Author Archives: Kim Reisman

Recently, the World Methodist Evangelism staff met for a time of connection, relationship-building, and vision casting. As our team has expanded and grown, we look forward to new ways of living out our mission to equip church leaders in the Wesleyan Methodist family to share their faith effectively. 

Technology allows flexibility for our team to work, with our Associate Director of Education and Leadership Development Dr. Rob Haynes living in Alabama, our Associate Director of Community and Creative Development Elizabeth Glass Turner located in Ohio, Executive Assistant Shirley Dominick coordinating from Indiana, and our new Director of Development Bonnie Hollabaugh working from Tennessee. We are able to join in weekly video conference calls together, seeing each other’s faces, hearing each other’s voices, and utilizing email and phone apps to stay connected daily. 

Yet there is something irreplaceable about face to face meetings. In these contexts, we are able to stand circled in prayer, eating together, laughing together, and continuing to learn how God has wired each of us uniquely for the work at hand. In those moments, the concept of embrace is embodied: we open our arms, wait, close our arms, and release. 

It can be tempting in an era in which many of us spend chunks of time online to think that a social media post stating our beliefs is sufficient as a way of sharing our faith, or that cleaning out the back of the hall closet for donations is an ample expression of generosity. Yet Christ calls us to be his hands, his feet to those around us in a very physical, tangible way: to be ready to embrace others, not just mentally or emotionally, but to be prepared to physically embrace living, breathing people, who are flawed, or hurting, or growing, or obeying God’s call as best they can. 

Many resources have been published recently on the value of physical proximity and neighboring in our living out of the Christian faith. As we continue to live into digital existence, we stay rooted as communities of Christ followers who give and learn together. People who follow Christ are people who value creation and who value embodiedness, because Jesus took on flesh in the Incarnation, redeeming physical life and raising it from the power of death. As we share communion in congregations around the world, we remember this truth: that we depend on the Body of Christ, broken for us. We taste bread and grape and we know that our senses are speaking to us of God’s love. 

Joining together in fellowship, in physical presence, allows our senses to whisper that among a group of particular people, we belong. We have entered each other’s presence, we have embraced each other as people being shaped more and more into the likeness of Jesus, and we received grace. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Perhaps you’ve heard the familiar story of a peasant who was wearily shifting heavy stones from one spot to another. 

“What are you doing?” a man asked. 

“What does it look like I’m doing?” the peasant replied, frustrated at the backbreaking work. “I’m moving rocks.” 

Meanwhile, a short distance away, another peasant was wearily shifting heavy stones from one spot to another. The man approached that laborer. 

“What are you doing?” asked the man. 

This worker smiled, mopping sweat from his forehead. 

“I’m building a cathedral.” 

Both men were doing laborious work that stretched their muscles, drained their strength, and exhausted their resources. One responded by describing his immediate task. The other responded by describing the big picture toward which he was laboring. 

Is your to-do list full? Is your calendar overflowing? Are you overwhelmed, perhaps not by the number of tasks ahead of you, but by their significance? Sometimes the gravity of the work ahead of us is daunting. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Paul knew what it was to be weary. He didn’t have a quiet life. Paul was arrested, beaten, put in jail; he was shipwrecked on an island; he was lowered over a town wall in a basket to make a safe getaway. But he knew he wasn’t just moving rocks: the picture was much bigger than that. Paul was preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ at any cost. 

When Paul traveled around the Mediterranean, he walked one mile at a time; he sailed from one wave to the next. There were no shortcuts. Sometimes, he intended to visit one place, and the Holy Spirit would upend his travel plans and direct him somewhere else. The former zealot sometimes supported himself by making tents while he trained new believers in the beliefs and practices of the Christian faith. Stitch by stitch, mile by mile, the Kingdom of God continued to flourish and grow. 

Your ministry happens brick by brick. You can only build one rock at a time. But your labor is not wasted or fruitless. Rather, God is building new realities you can only glimpse. Don’t grow weary in doing what is right: if you do not give up, you will get to see the effects of your labor. 

With many branches of the Wesleyan Methodist family tree stretching around the globe, we hope to keep you connected to ongoing activities, celebrations, and challenges that about 80 million of our sisters and brothers from about 80 Methodist denominations are encountering. 

*In Great Britain, the Methodist Church has issued congratulations to ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, on its receiving the Nobel Peace prize. Vice President of the Methodist Conference Jill Baker stated,  

This recognition of the important work of ICAN with the Nobel Peace prize could not be more appropriate. Through this campaign, peace activists, lawyers, city mayors, faith leaders, survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and many others are speaking with one voice. The message is clear: there can be no moral or legal justification for threatening whole populations with devastating and indiscriminate nuclear weapons. 

*As just one sample of the devastation in the Caribbean. The Wesleyan Church reports on the scale of damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria on Wesleyan churches and educational institutions in Puerto Rico. According to this report, the communities most affected are Aguas Buenas, Dorado, Humacao, Levittown, and Vega Alta.

*The Methodist Church in Brazil has been probing the responsibility of the church towards refugees. Learn more about Pastor Roberto Lugon as “he shared the experience of welcoming a Syrian family in the Methodist Church in Carlos Prates, Belo Horizonte.” 

*The World Methodist Council has published a statement expressing grave concern at the persecution of Rohingya people in Myanmar. It reads, in part,  

We condemn the violence, persecution and human rights abuses of the Rohingya by Rakhine Buddhists and government personnel, and we appeal to State Counsellor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her government to stop the abuse and to ensure that the rights of minorities are protected. We call on the United Nations, Amnesty International and other agencies to assist in halting the atrocities against Rohingya’s Muslims and to provide relief for those who fled the violence. 

We call upon the World Methodist family and all persons of good will to pray for these people who have not been given the dignity of a home and citizenship, and we pray for an end to these abuses of human rights. 

*Recently Church of the Nazarene members living in refugee camps took up collections to aid the relief of those in Sierra Leone suffering the effects of devastating mudslides. “Church members in refugee camps in the Horn of Africa, where there is severe famine, sold their maize allocation so they could donate to help survivors in Sierra Leone.” 

*The Korean Methodist Church is marking the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with a special exhibition, “The Reformation and the Bible.”  

These snapshots are a brief glimpse of just a few dynamics among Wesleyan Methodists around our world.  

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There is a great deal of tumult in our world. Among the tragedy, disaster, violence, and disputes, however, we are called to prophetically, proactively embody peace. This is part of our Kingdom calling, part of how we live as we follow the Jesus way – a “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief;” but he is also “prince of peace.” 

Peace is not simply the absence of threat, danger, or conflict. It is also the abundant presence of well-being, in which we breathe flourishing. When we practice Sabbath rhythms, we invite peace to reorder our thoughts, feelings, and creativity. When we promote others’ well-being, we invite peace to pervade our communities and regions. When we pursue justice, we invite peace to have the last word. 

Can you be described as someone who is accompanied by the peace of Christ – the peace that surpasses understanding?  

As famous Brother Lawrence – a monk consigned to kitchen duty – put so clearly, “In the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees in the Chapel.” 

The Good Shepherd left the 99 sheep to search for the one missing – to rescue it from whatever danger it found itself in and return it carefully to its home, where it would be protected, looked after, safe – at peace. How might we so diligently pursue peace for wandering sheep far from home? 
 

There have always been difficulties around the world. Lately, however, it seems that we cannot turn on the news without seeing some new disaster: in Texas, in Sierra Leone, in Florida, in Bangladesh, in Caribbean islands like Dominica, in Mexico, in Puerto Rico. Floods, mudslides, and earthquakes leave our friends and neighbors homeless, missing loved ones, without electricity, running water, or working ATM’s. Parents are grieving the loss of children, neighbors stare at piles of rubble that used to be houses lining their streets, and in some places, mold – mold everywhere.

Faith sharing extends beyond humanitarian disaster relief, but it does include humanitarian disaster relief. Showing up to drag soaked furniture to the curb, or distribute bottled water, or hold a weeping mother – in all these actions we are the hands and feet of Christ serving hurting people.

Most recently, Puerto Rico is reeling from hurricane damage; yet that does not negate the pain of casualties from the earthquake in Mexico City. And the loss in Mexico City does not negate the pain of those suffering in Houston. And the devastation in Houston does not negate the tragedy in Sierra Leone. This continues around the globe.

The Wesleyan Methodist tradition is one that puts actions with intentions. Ours has always been an active expression of Christian faith, whether John Wesley was publishing pamphlets on basic health and hygiene, or whether Methodists were campaigning against child labor and teaching children to read, or whether Methodist women were working together for women’s right to vote.

What are your stories of receiving help and giving assistance? In what ways has the Body of Christ shown up when the flood waters rose in your life?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Some of the most fascinating people are individuals who – long after graduation from degree programs – remain curious thinkers and eager learners. Others may never have pursued formal education, yet they exhibit a deep desire to learn about the world around them. People who have a thirst to learn somehow seem youthful whatever their actual age. 

Sometimes there is a temptation to value the role of teachers above the worth of being willing learners. Yet we are all called to be teachable. Jesus said we must become childlike – like little kids – to enter the kingdom of heaven. When we are teachable, we come with simple, trusting hearts, ready to gain insight from another. 

Yet beyond the value of having a teachable spirit is the honor we give other people when we demonstrate that we recognize they have something to teach us. Recently a colleague was speaking to a gentleman who is a youth pastor but who also provides powerful creative experiences in worship services. This man is someone who, because of his race, has not always encountered respect from other people. My colleague simply told him that he had a lot to teach, and that other people, including herself, had a lot to learn from him. His reaction was powerful; he was deeply moved. 

When we encounter people who have been disrespected, when we show ourselves quietly willing to learn from them, we honor their gifts, abilities, and calling, and we also humble ourselves by showing that we are glad to be led by them into deeper knowledge of the kingdom of God. You and I communicate by our posture that someone is a worthy leader from whom we happily gain wisdom. 

Our global family of faith is stronger and more flexible when we are willing to sit at each others’ feet. More importantly, it makes the heart of God smile. 

Our World Methodist Evangelism team continues to grow and expand, and I’m excited to share the announcement that Bonnie Hollabaugh is joining our ranks in October as our new Director of Development. 

Bonnie comes to us with a background seemingly tailor-fit for our needs, mission, and goals.  

Prior to joining us, Bonnie served as the Director of Development for Christ Community Health Services in Memphis, TN.  She has also held the positions of Major Gifts Officer and Director of Annual Giving at Hutchison School, VP of Development at Girls Incorporated of Memphis, and Development Director at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis.   

Bonnie also served a two-year term as president of the Memphis Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and serves as a Board member of the Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence.  

She has traveled to the Middle East, Zambia, and Guatemala and volunteers at her local Methodist church. 

Bonnie will connect our ministry partners with our vision for faith-sharing and the ways in which we equip clergy to embody the call of Christ as mission evangelists. To find out how you can invest in the worldwide Wesleyan Methodist movement of faith-sharing, email Bonnie at bonnie@worldmethodist.org. 

Welcome, Bonnie! 

If you have spent time in a Methodist/Wesleyan denomination, chances are you have recited a historic creed at some point during a worship service. Perhaps you memorized one as a child. Creeds are valuable for centering our apostolic faith. 

Reciting a creed out loud and communally is a confessional act. We confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. We confess our belief in the Trinity. We speak our beliefs. Even rote recitation can help form our unconscious thoughts. 

At the same time, our Wesleyan heritage was born in part through a theology that was sung. Charles Wesley wrote moving hymns full of vivid imagery and biblical allusions. Part of witness is not only reciting beliefs but also singing our proclamation about the nature of God and the nature of reality. 

Faith-sharing encompasses witness beyond the recitation of creeds or verbal witness or rigorous preaching, valuable cornerstones of the Protestant reformation. 

But we all sing. We sing and play instruments, we paint and sketch, we enact and perform, and all of these are triumphant expressions of the truth of our faith. We need not look further than Handel’s Messiah or the artwork of Makoto Fujimura to find that composed chords and pigment on canvas can declare the glory of God. 

One time someone compared this famous film scene from Casablanca to the nature of communal worship. Sometimes we don’t need to talk at the darkness: sometimes we need to out–sing it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM-E2H1ChJM  

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17) 

Most of us can look back on our lives and point to an experience that was instrumental in shaping us into the persons we are today. Maybe it was a conversation or encounter with another person that transformed the way we looked at things. Maybe it was an event or incident that remolded our understanding of the world or our faith. Growing into the people God desires us to be requires these kinds of moments – they are a crucial way in which we are formed into mature adults and mature disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Participating in a WME-sponsored international young adult gathering called ICYCE when I was 20 years old was this kind of experience for me. We gathered in Truro, England, slept in tents, heard amazing speakers, and met young Christians from all over the world. Peter Story, from South Africa, challenged us with words that have stayed with me ever since:  

For these seven days, I want you to dream with God, because there is a dream in the mind of God, and I want you to do what John the Evangelist did a long time ago, I want you to hear God’s dream. I want you to see it with your own eyes. I want you to touch that dream and to feel that dream touch you. And then I want you to go and declare it to all the world. 

In 2018 young adults from all over the world will mobilize for the 10th WME young adult conference, renamed Metanoia. We will gather in Alajuela, Costa Rica and even though we won’t be sleeping in tents, there will be amazing speakers like Danielle Strickland and Stanley John. Danielle is an officer in the Salvation Army, and is a speaker, author, and social justice advocate. Her “aggressive compassion” has made the boundless love of Jesus Christ visible and tangible to people all over the world. Stanley is an Assistant Professor of Intercultural Studies at Alliance Graduate School of Mission and is passionate about forming servant leaders for Christ. He will help us view scripture in a global Christian context, particularly in light of global migration. 

There will be numerous other leaders who will lead us in deepening our commitment to Jesus Christ, discovering our place in the global community of believers, and expanding our vision of God’s purpose for our lives. In the midst of that we will also have loads of fun exploring volcanos and ziplining through rain forests.

Don’t miss this opportunity for a faith-shaping, life-changing experience. If you or someone you know are interested in joining us, you can email Shirley Dominick for more information.  

As Peter Story said all those years ago, there is a dream in the mind of God. Metanoia will be a place where we can hear God’s dream, see it with our own eyes, touch it and be touched by it – and then go declare it to all the world. I hope you’ll join me!