The dynamics of trust and obedience define the relational and personal dimensions of faith. We tend to treasure what we trust and trust what we treasure.
This has led me to wrestle through the following notion – the times when the first two rules of Methodism – “do no harm” and “do good” seem to be at odds.
At its most basic level, Christian faith is a centered, personal, relational response involving trust and obedience.
Whether you’re reading this at home or at work, let me ask you a question. What sort of signal do you give your neighbors? Do you extend welcoming hospitality or have you constructed walls for your personal safe haven? Go Home Ranch My wife and I once hired a handyman to build a lattice fence that would enclose a giant
Human identity is formed as we navigate a process of separating and joining. We become most fully who we are, not when we reach independence, but when we understand our interdependence and recognize that we are both separate and connected to those around us.
From the seven depictions of Christ’s crucifixion story, to the mother of Jesus holding her infant son as she stretched out her arms to the weeping worshipper, the entire chapel was an invitation to see our sufferings – our very humanity – in light of the fact that neither Jesus nor Mary were exempt from suffering, pain, or death.
The Holy Spirit is present, active, and involved with all of creation in a life-giving way.
As Christians, we have a great deal to say about the meaning of suffering.
Christ’s self-giving love overcomes human hatred while at the same time creating space within Christ to receive estranged humanity.
We live in a world where people need to meet Jesus. I guess that’s always been the case. There’s never been a time, in human history, where people have not needed that relationship with God. God created us for relationship with him. Everything in our life flows from that relationship. Here’s the thing. Once we have entered into relationship with
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
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + The Methodist presence in Ecuador is a story of perseverance and transformation. Founded in 1964 through the work of missionaries from the United States, the Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Unida del Ecuador has grown into a vibrant, autonomous body. Today, under the leadership of Bishop Silvio Cevallos, the IEMUE consists of approximately 1,500 members
I like to do projects around the house and the garage. It may be a small chore like changing a light fixture or a large job repairing the car. I like to be part of the solution. Over the years I have learned that one key to doing the job well is having the right tool for the job. You
So far in this series, I have shared how personal holiness and surrender have kept me spiritually alive throughout my ministry. Let me now make my case and offer specific notions which I pray might have at least some hints of wisdom. Spiritual, emotional, and relational growth takes time and energy. It requires discipline. It diverts us from “pastoral duties”
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + The Iglesia Evangélica Metodista de Costa Rica is a cornerstone of the nation’s Protestant history. Founded in 1917 by missionaries who arrived on horseback from Panama, the church grew out of the work of Methodist missionaries from the United States and has been an autonomous church since 1973. Today, it is a
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia was officially formed in Melbourne in 1946 after a local leader, Kingsley Ridgway, met an American serviceman and felt a call to bring the Wesleyan holiness tradition to the Australian people. The WMCA is an autonomous church that grew out of the Methodist Holiness movement and is
I’m not what you’d call an outdoorsy person. In fact, the only exercise I typically get is jumping to conclusions. So when I found myself at the bottom of a very steep hill in the Peak District of Derbyshire, legs already burning, lungs already protesting, I had a moment of serious doubt about my life choices. But I’m getting ahead
official website Members 0 K+ Congregations 0 + The Methodist Church in Columbia is a relatively young but deeply impactful member of our family. While Methodism in Colombia dates back several decades, the church has flourished in recent years, even amidst the country’s complex social and political history. Today, the ICM is a diverse community of approximately 2,000 members across
In March of 2020, as many of us were coming to terms with the COVID-19 pandemic, I became close friends with a neighbor. Our kids are close in age, and we defiantly kept a similar “open-door policy” with our neighbors and their kids in a season when many were understandably afraid of contagion (or peer-judgment). Because of our likeminded attitude
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