Why Big Tent Methodism?

Derrick, Victoria, and Jasper have a candid conversation about the future of the UMC and reimagining how we see ourselves as United Methodists in the US.

Rev. Jasper Peters is a pastor in the United Methodist Church, and the founding pastor of Belong Church. Belong is a diverse, inclusive, justice-oriented congregation in the heart of Denver. He holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Master of Divinity with distinction from the Iliff School of Theology.
Jasper was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, and is the youngest of eight siblings. He was raised in the Baptist church where both his parents were pastors.
Jasper currently lives outside of Denver with his wife and two sons. He is passionate about bringing the real and relevant blessings of church to traditionally marginalized communities.

Victoria Sun Esparza is the founder and CEO for In the Water Design, a consulting firm that specializes in design-thinking strategy for religious organizations and nonprofits. As a queer, disabled, Chinese-American, Victoria’s non-traditional background in ministry, theological education, and design-thinking gives her a unique perspective on the world and its problems. Her work aims to connect religious organizations and nonprofits to better tools for solving problems and meeting the needs of the people around them. Victoria holds a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Design and Innovation. When she’s not traveling, Victoria lives her life in Dallas, TX with her husband, Josh, and fox-like dog, Leila.