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
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + The Methodist story in Uruguay is one of historic pioneering. In 1969, the Iglesia Metodista en el Uruguay (IMU) became the first Methodist church in Latin America to become autonomous. Today, under the leadership of President Raul Sosa, the church consists of approximately 1,000 members across 20 congregations. In a nation often
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + The Methodist Church of New Zealand (Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa) is a diverse and multicultural church shaped by both Māori and Pākehā (European) traditions, as well as Pacific and immigrant communities. Officially established in 1822, it is now led by President Rev. Peter Taylor and Vice President TeRito Peyroux-Semu. The church
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + It is by the Andes where the Iglesia Metodista del Perú faithfully proclaims the gospel and serves communities across diverse cultural and geographic landscapes. The Methodist story in Peru is one of “Holistic Mission” — a beautiful blend of high-quality education and a fearless witness for social justice. Today, under the leadership
official website Members 0 K+ In South America, the Comunidad Evangélica Metodista del Paraguay (CEMP) represents a growing Methodist witness led by Bishop Eligio Genes Fernández. The Evangelical Methodist Church of Paraguay grew out of missionary work in the 1940’s, and the first Methodist worship gathering in Paraguay was held in 1988. Since then, the church as an autonomous body
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 K+ The Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma is the largest Christian denomination in the country, shaping the spiritual and cultural life of the nation. It grew out of the Wesleyan movement in Australia and became autonomous in 1964. The Church has held significant influence and is considered one of the three “pillars”
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 K+ Formed in 1977 through the union of the Congregational Union in Australia, the Methodist Church of Australasia, and the Presbyterian Church of Australia, the Uniting Church in Australia is a uniquely Australian expression of the “Global Parish.” It is currently led by Rev. Charissa Suli, the youngest person and first person of color
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + Methodist work in Panama was initiated by a laywoman “Madre Abel” between 1811 and 1821; however, the Church was officially established in 1906 through the work of missionaries from the United States. The Iglesia Evangélica Metodista de Panamá became autonomous in the early 1970’s. Today it is a small but faithful community
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: The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ And whether they listen
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
Finding and listening to a “Noah” is a reminder that there is a part of our faith that needs to be challenged to understand the profound personal nature of life in the Spirit.
One time as I came down from a platform during a church musical rehearsal, I passed several women and whispered, “I’ll be right back, I have got to go to the bathroom!” I rushed away and couldn’t hear the laughter that erupted behind me; the sound guy had not yet muted my lapel mic. My whisper had been heard throughout the sanctuary.
Most of us are familiar with John 15—it is particularly central to my life and to the life of the local church that I pastor, The Orchard UMC. It is from Jesus’ command there, “to go and bear fruit” that we take our name, vision and mission. Most of us are familiar with the flow: Jesus begins with an eight-verse
Sometimes we need a space where there is new room for the Holy Spirit: space in our lives, in our schedule, in our church building, in our preaching, in our house. For me, luckily enough – except it never seems to do with luck where new room is involved – this has been at the New Room Conference. In an
Much is being made these days in my (admittedly very narrow) slice of the world about what it means to be Wesleyan. “Wesleyan” in this case doesn’t refer to a particular denomination but to a broader theological stream birthed through an eighteenth-century movement and largely defined by the commentaries and sermons of John Wesley. Wesley himself once wrote a tract
When the Spirit of the Lord is upon your life you can play your harp because you have been anointed to handle hell, haters, and hypocrites.
Regardless of your politics, but dependent on the plans of God, there will be a November 9, 2016. Do you know the day? It’s the day after the United States of America will choose between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Between now and then, there will be a lot of debate, discussion, and Tweeting. But that day will come and,
If you or I think of a laser, we probably have a mental image of what we might colloquially call a concentrated beam of light, whether it’s used recreationally like in laser tag or a laser light show, or practically like in an eye surgery or in cutting material. You might even picture the powerful ray from the Death Star in Star
I have great respect for many colleagues in ministry who espouse a reformed or Calvinist view of the world. That said, it should be no surprise to those who read and listen to me regularly that I am enthusiastically and unapologetically Arminian. I am far too deeply committed to the notion of God’s pure love exercised in his gift of human free
Protestantism has hit a snag. Catholics have their challenges, but it’s a very different set. The Orthodox church in its various forms has its disputes but remains largely unchanged. North American Protestants have hit hard times, like an ecclesial version of the 2008 economic meltdown. We’ve printed Bible verses on magnets, screen printed t-shirts, run food pantries and epic VBS
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