Author Archives: Kevin M. Watson

New Page

16 Tuesday Jun 2009

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I have created a new page that has put together in one place information about my book. The page can be found by clicking on the tab “Blueprint for Discipleship” or by clicking here.

This page has a summary of the book, a link to the Discipleship Resources listing for the book (which has the contents and an excerpt from the book) and the reviews which are on the back of the book (these reviews were by Elaine A. Heath, Scott J. Jones, William B. Lawrence, and Mike Slaughter). I also wanted to have a place to list reviews that were graciously submitted for the book by Ted A. Campbell, Douglas M. Strong, and Lovett Weems but were not included in the print version of the book. Finally, I wanted to have a place to link to reviews of the book that have been written by fellow bloggers. If you have written a review and I have not linked to it, please let me know.

Comparisons between Emergent and Methodism

16 Tuesday Jun 2009

Posted by in Article Review, links, Wesley

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Dan Dick has a great post responding to the UM Portal article that I recently responded to on my blog. Dick’s post has challenged some of my initial excitement and helped me to think more critically about comparisons between emergent and early Methodism. I will continue thinking about this. While I do that, you should read about the United Methodist Emergent-cy.

Great Article at UM Portal

12 Friday Jun 2009

Posted by in Christian Living, links, Wesley

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Thanks to Steve Manskar for drawing my attention to a wonderful article on the emergent movement and United Methodism at the United Methodist Portal. The article particularly highlights the difference between the missional focus of emergent as opposed to the attractional model of many churches which offer emergent worship as a way to attract a particular demographic.

The second half of the article makes a fantastic comparison between early Methodism and what is happening in some emergent settings. Taylor Burton-Edwards is a key voice in the article, discussing his understanding of what Wesley was doing in early Methodism and what seems to have potential for Methodism today.

There are some things in the article that seem to be a bit overstated. There is, for example, a quote from Burton-Edwards that Wesley was ‘absolutely horrible as a pastor.’ This is, of course, a very subjective claim that depends on what one considers to be the traits of a “horrible” or “magnificent” pastor. From the work that I have been doing for Dr. Ted Campbell on the next volume of Wesley’s Letters for the Bicentennial Edition of Wesley’s Works, I cannot help but be amazed at the sheer volume of Wesley’s correspondence. There were certainly times when he seemed to be very blunt and tactless. Yet, he also frequently encouraged people to continue doing the work God had called them to, and to continue moving toward holiness. My guess is that the stark contrast between “absolutely horrible” pastor and “tremendous community organizer” is more the result of editing for the article, than Burton-Edwards’ view of John Wesley.

The article also states:

Mr. Burton-Edwards believes the whole system began to bog down and lose its distinctive edge when Methodists started forming congregations in America in 1784. Wesley’s rules required active participation in both the class meeting and the society meeting. But by 1850, there were essentially no class meetings left in the church.

Again this doesn’t seem quite right. The time period that is identified is almost exactly the period when Methodism saw its most explosive and dramatic growth. While there do seem to be many different things going on during this period of seventy years, some of which led to the decline of Methodism – there also seems to have been something about the way in which American Methodists formed congregations in the last years of the 1700s that has some explanatory power for why Methodism grew at such an astonishing rate. This is simply a way of saying that it seems odd to say that Methodism lost its distinctive edge during the time that it was spreading throughout America. Despite this qualm, I think Burton-Edwards is onto something crucial when he points to the decline of the class meeting in the 19th century as a loss of something particularly distinctive of Methodist identity.

This article raises many interesting questions, and it provides intriguing answers to many of these questions that are worth exploring further. I am excited to see this kind of analysis by United Methodists and eagerly anticipate more from Burton-Edwards, David Reid (who wrote the article) and the UM Reporter.

(By the way, I would like to partially remedy one major oversight of the article. It mentions that Taylor Burton-Edwards has started a blog for emergent United Methodists, but it does not provide a url or a link to the blog. The blog is emergingumc and the url is http://emergingumc.blogspot.com. I would encourage you to go there and join in the conversation if these issues are of interest to you.)

Continuing the Conversation

09 Tuesday Jun 2009

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I have come to see the process of writing and publishing a book as more of an effort to start a conversation, than an attempt to have the last word. The more I have thought about this, the more it has made sense to me. Books that have a lasting impact do so because they speak to people in ways that challenge them, cause them to ask questions, encourage them to go deeper, and maybe even see things in a new way. Whatever the result, it seems to me that a good book is able to start a conversation, even if the conversation is only between the person reading the book and the author.

After the publication of A Blueprint for DiscipleshipI have had the opportunity to have some very interesting conversations with many different people. In fact, some of them were with those of you reading this post. The initial conversations I had about the book were with several bloggers who not only read the book, but wrote thoughtful and engaging reviews of it. I had a few further conversations with church leaders whom I had asked for feedback. In these interactions I was humbled by some of the very kind things that people said about the book. While everyone likes to receive compliments, I have also really appreciated the constructive criticism that I have received. In every interaction I have had so far, even when there has been disagreement, I have felt that the desire on both sides was to better understand one another, and more importantly to better understand the contribution that Methodism’s Wesleyan heritage has to make to our approach to discipleship. And I am grateful that to this point every conversation I have had about the book has been civil and respectful. I do not take this for granted, because it is all too common to see people who disagree with someone use ridicule, scorn, or humiliation to ridicule their opponent in order to win an argument.

I hope that this will be a place where the conversation can continue. If you have read Blueprint and you have questions, comments, or criticisms please drop me a line. I cannot promise to respond to everything that I receive, but I would like to be able to continue the conversation. As I am able, I will post questions that I receive, offer my answer, and invite your responses. So, please feel free to email me at deeplycommitted (at) gmail (dot) com. If you do not want your email made public, please tell me that you do not want me to publish your email on my blog.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thoughts on My First Year as a Ph.D. Student

04 Thursday Jun 2009

Posted by in Life, Ministry

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I recently had to write an annual report for a fellowship that I have that discussed challenges and highlights of my first year as a Ph.D. student. The report follows, for those who may be interested in hearing a bit more about the challenges and blessings of the past year:

My first year as a John Wesley Fellow and as a Ph.D. student at Southern Methodist University has been both eventful and challenging. In this annual report I would like to discuss a few personal and academic highlights and challenges. Overall, the last year provided many opportunities to test my calling to pastor seminary students who are preparing to become pastors. At the end of my first year of coursework, I have a deeper sense of the challenges that will come with seeking to build a bridge (or reinforce bridges that are already in existence) between the academy and the church. Yet, though I may be a bit less naïve than I was this time last year, I am as passionate as I have ever been about pursuing what I perceive to be God’s call on my life.

The primary personal challenge I have faced in my first year as a Ph.D. student has simply been finding balance between being a full-time Ph.D. student, full-time husband, full-time father, and full-time Christian. There were times during the year that I felt like I was at the mercy of the semester schedule and just had to bear down and get through. During these times I often did not give as much time to my family or my faith as I wanted to. My accountability group was often a means of grace, reminding me that there was a bigger picture than getting through the semester. The primary challenge has been that I have had to recognize that there are times when I simply do not have time to do everything that I would like to do as well as I want to. I still struggle with this, but I believe that through this experience a kind of purification is happening where I am reevaluating my priorities and seeking to live a life that is consistent with them.

The primary academic challenge of the past year has been the unrelenting pace of this first year. We moved to Dallas in early June and I spent the summer studying for my French language exam. A few days after the exam, the fall semester started. After the fall semester ended, I began studying for my first field exam, which covered 17-18th century ecclesiastical history. I took that exam a few days before the spring semester began. At the beginning of the spring semester, I was not sure I was ready for another semester to begin. When the spring semester ended, I began studying for my second field exam, which covered the history of Christian doctrine. My online summer German course began the same week as that field exam. Two days after my field exam, I went to Oklahoma to attend my Annual Conference. Things are finally starting to slow down a bit, and I am going to be intentional this summer about not working more than forty hours a week. However, I recognize that next year will be every bit as much of a marathon as last year. I have rejoiced several times throughout the past year because as tired as I have been, I have never doubted whether this was the right thing for me to do. I continue to believe that I am being faithful to God’s calling. And I know that without God’s grace (and my wife’s support!) I would not have made it this far.

Thankfully, the past year has had more highlights than challenges. There have been several personal highlights. The most important one has been the joy and blessing of being a part of my 13 month old daughter’s life. Simply watching her grow and develop has been both miraculous and mysterious. I have also been grateful for my wife, Melissa, who is a natural mother and makes it easier for me to learn what being a father looks like. As I write this, I am made aware of just how blessed I am simply to be able to share life with my wife and to be Bethany Faith’s dad.

Another personal highlight was the publication of my first book as the sole author, A Blueprint for Discipleship: Wesley’s General Rules as a Guide for Christian Living. The process of writing and seeing a book through to publication has been both gratifying and humbling. I have realized that writing a book, particularly one geared primarily toward the church, is more like starting a conversation than having the last word.

There have been several academic highlights of the past year as well. I am thankful to have passed my French language exam and to have passed my first field exam. I am also glad to have survived the first year of my Ph.D. program. I have enjoyed the opportunities this year to do some preliminary work on my anticipated dissertation topic. I have also appreciated and enjoyed the opportunity over the past year to be Dr. Ted Campbell’s research assistant for his work on the upcoming volumes of Wesley’s Letters for the Bicentennial Edition.

Another major highly was recently being given the opportunity to teach United Methodist History at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in the Fall of 2009 as an adjunct faculty member. I am particularly looking forward to teaching United Methodist History in the fall, because this is the class that I hoped to be able to teach someday when I first considered doing Ph.D. work. I did not think the opportunity would come so soon, and am thrilled that it has.

Writing this report has helped me to realize how much really has happened in the past year. It has been mind numbing at times. However, looking back I am thankful for the ways that I have seen God’s provision throughout the many challenges. I am grateful to have made it this far, and look forward to seeing what the next year brings.

Thoughts from Oklahoma Annual Conference

01 Monday Jun 2009

Posted by in Christian Living, Life, Ministry

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Annual Conference has occasionally been difficult for me to attend. I have sometimes been much too cynical and easily disillusioned. I have occasionally thought that we were like kids fascinated with the explosive power of fireworks when we are surrounded by dynamite.

This post, however, is not intended to be a lament. It is meant to be a testimony. Last week, I saw felt the Spirit of God at work throughout Annual Conference. I prayed during my drive to Annual Conference each morning. This was truly a means of grace for me. As a result, I arrived at Annual Conference each morning expecting to see God at work in some way during the day. Here are a few glimpses of where I saw God at work:

On Monday, I felt the privilege of being able to vote on those who would be commissioned and ordained at this Annual Conference. I was reminded of the blessing and responsibility that comes with being a member of the order of elders in ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. I was also convicted by hearing the ordinands answer the same questions that I answered just last year. I was reminded that I made these same vows last year. And I was reminded that these vows are ongoing. We did not promise to do this until we were ordained. Rather, we took these vows as part of our entrance into ordained ministry with the expectation that we would uphold them as long as we are in this order. I found myself looking around and thinking about all the people at the clergy session who had previously made these vows, praying that we were all reminded of the promises we have made before God and one another.

(One slight suggestion: I love the questions about Christian perfection. We should not only keep them, but should take them more seriously. I think one way of more honestly answering these questions would be to respond “Yes, by the grace of God.” Rather than simply saying, “Yes.”)

On Tuesday I had dinner and a wonderful conversation with Brandon Blacksten. Brandon was in the youth group when I was working with the youth at McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church when I was in college at the University of Oklahoma. He has just finished his first year of seminary at Vanderbilt and is a candidate for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. I will resist putting words in Brandon’s mouth, but I left our conversation refreshed and thankful for the interaction.

I was also very apprehensive about the debate about the proposed constitutional amendments. The actual discussion and debate, I thought, went very well. It seemed to me that people were trying to understand and love those who seemed to be on opposite sides of some of these issues. (I would also highly recommend the format that was used at our Annual Conference. We had round table discussions and spent about 15 minutes discussing the amendments – they were clustered into four groups. After the table discussions people were able to speak to the entire gathering for or against the amendments. We agreed to allow 3 one minute speeches in favor and 3 against each amendment. As I recall, only one amendment actually had three people speak for it and three against it – the amendment concerning membership that would affect paragraph 4 in the Book of Discipline. This format seemed to give everyone a chance to speak their mind, but also to avoid it becoming an unnecessarily polarizing and divisive occasion. The entire process took about two hours. I think this is as close as you could come to genuine Christian conference when there are 32 Constitutional Amendments under consideration. The folks who planned this discussion did a wonderful job.)

There were several other conversations that were means of grace to me. More than any Annual Conference I had previously been to, at this Annual Conference I was frequently part of conversations which challenged me, inspired me, gave me hope, and made me realize that there are many, many people in Oklahoma who I am thankful to be in ministry with.

If your Annual Conference is coming up and it is often a negative or neutral experience… I would encourage you to find a meaningful amount of time to pray each day. As obvious as this insight is, it had a profound impact on my Annual Conference experience. This does not mean that I have put my hope in the Annual Conference to save the United Methodist Church. But it does mean that I was reminded that God is still able to work within the United Methodist Church, just as God is still able to work without the United Methodist Church.

Derek Webb Fan? Check This Out!

19 Tuesday May 2009

Posted by in links, Music

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At this point, I have no idea what is really going on with this. And I don’t have time at the moment to explore it in any depth. But, if you care about Derek Webb and like his music… you should check out this link. Derek Webb has a new album coming out called – Stockholm Syndrome. He has sent out a few emails expressing frustration with the label and says he is going underground. There is apparently a new twitter account @ssyndrome to follow, and a new website http://paradiseisaparkinglot.com (because the old website has been taken down due to the “controversy”.)

This looks like a very creative way to get people’s attention about the new album… I am interested to see where this goes.

What do you think?

Doing is Harder than Knowing

18 Monday May 2009

Posted by in Christian Living

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In my recent article for the Covenant Discipleship Connection, I wrestled with a thought that I have had rattling around in my mind for awhile now: Doing is harder than knowing. This may seem obvious. But it seems to go against many of the experiences I have had in the church and the academy. From an early age I remember hearing things like, “knowledge is power.” Which like most cliches, has a good deal of truth to it. In church, the idea often seemed to be that the key to mature Christianity was mastering the content of the Bible.

Lest you misunderstand me, I am not suggesting that either reading the Bible or education are unimportant. What I am suggesting is that we sometimes overemphasize the importance of knowledge and underemphasize the importance of putting what we have learned into practice. This may be most obvious in Christianity. We often seem anxious to learn more about our faith, believing that the reason we are not “better” Christians is because we don’t know enough. We sometimes seem to think that the reason we are not more faithful is because we don’t know what faithfulness is.

And yet it seems to me that it is not all that difficult to know what faithfulness in the Christian life looks like. Jesus said that the greatest Commandment was to love God and neighbor. John Wesley outlined an approach to keeping these commandments known as the “General Rules.” In the General Rules, Wesley had three rules that he believed would guide Methodists towards deeply committed discipleship. First, those who want to love God and neighbor should do no harm. Second, they should do all the good that they can. And finally, they should attend upon the ordinances of God, or practice the means of grace. These practices are: praying, reading scripture, receiving the Lord’s Supper, fasting. Wesley also often talked about the importance of watching over one another in love for growth in the Christian life.

In many ways, that is what someone who is already a Christian needs to know about how to practice their faith. Knowing what to do is not all that hard. Doing this, however, is much more difficult.

Charles Wesley argued for the importance of “uniting… knowledge and vital piety.” This, it seems to me, is a key emphasis that Methodists ought to reclaim, and with a sense of urgency. The information that we give and receive in our churches, should always lead to transformation. The goal of the Christian life is not to know what to do. The goal of the Christian life is to allow ourselves to be transformed by God’s grace so that we do what we know we should – so that our beliefs are consistent with our actions.

I’m Still Here…

11 Monday May 2009

Posted by in links

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Things have been crazy lately. I wrapped up the Spring semester, and my first year of coursework last Monday. (Which was in and of itself a whirlwind.) Then I began studying for my doctoral field exam in the history of Christian doctrine – the 7 hour written exam is May 22nd. On top of that this past weekend I went to Stillwater, OK to attend my brother-in-law’s graduation from Oklahoma State University.

I am looking forward to getting back to more regular posting after the field exam. I did, however, want to pull myself away from the books long enough to say that I’m still here!

Here are two excellent posts I have recently come across:

Shane Raynor on McDonald’s ad campaign vs. the United Methodist Church’s.

Bishop William Willimon on the disorienting experience young pastors often have when they leave seminary and receive their first full-time appointment.

On Writing in Library Books…

23 Thursday Apr 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

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One of my pet peeves is quickly becoming people who check out library books and then mark them up as if they were their own copy. If you want to underline and make notes in a book, buy a copy of the book! I have occasionally had to wade through a book that has not one, but two or three people’s notes and comments in the margins.

Well, today I picked up a copy of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley and immediately noticed that someone had filled up the last page of the book and the back cover with hand-written notes. For me, that is almost as bad as it can get. As steam was coming out of my ears, and I was mumbling who do these people think that they are that anyone else would want to read their thoughts on Wesley’s works… I opened the front cover to see if it had been defaced too.

Inside the front cover I found a sticker, which reads: “From the Library of Albert C. Outler (1908-1989).” Outler's Book

Ok, so I guess Dr. Outler has a right to write in his own books… and I have to admit I am very interested in reading his thoughts on the Journals and Diaries of John Wesley.

Interestingly, his comments relate to the introduction written in vol. 18 by W. Reginald Ward. And he certainly seems to have had some strong opinions about the content of the introduction.

Anyway, I will count this as a “cool find” and as one more reason I love being a Ph.D. student. (Less charitable observers may consider this entire post simply further evidence that I am a “nerd.”)