So when I started the Locals account, I remembered there being something about limitations on a few things. I quickly forgot. Anyway, I have been miffed that the quality of what I stream is so low here as opposed to some others. I have finally concluded it is because something Locals does on their end. And here it is:
The best services of Locals are only provided once was has a certain number of supporters. In order to have high quality live streams, one has to be on the "Pro" tier. I'm not really close to that. They limit not just the picture quality, but the length of time I can go (30 minutes) and how many live streams per month I can do (5). That means my experiment this week is actually over tomorrow. Because I actually did two live streams this morning because the interface wasn't working on my first go, that means I have already done 4 live streams this week. Tomorrow morning will be my last one for March.
The next tier is the "Starter" tier. It requires that I have 50 supporters. I currently have 60 members, but only 23 of those are supporters. So I'm not quite halfway there. Admittedly, I haven't pushed Locals very hard, and I haven't done a good job rewarding those of you who have decided to support. I will work to remedy that over time.
As it is, you folks have, so far, given over $1,300 to this project. That isn't nothing. It is actually quite significant. The only other revenue stream I have for PlainSpoken in YouTube, which has rendered about that much. I like to imagine a future in which I am able to do everything that needs to be done without having to mess with advertising. We are a long way away, but I think it can be done.
In the meantime, if you know of a person or a church for whom PlainSpoken has been a help, you might just encourage them to join up. There is a future, a couple years down the line, in which I can create an infrastructure aimed at equipping Methodists to run powerful, informed, faithful local churches. I appreciate y'all helping me to build in that direction. Blessings to you all this day!
Debra Baty is the head of Resources 4 Redemption, which is an effort aimed at spreading good information about sexual orientation and gender identity. She recently published an article about “sexual fluidity” and how it impacts our sanctification in Firebrand Magazine. It is a good piece, and Debra does worthy work. All believers in the West have to contend with the artificial ideas of the sexual revolution. There is nowhere we can go that these issues do not impact us. The only way out is through.
Debra has a personal story that is quite compelling. She is a trustworthy, thoughtful, and conscientious resource. All covenant Christian bodies need to know where they stand on these things, lest the evil one sow confusion. Now is the time to reflect upon these things. Days are coming when what we believe will be put to the test. If we have not prepared, then we cannot expect to prevail.
Resources 4 Redemption can be found at https://substack.com/@resources4redemption
If you would like to ...
I didn't realize until I finished this morning's live stream that it got cut off pretty early in the stream. It should have made me suspicious when the viewer count stayed the same and I wasn't getting any more comments. Anyway, I recorded the whole thing and have reposted it here for you. I'll clip up the two main portions and post them on YouTube later today. Sorry for the snafu, y'all. There was a small power surge and something about that threw Rumble off. Tomorrow should be normal. God bless you all!
The issue of identity, while being ubiquitous in our most divisive politics, is also central to the Christian concern. I wanted to speak to these things a bit for the sake of fellow believers who perhaps are not quite so sure how to navigate these things…
https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffreyrickman/p/the-harsh-reality-of-identity?r=17brpc&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
No live stream this morning. Was up all night with a sinus infection and need to get in gear for annual conference session. I'll just plan on Monday. God bless you folks!
