Meet Our CMCs – Chelsea Kenton – Annual Conference 2021

Kevin uses powerful river imagery to show how Free Methodists fit into God’s bigger story. Drawing from his family’s Amazon River experience, he explains how different Christian denominations are like tributaries flowing into one life-giving river system.
This episode helps you understand that Free Methodists aren’t better than other denominations – we’re different, with unique characteristics shaped by our circumstances. Just like rivers flowing over rocks create rapids while others meander peacefully through meadows, each stream brings life wherever it goes.
Bishop Mannoia walks through major denominational “streams” – Catholic, Orthodox, mainline Protestant, New Reformation, and Wesleyan Holiness – showing how each contributes to God’s mission. He explains why Free Methodists identify with the Wesleyan Holiness stream and what makes our “water” distinctive.
Note: This content is part of Bishop Mannoia’s forthcoming book “Living Our Name: Free Methodist Identity.”
Whether you’re trying to understand denominational differences or explain why Free Methodists approach ministry differently, this episode provides a gracious framework for seeing unity in diversity across Christ’s body.
Resources:
FMCSC Website: https://fmcsc.org/
Ministry Training: https://fmcsc.org/training/
Identity Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL28rnyZQWTXk_tn2mlevUIdkU_OZUA0Ir

In this opening episode of the Free Methodist Identity Series, Bishop Kevin Mannoia explores why identity is crucial for both individuals and churches. Using his powerful iceberg metaphor, Kevin explains how our identity forms the foundation that shapes everything we do.
Kevin draws from his extensive leadership experience and writings, including “The Integrity Factor,” to demonstrate how identity provides the stabilizing anchor that keeps us secure in changing circumstances. He challenges viewers to understand that Free Methodist identity isn’t just a set of practices or phrases, but a deep DNA formed by generations of faithful people.
This foundational teaching prepares viewers for the complete Identity Series journey, exploring what makes Free Methodists uniquely equipped to serve God’s kingdom. Whether you’re a pastor, lay leader, or church member, this series will deepen your understanding of our denominational heritage and mission.
Note: This content is part of Bishop Mannoia’s forthcoming book “Living Our Name: Free Methodist Identity.”
Resources:
FMCSC Website: https://fmcsc.org/
Ministry Training: https://fmcsc.org/training/
Identity Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL28rnyZQWTXk_tn2mlevUIdkU_OZUA0Ir

This episode tells the complete story of how Free Methodism was born from Methodist revival, shaped by the holiness movement, and influenced by major cultural upheavals including slavery, women’s rights, and Pentecostalism.
Bishop Mannoia traces the path from Wesley’s circuit riders in America to the Methodist Episcopal Church’s institutional decline. He introduces key figures like Phoebe Palmer (the “mother of the holiness movement”), Ellen Stowe, and Benjamin Roberts, showing how their passion for holiness and social justice led to conflict with the established church.
The “burned-over district” of western New York becomes the backdrop for understanding why Free Methodists care about issues like abolition, women in ministry, free pews, and opposition to secret societies. Kevin explains how the word “free” started as an adjective describing desired reforms before becoming part of the denomination’s name in 1860.
Note: This content is part of Bishop Mannoia’s forthcoming book “Living Our Name: Free Methodist Identity.”
He also covers the complex relationship between holiness and Pentecostal movements, including the Azusa Street Revival led by William Seymour and how Free Methodists navigated between spiritual vitality and organizational control. This episode helps you understand why Free Methodists have always connected personal holiness with social transformation.
Resources:
FMCSC Website: https://fmcsc.org/
Ministry Training: https://fmcsc.org/training/
Identity Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL28rnyZQWTXk_tn2mlevUIdkU_OZUA0Ir