A Great New Book on the Bible

Years ago I was a research assistant for Dr. Scott Jones at SMU. He was serving in the evangelism chair at Perkins, and he kept me plenty busy tracking down references and scouring books on the Wesleys. Our work together gave us some time to chat and get acquainted. One of the things the future…

Renewal is happening NOW!

When we recite the Apostles’ Creed, we say the words, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” It’s a fine idea to believe in the Holy Spirit, and, of course, it is essential to proper Christian doctrine. But what are the practical implications of this affirmation? What does the Holy Spirit do in the life of the believer? John…

Preaching Unity, Practicing Division

The UM Centrist Movement is an unusual animal. It is a caucus group that claims not to be a caucus group, and it has warned us vociferously against the menace of a schism all the while setting the stage for a division of the denomination. As for the schism against which it has warned us, the…

Some Thoughts on Hate Speech

What we consider hate speech, what is simply considered rude, and what is entirely allowable represent a set of moving targets. At times I hear people–even in professional settings–use the word “retarded” without blinking an eye. These same people would consider a slur based on race, gender, or sexual orientation to be completely inappropriate. CBS Pittsburgh reports…

Renewing our Lives Through the Eucharist

I’m teaching a course in church renewal right now, and one of the topics we’re examining is renewal through the liturgy, and particularly the Eucharist (or Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, etc.). We might well consider our celebration of this sacrament one of the most important keys to the renewal of the Church. After…

Was Wesley’s Faith a Creedal Faith?

Update (4/11/15): Since I wrote this post, a much more thorough and informative piece has been written by my friend Andrew Thompson. If this topic is of interest to you, I encourage you read Andrew’s post.  A few friends of mine and I have been discussing the matter of whether or not John Wesley was committed…