James Petticrew Archives | World Methodist Evangelism

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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A Generation of Skeptics: Youth and Young Adults

World Methodist Evangelism March 15, 2021

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/18319232/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. Jeremy Steele is Associate Pastor of Los Altos United Methodist Church in Los Altos, California. Visit our website: www.worldmethodist.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!

When Flawed Humans Follow Jesus by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman March 10, 2021

The apostle Peter is one of my favorite people in the Bible. He reminds me of me. Following Jesus is not always easy for me; from the very beginning, Peter seems to have experienced a similar sense of struggling as he sought to follow. Peter was a searcher with a good heart. He stumbles but tries his very best to

Where Is Our Leadership Leading? by James Petticrew

James Petticrew March 3, 2021

Do you ever think about where your leadership is leading? Winston Churchill once commented that, “we shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” Having been the pastor of a congregation which met in a barn of an Art Nouveau Gothic church building, I really understand what he meant. Yet something else also shapes how we function as the church: our

A Generation of Skeptics: Young Adults and Emerging Leaders

World Methodist Evangelism March 1, 2021

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/18128747/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] Paulo Lopes is the Coordinator for Emerging Leadership at World Methodist Evangelism paulo@worldmethodist.org Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Check out this episode!

Fully Human by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman February 22, 2021

Scripture focus: Matthew 16:24-25 If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. (NLT) The apostle Peter

Lenten Love: Make Things Better by Edgar Bazan

Edgar Bazan February 20, 2021

The Lenten season has started. Lent is six weeks (excluding Sundays) dedicated to prayer, fasting, and reflection to prepare for the grand celebration of Christ conquering death and his resurrection. When I think of Lent, I am reminded that Easter is coming. We will soon celebrate the victory of Jesus over death through his resurrection and the gifts of forgiveness

Joy Is a Verb by Jean Watson

Jean Watson February 18, 2021

I’m not going to lie – finding joy during 2020 was difficult for me. I suspect many of you may have found that challenging as well. For me, it was difficult when the traveling ministry that brings me so much fulfillment was put on hold. I faced new challenges in family relationships and finances, and an unexpected medical challenge brought

Following Side By Side by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman February 17, 2021

On this Ash Wednesday, I’m reflecting on Luke 9:23 – If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. Living the Jesus way is never easy. Shallow, surface following – following at a distance – may not pose much of a challenge for many of

A Generation of Skeptics: The Reconversion of a Secularized Radical

World Methodist Evangelism February 15, 2021

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/17953403/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. Eric Huffman is the Lead Pastor of The Story Church in Houston, Texas. www.thestory.church Find the Firebrand article, “The Reconversion of a Secularized Radical” here 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

The Snake Still Slithers by BJ Funk

BJ Funk February 11, 2021

While America watched the horrors at our United States Capitol building on January 6, 2021, hurting and crying over the awful scenes unfolding on our screens, tumultuous laughter could be heard from one who some of us deny even exists. One elected representative evacuated that day even described his experience with unusual words for a politician: “it was like looking

Surrendered Intercession by Shalom Liddick

Shalom Liddick February 10, 2021

“‘Oh, that Ishmael may live before you!’ Abraham cried to God.” (Genesis 17:18) This cry has always moved my heart. I have always felt a deep connection with Ishmael; we are him. That cry from the heart of a loving father is God’s cry for you and me. This is intercessory prayer. In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Lent Is a Chance to Let God Destroy Our Idols by Rob Haynes

Rob Haynes February 8, 2021

Many Christians mark the season of Lent with a time of an emphasis on prayer, reflection, and self-sacrifice. Using Jesus’ example of being separated and alone in the wilderness for 40 days of fasting and prayer (see Matthew 4), those who mark the occasion often try to grow deeper in their own faith by doing similar things. People might change

Theology Matters: The Ministry of Wesleyan Accent

World Methodist Evangelism February 1, 2021

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/17759204/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] Elizabeth Glass-Turner is the Managing Editor of Wesleyan Accent. www.wesleyanaccent.com Let us hear from you: podcast@worldmethodist.org To contact Elizabeth: editor@wesleyanaccent.com Connect with Rob on Social Media: @DrRobHaynes Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram Check out this episode!

El Poder de la Oración by Karen Bates

Karen Bates January 27, 2021

Hace años, cuando me uní a Facebook, muchos cristianos no sabían qué pensar de la nueva plataforma de redes sociales. Uno de mis mentores renunció a Facebook y me explicó los peligros de conectarse con personas a través de Internet. Estaba tratando de convencerme de que la plataforma no tenía valor redentor. “Puedes ser amigo de gente que ni siquiera

How Close Will You Get? by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman January 25, 2021

Scripture Focus: Matthew 26:47-58 Following Jesus, truly following him, is never easy. There are risks, unexpected twists and turns, surprises and events that we never dreamed could happen. There are moments when following seems meaningful, full of excitement and joy. However, there are other times, times of difficulty, even danger, when we become discouraged and afraid, and things don’t seem

Leading Generously: Setting Up A Team For Success by Andy Stoddard

Andy Stoddard January 25, 2021

One of the most illuminating things I ever heard about leading generously involved Johnny Carson. For most of my childhood he was host of The Tonight Show: late nights were Johnny Carson at 10:30 and David Letterman at 11:30. They could not have been more different but were each hilarious in their own way. If you go back and rewatch

50 Years of Faith-Sharing by Kim Reisman

World Methodist Evangelism January 25, 2021

This is a milestone year for World Methodist Evangelism! 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of WME and we are enthusiastically planning to celebrate throughout the year. Since 1971, when the World Methodist Council established WME, our vision has been that Christ followers within the global Wesleyan Methodist family would become agents of transformation by sharing the Gospel through the power

Connecting in the Cloud of Witnesses

Wesleyan Accent January 22, 2021

Churches around the world honor the “cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us – all those people who shaped, challenged, and carried us forward on our spiritual journey. When I contemplate the saints in my own life, I’m reminded of two interrelated ideas. The first is called six degrees of separation; the second, three degrees of influence. In theory,

Renew Your Wesleyan DNA: Book Review by Rob Haynes

Rob Haynes January 19, 2021

What makes a Methodist a “Methodist”? This is an increasingly important question in the age of the rise of secularism, the decline of churches in the West, and other significant challenges in the Wesleyan/Methodist movement. As younger generations decreasingly emphasize the role of denominations, many people are no longer aware of the rich history and theology of the Wesleyan/Methodist churches

The Ministry of Reconciliation

World Methodist Evangelism January 18, 2021

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/17581865/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. Sègbégnon Mathieu Gnonhossou is Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Seattle Pacific University. Christian Slavery: Conversion and Race in the Protestant Atlantic World by Katharine Gerbner Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi Let us hear from you:

Doctrine and Renewal (Part 2) by Ken Loyer

Ken Loyer July 3, 2014

I believe that we will discover the most promising way forward through a deep retrieval of our doctrine and a comprehensive re-reception of it at every level of our church, especially in the local church since that is the most significant arena for making and growing disciples of Jesus Christ. This retrieval project will be a long and difficult one,

By Attending On The Ordinances Of God by Tammie Grimm

Tammie Grimm July 2, 2014

Have you ever noticed the similarities between Major League Baseball and the United Methodist Church? Both organizations exist throughout the country and have a brand logo which is recognizable around the world. In the case of the MLB, professional baseball is played on other continents and plenty of MLB players call another country “home.” In a similar vein, the UMC

Hospital Field Trips And Spiritual Training: Why Kids Should Learn To Make Hospital Visits by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner June 26, 2014

As a grown-up, I traveled to a hospital once to visit a friend who’d had surgery. A mutual friend accompanied me. I watched his anxiety with amusement. He was anxious about how to find the elevators, anxious about reading the hospital map, anxious about the visit itself. I discovered that this otherwise rational, intelligent adult was uneasy and uncomfortable in

Making Disciples In The Wesleyan Way by Andrew Thompson

Andrew Thompson June 25, 2014

The church today puts a lot of focus on the need to make disciples of Jesus Christ. But do we take seriously what that work requires of us? I’m not so sure. I am very sure, on the other hand, that we’re living in a culture that does us no favors when we even begin to approach the work of

It’s Always Abuse, Not Just When It Involves A Child by Tom Fuerst

Tom Fuerst June 23, 2014

But what we also fail to realize and consistently communicate is that anytime a clergy member has sex with a parishioner who is not their spouse, it is abuse. The emotional, spiritual, and even societal power granted to a pastor is intertwined and inseparable from all their relations within the church. We cannot, therefore, pretend that infidelity between pastors and

What’s The Alternative? by Talbot Davis

Talbot Davis June 21, 2014

To whom shall we go? Ask yourself what’s the alternative BEFORE you leave and see all the options for the empty promises they are. And then fasten yourself to the eternal WHO towering over all the pretending WHATS.

The Donut/Bread of Life by Michael Smith

Michael Smith June 19, 2014

God is in the midst of the normal – not just the fantastic, chocolate and sprinkled covered parts of life. God’s presence is made real when we take simple elements, like bread, and share it. This is why we should stick to what He invites us to do – offer the bread.

Jesus, The Name High Over All by Ellsworth Kalas

Ellsworth Kalas June 18, 2014

We ought to sing it more! Sing it, indeed, until we re-discover the power of this Name. Sing it until, as Charles Wesley urged, “Happy, if with my latest breath/ I may but gasp his name, / preach him to all and cry in death, / ‘Behold, behold the Lamb!’”

questions

Learning To Live The Questions by Carolyn Moore

Carolyn Moore June 16, 2014

For some, it looks like gathering clouds. For others, a black hole. For some, it feels like dread or fear or hopelessness. For others, it feels more like guilt — the kind that won’t go away. It may feel like shame, or like anxiety that never eases up. It can leave one with questions, unable to function, and another unable

The Strong Name Of The Trinity by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman June 12, 2014

I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity, the Three in One and One in Three – the space-maker who is the source of my freedom, the one who empowers me to defy the forces that seek to restrict me to unbending characterizations or rigid roles.

Catechesis, Worship, And The Hymnal by Matt Sigler

Matthew Sigler June 9, 2014

If contemporary Methodists are serious about robust catechesis, we must broaden our concept of the term. We must understand that baptism is a moment that shapes our entire life—a journey in holiness. We must break free from an approach to catechesis that is merely didactic and understand that the process of catechesis is anchored in the worshipping community. And we

Doctrine and Renewal (Part 1) by Ken Loyer

Ken Loyer June 5, 2014

I believe that Wesley can help us steer clear of the problem of moralistic therapeutic deism, as well as other barriers to renewal, so we stay on track in providing solid biblical teaching and preaching. He can do this with his robust vision of the Christian life, at once grace-filled and rigorous, communal and personal, leading to the goal of

The Character Of Discipleship by Tammie Grimm

Tammie Grimm June 2, 2014

When you hear the term “discipleship” what comes to mind? An educational program for adults in your church? The reflective/debriefing group sessions during a mission trip? A moment to promote a given ministry or event during the worship service? A particular pastor who serves at a multi-staffed church? Each one of us can probably come up with three or four

When Is It Time? by Carolyn Moore

Carolyn Moore May 31, 2014

When is it time for ______? I googled that question and my search engine finished the question in these ways: When is it time for a divorce? When is it time for a nursing home? When is it time for hospice care? To buy a new car? To break up? To let go? To move on? When is it time

Easter’s Exclamation Point by Ellsworth Kalas

Ellsworth Kalas May 29, 2014

Our Lord’s ascension is, as I like to phrase it, “Easter’s exclamation point.” It tells us that the resurrection of our Lord is not simply a miracle, something to astonish us as with thousands of other miracles; it is a re-shaping of the order of the universe; it is the death of death. It is not simply a lengthening of

Jesus Leaves by Michael Smith

Michael Smith May 28, 2014

Jesus left His disciples. Jesus said, “I am with you always even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20). It wasn’t much long after that He was taken up into the air. He leaves. What is the most common question or statement made by a person in crisis? Where is God in this? Some days I look around and

Relatives, Relationships, And The Resurrection by Harley Scalf

Harley Scalf May 22, 2014

So, you spend all your time obsessing with others’ expectations of you. The simple truth is this: a life filled with others’ expectations is a life empty of God’s realities. The apostle Paul said it first in Galatians 1:10, “Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing

Seven Tips For Effectively Using Ministry Interns by Philip Tallon

Philip Tallon May 21, 2014

Most churches have interns at one time or another. This can either be a great experience, or a terrible one (though it will probably be somewhere in between). Done well, an internship program can give you greater levels of effectiveness, train up next-gen leaders, and expand the possibilities for great future ministry in the church. Done poorly, it can eat

Sleeping Right Through by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman May 19, 2014

Here’s the deal with the whole alarm clock thing – the wake part is God’s work, and God did a pretty good job of it in releasing all that God energy into the world 2000 years ago. But now it’s the get up part. The question is, are we going to sleep right through?

The Way Roads Shape Us by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner May 12, 2014

I’ll bet there are roads you could drive blindfolded if you really needed to. Maybe it’s the road from your house to the entrance of your subdivision, or the route you take to work, or the circuitous path you carve in your daily routine – stop, start, turn, pause, start again. The rhythm of acceleration, brake, the swing of the