya’s 2nd RMN church: https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-global-nature/bishop-dedicates-reconciling-church-in-kenya/Article detailing the 2022 African Bishops Gathering: https://michiganumc.org/african-bishops-condemn-advocacy-groups/September of 2022 Statement from the Africa College of Bishops: https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/files/statement+from+africa+colleges+of+bishops+-+sept+8.pdfSeptember of 2022 Answer from the Africa Initiative: https://www.umnews.org/-/media/UMC-Media/2022/09/14/18/19/umc-africa-initiative-press-release-to-global-umc?mkt_tok=MDc4LUpYUS02NDMAAAGG3O-_mUSCtMg01snyjzBD-5pO3kuIrijNIykK7U2U0INhoj0ExWiUuWOuV6k7TQjXTLzEF_VPDr-rc9mcXd9RUidia5JWFxWhMT2qp4VP9xmsZAUM Insight Article on the Foundation of the UMAF: https://um-insight.net/in-the-church/umc-global-nature/united-methodist-africa-forum-sets-priorities-names-leaders/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

After what has happened to Fifth Avenue, Struthers, and First Church OKC, we are starting to see a pattern. Valuable real estate with humble attendance are targeted by increasingly impoverished annual conference leadership within The United Methodist Church. As they speak platitudes about renewal and growth, they simultaneously disenfranchise local church communities to absorb them and profit off the assets they accrued over more than a century of ministry. This latest chapter, involving two clergy and one DS that we cover, points in a very sad direction of an institution devouring its own to buttress itself as it suffers its self-caused destruction. Take some time to learn about what Christian brethren are enduring at the hands of such powers, and pray for truth and repentance.Links:Surf City 2021 Church Stats - http://www.umdata.org/ChurchProfile.aspx?ChurchID=894820Good News Magazine Article - “Surf City Disaffiliation or Eviction?”- https://goodnewsmag.org/surf-city-disaffiliation-or-eviction/Los Angeles Times Article - “United Methodist Congregations Trying to Leave Amid LGBTQ+ Schism Say They’re Being Held for Ransom” - https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-07-03/united-methodist-congregations-lgbtq-schism-southern-californiaEpoch Times Article - “Huntington Beach’s Oldest Church Faces Threat of Closure Amidst Property Battle” - https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/huntington-beachs-oldest-church-faces-threat-of-closure-amidst-property-battle-5446875DS Sandra Olewine’s Episcopal Bid Website - https://westernjurisdictionumc.org/sandra-olewine/John Lomperis’ account of Olewine’s dishonesty - “United Methodist Church Drops the Ball on Anti-Semitism” - https://juicyecumenism.com/2016/12/06/united-methodist-church-drops-ball-anti-semitism/Rev. George Hooper Bio - https://cumchb.org/leadership/All other stats culled from UMData.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Part 2 of Jeffrey's Interview with Max Edwards of the Evangelical Methodist Church.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Rev. Max Edwards is the International General Superintendent of the Evangelical Methodist Church, a denomination that broke away from The Methodist Church (predecessor to the UMC) in 1946. His denomination represents a distinct tradition that would surely be appealing to some leaving the UMC at this time. Take some time to get a feel for the ethos of the leadership and the ways in which they balance the doctrinal and ecclesiological realities similarly to, and different from, what was known in the UMC. Also note the tenor of the conversation. Rev. Edwards in congenial and gracious in disposition, even while staking a strong stand.EMC Website: https://emchurch.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

New Wespath data just came out revealing several very concerning trends in the mental, spiritual, and physical health of United Methodist Clergy. We go through some of the study while also looking at other social data and how it is that what we believe correlates with our health. In this one we come up against a number of things that cause most folks to take offense. This is a harsh critique of our culture as a whole, not just The United Methodist Church, and a warning about what the American church as a whole will experience if it does not quickly remember scriptural language around the purity of the church and the call to righteousness. Enjoy!Links:Religion News Service Article “United Methodist pastors feel worse and worry more than a decade ago” - https://religionnews.com/2023/08/10/united-methodist-pastors-feel-worse-and-worry-more-than-a-decade-ago/The Wespath Study “2023 Clergy Well-Being Survey Highlights” - https://www.wespath.org/assets/1/7/5991.pdfInstitute for Family Studies Article - “Why Are Liberals Less Happy Than Conservatives?” - https://ifstudies.org/blog/why-are-liberals-less-happy-than-conservativesDeseretNews Article - “Religious leaders struggle with burnout, depression and anxiety — just like the rest of America” - https://www.deseret.com/faith/2022/5/11/23058739/religious-leaders-struggle-with-burnout-depression-and-anxiety-pastor-mental-health-worker-shortageBarca Article - “Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year” - https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-quitting-ministry/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffreyrickman.substack.com Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe