Wesleyan Accent

Wesleyan Accent is World Methodist Evangelism’s online magazine of practical resources in the area of discipleship, evangelism, leadership and theology. Through articles, book reviews, and interviews, WME features leading and emerging voices of the Wesleyan Methodist world.

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Dog with large ears being held by two hands, symbolizing outreach and communication.

Ears Wide Open by Kerry Willis

Isaiah directs the reader to “Come to Me with your ears wide open. Listen for the life of your soul is at stake.”  Listening for the voice of the Lord must become a serious lifestyle imperative for us all. We cannot afford to do any less than to continually come to Him with our ears wide open, because our never-dying

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Young woman reading and using her phone by the window.

The Christian Pattern (Part 2) by David Juliano

This is the second article in a series on the Christian Pattern. Read the first article here. What Is Your Life Really About? I have been a pastor for over thirty-five years. In that time I have sat across from a lot of people in a lot of conversations — in hospital rooms, in counseling sessions, in coffee shops, in

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Hand raised in prayer or blessing during World Methodist Evangelism event.

Will You Finish Well? (Part 7) by Maxie Dunnam

Check out the earlier articles in this series where Maxie shared about the need for personal holiness (part 1), surrender (part 2), character (part 3), faithfulness (part 4), the wisdom of the saints (part 5), discipline and obedience (part 6). Two more characteristics of the saints I want us to explore as we wrestle with the question, “Will I finish well?”

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The Christian Pattern (Part 1) by David Juliano

I was nineteen years old when I wandered into the First Methodist Church of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and fell in love with John Wesley. I didn’t know much about him at first. But the more I read, the more I was captivated — by the way God had raised him up, by his faltering journey to faith, by his struggles with

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Sign encouraging faith and evangelism at World Methodist Evangelism.

Will You Finish Well? (Part 6) by Maxie Dunnam

Check out the earlier articles in this series where Maxie shared about the need for personal holiness (part 1), surrender (part 2), character (part 3), faithfulness (part 4), and the wisdom of the saints (part 5). If we want to finish well in our ministry, we do well to look to those who have walked before us. In my studies and

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The Gospel Matters by Andrew Barker

In our world today, there are many groups of people who have instantaneous access to so much information. With little time to discern its truth, we witness competing philosophies and differing opinions filling the media landscape. The sheer volume of differing views causes some to feel that the Gospel is outdated, too complicated, or worse, irrelevant, for our world today.

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Thoughtful young woman sitting on steps, reflecting at an outdoor venue.

Will You Finish Well? (Part 5) by Maxie Dunnam

Check out the earlier articles in this series where Maxie shared about the need for personal holiness (part 1), surrender (part 2), character (part 3), and faithfulness (part 4). It is not enough to recognize that the fruit and progress that result from our leadership are based on strong character. We must practice the disciplines that build that character and make

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Graffiti-covered rusted metal structure at abandoned industrial site.

On Mission With The Messiah by Michael Cloud

Note from the author: Somewhere along the way, I was told that a good Methodist preacher should always have a sermon and a prayer ready. Wanting to be faithful in that calling, I keep a few in reserve for those times I am asked to preach in different places. This one has become a favorite. I have preached it in

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Bible open on a wooden surface, symbolizing faith and evangelism.

The Gospel by Rob Haynes

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. Jesus, Mark 1:15 ESV   “Gospel” is a word that we hear quite a bit in church circles. However, what exactly is “the gospel?” In many settings, at least in churches in the West, it runs the risk of being reduced to

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Eternal Life by Maxie Dunnam

Christians talk about HEAVEN as the place where they will live for eternity. ETERNAL LIFE is the life that is a gift of God which comes to those who accept Christ as God’s gift of salvation. Paul uses the phrase eternal life to describe the goal of the process of salvation. We normally think of eternal life as what happens

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Going First by Andrew Forrest

Back in January of this year, media channels were flooded with accounts and commentary regarding the immigration enforcement actions taken in Minneapolis by the current presidential administration. Everyone agrees that two people were killed by federal officers. There are videos of each incident. What is striking about the videos, however, is that they do not seem to have changed anyone’s

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Love Goes First Book Cover

“Love Goes F1rst” Book Review by Joseph Seger

Many news outlets have picked up the story of the decline of the church. Many strategies have been crafted to counterbalance this dataset. What if there has always been a way to not only prevent the decline but to engage the world around us well? How to Respond to Church Decline in a Changing Culture In Love Goes F1rst, Andrew

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Will You Finish Well? (Part 4) by Maxie Dunnam

Check out the earlier articles in this series where Maxie shared about the need for personal holiness (part 1), surrender (part 2), and character (part 3). A couple of years ago I was smitten in my heart by a word I heard in the ordination service of the Free Methodist Church. It was verses 4 and 5 of Ezekiel 2:

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God And The Priority Of Love by Beth Felker Jones

The following article has been reposted with permission from Beth Felker Jones. Check out the original post at her Substack: Church Blogmatics. Understanding the Mystery of the Holy Trinity We should not be surprised to discover that God, being God, goes beyond human categories and assumptions, and we should be suspicious if we find our theologies supposing themselves capable of

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Are You Asking The Right Question? by Rob Haynes

I like to do projects around the house and the garage. It may be a small chore like changing a light fixture or a large job repairing the car. I like to be part of the solution. Over the years I have learned that one key to doing the job well is having the right tool for the job. You

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Will You Finish Well? (Part 3) by Maxie Dunnam

So far in this series, I have shared how personal holiness and surrender have kept me spiritually alive throughout my ministry. Let me now make my case and offer specific notions which I pray might have at least some hints of wisdom. Spiritual, emotional, and relational growth takes time and energy. It requires discipline. It diverts us from “pastoral duties”

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David Juliano Solvitur Ambulando It Is Solved by Walking

Solvitur Ambulando: It Is Solved By Walking by David Juliano

I’m not what you’d call an outdoorsy person. In fact, the only exercise I typically get is jumping to conclusions. So when I found myself at the bottom of a very steep hill in the Peak District of Derbyshire, legs already burning, lungs already protesting, I had a moment of serious doubt about my life choices. But I’m getting ahead

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Foundations Of Disciple-Making: Friendship by Paulo Lopes

In March of 2020, as many of us were coming to terms with the COVID-19 pandemic, I became close friends with a neighbor. Our kids are close in age, and we defiantly kept a similar “open-door policy” with our neighbors and their kids in a season when many were understandably afraid of contagion (or peer-judgment). Because of our likeminded attitude

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Will You Finish Well? (Part 2) by Maxie Dunnam

In my last article, I took the long way around to getting to where I really want to be in my sharing with you. Often the Holy Spirit speaks to us in some very personal way to lift us out of discouragement – but not only so, calls us to make an on-course adjustment in our pattern of life and

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The Post-Pandemic Church

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/21637583/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] Stuart Kellogg is Regional Cohort Director/Fellows Program at Colson Center for Christian Worldview Book: bit.ly/PostCovidChurchBook Web site: www.thepostcovidchurch.com Facebook Group: bit.ly/thepostcovidchurch Contact me: stuart@thepostcovidchurch.org Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram  Check out this episode!

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Embrace the Change: End of the Year Episode

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/21525284/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] Your host is Rob Haynes, Direct of Education and Leadership for World Methodist Evangelism www.worldmethodist.org/podcast Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram Check out this episode!

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Redeeming the Tragedy by Rob Haynes

In 1940, Sergei Prokofiev shook the world with his ballet adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Prokofiev, an accomplished composer and artist, brought many new elements to his rendition of Romeo and Juliet. However, he stirred a great deal of controversy when he gave this well-known tragedy a happy ending. Audiences were appalled at the idea. Since 1597 people

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Mental Health and the Church: Disordered Eating

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/21374111/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] Rev. Dr. Liz Kent is the Director of the Wesley Study Centre of St John’s College, Durham University. https://www.dur.ac.uk/st-johns.college/ elizabeth.kent@durham.ac.uk Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram  Check out this episode!

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Quietly Anchored by Advent

Some things you only discover over the long course of years. This frustrates an economy of optimization, hyper-fixated on immediate improvement and benefit. Wisdom can’t be reduced to “insights” gleaned by data, metrics, or analytics though, even if they’re useful from a strategic point of view. The season of Advent stubbornly persists in forcing the door open for the hard-to-quantify

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The Path of God by Kim Reisman

Scripture focus: Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. (Psalm 25:4-5, NLT)   Our Christmas nativity scenes often include the magi who patiently

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Waiting and Working for Peace by James Petticrew

My wife and I currently live in Switzerland, very close to the French border, so we regularly travel between the two countries. Despite French being spoken in our Swiss canton, there are lots of differences between France and Switzerland. (The Swiss – rather sniffily – would claim the standard of driving and condition of the roads are among the most

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The Lament of Advent and Evangelism

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/21214715/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] Wendell Kimbrough is Artist-In-Residence & Worship Arts Director at Church of the Apostles in Fairhope, Alabama. https://www.wendellk.com Wendell’s Patreon Spotify  Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram  Check out this episode!

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Standing By by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory,

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Schrödinger’s Cat: Uncertainty & the Life of the Soul by Priscilla Hammond

The biopsy was on Wednesday. The results would not arrive until Friday. In the meantime, I existed in a space where I could be healthy or sick. Many have heard of “Schrödinger’s cat” – an illustration of a quantum mechanics concept. The hypothetical image was of a cat in a chamber with a radioactive substance and poison. Schrödinger painted such

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The Hope of Advent and Evangelism

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/21072392/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] Rev. Dr. Glenn Packiam is Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. www.glennpackiam.com Social Media: @gpackiam Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram  Check out this episode!

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The Order of the FLAME 25th Anniversary Reunion by Kim Reisman

2021 has been a milestone year for World Methodist Evangelism! We have marked the 50th anniversary of WME, the 25th anniversary of the Order of the FLAME, and the 25th anniversary of the original publication of the Faith-Sharing New Testament with the Psalms. It has indeed been a wonderful year of celebration! Our most recent gathering in honor of the

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Musician playing saxophone on a city street at night with blurred lights in background.

The Space Between The Notes by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus: Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of

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Billy Abraham: Eulogies, Laughter, Loyal Opposition

Note from the Editor: The sudden news of Dr. William Abraham’s death sent Methodists around the globe reeling. Immediately, a flood a tributes began to pour forth in a kind of spontaneous online wake. Before Covid, wakes were still common in Ireland and also in Northern Ireland, Billy Abraham’s childhood home. In the remembrances that follow, four unique voices give

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Metanoia: Equipping and Encouraging Emerging Leaders

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/20900261/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] To learn more https://worldmethodist.org/gatherings/metanoia To contact Paulo Lopes: Paulo@worldmethodist.org Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org Metanoia Europe 2022 is 29 August-4 September in Durham, UK Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/worldmethodistevangelism Twitter here https://twitter.com/worldmethodist Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/worldmethodist/ Check out this

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Glory, Suffering, and Sacred Space

Many traditions and cultures in and through which the Church has found its liveliness – growing tree-like in different climates and biomes – celebrate the glory of God through praise, liturgy, proclamation, and testimony. All glory, we say or preach or sing, belongs to God. And we affirm that along with the Church across time and space; or beyond time

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Faith-Sharing New Testament 25th Anniversary Edition

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/20747504/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] To order your copy of the Faith-Sharing New Testament: https://worldmethodist.org/resources/online-store-2/ The Plain Truth Videos playlist on YouTube To learn more www.WorldMethodist.org Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.orgTo Contact Dr. Kim Reisman: info@worldmethodist.org Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram  Check out

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I Stand at the Door … of Your Church by Rob Haynes

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” –Jesus, Revelation 3:20 When I was a boy, my grandmother had a picture of Jesus standing outside a door. He was knocking gently, as if asking politely to

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Open Bible on wooden table with plant, sunlight, and shadows, spiritual reading.

God’s Self-Communication by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to

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Reaching and Keeping Unchurched Emerging Adults

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/20555168/height/100/width//thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/3433802/custom-color/87A93A” height=”100″ width=”100%” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] Dr. Beth Seversen is the author of Not Done Yet: Reaching and Keeping Unchurched Emerging Adults. You can reach her at Lizseversen@gmail.com. Find Not Done Yet here  We welcome your questions, comments, feedback, and suggestions: podcast@worldmethodist.org Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram  Check out this episode!

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