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 we are hoping for our new denomination to minister to this hurting world. Holly and Nate are both gracious with me, in particular, as they gently provide a framework for engaging the world on this paramount issue, with winsomeness and love. While my demeanor is characteristically caustic, the Fugates are a gentle but firm hand on the wheel in this conversation. The first generation of Global Methodists would be wise to share in their passion for protecting the most vulnerable in our society.

Links:

Holly’s Article, published by UM News after the fall of Roe v. Wade - “United Methodists should support Dobbs decision” - https://www.umnews.org/en/news/united-methodists-should-support-dobbs-decision

Justice for All, the organization I learned from and worked for, who still do very solid educational and outreach work. - https://www.jfaweb.org/ --

The video course from the Equal Rights Institute. - https://equalrightsinstitute.com/courses/ 

The National Embryo Donation Center - https://www.embryodonation.org/ 

The Atheist Pro-Life Organization Holly Mentioned - https://secularprolife.org/

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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 church and is increasingly involved in the conversations of what a Pan-Wesleyan future looks like and how the academy should be equipping its leadership. This conversation is ideal for those thinking about higher education in ministry, approaches to biblical interpretation, and a vision of authentic Wesleyanism in a world that very much needs it.

Links

Andy’s website - https://www.andymilleriii.com

Andy’s recent Heaven study for church groups - https://www.andymilleriii.com/articles/heaven-and-other-destinations

Wesley Biblical Seminary website - https://wbs.edu/

WBS’s Statements on Scripture & Holiness - https://wbs.edu/about/distinctives/

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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, Jordan and I talk about his background, what he loves about Methodism, the doctrinal heritage we have, the practical gifts the GMC has to offer our world, and what we can expect of him in the coming months, casting a vision of what the GMC has in store. Enjoy!

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Part 2 of our conversation with Heartland President Pro Tempore The Reverend Jordan McFall

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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 around the importance of a proper Christology (set of doctrinal understandings around the person and work of Christ). To my surprise, I didn't even get to the heart of my questioning around the nature of liberal Christianity because we had so many other foundational things to cover in the relatively short time we had together. She was very gracious in my bumbling nature. I think the conversation could be useful to people striving to minister to youth in their churches. I actually think the conversation is more useful to people trying to understand how Methodism got so divided and who are asking the questions around if this division even needed to happen in the first place. Rev. Dr. Dean is in a very different place from me with respect to the undergirding theology that animates us, but we seem to be of one mind about what does and doesn't work with respect to making new disciples. I hope you enjoy!

Links:

“Almost Christian” book that made such a positive impact on me: Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church https://a.co/d/05RCFWR

Other books

- Delighted: What Teenagers Are Teaching the Church about Joy https://a.co/d/53zSOVv

- Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church https://a.co/d/b8rHpax

- Godbearing Life-Art Of Soul Tending For Youth Mini https://a.co/d/awsTont

- Innovating for Love: Joining God's Expedition Through Christian Social Innovation (The Greatest Expedition) https://a.co/d/bG65DoC

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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’s bureaucratic leadership. I believe these dynamics are replicated throughout the US within the UMC. It is my hope that this recounting will be something to strengthen, empower, and equip clergy and laity who will (I pray) choose to continue speaking boldly and loudly about UMC toxicity and dysfunction.

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Part 2 of Jeffrey's conversation with Lonnie Brooks

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Lonnie Brooks is the first reserve lay delegate to the upcoming General Conference, representing the Alaska United Methodist Conference. In February, he published an op ed in UMNews, which projected a hostile takeover by progressives within The United Methodist Church in the coming years as traditionalists move to the periphery of denominational life. He has presented a number of legislative suggestions and amendments for consideration at General Conference next year, all of which aim to help the denomination to be more equitable and gracious.

In this conversation, Lonnie and I suss out where it is that he offers a voice of critique, as well as what affirmations he has, of his chosen denomination. To my surprise, there was a good deal of agreement between us, though it is clear that Lonnie and I still have some great differences. The conversation is very agreeable. I learned a good deal from him. I hope you do, too!

Links:

Lonnie’s Dropbox w/ Proposed Legislation for Next Year’s General Conference - https://app.box.com/s/dpni01me0x236mfu5nh180otjjiyz2b7/folder/215761447268

Lonnie’s UM News Op Ed - https://www.umnews.org/en/news/centrist-progressive-coalition-could-soon-unravel

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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: [email protected]

Links Andy proffered for your consideration:

"How to Explain Simple Church on a Napkin," YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-147JgJ3ZJs

House Church Central: http://www.hccentral.com/directory

House 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.html

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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-discipline

NT 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-times

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