22 Wednesday Apr 2009
Posted in Accountability, Book Review, links
In my post about Wesleyan essentials, I mentioned that one Wesleyan essential is the doctrine of Christian perfection, or entire sanctification. I should have mentioned that Steve Manskar (who blogs at Accountable Discipleship) has published an excellent book A Perfect Love: Understanding John Wesley’s A Plain Account of Christian Perfection
Second, Craig Adams has written a worthwhile post on key things to think about regarding Wesleyan renewal.
23 Monday Feb 2009
I have 3 copies left of A Blueprint for Discipleship: Wesley’s General Rules as a Guide for Christian Living. If you haven’t claimed your copy yet, here is what you have to do to receive a free copy:
1. Have a blog.
2. Be willing to blog about the book after you read it.
3. Post a comment in this post with your name and your blog url in the comment. (Books will be given to the first 25 people to leave a comment.)
4. Send an email to deeplycommitted (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject “Free copy of Blueprint for Discipleship.” In the body of the email include the address that you would like the book mailed to.
Update: The 3 remaining copies have been claimed. Thanks so much for your interest.
26 Monday Jan 2009
Posted in Book Review, links, Ministry, Wesley
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In continuing to read Norwood’s The Story of American Methodism
The high point of the class meeting coincides with the heyday of the circuit rider. Its decline dates from his dismounting. As long as the traveling preacher was on the go around his circuit and from appointment to appointment, the place of the class meeting was secure. The class leader was needed to perform those pastoral functions which are part of a balanced ministry. But when the preacher settled down in a parsonage as a stationed pastor, the class leader… became, at least so it seemed, an unnecessary wheel. Inadvertently, because of the settling down of the traveling preacher, Methodism lost one of its strongest supports, the active ministerial participation of the lay people. (132)
This is not portrayed by Norwood as a positive development. Norwood concludes the chapter musing that “Ever since, Methodists have been trying to decide whether they would be a great church or a holy people.” When I first read this, I thought: Are the two mutually exclusive? I guess it depends on your definition of a “great church.”
The important point, it seems to me, is not that we should work to return to a truly itinerant ministry. Instead, it is that there is something vital missing when the active ministerial participation of the lay people (to use Norwood’s phrase) is missing. I see the class meeting as a key to renewing, strengthening, and empowering a lively lay ministry.
16 Tuesday Dec 2008
Posted in Book Review, links, Wesley
I have recently learned that Abingdon Press will be publishing in early 2009 The Wesley Study Bible. From what I have read, this sounds like an excellent resource. It is edited by Joel B. Green and William H. Willimon and has over 150 contributors. I am hoping to get my hands on a copy so I can review it in detail here.
You can view an update at the Wesley Report and learn about how to join the facebook Wesley Study Bible group as well.
The retail price of the Wesley Study Bible will be $39.95, but it can be pre-ordered for $24.95.
02 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in links
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David Hempton, who is the Harvard Divinity School Professor of Evangelical Theological Studies, will be on campus here at Perkins School of Theology next week. Dr. Hempton will be giving two lectures on the them of “Evangelical Enchantment and Disenchantment” on Monday October 6th at 7:00 P.M. and on Tuesday October 7th at 11:30 A.M. The title for his Monday lecture is “Culture Wars: George Eliot and Fundamentalism” and his Tuesday lecture is titled “Artists in Revolt: Vincent van Gogh and James Baldwin.” Both lectures will be given in room 120 of Highland Park United Methodist Church and are open to the public.
Dr. Hempton’s most recent book is Methodism: Empire of the Spirit, which I highly recommend.
If you are in the area, you should be sure to check out Dr. Hempton’s lectures.
04 Monday Aug 2008
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Listed in the Doctrinal Standards of the United Methodist Book of Discipline is John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament. The Discipline says that the Explanatory Notes are currently in print through Schmul Publishing Company’s 1975 edition. I was skeptical of this, because I had been told that it was out of print. However, through searching Schmul’s website, I discovered that it is in print. You can order a copy of it by going here.
I was pleased to discover that the book is at least currently in print, yet there still seems to be a discrepancy between what United Methodists say about Wesley’s Explanatory Notes (that it is part of our doctrinal standards, giving Wesley’s Notes an authoritative status in interpreting the New Testament) and what United Methodists actually do with Wesley’s Explanatory Notes (basically ignore it, Schmul’s website confirms that there was a period of time that the Explanatory Notes were a part of our doctrinal standards and were not in print…).
Because of my research interest in Wesley Studies, and because of my desire to take seriously the process towards becoming an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, a few years ago I decided to try to track down a copy of the Explanatory Notes. I am not sure if Schmul’s edition was in print then, but if it was none of the ways that I searched for it on the internet brought it to my attention. I had trouble finding a copy anywhere, finally finding one on ebay. I was very surprised that it was so difficult for a United Methodist pastor to even find a copy of what is considered to be part of our doctrine.
Since buying the book, I haven’t really done a whole lot with it. I looked up several passages I was preaching on in Lamont and referred to it occasionally in a sermon. Saturday, I decided to start using it as my devotional reading. My plan is to read one chapter a day with Wesley’s notes. I am interested to see what the tenor and quality of the notes are, but my primary purpose is going to be using it as a devotional resource, which is what seems to be Wesley’s goal in writing the Explanatory Notes.
In the meantime, do you have any experience with the Explanatory Notes. I have also been wondering if anyone with a background in New Testament has recently looked at Wesley’s Notes and written anything about it. I think this is a very interesting area of research, please mention any articles or books you might be aware of treating the contemporary relevance of the Explanatory Notes for biblical scholarship, or the usefulness of the Explanatory Notes in studying the New Testament in the comments of this post.
Ultimately, the questions seems to me to be: Should something be a part of our doctrinal standards if (at best) we don’t even use it, and perhaps (at worst) don’t even really know what it says? I still hear people reference Wesley’s sermons, the Articles of Religion, and the General Rules, but the only time I can remember someone else talking about the Explanatory Notes was in my UM polity class in seminary, where it was just being mentioned because it was part of the doctrinal standards.
02 Wednesday Apr 2008
I recently submitted a book proposal to Discipleship Resources for a book called A Blueprint for Discipleship: Wesley’s General Rules as a Guide for Christian Living that has been accepted for publication. The sermon series that I recently preached, “A Blueprint for Becoming Disciples”, was based on the work I had already done on the book. (You can listen to those sermons on my podcast by clicking here.)
A Blueprint for Discipleship offers a concrete and practical approach to Christian discipleship that is distinctly Wesleyan. This approach is built on the foundation of the General Rules (do no harm, do good, and practice the spiritual disciplines) and the practice of “watching over one another in love” through small group accountability. The book is primarily aimed at reaching a lay audience. I think it will specifically appeal to members of Wesleyan denominations, but it will have relevance for laity who are interested in growing in their faith from other mainline denominations as well. The book seeks to challenge longtime Christians to take risks and practice their faith, and fan the flames of new Christians who want to know how they can become deeply committed Christians. I believe that there are many people who sense that there is more to being a Christian than where they are currently at, but they are not exactly sure how to move forward. This book seeks to outline an easy to follow method for moving forward in your faith.
The book will consist of the following chapters:
1. Grace: The Foundation for Wesleyan Faith
2. Participation in Our Growth as Disciples: The Goal of Grace
3. The Method Behind the Madness: The Wesleyan Blueprint for Discipleship
4. The First Rule: Do No Harm
5. The Second Rule: Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
6. The Third Rule: Practice the Spiritual Disciplines
7. Finding the Balance
8. Watching Over One Another in Love: The Importance of Christian Community
9. Where Are You Going?
Thus far, writing is going very well. I am getting close to finishing a solid draft. A Blueprint for Discipleship is currently scheduled to be published next spring (2009). I will periodically provide updates about the progress of the book.
06 Thursday Mar 2008
The seventh sermon “Watching Over One Another in Love” in the “Blueprint for Becoming Disciples” sermon series is now up. You can listen to it on my podcast here.
This sermon discusses the Wesleyan practice of “watching over one another in love” through small group accountability. One of the central arguments of the sermon is that you will either move forward or fall backward in your faith. John Wesley understood this and used small group accountability as a way to help Christians keep their faith in its proper place as the number one priority in their lives. When Christians have gathered together in order to “watch over one another in love” both communities of faith and individual Christians have tended to grow in their love of God and neighbor. Especially for Methodists, when we discontinued this practice we began to decline and lose our zeal.
Have you had any experiences with “watching over one another in love?” How did it help you in your growth as a Christian? What are other thoughts or reactions to this sermon?
05 Wednesday Mar 2008
One word of warning: I caught whatever has been going around just before I preached this sermon. I did the very best I could under the circumstances, but I felt terrible. I am afraid that shows a bit in this sermon. So, I apologize in advance.
Again, I would love to hear your reactions to this sermon!
26 Tuesday Feb 2008
The fifth sermon “Rule #3: Practice the Means of Grace” in the “Blueprint for Becoming Disciples” sermon series is now up. You can listen to it on my podcast here.
This sermon discusses the third General Rule “Attend Upon the Ordinances of God.” This sermon discusses those practices that enable us to fulfill the first part of Jesus’ double commandment to love God and neighbor. The sermon looks at the public worship of God, the ministry of the Word, the Supper of the Lord, family and private prayer, searching the Scriptures, and fasting as practices, or means of grace, that enable us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Again, I would love to hear your reactions to this sermon!
Kevin M. Watson 