Methodist Church

“An excellent small group study.” – Rev. Travis Knoll In a time of upheaval in the largest denomination of the Methodist movement, this classic explanation and defense of Methodist Christianity by its founder is required reading. Pastor David Wentz has updated Wesley’s 18th-century language, deleted references to no-longer-relevant theological disputes, and added an introduction that sets the work in context. The result is a clear, easy to read text that is enjoyable and understandable for modern readers of all levels of theological interest and expertise. This short book is ideal ...

Discover the Church That Changed History Dive into the extraordinary story of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church—a cornerstone of faith, freedom, and social justice. This beginner’s guide is your key to understanding a denomination that shaped history, empowered communities, and inspired generations. Experience a Remarkable Journey: Follow the AME Zion Church from its humble beginnings to its pivotal role in abolition, civil rights, and education. Learn how faith and resilience transformed a people and a nation. Uncover the Heroes of the Freedom Church: Meet the towering ...

"This book thrilled my soul and reinvigorated my hope." — Amazon reviewer “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” John Wesley doesn’t agree. In this classic sermon, the father of Methodism and grandfather of the Salvation Army and the Pentecostal movement shows that using a proper Biblical definition, Christians not only can become perfect in this life — God commands us to! Seeking perfection was an integral part of the explosive growth of Methodism for 100 years, even as it led to the persecution of those who practiced it. As many of the denominations descended from Wesley ...

There’s more to salvation than punching your ticket for heaven. John Wesley taught that full salvation means becoming completely holy in heart and life. This focus on personal holiness was one of the defining characteristics of the Wesleyan revival. The many Methodist and Wesleyan denominations, the Pentecostal and holiness movements, and the Salvation Army all trace their lineage back to these teachings. Wesley’s followers believed what he taught fiercely, lived it out faithfully, and witnessed to it boldly, to the point that they were often violently persecuted. Today, millions of ...

Is being good the way to heaven? Being religious? Jesus said, “You must be born again.” John Wesley, spiritual forefather of Methodist, Pentecostal, and Holiness churches and the Salvation Army, explains Jesus’ words in this brief classic. One of the standard sermons Wesley required his circuit riders to learn and re-preach, The New Birth shows that religion and morality are good but new life in Jesus is vital. Wesley pulls no punches. But his 18th-century English is hard for most modern readers. As with his best-selling John Wesley’s The Character of a Methodist, David Wentz has ...

Following the February 2019 session of The United Methodist General Conference, many United Methodists returned to their Sunday School classes, worship services and small groups, asking the same question: “Where do we go from here?” In Where Do We Go From Here?: Honest Responses From Twenty-Four United Methodist Leaders, four bishops, several pastors, laypersons, campus ministers, students, general board directors and others share their honest responses to the question, “Where do we go from here?”Voices from the traditional, centrist and progressive viewpoints share their thoughts ...

It was John Wesley who coined the phrase “agree to disagree” in a memorial sermon at the death of George Whitefield in 1770. Since that time, Wesley’s theological descendants have often seemed to disagree more than agree. Nevertheless, author Kevin Slimp believes most United Methodists aren’t as disagreeable as they might seem at first glance. In What’s Next: Twenty-Two United Methodist Leaders Discuss the Future of the Church, Slimp continues the conversation he initiated in his 2019 best-selling book, Where Do We Go From Here? Honest Responses From Twenty-Four United Methodist ...

This book fundamentally changes the game for the Church of the Nazarene. A growing number of people are calling for fresh conversations about sexuality and gender. And many want fundamental change. This book gives voice to those people. There are strong reasons the Church of the Nazarene should become fully LGBTQ+ affirming. The writers of these essays – whether queer or straight – lay out those reasons, share their experiences, and explain why change is needed. Love rests at the heart of the denomination’s view of God. And yet its statement about human sexuality does not support the ...

Two thousand years ago, Jesus made an odd claim: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am among them" (Matthew 18:10). After surviving a global pandemic, church leaders have had to ask themselves this age-old question with renewed relevancy: What does it mean to gather in Jesus' name during and after a global pandemic? In this book, Rev. J.J. Warren seeks to respond to this question by sharing first-hand interviews conducted with United Methodist leaders in Denmark, Kenya, the Philippines, Singapore, and the U.S. Through these interviews and by dipping into the well of United ...

Jimmy Creech, a United Methodist pastor in North Carolina, was visited one morning in 1984 by Adam, a longtime parishioner whom he liked and respected. Adam said that he was gay, and that he was leaving The United Methodist Church, which had just pronounced that "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" could not be ordained. He would not be part of a community that excluded him. Creech found himself instinctively supporting Adam, telling him that he was sure that God loved and accepted him as he was.

This book gives great insight into the mind and thoughts of the early CME Church Bishops. These men lead the church between reconstruction and WWII, serving as a backbone to the working of the Church body. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible.

After slavery was abolished, how far would white America go toward including African Americans as full participants in the country's institutions? A schism over slavery split Methodism into northern and southern branches, but Union victory in the Civil War provided the northern Methodists with the opportunity to send missionaries into the territory that had been occupied by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. A Long Reconstruction details the denomination's journey with unification and justice.

Charles Henry Philips (1858 - 1951) was an influential bishop of the Christian (previously called "Colored") Methodist Episcopal Church. He played a critical role in the CME Church becoming a national denomination, extending its reach beyond the South. He fought to erase the stigma associated with the Church's origins in the institution of slavery.

This important audiobook contains eight articles by Korean Christian clergy and scholars who have experienced the vibrancy of Korean Christianity in Australia and New Zealand. Many of these scholars have been participants in the history-making process. This audiobook, therefore, is an indispensable resource for scholars, pastors, laypeople, and the interested public who want to understand the experience of Korean Christians better.