Several times in the last few months I have heard persons in positions of power reference John Wigger's American Saint: Francis Asbury and the Methodists. Each time they say they are reading it. None have claimed to finish the book, which given the page count is understandable. I am reading it, though it has taken the back burner to Bad Religion. Each time someone … [Read more...] about Churches Versus Societies – Part One
Memorial Day Prayers 2012
I was asked to pray at our village's Memorial Day service on May 28, 2012. Here are two prayers that I wrote for the occasion. Invocation - Almighty God, We come together once again to remember all those who have died in the service to our country. As we remember and honor the fallen, we beseech you to be with us. Instill in us humble spirits as we invoke sacred memory. … [Read more...] about Memorial Day Prayers 2012
Inclusivism
The Reverend Jeremy Smith posted a link to this article on Twitter. Just reading the title made me want to write a response. Be forewarned, I am not an expert on the subject, but to be frank, I am not sure Abraham is either. A strong case could be made that inclusivism was not the best word for what he is getting at. Here are a few thoughts to some of professor Abraham's … [Read more...] about Inclusivism
Hopes for the United Methodist Church
As I continue to think about the 2012 United Methodist General Conference, I have some thoughts about moving forward. Here are my hopes for the future: Focus - One problem with our church is a lack of focus. We have a mission statement, two kinds of holiness, three simple rules, and four areas of focus. Additionally, we have other programs and agencies focused on ministry. … [Read more...] about Hopes for the United Methodist Church
One Thing More
I was reading the Reverend Mark Reisinger's response to General Conference that he posted on his Facebook account. One line that particularly resonated with me is where Mark asks "did we really expect a great revival to begin through a majority vote in a convention center?" Reading some of the propaganda...hype...analysis before General Conference, I got the impression some … [Read more...] about One Thing More