Category: Wesleyan Accent
Jorge Acevedo ~ A Blue Christmas: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
December 19, 2016
“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” We all have something in each list. Tonight, I want to remind you that life is a complex mixture of all three kinds of experiences…good to celebrate, bad to grieve, and ugly to heal.
Wesleyan Accent ~ A Sabbatical that Helps the World’s Poorest People
December 14, 2016
The EMMS – Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society – has devised a beautiful opportunity for pastors to take a needed sabbatical, get physical activity, and provide the world’s poorest people. Their “Pedal and Pray” initiative engages clergy from around the world with the chance to take a sabbatical of a lifetime. Cycle with other pastors through Malawi for ten days this July and raise money for healthcare ministries in Malawi.
Elizabeth Glass Turner ~ The Will to Prepare the Way
December 12, 2016
Any Christian who wants to appear pious knows that he or she should want God’s will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Few people want to scrub a toilet, wipe down its exterior, and clean the floor surrounding it. But you cannot separate faith from works.
In other words, the will to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven is not nearly as important as the will to ask God how we might help bring about God’s will to be done on earth today in our home and town and nation.
Cole Bodkin ~ Thy Kingdom Come
December 9, 2016
Christians may forget that Advent marks the beginning of the Christian calender year. It entails celebrating two events simultaneously: Jesus’ first coming and his second coming. The lectionary texts during Advent orient themselves more towards the latter, and it might be worthwhile to suggest that we do likewise.
It’s high time that we get back to celebrating the Christian New Year with as much anticipation as watching the ball drop at Times Square.
Kevin Watson ~ Expectant Waiting
December 1, 2016
Waiting is hard. Many of us are tempted either to wait passively, like the foolish bridesmaids, or to take over and attempt to save ourselves by our own effort. Advent challenges both our complacency and our self-sufficiency.
Matt Sigler ~ Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending
November 30, 2016
So, while we can and should sing of Christ’s return throughout the year, Advent presents a key opportunity to declare with clarity this crucial doctrine in our faith. And as Wesleyans we have a gem in Charles’ hymn, “Lo! He Comes With Clouds, Descending.”
Tom Fuerst ~ One Thing White Evangelical Parents Can Do
November 28, 2016
By establishing the habits of observing other people’s sufferings, of taking time to notice the pain and fear around them, we teach our children a genuinely Christian ethic. And in this, my hope is that they become adults who care about justice and equality for everyone. My hope in conversations like this is to sensitize my children to the lived experiences of others. My hope is that our children grow up able to hear, rather than disregard, the fears of others.
Andy Stoddard ~ Simple Gifts
November 25, 2016
Today, we all have gifts that seem so small with all the needs around. Offer them anyway. Give them to Jesus. Give to them to his mercy and grace. And see what he can do.
Maxie Dunnam ~ Deliverance Through Thanksgiving
November 24, 2016
It’s so easy to forget. It’s so easy to lose touch with the source of life…how we got to where we are; all the blessing that have been poured out upon us. It’s easy to think that we are where we are today because of our own efforts.
Elizabeth Glass Turner ~ A Cold and Broken Thanksgiving
November 23, 2016
Let’s all go around and say what we’re thankful for…
Your year flashes in bits and pieces in front of your mind and you search for a socially appropriate response that doesn’t include “good medical attention after a miscarriage” or “pro bono lawyers” or “insightful marriage and family therapists.”
Pass the stuffing.