Download or read book Our Strangely Warmed Hearts written by Karen P. Oliveto and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2018-03-26 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As John Wesley discovered his true spiritual identity, he experienced a strangely warmed heart. Through poignant stories and well-reasoned principles, Karen Oliveto discloses why and how spiritual renewal and a personal call to ministry emerge in the strangely warmed hearts of lesbian and gay Christians. In The United Methodist Church (and other Christian denominations), it is difficult or impossible for lesbian, gay, transsexual, and bisexual clergy or laity to become a visible and outward channel for God’s saving grace. This book traces the history of the church’s struggle with homosexuality, highlighting critical incidents in the culture and church polity which shape the church’s response. The issues are deeply rooted in the way God’s people understand scriptures, which are interpreted as a means of grace for some and as a rule-book for others. This book includes first-person narratives of LGBTQ persons faithfully serving in a denomination that denies their calls and—in some cases—their presence. These stories will show how the coming out process is deeply spiritual as one grows into an authentic, God-created and graced self. “You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (CEB) “Our Strangely Warmed Hearts is a breath of fresh air in the study of the United Methodist struggle and intense debate regarding human sexuality. Karen Oliveto lives in faithful witness and serves people with the heart of Christian leadership."—Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church. “Karen Oliveto offers a compelling window into the steadfast faith and the resilience of the LGBTQ Christian movement in the United States. After offering an extraordinary history of the LGBTQ equality movement in our society and in The United Methodist Church, she rightly asks, 'Is there any other group that we would marginalize in this way?' I wholeheartedly recommend Karen Oliveto's new book to everyone who is affected by the debate over the sacred worth and place of LGBTQ people in our lives and churches. This book inspires hope.” —Michael J. Adee, Ph.D., Director, Global Faith and Justice Project, San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, CA “Bishop Oliveto's story mirrors the experience of many LGBTQ ministers who are serving the Body of Christ openly, and not in the shadows. The integrity, courage, and deep faith of God’s LGBTQ people who are called into ministry have enriched the church and encouraged the outsiders who were always welcome at Jesus' table.”–Andy Lang, Executive Director, Open and Affirming Coalition, United Church of Christ “I loved it! It drew me in immediately and kept me strapped in on what I knew would be a roller coaster of painful history, sprinkled triumphs, and then stories that broke my heart, gave me cheer, and brought tears to my eyes. Bishop Oliveto takes readers on a fascinating trip through LGBTQ history, and into the often contentious collision with mainstream religion…and then brings it all together through the personal stories that make our past and present come alive! I applaud Bishop Oliveto’s book and will highly recommend it to the faithful and faith curious of all religions.”–The Reverend Marian Edmonds-Allen, Executive Director, Parity "[Bishop Karen Oliveto] is sharing the love of Jesus, and meeting people where they are, no matter who they are, and no matter what they think about her. She loves them." —Kent Ingram, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Download or read book Gospel Discipleship Congregation Guide written by Michelle J. Morris and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Each congregation has a unique mission field. Several tools for developing disciples and for engaging in discipleship are available to churches; however, the resources assume that the churches using them are similar to the church that created them. With Gospel Discipleship, individuals and churches learn how to engage in self-reflection, which then defines a path that fits their context. The discipleship path for each individual disciple is assessed and determined through the Gospel Discipleship Participant Guide while this Gospel Discipleship Congregation Guide guides the implemntation of the program and assesses the discipleship path for the congregation as a whole. Therefore, the program leader(s) needs the congregation guide while individual particpants need their own participant guide. With Gospel Discipleship, churches can identify a pathway for discipleship applied from one of the four Gospel storytellers: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each had a distinct approach to discipleship which can be applied to a given church's identity, vision, and mission. As disciples are encouraged by the church to step beyond the door and engage the needs of people, they can be sent forth confidently with an awareness of personal, unique gifts, and insights into the actual mission field where they participate with God in changing the world.

Download or read book The Universal Christ written by Richard Rohr and published by Convergent Books. This book was released on 2019-03-05 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From one of the world’s most influential spiritual thinkers, a long-awaited book exploring what it means that Jesus was called “Christ,” and how this forgotten truth can restore hope and meaning to our lives. “Anyone who strives to put their faith into action will find encouragement and inspiration in the pages of this book.”—Melinda Gates In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Is the word simply Jesus’s last name? Too often, Rohr writes, our understandings have been limited by culture, religious debate, and the human tendency to put ourselves at the center. Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. “God loves things by becoming them,” he writes, and Jesus’s life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God—except by its own negative choice. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize the Creator’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet. Thought-provoking, practical, and full of deep hope and vision, The Universal Christ is a landmark book from one of our most beloved spiritual writers, and an invitation to contemplate how God liberates and loves all that is.

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 Our Membership Vows in the United Methodist Church written by Mark Stamm and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2015-05-04 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A resource for both newcomers to the United Methodist Church and those who have been members for decades, Our Membership Vows is a wonderful reflection on the vows each member takes upon joining the church. Members make covenant to uphold the vows, and each one is discussed in this easy-to-read booklet. A great gift idea for churches to give to new members.

Download or read book Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament written by John Wesley and published by . This book was released on 1795 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

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 Talking with God written by Adam Weber and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2017-03-21 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prayer seems like it should be so simple. Yet, when it comes to actually praying, so often it feels awkward and complicated. The truth is, prayer is simple. It's like talking. Talking with a good friend. Down-to-earth pastor Adam Weber offers an accessible, hopeful approach to one of life's greatest mysteries: talking with God. Now with a brand new bonus chapter and in paperback. This is a book on prayer for the person who longs to connect with God, but doesn't really know how. It's a book for the person who has a job, family, schedule, kids, deadlines, full inbox, and a million things to do and yet is curious about prayer and talking with God. What does it really look like to pray in the midst of all of life's craziness?

Download or read book The Great Spiritual Migration written by Brian D. McLaren and published by Convergent Books. This book was released on 2016 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Drawing from his work as global activist, pastor, and public theologian, McLaren challenges readers to stop worrying, waiting, and indulging in nostalgia, and instead, to embrace the powerful new understandings that are reshaping the church. In [this book], he explores three profound shifts that define the change"--Dust jacket flap.

Download or read book Holding Up Your Corner written by F. Willis Johnson and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2017-01-03 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Holding Up Your Corner: Talking About Race in Your Community, equips pastors to respond with confidence when crises occur, lower their own inhibitions about addressing this topic, and reclaim their authority as prophetic witnesses and leaders in order to transform their communities Pastors and other church leaders see, to varying degrees, racially rooted injustice in their communities. Most of them understand an imperative, as part of their calling from God, to lead their congregations to address and reverse this injustice. For instance, preachers want to be preaching prophetically on this topic. But the problems seem irreversible, intractable, overwhelming, and pastors often feel their individual efforts will be futile. Additionally, they realize that there is a lot of risk involved, including the possibility that their actions may offend and even push some members away from the church. They do not know what to do or how to begin. And so, even during times of crisis, pastors and other church leaders typically do less than they know they could and should. This book provides practical, foundational guidance, showing pastors how to live into their calling to address injustice, and how to lead others to do the same. Holding Up Your Corner prompts readers to observe, identify and name the complex causes of violence and hatred in the reader’s particular community, including racial prejudice, entrenched poverty and exploitation, segregation, the loss of local education and employment, the ravages of addiction, and so on. The book walks the church leader through a self-directed process of determining what role to play in the leader’s particular location. Readers will learn to use testimony and other narrative devices, proclamation, guided group conversations, and other tactics in order to achieve the following: Open eyes to the realities in the reader’s community—where God’s reign/kingdom is not yet overcoming selfishness, injustice, inequality, or the forces of evil. Own the calling and responsibility we have as Christians, and learn how to advocate hope for God’s kingdom in the reader’s community. Organize interventions and activate mission teams to address the specific injustices in the reader’s community. What Does ‘Holding Up Your Corner’ Mean? The phrase ‘holding up your corner’ is derived from a biblical story (Mark 2: 1 – 5) about four people who take action in order to help another person—literally delivering that person to Christ. For us, ‘holding up your corner’ has meaning in two aspects of our lives today: First, it refers to our physical and social locations, the places where we live and work, and the communities of which we’re a part. These are the places where our assumptions, attitudes, and beliefs have influence on the people around us. When we feel empowered to speak out about the injustice or inequity in our community, we are holding up our corner. Second, the phrase refers to our actions, the ways we step up to meet a particular problem of injustice or inequity, and proactively do something about it. When we put ourselves—literally—next to persons who are suffering, and enter into their situation in order to bring hope and healing to the person and the situation, we are holding up our corner, just like the four people who held up the corner of the hurting man’s mat.

Download or read book The Unofficial United Methodist Handbook written by F. Belton Joyner, Jr. and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2010-09-01 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following Jesus is hard to do – but even harder if we take ourselves too seriously. The Unofficial United Methodist Handbook is the indispensable companion for anyone trying to live a committed Christian life, with a healthy dose of humor. Timeless biblical truths stand alongside everyday life situations that everyone meets, with step-by-step instructions that make the going easy: How to Stay Alert in Church How to Identify an Angel (with diagram) How to Survive for One Hour in an Un-Air-Conditioned Church How to Share Your Faith with Someone How to Identify and Avoid Evil How to Survive an Old Testament Plague How to Memorize a Bible Verse Common Christian Symbols and What They Mean What Is Unique about The United Methodist Church and Its History …plus dozens of other illustrations, maps, diagrams, and essential tips! This unique and incredibly handy resource is perfect for United Methodist youth, adults, students, families, and all those interested in learning about life in the church.

Download or read book Key United Methodist Beliefs written by William J. Abraham and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2013 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deepen your understanding of core Methodist beliefs.

Download or read book Becoming Who God Wants You to Be written by W. Paul Jones and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2014-01-01 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For those who do not have a spiritual director – or are curious about the concept – W. Paul Jones has crafted a series of topical meditations that facilitate self-guided spiritual direction. In this refreshing approach to the means of spiritual growth, you will explore self-guided spiritual direction with the ultimate spiritual director – The Holy Spirit. Examine your inner thoughts, truths, difficulties, and triumphs through reflection questions at the end of each chapter that prompt introspection and ultimately direction in your spiritual life. Chapter Topics Include: Abandonment, Being Second, Covenant, Envy, Prayer, and Religion

Download or read book Why I Am a United Methodist written by William H. Willimon and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 1990 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Willimon examines ways in which United Methodism continues to make a difference in his life. He writes of his pride in being part of a church that has grown from one man's experience to a worldwide movement.

Download or read book United Methodist Altars written by Hoyt L. Hickman and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2011-07-01 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This basic, fully illustrated manual for congregational leaders explains how to prepare the sanctuary and its furnishings for the celebration of worship and sacraments throughout the Christian year. This practical, informative guide is an indispensable companion for worship committees, altar guilds, or individuals whose responsible for these vital tasks in their church. United Methodist Altars includes: care, cleaning, and storage instructions for all vestments and appointments; a calendar of the Christian year, with appropriate colors for each season; responsibilities and suggested organizational structure for the altar guild; an explanation of the history and meaning of worship furnishings; preparation instructions for the various United Methodist services; and, a glossary.

Download or read book Being United Methodist written by J. Ellsworth Kalas and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What exactly is a Methodist?

Download or read book The Mystical Presence written by John Williamson Nevin and published by . This book was released on 1867 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: