Download or read book Why I Am a United Methodist written by Bishop William H. Willimon and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2010-09-01 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In seven chapters, Willimon examines United Methodism and the ways it has made and continues to make a difference in his life. In an inspiring and enlightening way, he writes of his pride in being part of a church that has grown from one man's experience to a worldwide movement covering the globe with its message. A learning guide for groups and individuals is included. Chapter titles: Because Religion Is of the Heart Because the Bible Is Our Book Because Religion Is Practical Because Christians Are to Witness Because Christians Are to Grow Because Religion Is Not a Private Affair

Download or read book Living Grace written by Dr. Manfred Marquardt and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2002-01-01 with total page 860 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living Grace is the most comprehensive expression of systematic theology for United Methodism to appear in the 1990's. Its authors, Bishop Walter Klaiber and Dr. Manfred Marquardt, are leading theologians of continental European United Methodism. Their work meets the long-felt need to provide partners in ecumenical dialog a clearer exposition of Methodism's theology, as founded upon biblical witness, apostolic heritage, the Protestant Reformation, and the Wesleyan Revival. The authors concede that Methodists are often regarded more as specialists in evangelization, ecclesial organization, or social engagement, than as representatives of a cogently articulated theology. Further, United Methodists today are frequently at the forefront of facilitating interchurch cooperation in worship and social outreach. It is the authors' hope that a clearer exposition of our common understanding could offer a foundation upon which the "vital Wesleyan accent" could better direct the Christian witness we are offering in the world. Their response to the challenge has produced a thoughtful attempt to find a solid theological basis for our identity as a church that will not only accent our distinctiveness but will also assist other faith communities to articulate their profiles of faith. In this first English edition, the work has been adapted for the American historical and social milieu. As such, it becomes a pathbreaking effort to articulate for our American constituency the global dimensions of a United Methodist theology, in which the American church is increasingly called to participate. Four emphases of the book are: Responsible Proclamation, Basics of a UMC theology; Universal Salvation; Personal Faith; and, Fullness of Christian Life and the Reality of Love.

Download or read book Stolen Grace written by Rev Errol E. Leslie and published by Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2023-02-09 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If we look closely at the people God used in the Old Testament, we will notice that many of them failed God at some point. They messed up badly, and God still used them. Even in the New Testament, there are people who messed up, and God used them to build His kingdom and church. God has used and will continue to use aEURoemessed-up people,aEUR and many such are found in the genealogy of Jesus and also referenced in Hebrews 11, who were broken and really messed up. The Bible is filled with stories of people that have struggled, stumbled, and simply failed God. God stopped Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus, and his life would be changed and transformed forever. Paul easily became the greatest apostle of all time. In scriptures, there are so many other persons whom God used, even though they were broken. People like Moses, David, Solomon, and Rahab show us how God is still willing to use us after we have messed up. No matter what broken state weaEUR(tm)re in, we are never beyond GodaEUR(tm)s reach. We are never so far gone that God canaEUR(tm)t make us effective for His purposes. It is us as human beings who judge each other by our own personal standards and write people off as being unacceptable. I messed up badly during my ministry, but I am convinced that God still has a purpose for me and wants to continue to use me in ministry. He has already been demonstrating this to me in a clear, strong, and meaningful way When we are broken or feel that we have messed up, that is not the time to worry about what others may do or say since other humans can make us feel worse. Equally, it is not the time to give up and turn away from God. Rather, it is the time to draw nearer to God. That is when we should seek God all the more for direction, clarity, help, and strength. ItaEUR(tm)s the time when we should, like David, ask God to create a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within us and restore us into the joy of His salvation.

Download or read book Being Disciples written by Rowan Williams and published by SPCK. This book was released on 2016-07-21 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "If discipleship is a journey, this book belongs in the rucksack. . . Like the scriptures on which it is based, it deserves repeated reading." Stephen Cherry, Dean of Kings College, Cambridge This fresh and inspiring look at the meaning of discipleship covers the essentials of the christian life, including: faith, hope and love; forgiveness; holiness; social action; life in the Spirit. Written for the general reader by one of our greatest living theologians, this book will help you to see more clearly, love more dearly and follow more nearly the way of Jesus Christ.

Download or read book United Methodist Doctrine written by Scott J. Jones and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout this book, Scott J. Jones insists that for United Methodists the ultimate goal of doctrine is holiness. Importantly, he clarifies the nature and the specific claims of "official" United Methodist doctrine in a way that moves beyond the current tendency to assume the only alternatives are a rigid dogmatism or an unfettered theological pluralism. In classic Wesleyan form, Jones' driving concern is with recovering the vital role of forming believers in the "mind of Christ, " so that they might live more faithfully in their many settings in our world.

Download or read book The Character of a Methodist written by John Wesley and published by . This book was released on 1743 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Living Faithfully written by Dave Barnhart and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2017-08-15 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is deep disagreement about what The United Methodist Church should teach about homosexuality, same gender marriage, and the ordination of LGBTQ persons. In 2019, a special session of General Conference will be held to consider these issues and how they will be addressed by The United Methodist Church in the future. Living Faithfully is designed to help you understand the shape of this debate and what it means for the present and the future. Each chapter includes background on the Bible, Christian theology, history, stories from diverse viewpoints, and United Methodist structure and practice to guide reflection and conversation. You’ll also find definitions of key terms and information about upcoming events. The four chapters are: 1. Is the Practice of Homosexuality Incompatible with Christian Teaching? 2. Is Same-gender Marriage Compatible with Christian Teaching? 3. Is Ordaining Practicing Homosexuals Compatible with Christian Teaching? 4. Where Are We Now? This four-week study will help you understand and grapple with various views about the ministry and teaching of The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality. It will lead you to have honest, well-informed, and grace-filled conversations with others about these matters and the calls for change. And it will help you discern, in prayer and conversation, how you can respond faithfully in love of God and neighbor. A Leader Guide is included with lesson plans to help facilitate a four-session small group study. From the Faultlines collection, resources intended to inform conversations around human sexuality and the church.

Download or read book I m Black I m Christian I m Methodist written by Lillian C. Smith and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2020-11-03 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ten personal narratives reveal the shared and distinct struggles of being Black in the Church, facing historic and modern racism. It’s uncertain that Howard Thurman made the remark often attributed to him, “I have been writing this book all my life,” but there is little doubt that he was deeply immersed in reflection on the times that bear an uncanny resemblance to the present day, which give voice to the Black Lives Matter movement. Our “life’s book” is filled with sentence upon sentence of marginalization, pages of apartheid, chapters of separate and unequal. Now this season reveals volumes of violence against Blacks in America. Ten Black women and men explore life through the lens of compelling personal religious narratives. They are people and leaders whose lives are tangible demonstrations of the power of a divine purpose and evidence of what grace really means in face of hardship, disappointment, and determination. Each of the journeys intersect because of three central elements that are the focus of this book. We’re Black. We’re Christians. We’re Methodists. Each starts with the fact, “I'm Black,” but to resolve the conflict of being Christian and Methodist means confronting aspects of White theology, White supremacy, and White racism in order to ground an oppositional experience toward domination over four centuries in America. “The confluence of the everyday indignities of being Black in America; the outrageous, egregious, legalized lynching of George Floyd; and the unforgivable disparities exposed once again by COVID–19 have conspired together to create a seminal moment in America and in The United Methodist Church—in which we must find the courage to say unambiguously ‘Black Lives Matter.’ To stumble or choke on those words is beneath the gospel,” says Bishop Gregory Palmer, who wrote the foreword to the collection. Praise for I'm Black. I'm Christian. I'm Methodist. “This book made me shout, dance, rage and hope—all at once! As a "cradle Methodist," I have deep love for my church and bless it for nurturing my walk with Christ and my passion for social justice. At the same time, I lament that my church is also the place where I have witnessed and been most wounded by virulent racism, sexism, heterosexism, and ageism. Yet, I stay and struggle for the soul of the church because I am a Black Christian woman fired by the love of God-in-Christ-Jesus. I stay because this is MY church and the church of my ancestors. Although I regularly question my decision to remain United Methodist, it is stories like these—from other exuberant love warriors—that remind me that I am called by God to stay, pray, fight, and flourish!” —M. Garlinda Burton, deaconess and interim general secretary, General Commission of Religion and Race, Washington DC “Racism continues to be the unacceptable scandal of American society and the American churches. In spite of some gains such as the diversity of supporters for “Black Lives Matter,” even the best intentioned among us remain largely ignorant of the actual life experience of those who are other than ourselves. This collection of testimonies, edited by Rudy Rasmus, helps remedy that by simply recounting personal stories of being Black, Christian, and Methodist in the United States. White Methodist Christians in particular need to read these stories and take them to heart so that racism and its divisiveness is countered by shared experience and recognition of common humanity across difference. More White Methodists need not only reject racism in our society and church but become active anti-racists willing to do the hard work to create the beloved community, dreamed about by Martin Luther King in the 1960s civil rights movement. —Bruce C. Birch, Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Theology Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC “This book is a powerful collection interweaving personal stories, denominational and intercultural practices, and Black lives bearing hopeful witness. Readers will have their consciousness raised, and they will think more deeply about the meaning of beloved community and the embodiment of the justice of God.” —Harold J. Recinos, Professor of Church and Society, Perkins School of Theology/SMU, Dallas, Texas “For hundreds of years, we have not listened. This book is our chance to hear the words of the Black leaders in our church. They will change us, remake us, and reform us. Get ready to be transformed by painful truth and deep love. —Rev. Dr. Dottie Escobedo-Frank, Lead Pastor, Catalina United Methodist Church, Tucson, Arizona "I’m Black gives readers a clear picture of the diversity and value of Black culture in church and society. After reading the dynamic stories told by these faithful, transformative church leaders, Black lives will be cherished, and systemic change for the better will take place.” —Joseph W. Daniels, Jr. , Lead Pastor, Emory United Methodist Church, Washington, D.C. "Dr. Rudy Rasmus and others give an insightful look into what it means to be black, Christian and Methodist in America. Their perspectives on the status and plight of being black in America are both engaging and riveting. If you are looking for ways to better understand the nuances and many faces of African American Methodist evangelical life in America, this book is a must-read!" —The Reverend J. Elvin Sadler, D.Min., General Secretary-Auditor, The A.M.E. Zion Church Assistant Dean for Doctoral Studies, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio "I endorse this powerful book of Essays conceived and edited by my friend Pastor Rudy Rasmus. It is a book for our current and future realities facing the Black Church a must read." —Deborah Bass , Vice-Chairperson, National BMCR

Download or read book Polity Practice and the Mission of The United Methodist Church written by Thomas E. Frank and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2006-04-01 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Commissioned by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for use in United Methodist doctrine/polity/history courses." This in-depth analysis of the connection between United Methodist polity and theology addresses ways in which historical developments have shaped--and continue to shape--the organization of the church.This revised edition incorporates the actions of The United Methodist General Conference, 2004. The book discusses continuing reforms of the church's plan for baptism and church membership, as well as the emergence of deacon's orders and other changes to ordained ministry procedures. The text is now cross-referenced to the Book of Discipline, 2004, including the revised order of disciplinary chapters and paragraph numbering. Denominational statistics are updated, along with references to recent works on The United Methodist Church and American religious life.

Download or read book Doctrine and Theology in the United Methodist Church written by Thomas A. Langford and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is intended to set in historical context the official United Methodist theological statements in the Disciplines of 1972 and 1988, and to foster reflection on and discussion of the 1988 statement.

Download or read book The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 1968 written by United Methodist Church (U.S.) and published by . This book was released on 1968 with total page 616 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Living Our Beliefs written by Kenneth L. Carder and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2009-10-01 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You can believe anything and be a Methodist, just so long as you're sincere. Such a misperception has deep historical and cultural roots. Explore a basic explanation of the beliefs and practices of the United Methodist Church as defined in Part II of The Book of Discipline. Uncover a deeper understanding and experience of Christian faith as you embrace the United Methodist way. "Beliefs are to be lived; doctrine is to be practiced," writes Carder in this updated edition of his 1996 bestseller. "The authenticity of beliefs lie in their ability to shape people and communities into the image of Christ and to promote holiness and happiness. …The important test of the validity of doctrines and beliefs for United Methodists is the kind of character they produce in individuals and communities and the actions they inspire in the world." Living Our Beliefs is essential reading for new members, confirmation classes and small group studies. As one reviewer says, "Bishop Carder invites us to both understand and live our beliefs. With deep understanding of Wesley's teaching, he inspires us to practice what we preach. That is the United Methodist way." The Leader's Guide for this course, Living Our United Methodist Beliefs, by George Hovaness Donigan may be purchased here.

Download or read book United Methodist Beliefs written by William H. Willimon and published by Westminster John Knox Press. This book was released on 2007-04-19 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This brief introduction spells out the major beliefs of the United Methodist Church in a clear, nontechnical style. William Willimon, the beloved United Methodist author, preacher, teacher, and bishop, discusses the great theological themes that United Methodists share in common with all Christians as well as the particular accents and emphases that characterize United Methodist understandings of Christian doctrines. In his engaging style, Willimon opens the door for further study, challenging the reader to move toward a continuing reflection on their faith. This guide will be of great value to those who are beginning their study of United Methodist beliefs as well as those who have long been in the church and want a helpful way to refresh their understandings of the distinctiveness of United Methodist doctrine.

Download or read book The Grave Robber written by Mark Batterson and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2015-02-24 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do we believe that God still does miracles? Considering how difficult it is for many of us adults to trust in the miraculous power of God, how much more difficult can it be for a young person in the midst of struggles about identity and purpose in life? With the help of his son Parker, bestselling author Mark Batterson now brings the exciting message of a God who longs to do miracles in our lives to a teen audience. Together they show young readers that God is intimately involved in their lives and wants them to experience the miraculous. With poignant examples from the lives of real teens, The Grave Robber, Student Edition brings to life not only the seven miracles from John's Gospel but the countless miracles we witness every day--if only we have eyes to see.

Download or read book The Scripture Way of Salvation a Sermon on Ephesians Ii 8 written by John Wesley and published by . This book was released on 1770 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Together at the Table written by Karen Oliveto and published by Westminster John Knox Press. This book was released on 2018-07-31 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Together at the Table is the personal story and public message of Bishop Karen Oliveto, the first openly LGBTQ person to be elected a bishop in The United Methodist Church. Her election was and is controversial, with opponents seeking to have her removed and some even threatening violence against her. The denomination has been debating the inclusion of LGBTQ people for decades and will be gathering in February 2019 to determine whether it can agree to let conferences within the church ordain as they see fit and let congregations decide what weddings to hold or whether conservative and liberal factions will break off from the denominational body. Bishop Oliveto believes that the church can stay togetherthat people of different convictions can remain in communion with one another. Woven together with her own story of coming out and following God's call to ordained ministry is her guidance for how to live together despite differencesby practicing empathy, living with ambiguity, appreciating the diversity of creation, and embracing unity without uniformity.

Download or read book The Orders of Ministry in the United Methodist Church written by John E. Harnish and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is a collection of essays by leading United Methodist scholars about the implications of the revised orders of ministry in The United Methodist Church. Eagerness to effectively communicate the gospel has driven an approach to ministry that is fundamentally pragmatic and functional. In approaching the question of the role of ordained ministry within the overall calling of the people of God, Methodists have traditionally asked "What works?" and then gone on to reflect theologically on the approach they are considering. In 1996, UM General Conference enacted sweeping changes regarding the offices of deacon and elder. The decisions of General Conference have raised a number of questions that we are just now beginning to explore. This book addresses major recent changes within the denomination and explores these changes from a historical, theological, and practical point of view. It helps readers understand the dynamics of and the reasons for the new order of ministry and helps them understand the implications of the changes for the denomination and for individuals.