Wesleyan Accent Archive | World Methodist Evangelism

Living a Life of Advent Light: When a Wreath Is More Than a Wreath by Priscilla Hammond

Priscilla Hammond November 29, 2018

Many churches are currently setting up Advent wreaths to mark the weeks leading up to Christmas. The four candles that encircle the wreath illuminate the area around them as they point toward the center candle. Those outer candles relate to prophecy, Bethlehem, shepherds, and angels, while the center candle alludes to Christ. The prophecy candle represents the expectation of the

Transaction vs Transformation: The Nature Of Blessing by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner November 28, 2018

Recently, I noted someone online putting forward the idea that God blesses organizations, traditions, or denominations depending on their public positions on certain topics, or that God retracts a blessing on an organization, tradition, or denomination, if they do not issue a public position on one of a number of topics. Let’s delve into some of the assumptions here and

Desperate for Mercy: Shouting All the More by Michelle Bauer

Michelle Bauer November 26, 2018

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he

Suffering Through Thanksgiving by Suzanne Nicholson

Suzanne Nicholson November 22, 2018

This is the time of year when advertisements inundate us with images of happy families gloriously celebrating the holidays. Women in velvet dresses clink champagne glasses with men in suits and plaid bowties. Their beautifully decorated homes overflow with relatives who eat turkey and all the fixings from holly-themed china plates. You can almost smell the cinnamon and nutmeg wafting

An Emptier Yet Fuller Life by Shalom Liddick

Shalom Liddick November 22, 2018

My hike begins like many others for me: time spent talking with God and listening to his voice being carried in the wind. My ordinary day is about to change. As the giant orange orb crests between heaven and earth, I hear God say “happy birthday,” and my heart explodes with joy because without a doubt I knew why. It

When It’s Not Just the Turkey That’s Stuffed by Carrie Carter

Carrie Carter November 21, 2018

It’s late November and you’re mostly through your daily “Thankful For…” list, or daily “Thankful” reading from the Psalms. By this point, you have your Thanksgiving menu planned, whether it means eating in or eating out. November is pretty predictable, as far as months go. What do you do, then, when November is not predictable? What if your “Thankful For…”

Choosing Thankfulness in a Harsh World by Karen Bates

Karen Bates November 20, 2018

Occasionally, I pay for people’s coffee while I’m buying my own. Not because I’m rich, but because it’s a nice thing to do. Recently, I decided to buy coffee for the man behind me, but contemplated whether the kindness was warranted after he was less than kind to the person serving us and to another person in line. I remembered I

Receiving the Mercy of Jesus Christ by Michelle Bauer

Michelle Bauer November 8, 2018

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” – The Jesus Prayer The Jesus Prayer has been prayed around the world in various forms since the early sixth century. One way to pray this prayer is to repeat, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God” on the inhalation of each breath followed by, “have mercy on me,

Prayer: A Source Of New Life by Edgar Bazan

Edgar Bazan November 7, 2018

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to South Korea and visit some of largest churches in the world: Kwanglim Methodist Church with 85,000 members and Yoido Full Gospel Church with 900,000 members. We met with their senior pastors and leaders and learned about their leadership. We were, so to speak, drinking from a fire hydrant all week. The food

Think your pastor’s preaching is ‘too political’? Try listening to Jesus by Mark Wingfield

Wesleyan Accent November 5, 2018

“Pastor, why can’t you just preach the gospel and stay away from all this controversial stuff?” It’s likely your pastor has heard this question dozens of times in recent years, yet he or she may be reticent to speak about it for fear of calling out certain members of the congregation or appearing to respond to specific criticism of recent

Confession by Maxie Dunnam

Maxie Dunnam January 7, 2015

Beginning at the point of our believing that it is God’s desire to forgive, confession becomes not a morbid discipline, not a dark groveling in the mud and mire of life, not a fearful response to a wrathful, angry God who is out to get us if we don’t shape up. Rather, confession becomes an act of anticipation, a response

The Scent Of A New Year by Michael Smith

Michael Smith January 5, 2015

New is unknown, and often we are afraid of the “what if” questions in our lives. But new is happening every day.

Go Tell It On The Mountain by Carolyn Moore

Carolyn Moore January 3, 2015

It began with Jesus, who invited twelve guys to quit their day jobs and enroll in a three-year intensive, seminary-level program. By following Jesus, these guys learned Hebrew Bible, pastoral care, prayer and healing, theology, missions and evangelism, preaching and economics. At the end of three years, Jesus declared them ready (in fact, he called them his peers) and commissioned

The Promise Of Silence by Michelle Bauer

Michelle Bauer January 1, 2015

When we refuse to be silent we are saying that we have nothing left to learn or that God has nothing left to say to us.

Leave Your Stuff Behind by Maxie Dunnam

Maxie Dunnam December 31, 2014

By the time most of us get to be adults, we have accumulated a great deal of stuff. We’ve learned so many wrong things, stored up so much misinformation, learned to respond in so many destructive ways, adopted all the biting, snarling, snippy styles of relating, become secretive and cynical. We carry a lot of stuff around, and it burdens

When You Feel Like You’re Drowning by Carrie Carter

Carrie Carter December 29, 2014

Have you ever had a near-drowning experience? I have. I don’t remember when, but I’d guess I was between the ages of seven and nine. I don’t remember the circumstances, except that I was in over my head. Literally. What I can remember is the feeling of not being able to breathe and the panic that completely took over any

Receiving Christmas by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner December 24, 2014

I’m learning what pastors around the globe know so well: that Christmas Is Different For Pastors. The same truth reverberates – Emmanuel, God With Us. It has, however, sunk in that this year I work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and not only work, but serve to fashion a threshold between tired hungry human hearts and the Trinity. The Advent

Holy Focus: Distraction by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner December 22, 2014

Let’s just say I know a thing or two about distraction. In the past 12 months, three of our four family members were stricken with flu on Christmas Day, we celebrated our childrens’ first and fourth birthdays, we went on a two-week multi-state road trip visiting family and friends with said small children, my husband suffered chronic migraines so far

Get Up And Go by Mark Trotter

Mark Trotter December 20, 2014

“Do it even if you don’t feel like it, even if you don’t believe, or can’t imagine, that the promise that is offered can come to you. Get up and follow it anyway, because you are a person of faith, and you believe that what is real is not only the way you feel now, but the promise offered to

Reflections on Dean’s “Almost Christian” by Jack Jackson

Jack Jackson December 18, 2014

” In essence our children aren’t disciples because we aren’t disciples. We’re more focused on our kids’ happiness and success than we are on their discipleship.”

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