Bradley Edwards, MDiv ’23, borrowed a phrase from Global Methodist Bishop Scott Jones to describe what it’s like being the pastor of the only Global Methodist church in the town of Magee, Mississippi. “We’re building this bridge as we’re going across it,” he said.

Edwards, who leads Christ Fellowship Church, credits his time at Beeson with equipping him to build that bridge. He began his studies at Beeson in the spring of 2020 after growing up in a United Methodist church. He attended a nondenominational church during college before returning to the Wesleyan tradition.

“I was able to see the big picture of the way the Holy Spirit had been sanctifying His church throughout time,” Edwards said. “Beeson brought me clarity on the role that theological traditions play with one another and clarity on where I sit within that. The depths of spiritual rigor and discipline brought me to a place of humility, as I recognized that I don't know nearly as much as I think I do.”

In 2022, the Global Methodist Church (GMC) formed after a split with the United Methodist Church (UMC), impacting Edwards' path to ministry. "This whole thing is really only a few years old, and we're all trying to figure out what that looks like," he said.

As the nascent denomination continues to build and organize, there is a "blank slate" in many ways. "I have the opportunity to build a ministry that is centered not on what works best, but what leads us toward holiness," he said.

Edwards seeks to lead his church to interact well with Christians from other traditions. "Folks are coming into our church after not being active for many years," Edwards said. "It's helpful to have a gracious and generous understanding of other theological backgrounds because of that, especially in the GMC, where we are very invested in recapturing the theology and the church dynamic and culture of the early church."

In this season of ministry, Edwards, who is married to Mary and has 4-year-old Elijah and 2-year-old Lucy, is leaning into being a pastor, husband and a dad.

"That's what I'm really loving at the moment," Edwards said. "I'm trying to get more involved in the Mississippi and West Tennessee Conference of the GMC as well. I think there's a lot of good that can come from being involved in leadership."

Christ Fellowship Church is more than 100 years old and has endured ups and downs, Edwards said. But the Lord is on the move in Magee. "God's been up to something here," he said. "We're seeing people meet Jesus, get baptized, join the church, move closer to Jesus and have their lives transformed."