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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In 1314, wounded English knights fled south through Scotland towards the safety of the English border after their cataclysmic defeat at the Battle of Bannockburn. Overcome by weakness and pain, some fell from their horses. Many were left to die, but more compassionate locals took others to the abbeys dotted throughout the Scottish borders. These abbeys had infirmaries and monks
Written By: Published On: It is true that most of us spend our lives waiting to live. We see today as such a mundane time, so insignificant, so unexciting. But once we change our focus and begin to encounter the events of today with vitality and purpose, all sorts of changes take place. This is especially true in our personal
Written By: Published On: An exciting partnership between two denominations within the wider Wesleyan Methodist family is opening doors for Filipino pastors to continue their calling in Australia. On 16 August 2026, Rev. Dr. Lex Akers, National Superintendent of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia, and retired Bishop Rodolfo A. Juan, representing the United Methodist Church in the Philippines, signed
Written By: Published On: Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a plenary panel on the future of theological education. One of the questions put to us was about artificial intelligence and the role it may increasingly play in ministry: sermon preparation, program development, communication, congregational engagement, and more. My answer was fairly straightforward. AI is not a fringe
Written By: Published On: I don’t know when it actually began. Maybe in that little church in rural Mississippi when a country preacher sounded a note that called for a response from a fourteen-year-old boy in the congregation. The package was too neatly wrapped and tied then. The walk down the aisle, the public profession of faith, and the baptism
Written By: Published On: Movement. It is a word that I hear often when it comes to living our faith. I coach in an organization that desires movement. The theme of my Annual Conference this summer was movement. Our mission at World Methodist Evangelism is to “help leaders build faith-sharing movements.” As people who believe in the movement of the
Written By: Published On: Growth is not accidental – it is intentional, purposeful. There are leaps which we make unconsciously, and great strides in development often come as by-products. Primarily, however, we make the decision to grow. This is not to say that we manufacture growth. We don’t, no more than a doctor manufactures healing. We simply become persons open
Written By: Published On: The Power of Influence in Christian Leadership The Methodist Church in Cuba (IMECU) is blessed with exceptional men who are committed to their calling and ready to serve wherever the Lord needs them. One such man is Bishop Ricardo Pereira Díaz. For over two decades, he has been the leader God has used to guide the
Written By: Published On: God, the Father, loves you. I mean, really loves you. Why Is It Hard to See God as a Loving Father? The idea of God as Father is difficult for some people. We may have trouble seeing God as loving and good due to a difficult relationship to our own earthly father. Perhaps we misunderstand God
Written By: Published On: Early in my ministry, I served as pastor of three small country churches. Members of those congregations deserve “praise and thanksgiving.” Their pastor was also a college student. Their grace abounded as I wrestled a lot with time problems. I sometimes think that arrangement of pastoral leadership should not be allowed. But when I reflect, I
Written By: Published On: I have been in and out of jail more times than I can count. The first few times were intimidating. But before long, I became comfortable with the surroundings, the women I met, and the conversations I never expected to have. When you read the above sentences, what was your initial thought? Did your mind go
Written By: Published On: New experiences and endeavors can help us see things we did not see before we took that step. Taking action forces us into new positions and literally re-frames our perspectives. These can happen at any moment and most often in big decisions. We recently bought a house, one you might call a fixer-upper. Did you know
Written By: Published On: I’m behind on my deadline. Well, I’m behind on several deadlines, actually. This article was supposed to be on the editor’s desk quite some time ago, as a matter of fact. I am thankful for his grace. I have tried, really. Missing a deadline is hard for someone like me who prides himself on planning and
In Part 1 of this series, I shared how God challenged me to become more intentional about sharing my faith. I realized that although I had spent my life in church, I had never learned how to have meaningful spiritual conversations. Preparation became the first step. Before we can confidently step out, we have to sit with our own story.
Henry Jordan was a great all-pro defensive tackle who played with the Green Bay Packers back in the glory days of Vince Lombardi. Henry was as good with words as he was at sacking opposing quarterbacks. That made him a favorite with sports writers. One of his most widely quoted statements came when someone asked, “Does Mr. Lombardi show any
In 2014, I walked out of a Sunday service deeply challenged by my pastor’s sermon on sharing our faith. As I reflected on what he said, I realized I believed in sharing my faith, but at 57 years old, I had never actually done it. I had been raised in the church and lived in it my whole life. I
I want to tell you something about John Wesley that might surprise you. Actually — it might embarrass you. It embarrassed me. Most modern Methodists celebrate communion monthly. Some quarterly. Some considerably less. We think of it as a memorial — a symbolic remembrance of what Jesus did at the cross. A meaningful ritual. A box to check on the
Someone said that worshipping God is permanent. It starts on earth and goes on for everlasting eternity. All our toiling and efforts are temporary. All our services in the church, mission work, preaching, and teaching, etc., are temporary. But worship is eternal. So, as Christians, worshipping God is our primary duty. What is the True Meaning of Christian Worship?
This is the third installment on the Christian Pattern. Click here for part one and part two. The Inner Life and the Voice We’ve Stopped Hearing There is a spiritual condition that most pastors recognize but few talk about publicly. It goes by different names in the tradition. The desert fathers called it acedia. The medieval mystics called it
George Washington Carver was born in a slave’s shack on a cotton farm. You know his story. He became a member of the Royal Academy, distinguished himself in science and helped discover countless uses of the peanut and sweet potato which helped salvage the economy of cotton-growing areas with depleted soil. Dr. Carver was not only a distinguished scientist, a
[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/20437760/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. Aaron Perry is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Leadership at Wesley Seminary in Marion, Indiana. You can reach him at aaron.perry@indwes.edu. Find Kairos Care here Indiana Wesleyan Podcast What I found: After Humanity Signs amid the Rubble We welcome your questions, comments, feedback, and suggestions: podcast@worldmethodist.org Find
My undergraduate degree is in chemistry. My desire was to be a doctor, but the Lord had other plans. I’ve sometimes wondered, “Lord, if this was you plan, couldn’t you have led to me to an easier degree?!” But maybe God did that so I could learn one fact that I actually think about a lot: darkness doesn’t actually exist.
As the United States screeches with discord and distrust, the people in pulpits and in pews are exhausted. Some had loved ones piloting evacuation flights out of Kabul. Others have spent long hours working in crowded ICUs, nurses or chaplains or doctors breaking down in tears. Firefighters on the West Coast have their pick of blazes incinerating once-lively trees to
Knock knock. If it’s a joke, you know what to say: “Who’s there?” But knock knock means something different to different people. Throughout my childhood, when I heard a knock knock on the back door, I could guess the knocker within three guesses. If the knock knock was rapped on the front door, all bets were off. I had no
Scripture Focus: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.” Ephesians 3:16-17 An important part
This summer, Dr. Maxie Dunnam released a new devotional resource he developed while at home during the initial wave of coronavirus shutdowns. Saints Alive! 30 Days of Pilgrimage with the Saints is a rich, month-long set of readings; daily reflections aren’t just inspired by those who have come before; they have the tone of being in dialogue with these spiritual giants. Dunnam
[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/20300828/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. Pete Bellini is the Professor of Evangelization AT United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He can be reached at pbellini@united.edu. To find his books, HERE We welcome your questions, comments, feedback, and suggestions: podcast@worldmethodist.org Find us on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram To find Rob Haynes: @DrRobHaynes on
[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/20143241/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. Billy Abraham appears as a part of WME’s evangelism seminar in partnership with the Moscow Seminary of The United Methodist Church. To access all of Billy’s teaching and the entire catalog of videos, here To learn more about International Seminars, here We welcome your questions, comments, feedback, and
[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/19983938/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. Kevin Watson appears as a part of WME’s evangelism seminar in partnership with the Moscow Seminary of The United Methodist Church To access all of Kevin’s teaching and the entire catalog of videos, visit here To learn more about International Seminars, visit: here For Kevin’s latest book, Perfect
Many people want to impact their world for the sake of God’s mission but are unsure where to begin, especially when today’s churches face unprecedented challenges. Church participation has shifted dramatically in the last year and, when looking at empty pews, many faithful church-goers are asking: “When will people come back?” As the effects of the Pandemic continue to manifest
Well Done Good and Faithful Servant Thank you to all in the worldwide Wesleyan Methodist family and beyond who have expressed their love and care in response to the passing of Rev. Dr. H. Eddie Fox, World Director Emeritus of World Methodist Evangelism (WME). We received this sad news only yesterday, and expressions of comfort and support began flowing immediately.
[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/19802351/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] John Dyer (Ph.D., Durham University) is Dean of Enrollment Services and Distance Education; Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Dallas Theology Seminary. To reach Dr. John Dyer: www.j.hn What I found: www.Prayermate.net When I pray, what does God do? By David Wilkinson. You can find it here: We welcome
“Prominence does not equal significance in the Kingdom of God.” I am not sure who said that first, but whenever I hear it my mind always goes to the book of Acts and Ananias. No, not Ananias who with his wife Sapphira lied to the Apostles and tried to defraud God and met an unfortunate end, but the simple believer
I have always been fascinated by two particular verses in the first chapter of the book of Acts. In Acts 1:10-11 (NLT) we read, “As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away
I received what was called a local preacher’s license in 1952, when I was only 17 years old. That means I have been at this business of preaching for 68 years. I have been the pastor of nine local churches and the organizing pastor of three of those nine. You may wonder why I’m sharing that…and you may consider it
[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/19650143/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] Maxie Dunnam is a pastor, writer, and mentor to young clergy. He has over 60 years in ministry which allows him to share many unique stories. Maxie and wife, Jerry, an accomplished artist, have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Kimberly Dunnam Reisman is the Executive Director of World Methodist
When I was in seminary, I often traveled long distances by bus. Greyhound used to have a $59 ticket to anywhere in North America. The price fit my budget and the timing fit my personality. I didn’t mind a long bus ride when I had a handful of books and a day and a half to dig in. But I
[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/19548203/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] Maxie Dunnam is a pastor, writer, and mentor to young clergy. He has over 60 years in ministry which allows him to share many unique stories. Maxie and wife, Jerry, an accomplished artist, have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Kimberly Dunnam Reisman is the Executive Director of World Methodist
Scripture Focus: God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses
Our twenty-year-old son, Joshua recently secured his first apartment. He had been living in the university dormitories, but he was now excited to have a place of his own. My wife and I packed up his things with him and drove them 6 hours to his new place. When we (and all of his worldly possessions) got there, we hit
