Covenant and Polity with Samuel Padgett and Jonathan Bynum

In this episode, I am joined by Revs. Samuel Padgett and Jonathan Bynum for a timely conversation on covenant and polity in the life of the Global Methodist Church. Drawing from the work of the Board of Ministry Cohort, Samuel shares how a request from the bishops to address clergy status concerns led to a deeper realization: the issue is not merely structural, but theological. Rather than simply adjusting categories like supply, inactive, or senior status, this group argues that our polity must be grounded in covenant. When theology leads, structures serve the mission of unity and faithfulness; when it doesn’t, pragmatism can quietly reshape the church’s identity. Together, they explore why covenant must remain central, how proposed legislation seeks to reflect that conviction, and why this conversation matters as the church looks ahead. This episode invites leaders and laity alike to think deeply about what holds us together. Audio - https://andymilleriii.com/media/podcast Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... If you are interested in learning more about my two full-length video-accompanied courses, Contender: Going Deeper in the Book of Jude and Heaven and Other Destinations: A Biblical Journey Beyond this World , visit andymilleriii.com/courses And don’t forget about my most recent book, Contender, which is available on Amazon! Five Steps to Deeper Teaching and Preaching - Recently, I updated this PDF document and added a 45-minute teaching video with slides, explaining this tool. It's like a mini-course. If you sign up for my list, I will send this free resource to you. Sign up here - www.AndyMillerIII.com or Five Steps to Deeper Teaching and Preaching. Today’s episode is brought to you by Wesley Biblical Seminary. Interested in going deeper in your faith? Check out our certificate programs, B.A., M.A.s, M.Div., and D.Min degrees. You will study with world-class faculty and the most racially diverse student body in the country. www.wbs.edu If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend and leave a review! For more from Andy Miller III, visit andymilleriii.com or follow @andymilleriii on X. Thanks too to Phil Laeger for my podcast music. You can find out about Phil's music at https://www.laeger.net