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More to the Story with Dr. Andy Miller III is a podcast exploring theology in the orthodox Wesleyan tradition. Hear engaging interviews and musings from Dr. Miller each week.
Andy Miller III: All right, we welcome you to the more to the story. Podcast I believe I am live, and I'm thankful for this opportunity to reflect on what has happened this past year. A couple of tips are coming for 2025, and some reflections or reviews of events that have happened, that, I think are significant for my unique audience in 2024. So I'm so glad you have joined us for the more to the story podcast
Andy Miller III: generally. This podcast comes out every week on Thursdays, though I've had a somewhat busy last 6 months, and so it hasn't always happened on Thursdays. Nevertheless, I'm thankful for the opportunity to interact with so many of you who are a part of this audience in general, what my podcast and things coming from andymilla, 3rd.com are trying to do are to present
Andy Miller III: information from an orthodox Wesleyan perspective to the Pan Wesleyan world. Now, at the same time, we have many people who are not a part of institutions in that world who find it interesting. And so it's not just limited that. But that's the perspective. I come from the institution I serve, and a big piece for me in 2024 was that I started to serve as
Andy Miller III: President of Wesley Biblical Seminary. That's it connects with who Wbs is called to be as we serve from this evangelical Wesleyan perspective
Andy Miller III: in the context of thinking, of training and developing and sending forth
Andy Miller III: trusted leaders for faithful churches. So you have heard me say many times that this podcast is sponsored. You know it's brought to you by Wesley Biblical Seminary, where we're doing just that here, with more than 700 students with more than 700 students this past fall, and looking forward to a similar number this coming spring, and thankful for the opportunity to serve people there. Well. The mission of Wbs is
Andy Miller III: connected to the classic Wesleyan theology, rooted in the authority of Scripture, and that's the foundation for who we are as an institution. But what we found is that there's a wider audience
Andy Miller III: than just those who would identify with any denomination with the word Methodist or Wesleyan in them. So it's it's not just limited that. But that's the foundation from which
Andy Miller III: I have this podcast so I'm thankful for opportunity to share with so many of you on this. So here's what I want to do on today's, podcast I want to go over a few of the kind of key stories that have happened in this to this world in the Wesleyan world in 2024.
Andy Miller III: I want to talk about some things that have happened on the podcast. But I also want to reflect on a few tips. I want to offer a few tips for 2025. Now
Andy Miller III: nobody came to me and said, Andy, Andy, please give me your tips, so I want to be cautious as I say this, that I'm not. I think there might be some things from my journey that might be helpful to you. I know that particularly anybody in my audience. If we were to sit down for a cup of coffee.
Andy Miller III: I imagine that you would have some things that would be a benefit to me. So just take this hopefully in a humble spirit. That's the spirit from which it comes. I hope that you'll take it that way, and maybe there'll be something that you could add to this. And I think this is happening. I'm not sure it's not quite on live on Facebook.
Andy Miller III: But
Andy Miller III: so I'm not on Youtube, I can interact with people more there. So I'm sorry that I'm not able to interact with some comments that come along the way. So those of you follow me for a while? Know that one of the key things that I try to encourage people to do is get a consistent Bible reading plan, consistent Bible reading plan. I don't know who said it first.st I've heard Craig Groeschel say it. I've heard other kind of leadership. Speakers say that we overestimate what we can do
Andy Miller III: in the short term, and we underestimate what we can do in the long term. And I'm somebody I love. I love the opportunity for these 2 days. December 31st and January first.st
Andy Miller III: I like to think in the big kind of macro picture of the year. I like to think what's going to be happening in the coming year? I like to think of what's happened this past year, and I love long term goals. I like to set these goals out, and I like to plan for them. And I just I've really adopted that idea that I can sense the tendency in myself
Andy Miller III: to overestimate what I can do in the short term, but setting up consistent rhythm. So the number one rhythm that I encourage people to pursue to make a goal around is a consistent Bible reading plan.
Andy Miller III: Because I believe this crazy thing. I believe that the Creator of the universe, God, who has always existed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Andy Miller III: has communicated with us clearly through the Scriptures of the Old New Testaments. Divine revelation exists, and it exists primarily through Scripture. So I don't ever want to seem dogmatic with this. I have. For more than 20 years I've read the Bible in a year.
Andy Miller III: I've taken many different Bible reading plans. I was tempted to put some of those plans here in the show notes. But you can just go to Google and type in Bible reading plans. Or if you have the the Bible app, there's plenty of plans there. You can listen to the Bible. I've heard that there's a i listen to the podcast most days that comes out the most weekdays, that is, the world and everything in it. And I heard just this morning or yesterday morning. They have a.
Andy Miller III: there's a new app or a podcast that's like the commuter Bible which reads the Bible every day. To you. I'm guessing, that's what it is, so there's all kinds of ways to do it. But I was encouraged this past year in a conversation with emeritus Professor and board member of Wbs, Dr. John Oswalt. Many of you will know him, for in the academic world
Andy Miller III: and it just pastors will probably know of his work on Isaiah, the Definitive Commentaries, and the
Andy Miller III: new International Commentary in the Old Testament urbans publish, his 2 volume work there, much less his work, that we most students at Wbs. Will read, called to be holy him as a preacher. In this tradition. Former President of Asbury University, interim president here at Wbs. Interim, President of Francis Asbury Society and current professor
Andy Miller III: at Asbury Seminary. So you know his influence is wide and long, and so I've had the privilege, particularly in the last 6 months to have more time with Dr. Oswalt.
Andy Miller III: and one of the interesting things that he said. And I think actually, this came at the Wbs reunion in August. My family is sitting around the table with him and Karen, and he said that at this stage in his life something that he's doing differently is that he is reading just one chapter a day. So he's not
Andy Miller III: going too quickly through the Bible. And here's somebody, you know, who's
Andy Miller III: who's written more pages about the Bible than are in the Bible. Okay, so I mean, this is significant. And so I thought that was interesting. So I want to keep that in mind like, I don't ever want this to seem like in order to be a faithful Christian. You have to read the Bible in a year. I don't believe that at all, but I do think that that rhythm can be something that can be helpful to you. So just the basic math that I've presented many times on the podcast and other places. Is this.
Andy Miller III: So there are approximately, I'm going to use a calculator here 775,000 words in the Bible.
Andy Miller III: That's this, the number of what. Now, I didn't go through and count them myself. But you get the idea. Okay? So if there are 7.
Andy Miller III: Let's see 7, 775,000 words in the Bible, and you divide that by 365
Andy Miller III: you come up with. You need to read 2,123 words a day. Now this is where it gets interesting.
Andy Miller III: Most people of the average. An average reader reads 250 words a minute. Now then, if there's like a slow reader, let's just say like it's 200 words a minute. I probably am a slow reader. I actually haven't timed myself. That would be a good thing to do. But
Andy Miller III: I haven't timed myself, but I would think I'm a slow reader. I'm certainly a fast talker, but I maybe just deliberate, deliberate over words for a long time. Well, so let's just cut that in half. So between the average reader and the slow Reader, it's 200 words. Let's say 225 words a minute. So if you take that if you need 21, 2, 3, 2,123 words a day, and you divide that by
Andy Miller III: 2, 25 you get up to 9.4 3 6 8, 3, 4, 0 9. So
Andy Miller III: that would mean you would need to read the Bible if you read 225 words a minute
Andy Miller III: for 9.4 3
Andy Miller III: minutes a day, and you would get through the Bible in a year. Now again, this is that underestimating what we can do in the long term. So I encourage people just to think about that. On average.
Andy Miller III: if you read the Bible for 10 min a day you will get through the Bible in a year. I've used a Bible reading plan from the navigators that I found really helpful, and it's just it just has
Andy Miller III: generally an Old Testament passage and a New Testament passage every day. Now, another way to think about this was something I got from Dr. Ellsworth Callis, who is my preaching professor, and he served as President of Asbury Seminary as well a great mentor in my life. He talked about the 3 plus 5 plan.
Andy Miller III: and so he would go. He just divided it by chapters. So if you read 3 chapters a day Monday through Saturday and 5 on Sunday you get through the Bible in a year. Of course there are all kinds of other ways to do it. I do a plan. That kind of jumps around a little bit that makes it so that at key seasons I land in certain passages. So during Advent I'm reading the end of Isaiah Isaiah 40. Through 66, I read, Revelation I get to some of, and then I
Andy Miller III: generally have already gone through Luke or Matthew. I like that, or John the beginning of John, and I try to get through those at that time. Just a few ideas. Of course there is
Andy Miller III: chronological plans. There's plans where you can just go from the begin Genesis, to Revelation. I've done that. Just do it, whatever it is, and maybe maybe you don't want to. I've heard some people say to me, well, I just feel like I'm rushing by reading that fast, or some people say it's going too slow. Maybe you could get on a 2 year Plan, a 3 year Plan. Just get a plan. This is a great time to do that. The navigators, a Bible reading plan that I have.
Andy Miller III: What it does is it has 25 readings a month that gives you kind of a
Andy Miller III: grace days, so to speak, of 4 to 6 days, so that if you miss a day you can catch up in general, I've I've always got it in, and when I've used that plan.
Andy Miller III: and sometime well, one time I ended November, but generally I sometime mid December, and I like that, and then you can do sometimes where you sometimes, when I'm on a plane I'll read the historical books of the Old Testament. I'll try and knock those out, and then it gives me time to spend more time later. So anyways, just get a plan. Get a plan as you head into this year. Now, I want to share another thing that I've done, and this comes. I don't know where I got this advice.
Andy Miller III: but I've I've experienced the benefits of this advice ahead of it, so that when I heard this idea, I was able to modify it. For myself, I have the blessing of having
Andy Miller III: 2 Bibles from my grandfather, my paternal grandfather, whose name I share, Andy Miller, Commissioner Andy Miller. So, and you know it's 1 of the interesting things about my life is that he was pretty engaged here at Wesley Biblical seminary before I ever knew it existed. Well, one time I think it was 2,004. We were with him at the end of the year, and he had read this Bible, which was just a Cev. Contemporary English version, and he underlined major portions of it
Andy Miller III: and wrote notes. Oh, you can't quite see it on this passage, because the way my camera works but and then he gave it to me.
Andy Miller III: It was an incredible blessing, and I saw his thoughts. Throughout the year I saw names written down, prayer requests, memories that he had from different times. Then, after he died, my grandmother gave me another Bible of his, which was similar, but this one he went through in another year, long before, and even at the very beginning of it. Some of you can see this. I had a down syndrome aunt named Martha.
Andy Miller III: and so I think he read this one in the year that she died. And so there's this service the bulletin of that service at the front of that Bible that he taped in there. It's fascinating. So he had this Bible. This is a new King James version, and like there's little treasures in here for me like, for instance, right here here is a rotary
Andy Miller III: club of Duluth. This is where he was like attendance makeup card. But what's significant about this is, it had a sermon outline on the back of it, so that that was fascinating for me to be able to have. And so he there's a little sermon that I have right there, much less some other things. And just even when I, when I'm preaching
Andy Miller III: after my message is complete, and after I've rehearsed it and I'm ready to go, I'll go to those 2 Bibles, and I'll look at what he did with that passage, the passage I was preaching on, of course, to my preaching students. That assumes you're actually preaching from a passage of Scripture. All right? Okay, so
Andy Miller III: can't just come up with whatever you want to talk about. All right, we want to try and root things in actual study of a passage still like that was, that's a real blessing to me to have these 2 Bibles, he wrote in all kinds of things, and then he also wrote in other books. So I have his set of his Devotional Commentaries by William Barkley. I wanted to.
Andy Miller III: so some of you will know that the book of Jude has been important to me, and I have a study that's available. Andymilla, 3rd.com that goes through 6 sessions. It'd be a great thing for use for a Sunday school class in the New Year. But as I was studying the book of Jude, I realized that this little book that my grandfather went through
Andy Miller III: of this this commentary he was reading. Let's see if I can find it here. He was reading it
Andy Miller III: when I was born, so he dated things. So it says, he finished this on 4, 1819 80. That's telling you how old I was. I was born on 4, 1119 80,
Andy Miller III: a book of Glory all 3 sections with special meaning to my heart's needs. Thank you, Lord, so it fascinating me. So I know that he read this book a week before I was born, a week after the week I was born. So, anyhow, those are little things. So here's here's the idea. I heard somebody else say this, I don't know if it's on a podcast I don't know if it's in a blog. It was more than 10 years ago. And I thought, this is something I could do for my children or grandchildren, or somebody else in my life. So this past year.
Andy Miller III: about this time last year I bought a new Bible, and it's just a very simple I don't know. Maybe $2025 just a simple niv leather bound. No study notes or anything like that. It was. I like to have large print that gives me a little extra room to write, but so I use this specific Bible through the year, and this is what I did.
Andy Miller III: I had my oldest son, Andy the 4th in mind as I read this Bible this year.
Andy Miller III: and so the plan unless I lose it on the way home, or something
Andy Miller III: is to give this to him on his 18th birthday, which is coming this year. Oh, Lord, help me. Anyhow, he won't be graduating high school this year. He started kindergarten when he was
Andy Miller III: a little older, because he would have been a young kindergartner. So we started. So we get him till he's 19, which is a blessing all that to say. I plan to give this Bible to him this year. So here's what I did throughout the year. I started it, and I wrote a note to him in the front
Andy Miller III: saying what I was doing. I wrote this note on January 3, rd 2024, and then, as I went through, I wrote prayers to him.
Andy Miller III: And I could I show you. But I underlined the entire by not the entire, like. Most pages have something written on them to him. So you can imagine if I'm doing 3 to 5 chapters a day that gives me opportunity to do that, to describe that. And then, you know some of the things that I might even highlight are some background information that I've learned to cross textual things that I'd emphasize. I would say something like, this is one of my favorite passages. I would write at the top.
Andy Miller III: A prayer to him, using one of those verses. And and also just key doctrinal themes, too. Now you don't have, and that's kind of me as
Andy Miller III: preacher scholar, that I have some things I want to hand down to him, for sure, but it could just be your own devotional thoughts. But anyways, I encourage you to now. Maybe maybe you don't have children, or maybe your children are out of the house. Well, think about doing it for somebody else. Maybe you could do this for grandchildren.
Andy Miller III: Maybe you could do it just for somebody else in your life. Maybe it's a neighbor. Maybe it's somebody you're witnessing to, and then you kind of double up like you want to access God's divine revelation in Scripture, and you do that every day of the year, or most days of the year. Read the Bible year. But then your own observations are something you can hand down, and as I indicated, like.
Andy Miller III: there's hard like I can't I can't. I don't know what be more valuable to me in my office than this Bible from my grandfather. I mean I've got. I've got Joe Madden baseball, probably something from Tony Dungy. I have. I have my medallion from Wbs. I don't want to lose that I have some beautiful pictures, but
Andy Miller III: if I if I had to grab a couple of things, this would certainly be one of them, this Bible for my grandfather. So that's just a special thing, and I'm looking forward to doing this for all of my children, and then I think I don't know how fast the grandkids will come if I'll be able to get them all in when they turn 18. But I want to work for that. If the Lord chooses to allow us to have grandchildren.
Andy Miller III: We'll see what happens. But anyways just encourage you as you're at the start of this year. That might be something that you can do another thing that I've done. I've done for a while, and this I got this advice from Abby, and I have appreciated the ministry of John and Stacy Eldridge through the years, and we
Andy Miller III: We'll often choose. Oh, I'll I'll choose a word of the year.
Andy Miller III: This might seem silly, but here's how I do it like I think about sometimes the word has. I've just asked God to reveal a word for me, and it's come through Scripture or other observations, something that's become prominent. So I'm going to share with you the very oh, maybe I don't have them all here. Oh, I didn't bring up. I didn't bring the right the right journal. But I've had words like.
Andy Miller III: Forge, okay, for the word for 2023 was tackle.
Andy Miller III: And this is what I thought like I've had fortify.
Andy Miller III: Oh, man, I'm going to, not I have them listed, and I kind of reflect on that every so often. But I use the word in very particular way that I want to share with you in just a second. But in 2023 I had the word tackle, and what I had in mind there was tackling some big projects, tackling a good portion of my dissertation, tackling some task at Wbs, tackling the needs. My family. But what I often find
Andy Miller III: I often find this to be true is that when I choose this verb
Andy Miller III: by the end of the year it ends up, meaning something else than what I just what I thought it was going to mean. So tackle ended up being. I got tackled in 2023. I was like, I thought I and I began to understand it
Andy Miller III: through the emphasis of the need to die to self. And I began to think of that song that actually Stan Key and Dennis Kinlaw helped me think of this song. Make me a captive, lord, then at last I shall be free. Of this
Andy Miller III: a hymn about dying to self tackle me. Lord!
Andy Miller III: So I thought it was my aggressive, progressive attitude for 2023. But really it was, I needed to be tackled, and I needed to let God tackle me. So with that in mind as I moved toward 2024.
Andy Miller III: I haven't shared this with very many people. I try. It's kind of a private thing in some ways. I had another word in mind. Now you're going to catch on the fact that I love sports. So
Andy Miller III: that's just kind of how this came out. My word for 2024 was catch. And so I wanted to catch and grab a hold of all that God had for me in 2024,
Andy Miller III: but, as usual, not too long into 2024, I realized that the theme was I needed to be caught, and so I thought I was going to catch something again. I probably should learn this lesson when I choose this word. Okay? But here's how I use it. Here's how I use that word. I will then just like, reflect on that word through here. I'll write it in various places. I keep a journal, and I don't do it every day, but I probably write in my journal a hundred days a year.
Andy Miller III: But here's what I do. I center my prayer time on that word. So I will write that word in. And I actually, I've had a very similar prayer that I tried to say every day. Now I also use the Wesley Covenant Prayer, and so I'm just going to show you the inside of my journal. How about that? Well.
Andy Miller III: I have, and I have messy handwriting, but I'll have the Wesley Covenant prayer, but then I'll have this other prayer that I write for each year, and I try to recite that prayer. Say that prayer most days, and then I center it around my word of the year.
Andy Miller III: so catch I would. I won't read the whole thing.
Andy Miller III: but I'll say it's time. It's time today, Lord time Jesus, for me to be caught by you.
Andy Miller III: and then some of you will recognize I'm quoting something here. I'm no longer my own, I'm yours, I am Thine, O Lord, I submit to your will and your way, and then this is something I've used. I've inserted the new word for the year. Each year. Catch me with your beauty.
Andy Miller III: Let that beauty be infused, and if you allow, be seen in me.
Andy Miller III: and there's another quote, some of you will pick up on all of your wonderful passion and purity, catching me
Andy Miller III: today, with your help and by your spirit, I want to rise and catch what you have for me.
Andy Miller III: Help me to steward, and catch your vision for the areas I steward for your glory, my marriage, my family, my gifts, Wbs, and the other institutions you have called me to serve. Catch me! Jesus! Catch me, spirit! Catch me, father! I move forward today, conquered, dead.
Andy Miller III: and with you living through me and for Thy glory.
Andy Miller III: So I use that word. And then every now and then I think about it. And and I I just put it as I pray each day
Andy Miller III: I think about. I have like a little an image of what it's like for me to be caught.
Andy Miller III: By God now.
Andy Miller III: I don't know if I've said that to very many people, but it's just something, a practice, a habit, a tip for the New Year. So I've put those things in place with my own journaling and the way I think about things, and then I didn't find much in Scripture, but sometimes my words for the year will be something I find in Scripture, and that's always a special thing, too.
Andy Miller III: So those are a couple of points of tips for the New Year. I also. I've never done this before. But I realized in about February there was one song, one hymn that was dominating my own devotional time. And so this I found this song, and it kind of fits in. I actually quoted it there.
Andy Miller III: And it's the hymn, I am Thine, O Lord! So it's the hymn of 2024, not very exciting. My kids have introduced me some fun. Pray songs I've enjoyed. I am Thine, O Lord! And what I realized as I learned that song as I relearned that song in some ways is I kind of
Andy Miller III: brought it into my own experience. Was that I had a hard time getting beyond those 1st few words for 3 words. I am fine.
Andy Miller III: I am Thine, O Lord! And then so I would try. I wouldn't always sing it. But this was something that just refocused a lot of my day, and then the chorus is, Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where thou hast died. Draw me nearer, nearer and nearer, blessed Lord, to Thy precious, bleeding side. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Andy Miller III: till I cross that narrow sea, there are heights of joy that I may not reach till I rest in peace with thee.
Andy Miller III: So
Andy Miller III: those are some things I did for 2024, and I'd love to hear some of the things that you all do. If you want to even comment on that
Andy Miller III: on this, podcast maybe in the Youtube chat or on Facebook. I think this is live on Facebook right now, all right. So here's a couple of reflections on 2024, after those tips for 2025. So those of you who listen to my podcast on a regular basis, it's been an interesting year for the podcast a lot of has changed in my life, which has changed the way that I've gone about the podcast but I wanted to share the top. Podcast now, there's a different way of looking at this
Andy Miller III: because there's the top podcast on Youtube. Then there's the top podcast that comes on on audio downloads. And it's interesting how they're similar and different.
Andy Miller III: But for this past year the last 365 days.
Andy Miller III: the number 10 podcast. Was actually one, that was recorded in December 2023, and that was my interview with Ben Witherington on Sola Scriptura, and actually just heard him on a panel discussion at the Evangelical Theological society. Discussing this, then Number 9, was my response to Albert Moller.
Andy Miller III: United Methodism, Albert Moller, and slippery slopes. This came out on May 13, th and I was delighted, thankful that Albert Mueller engaged me in that time, and then I actually had a conversation with him at Ets this past November, and he said he wanted to talk to me about it more so. That was good. But he's somebody who's certainly from a different theological tradition than me. But somebody I admire as a seminary leader who helped to bring Southern Seminary back to its founding
Andy Miller III: convictions. Theologically, some of those convictions would be different from my own, but as a leader and somebody who speaks in this society. There are times I disagree with him, but I enjoy his. I listen often to the briefing, and I really love his podcast, thinking in public. We both are both academic study, our academic studies, historical theology. And so I find a lot of his guests to be really interesting. Nevertheless, I was ready and willing to disagree with him publicly.
Andy Miller III: On the way he characterized some Wesleyan denominations in their use of women in ministry and the way they interpret Scripture. So I thought that was good, and I was glad for him to interact with me. There, then I also had another live podcast on May 31, st which is number 8, United Methodism, the Ivory Coast, and announcements. Then a nice surprise has been that an old podcast picked up some steam coming from summer of 2020
Andy Miller III: 23, and it it didn't have a big, big response then, so I don't know what happened in the
Andy Miller III: analytics or the algorithms make it go further. But number 7 is my interview with Jack Deere. Why, I am still surprised by the power of the spirit.
Andy Miller III: another one that picked up steam again. I don't even try to understand these type of things, why they get going. But my interview with Dr. David E. Clark
Andy Miller III: on narcissism that was really helpful and enablers. Then I had my interview with Nt. Wright about into the heart of Romans, which is Number 5, and then the oldest podcast that just never seems to die as far as, like its its impact, it was even number 4. This past year was from 2022. So the 4, th podcast the most on Youtube at least.
Andy Miller III: was my podcast with David E. Clark, enough is enough and every year. I mean, this is one of the so, since I guess it's not that many years, but this is the 4th 3rd year
Andy Miller III: I've had at least 4 people reach out to me who have got out of abusive situations because of that podcast and then many people, there's often comments. I can't keep up with them on Youtube, of people responding to that. So if you haven't seen that, if you know somebody who is in an abusive situation
Andy Miller III: and and and Dr. Clark really works through what that means. I would encourage you to
Andy Miller III: share that. Podcast. Then I have a short clip, just a very short piece that has caught attention. A little sliver of an interview with Nt. Wright. That's Number 3. Number 2,
Andy Miller III: was my conversation after the United Methodist General Conference with Rob Renfro and Tom Lambrick, United Methodist General Conference Reflections, and then number one was a Podcast that really took off it was like a last second sort of thing I wanted to connect with somebody who was at the United Methodist General Conference was my interview with Tom Lambrick.
Andy Miller III: This affiliation isn't over. The Umc general conference, and Tom did a great job explaining what was happening there. That one has 21,000 views, and so that just came out that came out in April. So there's the top 10 podcasts on. Youtube but interestingly enough.
Andy Miller III: it's a little bit different when it comes to the audio. Podcast so
Andy Miller III: let's see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
Andy Miller III: 8, 9, 10. So number 10
Andy Miller III: was my inner was my comments about
Andy Miller III: the Southern Baptist Convention and United Methodism and the Salvation Army, and kind of the connections there between that. That was also a part of that response to Albert Moller, then another one that has just taken out gotten a lot of I'm surprised it wasn't in the top 10 for 2024 on Youtube. But my interview with Chris bounds. Dr. Chris bounds
Andy Miller III: on, whether the United Methodist Church and the the split with the emergence of the gold Methodist Church. Whether that represents schism or death.
Andy Miller III: and that's a provocative
Andy Miller III: presentation from Chris bounds that I agree with. Then I also had my interview with Steve Blakemore and Robert Gagnon on the he gets us. So that didn't do as much on Youtube. But that was number 7 on audio. Then my interview with Kevin Watson that didn't make the Youtube cut either number 6 on his book, doctrine, spirit, and Discipline. Then my interview with Mark Olson
Andy Miller III: was on John Wesley and Alder's gate. Then
Andy Miller III: Tom Rayner, who is really interesting. Some of you will know him from churchanswers.com. He had some thoughts. He had an article that came out about the global Methodist church and trying to leverage that moment for the church churches to be healthier, then number 4. I think I've messed up the numbers in there somewhere. But was my interview with Billy Coppage, good friend, who talked about orality and missions. Then, again, we get into the 2 podcasts about
Andy Miller III: with Tom Lambrick and Rob Renfro were number 3 and 2, and then number one on the audio Podcast was entitled United Methodism, Albert, Albert, Moller, and slippery slopes. So that was the number one there. Oh, so I thought that was
Andy Miller III: just a helpful thing for those of you who are interested in podcast and maybe even some of the decisions that I make about it. I have some exciting podcasts coming up in this coming year, and it took me a little while to get my feet set with it in light of
Andy Miller III: some of you'll know that we're still hiring a cabinet at Wesley. I'm still hiring a cabinet, Wesley Biblical seminary. I haven't had an administrative assistant, so it was a little hard to keep things going, but I feel like I've kind of got my bearings.
Andy Miller III: Once we got through the fall semester. Once finals were over, I was able to get some things set up, so I am in conversation with Tom Wright again, to have him come on to talk about his book on acts. I think that it's going to happen in March. So I was excited about that. He was such such a kind person. The way he responds to me.
Andy Miller III: I think a major book has just been released.
Andy Miller III: mere Christian hermeneutics by Kevin Van hooser. Some of you will see some of the things I've written in the past know that he's been an influence on me. Some people get nervous when they talk to various people. But I was a little nervous, even emailing him. But I'm going to be interviewing him also. Some will know the name Philip Jenkins, who's a historian. His famous book came out more than 20 years ago, the next Christendom. He has another book that's come out about religion and history. I'm looking forward to talking to him about
Andy Miller III: let's see, then I'm really excited to talk to Daniel Sillman. He is. I think I'm saying his name right, but he's been the person. I think. I don't know if he's an editor at Christianity today, but he's been somebody who's been covering what's been happening in Methodism, but he's also a scholar, and he's written a book on
Andy Miller III: Richard Nixon and Richard Nixon's faith. So I wanted to see what you know. Just get his perspective from that seat as a journalist who's covering a lot of things happening in Wesleyanism. So that's going to happen. I'm going to have that. And I also have Mark Olson coming back. He has a book on justification.
Andy Miller III: Then let's see, I have oh, Sam and Tom Raymer coming back, Jay Warner, Wallace Clay, Seidenbecker. Who's the guy who wrote the article? Wesley is fire. That was in Christianity today that quoted me. Chris Lorchofer. Various people kind of who are connected to our pocket side. Bender sorry side Bender, clay side, Bender then I have.
Andy Miller III: Let's see on the these are all interviews I have. Oh,
Andy Miller III: Daniel Hummel, who has written a very interesting book, you know this. This might be a kind of a
Andy Miller III: geek out moment for people who are interested in evangelical history for me. But a great book called The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism, and that intersects a lot with some Wesleyan ideas. And there's a woman who's written a book on the history history of Christian contemporary music called Leah Payne. I have several other people I'm interacting with. So those will all come out in the next few months or so, I think. Next week I have a podcast coming out with Tim.
Andy Miller III: Wildman and Md. Perkins, they have a new
Andy Miller III: documentary that's just come out with American Family Association on the founder, Don Wildman, called Cultural Warrior, which I know sounds like something you shouldn't pursue. But anyways, that's something that they've done. It was a really interesting interview just to think about what's happened in the last 50 years, and a lot of that happened before I was born. And then some of it were things that were impacting me. So there was some history behind that
Andy Miller III: that I haven't studied or don't know about. So I think that that might be something interesting to you all as well. I do hope to have in this coming year. I have the 2 courses, the one on heaven and the one on Jude. But I have 2 other courses that I'm trying to get out there. They're they're already done, but I'm just having a hard time getting them uploaded so that would be something you all can find.
Andy Miller III: There now, I wanted to highlight just a couple of stories from this year that happened in the Westland world. Sadly, maybe just because of my busy schedule this year. I've struggled to I didn't, was able to do the thing I had done in the last couple of years, and that was I had
Andy Miller III: Ryan Danker and Jonathan Powers on to talk through those like kind of top 10 stories. So I just I just wasn't able to make that happen, but I thought I would share some of those with you here, so I think there was a couple of things, and I'll try and go as best I can
Andy Miller III: in reverse order. I'll take these stories. So in January I think it was a great speaking of Ryan Denker. He organized an event with the Institute on Religion and Democracy, and their new program that's called the John Wesley Institute. Wbs. Was a part of the initial conversations to make that happen.
Andy Miller III: I guess. Now, 3 or 4 years ago, really delighted about what's happened with that group. And they 2 things that happened with that group that I think we should recognize this year.
Andy Miller III: One. It hosted the second event, which was a group of scholars, I think about 60 scholars came together in Washington, DC. To
Andy Miller III: formulate a document, a consensual document for the Wesleyan tradition about the doctrine of holiness.
Andy Miller III: 3 years ago now we came together and did something similar just on basic theology, like a theological approach, and it was called the Faith once for all delivered, then Seedbed, published that, and so we all came together. We all. Everybody had writing assignments, and this is the same thing with the Holiness document. And then that came together, and we all then put our names to it about that document. In them
Andy Miller III: the faith ones were all delivered. The section I was responsible for in my subgroup, which was led by Ken Collins. I had just something that ended up being just a paragraph. It was a couple of pages, but it got reduced and reduced. So I was on eschatology,
Andy Miller III: in the in the order salutis, then.
Andy Miller III: This past year I was a part of the group that talked about social implications of holiness. So that was a fun thing to do. But I think that will be a significant document, kind of marking where
Andy Miller III: the Pan Wesley and movement is at this stage, and there's a lot of not just fun for me. But I think there's a lot of synergy that comes from those events. Another thing that happened with the John Wesley Institute is significant with another institution that
Andy Miller III: in the Westland tradition there's good news for United Methodists. Charles Kaiser had established this group after he wrote an article more than 50 years ago, kind of
Andy Miller III: describing the opinions of a silent minority
Andy Miller III: maybe call it silent majority, but anyways, he had an article that was published expressing orthodox views, and how he felt somewhat marginalized, and that then
Andy Miller III: led to all kinds of support in the, I believe, in late sixties or early seventies, and that then became the good news organization. He established a magazine good news for United Methodist. I think. He then interacted with Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, who is the president of Asbury University, Asbury College at the time. And then they came together and moved good news to Wilmore. I think Kaiser ended up teaching Kaiser Kaiser ended up teaching at Asbury University journalism for a time.
Andy Miller III: That might be a wrong fact. But I'm pretty sure that's true. Then it went down, and, like other presidents, became Jim Heidegger, then Rob Renfro, and it was a
Andy Miller III: a group, so to speak, organizing group to help think about renewal in united Methodism and what they did this year was after. And I think I highlighted that in my podcast after general conference and with the founding of the global Methodist Church said Mission accomplished. Is that a beautiful thing? So they realized that the renewal of the United Methodist Church was expressing itself with the existence of the Global Methodist Church. And so
Andy Miller III: good news officially closed this year. Now, there's a couple caveats that one thing that I think will be announced that they did when good news close, and I think we'll be announcing this here soon.
Andy Miller III: They gave a significant gift to 3 seminaries, and we are one of those Wesley Biblical was one, and we received a gift to have a Charles Kaiser Iser. Somebody will correct me scholarship, and then they're inviting some of their donors to give to that scholarship. So we've an endowed scholarship so that there will always be kind of this good news scholarship for a global Methodist church pastor
Andy Miller III: at Wbs. That's all being established. We've signed a letter of agreement, but what a beautiful way for them to finish for them to conclude! And then on top of that, as they were working through that period. They also then took the Good News magazine, and I don't know if the word gift it was correct, but they gave it to the John Wesley Institute.
Andy Miller III: and which is a part of the Institute for Religion Democracy. And then Steve Beard somebody. I've just interacted with here and there a little bit. I appreciate what he's done, and he's written on the Salvage Army sum which has been interesting.
Andy Miller III: They are carrying on the Good News Magazine, and with a Pan Wesleyan perspective. And so the
Andy Miller III: board members from good news, like people like Chris bounds Ryan Barnett, Helen Ray Stumbo, I'm gonna start leaving people out. I interacted with them this past year, as they were kind of
Andy Miller III: officially saying, Job, well done, they concluded their mission. What a great thing I mean for them to do so I think that's a significant. That's a significant story in this year was what happened with good news, and that move to John Wesley Institute also in this year.
Andy Miller III: This may be a little seem a little self focused, but 2 seminaries change are in a transition process. And so this is a big
Andy Miller III: piece for me. Even my own year personally was working through whether or not I should apply to serve as Wbs as President, and then also Dr. Tim Tennant
Andy Miller III: finished his time as President of Asbury Seminary. So they're still in transition process. David Garretsen is serving as an interim leader there. We had an interim president here for 6 months with Matt Friedman, and then I took over in July first.st I think those are significant stories. I think it'll be interesting to see what happens this next year as well with Asbury seminaries. They appoint their new president, Dr. Gartson, has been a great help to me and Tim Tennant, for that matter. Some of you will know, so
Andy Miller III: you know, excited to see what will happen for them
Andy Miller III: in the New Year as well. I I think another story that's important. Many of us have been looking for this type of thing, and
Andy Miller III: Clay Sidebender and Daniel Sillman, with Christianity today published an article that many people are taking note of, and it's I mentioned it earlier, called Wesley is fire, and I'm going to have Clay on to talk about this article in general, and how he went about it, and he started it 3 years ago, but realized that maybe it was. He wanted to highlight
Andy Miller III: a renewal within Methodism. But I don't think within the broad Methodist family.
Andy Miller III: but I think he got to a place where he realized that it maybe wasn't what he thought. But then, in the meantime there was the revival, the outpouring at Asbury university
Andy Miller III: several other moves the growth here at Wbs, the emergence of the Gmc. All these things started to come, and then he put that together and kind of said, well, now he sees some of that coming together in the New Year, and so this was a good long article. I don't know how many words. It was probably 5,000 words, and it had key voices highlighting this moment. And this is what was exciting is that more than 20 years ago
Andy Miller III: there was a famous article in Christianity today called young, restless, and reformed, and there was this sense that that was a movement within the well within society of a kind of a renewal of reformed theology. And
Andy Miller III: I think there was a sense that many people in the Wesleyan tradition were saying, I think these are the type of things that were expressed by Jd. Walt 1520 years ago at the start of seedbed, was that we want long to see something similar, not just documented. But we don't. We just don't want the stories to be told
Andy Miller III: in the coming year, like, Oh, we, we want our own press. But
Andy Miller III: we long for there to be a renewal in the practical lives of churches and seminaries and colleges, and on campuses of this tradition, with a sense that people are longing for what Wesleyan theology has to offer. That's my contention. And that's part of why I'm here at Wesley Biblical Seminary. So
Andy Miller III: you can basically every podcast kind of moves in some way or another in that direction. So seeing this article that came out in September, highlighting these moves and it mentioned this. Podcast I'd have. I had need to kind of add things up to see where they are across channels. But we are at more than 750 views and downloads.
Andy Miller III: but I need to make sure I'm up on it. So when we get to a million, we celebrate with something. I know. I know there are podcasts that get a million views in an hour. So I, I kind of recognize our place, but it thankful that I mean he highlighted that also. They, he highlighted things happening at
Andy Miller III: Asbury University, Us. At Wbs, another podcast another pod group called holy joys. So I thought that was a good art, and I thought that was a that's a moment that might be looked back at historically. Kind of documenting what had happened. So my appreciation to Clay, Daniel and Ct. For making that happen. But of course, I think probably the number one story.
Andy Miller III: for in the Wesleyan world for 2024 was the
Andy Miller III: General Conference for the Global Methodist Church.
Andy Miller III: and that general convening conference. That's the word. I was looking for a convening conference, and some of you know I've talked about already was privileged to be a part of that body, and then on a committee that was thinking of clergy and educational requirements, and that kind of thing to be in the room when the Constitution
Andy Miller III: was affirmed and voted on. Ryan Barnett.
Andy Miller III: my friend led us in that process and talked about the work of that committee like they even took the computer where the document had been worked back and forth from that committee, and they prayed over that computer as they got ready to send it in to vote on that Constitution to vote on the mission statement which I've talked a lot about to
Andy Miller III: to well, what? To spread scriptural holiness across, to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Oh, my goodness! To make disciples of Jesus Christ, and spread scriptural holiness across the globe, that being one of the last actions there was fascinating. And for me, like I'm I'm not trying to say I'm special. But there's a way that I'm a little bit behind the ball like I'm unique.
Andy Miller III: And that group in that I didn't come from the United Methodist world. And so for me, socially, I had to learn that that world. But it was a delight to interact with so many people who listen to a podcast of course. Now, they didn't make the top 10, maybe because they were so similar. And my audience isn't just Gmc, but I love the opportunity to interview
Andy Miller III: the Episcopal candidates for the Global Methodist Church this year. And that was another part of this year for me that was important. And I think
Andy Miller III: just to highlight like that, as something that if if it had been the 1st year, the convening General Conference of the Nazarene Church, or the convening Conference of the Salvation Army.
Andy Miller III: or any of those type of groups. I think that is something that should be Number One, and it just happens to be in 2024, the denomination I'm a part of, and a denomination. I have the privilege to serve through West, a Biblical seminary. That's a part of what's happening now. I have a friend.
Andy Miller III: David Donan who is the leader. He I think he's a communications director for the South Georgia Conference. He had his top 24 top 2024 moments in the Global Methodist church. And I just.
Andy Miller III: I'm just a reporter here. But he, I'm a little embarrassed to bring this up, but he said, the number one, I don't know if it's Number one, but the 1st one he lists is the emergence of global Methodist influencers. And he brought my friend Jeff. Rickman and me on this podcast I'm, not going to read it because that would be a little.
Andy Miller III: a little too much, but I appreciated him highlighting this podcast and its role. But then, number 2 thing he listed was the rise of Wesley Biblical Seminary.
Andy Miller III: Now
Andy Miller III: I was happened to be driving back from my parents to when this came out, so I wasn't able to read it, or maybe we were at a rest area, and I saw it, and I needed to get back in the car, so I gave it to my wife and asked her to read out loud, and
Andy Miller III: I don't know who said it. I think she did.
Andy Miller III: but it said when she read the rise of Wesley Biblical Seminary. She's like, well, hopefully, it won't be the Podcast the rise and fall of Wesley Biblical Seminary. So but I'll just read this 1st little bit. I won't read the bit where he talks about me. But just a few years ago I couldn't have told you much about Wesley Biblical Seminary, or even where it was located in my conference, the Asbury Seminary to the pulpit. Pipeline had long been the gold standard for producing
Andy Miller III: our most effective pastors. Now, however, we're witnessing a remarkable shift as more pastors and ministry candidates gravitate toward Wesley Biblical Seminary. This growth can be attributed to several factors, chief among them
Andy Miller III: being the seminary's early intentional focus on serving global Methodist church.
Andy Miller III: coupled with their exceptional course of study, adding to our momentum is the leadership of Andy Miller. A 3.rd He's already then describes me here. So. But then they also talk about the 1st general Conference, new and decentralized decentralization of leadership.
Andy Miller III: That's key. Oh, man! And some of, you will know I had a podcast. And an article that came about that, and I was delighted to see the movement toward bishops that were not based in a given area. So I love that I love that direction. Global Methodist. This was another one that he had. I didn't know this. I saw in his blog global Methodist member killed in Donald Trump assassination attempt, so that the person who died there, Cory
Andy Miller III: Competore was a member of a global Methodist Church. And so Bishop Mark Webb and his pastor made a comment there. He also highlighted that Keith Boyette retired so, and then he said, What did I miss. So anyways, I highlight that article, thankful for David and the work he's doing there, and I had a chance to be with him and other people of the South Georgia Conference earlier this year.
Andy Miller III: So those are a couple updates, reflections on 2024, and then some of my tips for 2025, as we're also moving that direction, it's still there's still time. If you're interested in auditing classes or taking classes at Wbs, we'd love to have you get in. We're emphasizing a few different classes.
Andy Miller III: For you discipleship in the home. Robert Gagnon is teaching a class on 1st Corinthians, which is a key text for kind of like thinking about human sexuality in our time it's 1 of the a key part of his argument is related to the analogical reasoning
Andy Miller III: from the case of the incestuous man, man committing incest in one Corinthians. 5. But on top of that several other points, so that should prove to be a great class if you're interested in that. We also are emphasizing the history of Christian thought which is going to be taught by Kenny Johnston. That's a helpful class.
Andy Miller III: That is a key way that we approach church history is looking at the history of ideas, and not just kind of like moving through dates and the like. So there's several classes you could audit, but also we'd love for people to consider us as a place where you do your bachelor's master's or doctoral degrees. Next. Oh, I mentioned, I forgot to mention this. I'm also looking forward to have on a couple of yuri's
Andy Miller III: UURY SS if that's how the plural is. Anyhow, we have
Andy Miller III: Thane and Bill Uri, who are coming to campus next week to work with our demon cohort. They have week intensives in January in June. So if you're interested in d men, if you're in the residential in the Continental, U.S.A, you just come in for those 2 week sessions. If you're outside of U.S.A, you can zoom in for those classes. But those 2 guys will be here, and I'm going to be interviewing them hopefully. For my, podcast I've been chasing bill Uri for A, podcast
Andy Miller III: I don't know back in the captain's corner days. I'm sure I've been going after it for a long time, so I'm looking forward to having him here. But, it's too late for you to get him for the demon for this semester. But you could get a demon which starts April first, st and I will be teaching in the demon
Andy Miller III: course this coming April through September, a class on Preaching, and the other class, that session will be taught by Rick Boyd. Biblical exegesis for ministry.
Andy Miller III: so those 2 classes will be happening. But you're still. You could still register for classes which start 2 weeks from yesterday
Andy Miller III: for this coming semester. We'd love for you to check this out, check us out at Wbs. And looking forward to this year, thanks to everybody who follows podcast shares, links, means a lot to me for many of you who write me notes and comments. Some of you have supported more of the story ministries financially, that helps me pay for things like the podcast service and those type of things. It means a lot to me also can't help it. I got to step back into my role as president here.
Andy Miller III: End of the year giving right.
Andy Miller III: Don't miss your chance for tax deduction right to give at the end of the year to support theological education, because, as goes, the seminaries goes, the pastors as goes the pastors goes to church, and as goes the church goes, the world. If you want to make an impact in the world, what better place to do it by investing
Andy Miller III: in the education and formation of pastors, as we are sending out faithful pastors who are ready to serve. Oh, you know, trusted pastors raised for faithful churches.
Andy Miller III: I see something else. My background you can see right back here. I just want to highlight, and with my thanks to
Andy Miller III: Dr. John Nyhoff, who has been promoted to glory, there is his staff right there, if I can highlight that one of the staffs that he made, that I carry and be a part of this office, and then right back here the Bible that comes from Ivan Howard. Another case for writing in a Bible, and kind of claiming it and passing it down like I have the great benefit of having that Bible going forward. You could.
Andy Miller III: There's a new issue of the compass, our regular magazine that came out just yesterday, and so you can see that described there all right. Well, for those of you who've hung in here with me for this live podcast thank you for checking this out. Thank you for your support of more story ministries, and I pray, I pray that you will have a blessed 2025. God bless you all.