Wesleyan Accent Archive | World Methodist Evangelism

Lent: Interview with Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett

Debbie Wallace-Padgett March 19, 2018

Wesleyan Accent shares the opportunity to explore the Lenten season with Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, who serves the Birmingham Episcopal Area of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church in the United States. Wesleyan Accent: Growing up, Ash Wednesday was something vaguely Catholic-ish printed on the calendar; I didn’t observe it until later in life. What role has Ash Wednesday played

When Jesus Gets Angry by Carolyn Moore

Carolyn Moore March 15, 2018

Find Mark 1:41 in your Bible. How does that line read in your version? How did Jesus feel about this leper who asked for healing? Some versions say Jesus was filled with compassion for the leper who came to him for healing. My version (NIV) and a few other versions say Jesus was indignant. By my experience, there is a

Bucking the System by Jeff Rudy

Jeff Rudy March 14, 2018

Why didn’t Jesus take up the sword? Why isn’t that the means by which to overcome evil? Walter Wink says something quite remarkable about Jesus’ point here: “Violent revolution fails because it is not revolutionary enough. It changes the rulers but not the rules, the ends but not the means.”

Dying Well by Faith Parry

Faith Parry March 12, 2018

The early Methodists were known as people who died well. They had grace and assurance of God’s love and forgiveness for them, so they did not fear death. Furthermore, Wesley made it a point to share the stories of those who died and went on to glory.

Why Pilgrimage Is Part Of Discipleship: Discovering Lindisfarne by Tammie Grimm

Tammie Grimm March 8, 2018

Northumbria. Nether Springs. Lindisfarne. Holy Island. For years I casually entertained the hopes I might visit the Northumbrian Community that produced Celtic Daily Prayer. Inquiries to the community recommended a minimum stay of two nights and three days. Required trips to the United Kingdom for PhD residency never quite afforded the wiggle room on either end to steal away for

The Problem With Praying For Open Doors by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner March 5, 2018

One of the prayers I heard a lot growing up was a simple if loaded take on, “thy will be done.” Praying, “thy will be done,” is not only biblical, Jesus himself prayed it in the Garden of Gethsemane, which is a pretty compelling model to follow. The prayer I heard repeatedly was this: “open and close doors as You

Lent with a Wesleyan Accent by Matt Sigler

Matthew Sigler March 1, 2018

A celebration of Easter without a prior descent into the grave is dishonest and naïve, just as observing Lent without the uncompromising proclamation of the Resurrection is hopeless.

Real Prayers For Real People by Carolyn Moore

Carolyn Moore February 26, 2018

I didn’t immediately fall in love with the Psalms. I found them to be hard to understand and a little dusty. Then some hard things happened in my life and I landed on a few Psalms that became prayers when I didn’t know what to pray. When my mother died, Psalm 42 became my lifeline. Psalm 116 was my testimony in a season when

Scripture You Forgot You Knew by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner February 21, 2018

It happens to all of us. An old song or movie comes on, and somewhere, out of the depths of your dusty brain, a reflex kicks in. Before you know it, you’re singing words you didn’t know you remembered, or you’re quoting a line right before the actor says it. It’s like muscle memory, hidden deep beneath years of doctor

Learning to Love by Michelle Bauer

Michelle Bauer February 19, 2018

What damage can be done if people exercise their spiritual gifts without love?

To Grow Bigger, Think Smaller by Rob Haynes

Rob Haynes June 13, 2022

Many of us continue to deal with the effects of the pandemic in our schools, communities, and churches. No matter the location or size of the church, one universal and lingering effect of the post-pandemic reality is that church attendance has not rebounded as well as other aspects of our pre-COVID19 lives. Recent studies show, regardless of the size of

Our Point of Departure by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman May 26, 2022

Scripture focus: It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when

Giving Preference by Paulo Lopes

Paulo Lopes May 11, 2022

Romans 12:10 Words are a funny thing. Not just words on their own, but the ways we choose to use words and give meaning to them. For instance: a young lady meets a young man and they begin going out on dates. Then they become “exclusive.” Pretty soon the pressure begins to build as the young lady and the young

Absolute Truth by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman April 25, 2022

Scripture Focus: For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. (Matthew 25:35-36, NLT) This month

Fight, Flight, Freeze: Holy Week Unraveled by Elizabeth Glass Turner

elizabeth.turner April 14, 2022

We work so hard to keep Holy Week well-orchestrated: bulletins pristine, lilies in place, songs rehearsed. It’s an important celebration in the life of a church – in the life of The Church; a highlight of the liturgical calendar. We should have our vestments ready, Easter baskets ready, shoes by the door, hearts rightly adorned and aligned. Ham or lamb

Recalculating by Rob Haynes

Rob Haynes April 6, 2022

I don’t always have the best sense of direction. That is one reason why I was particularly thankful when GPS systems became available for your car. I no longer had to pull over to look at a map, rather I could just obediently listen to the voice traveling with me, telling me where to turn. When I strayed from the

Sitting on the Stone by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman March 28, 2022

This month begins our journey to Jerusalem and our celebration of the resurrection – the heart of the good news! Jesus has risen from the dead, overcome evil, and given us eternal life! And yet, this good news comes amidst a lot of difficult news. War in Ukraine, genocide in Myanmar, illness, death, injustice, oppression, poverty, hunger – the list

Why We Must Develop Habits Of Deeper Discernment

Wesleyan Accent February 25, 2022

The demands of our world make it abundantly clear that we urgently need Christians who cultivate habits of discernment. Discernment can be challenging to define and practice at the best of times, but it is absolutely vital at certain moments. And within the practice of discernment lies a quiet habit that may seem like a rabbit trail leading off from

The Word of God by Kim Reisman

Kim Reisman February 23, 2022

Scripture focus: I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding. (Psalm 119:32, NRSV) We have begun 2022 with two understandings about Scripture. It’s God’s path and God’s breath. This month I want to offer a third understanding about Scripture. It’s God’s Word. I realize describing Scripture as the Word of God can make some of

Overcoming Antagonism: What You Can Learn From Nehemiah by Edgar Bazan

Edgar Bazan February 14, 2022

At our church, we’re spending time in the book of Nehemiah and learning how it is that amazing things happen. So far, we’ve explored how amazing things happen when we pray, when we plan, and when we work together. Consider with me now how amazing things happen when we overcome antagonism. Let’s quickly recap the context of the book of

Subscribe

Get articles delivered directly to your inbox as soon as they come out.

Search:

categories: