When I was the pastor of a congregation, preparing sermons every Sunday, I paid close attention to culture and timing… what was going on in the world, and particularly in my city and community. The Gospel is relevant not only to a religious calendar… Christmas, Lent, Easter but also, the civic one… civic holidays. That awareness and practice came strongly
I enjoy watching sports. I am amazed at the skills and talents demonstrated on the field in a competitive game or match. From my couch, I admire them while I enjoy a snack in the comfort of my living room. I must admit that rarely, however, do I follow their example of their hard work and dedication to their craft.
Let’s keep it clear. As Christians we are to be like our Father. Some religions say to their devotees, “Follow me, and the things you fear will not happen to you.” By contrast, Christianity says, “Follow Christ, and some or all of the things that you fear may happen to you; but you do not have to fear them anyway.”
I remember as if it were today, the day I entered the house of the youth leader and participated in a small discipleship group. My life was never the same after that moment. Until then, I was a teenager full of problems and doubts, marked by my father’s abandonment, the wounds of violence, and vices. I knew bitterness, sadness, feelings
In just a few days, Christ followers around the world will celebrate Pentecost, a remarkable day on the Church calendar, but one that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. Pentecost was a Jewish festival, so on the day we will soon observe, people from all over had gathered in Jerusalem. Before he left them, Jesus had instructed his followers
One of the privileges and responsibilities too many Methodist Christians ignore is witnessing. We take the way some Christians do it as the norm and that turns us off. We close our minds to the fact that some may never hear unless we share. I was blessed to chair the Committee of the World Methodist Council for 12 years. This
James Rowe is a prolific music composer, and yet most of us have probably not heard of him. He was born in Ireland and worked for the Irish government before immigrating to the United States in his late 20s. Eventually, he became a full-time writer, composing hymns and editing music journals for publishers. One of my favorites songs among his
Words like “holy” and “holiness” are off-putting to many. One reason people resist the language of holiness is because they sometimes associate it with legalism. Sadly, some of the denominations and traditions that talk a lot about holiness have perpetuated this problem. They make the rules; you keep the rules. It’s a way to define what makes a “good Christian”.
When you pursue a PhD in the British system as I did, you have to defend your thesis (dissertation) in what is called a “viva.” It’s a nerve-wracking several hours spent fielding what seem like endless questions from two examiners. Neither of your examiners are allowed to see any of your work before they receive your thesis. And your supervising
My friend, George (Chuck) Hunter, has told a thrilling story – one of those lively vignettes of Methodist history that gives us our vision for now and the future. A great Methodist leader named C. C. McCabe was the leader of new church extension for the Methodist Episcopal Church in about 1881. He was a prodigious planner, strategist, fund-raiser, and
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 K+ Our prayer journey brings us to a denomination whose leaders have walked alongside World Methodist Evangelism for many years as beloved partners in the gospel: The Wesleyan Church. The Wesleyan Church traces its roots to 1843, when the Wesleyan Methodist Connection was formed at an organizing conference in Utica, New York, by
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.
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + Today, our prayer journey takes us to the Iberian Peninsula, where the Igreja Evangélica Metodista Portuguesa — the Portuguese Evangelical Methodist Church — faithfully carries the gospel in one of Europe’s oldest nations. The origin of the Methodist Church in Portugal arose from the witness of two English laymen, Thomas Chegwin in 1854 and
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
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
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 something
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 K+ Today, our prayer journey takes us to Southeast Asia, where the Methodist Church in Malaysia (MCM) is faithfully living out the gospel. The MCM traces its roots to 1885, when Methodist missionaries first arrived and began sharing the gospel through preaching, education, and medical work. Today, it is one of the largest Protestant
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
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
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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