This is a new release of the original 1943 edition.

This book engages in a critical recovery and reconstruction of the Wesleyan theological legacy in relation to current theological concepts and Christian practices with the intent to present opportunities for future directions. The contributors address urgent questions from the contexts in which people now live, particularly questions regarding social holiness and Christian practices. To that end, the authors focus on historical figures (John Wesley, Susanna Wesley, Harry Hoosier and Richard Allen); historical developments (such as the ways in which African Americans appropriated Methodism); and theological themes (such as holistic healing, work and vocation, and prophetic grace). The purpose is not to provide a comprehensive historical and theological coverage of the tradition, but to exemplify approaches to historical recovery and reconstruction that follow appropriately the mentorship of John Wesley and the living tradition that has emerged from his witness. Contributors: W. Stephen Gunter, Richard P. Heitzenrater, Diane Leclerc, William B. McClain, Randy L. Maddox, Rebekah L. Miles, Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore, Amy G. Oden, and Elaine A. Robinson.

The Essentials of Methodism is a small group study which focuses on the basic beliefs and ethics of what it means to be a Methodist or Wesleyan Disciple of Jesus Christ. This book contains ten lessons on Methodist Essentials

A new and engaging collection of sermons that embraces the historic 44 sermons that John Wesley approved, plus the 8 more of the North American collection (52 sermons) and to this is added 8 sermons, carefully chosen, to fill things out for contemporary interests resulting in a grand total of sixty sermons. Each sermon (which employs the text from the Bicentennial edition of Wesley s works) is preceded by a brief introduction and an outline.The sermons are arranged in accordance with the order of salvation displayed in the key sermon, The Scripture Way of Salvation, from creation to the fall through justification and every step along the way culminating in the new creation.The purpose of this collection is to foster vital Christian formation for all of its readers."

On February 2, 2006, two intrepid women set off from Portland, Oregon via Greyhound bus for Limon, Colon, Honduras. There they would establish a new thing, a small monastery and medical mission using sustainable living, voluntary poverty, and religious practice as nuns following Methodist and Quaker traditions of worship and governance. Soon La Doctora, Pediatrician Beth Blodgett, and La muchacha, her assistant, Prairie Naoma Cutting, would be deeply involved helping in nearby clinics. Reading like a frontier women's story, this adventure (still continuing in 2010) has fire, hurricanes, and a robbery as well as other exciting accounts. These gringas become, by the close of the collection of letters home, true hermanas, religious sisters to the neighbors in their rural community. Now professed nuns, they invite other courageous women to join them in a life of service.

John Wesley distinguished between essential doctrines on which agreement or consensus is critical and opinions about theology or church practices on which disagreement must be allowed. Though today few people join churches based on doctrinal commitments, once a person has joined a church it becomes important to know the historic teachings of that church's tradition.

In Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials, Ted Campbell outlines historical doctrinal consensus in American Episcopal Methodist Churches in a comparative and ecumenical dialogue with the doctrinal inheritance of other major families of Christian tradition. In this way, the book shows both what Methodist churches historically teach in common with ecumenical Christianity and what is distinctive about the Methodist tradition in its various contemporary forms. Documents examined include The Twenty-Five Articles of Religion, The General Rules, Wesley's Standard Sermons and Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, The Methodist Social Creed, and the Apostles' Creed. En este libro conciso y sencillo, Ted Campbell nos da un breve resumen de las doctrinas mas importantes que la familia de denominaciones wesleyanas comparten. Escrito con un lenguaje conciso y directo, Campbell estructura el material en categorias sistematicas: la doctrina de la revelacion, la doctrina de Dios, la doctrina de Cristo, la doctrina del Espiritu, la doctrina de la humanidad, la doctrina del "camino de la salvacion" (conversion/justificacion/santificacion), la doctrina de la iglesia y los medios de gracia y la doctrina de lo por venir.

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This study explores the thesis that belief in the supernatural became a significant identifying mark of Methodists living in the eighteenth-century. Not only did John Wesley believe in the reality of angels and demons but he also reflected on witchcraft, visionary experiences, trances, healings, and providential portents in a way that both affirmed his commitment to the theological strictures of primitive Christianity and developed a religious self-awareness for Methodists living in a changing modern world. Additionally, contrary to previous approaches to the place of the Methodists in Enlightenment culture, this book argues that a belief in the supernatural was far from eclipsed in the minds and hearts of people living in the eighteenth-century.

At a time when Canadians were arguing about the merits of a new flag, the birth-control pill, and the growing hippie counterculture, the leaders of Canada's largest Protestant church were occupied with turning much of English-Canadian religious culture on its head. In After Evangelicalism, Kevin Flatt reveals how the United Church of Canada abruptly reinvented its public image by cutting the remaining ties to its evangelical past. Flatt argues that although United Church leaders had already abandoned evangelical beliefs three decades earlier, it was only in the 1960s that rapid cultural shifts prompted the sudden dismantling of the church's evangelical programs and identity. Delving deep into the United Church's archives, Flatt uncovers behind-the-scenes developments that led to revolutionary and controversial changes in the church's evangelistic campaigns, educational programs, moral stances, and theological image. Not only did these changes evict evangelicalism from the United Church, but they helped trigger the denomination's ongoing numerical decline and decisively changed Canada's religious landscape. Challenging readers to see the Canadian religious crisis of the 1960s as involving more than just Quebec's Quiet Revolution, After Evangelicalism unveils the transformation of one of Canada's most prominent social institutions.

The histories of the Church of England and the Methodist Church have been linked together for 250 years. In the 1970s, a proposal for unity failed narrowly. Now relationships between Methodists and Anglicans are stronger than ever, locally, regionally and nationally. Both are committed to the search for unity. What holds them apart? This official report of the Formal Conversations that began in 1999 sets out the common ground that has been rediscovered. It shows the strength of theological agreement, but also points out significant differences that require further work. Conscious of both the opportunities and the unresolved issues, the two churches asked the Conversations to draw up an agreement that would enable them to take a significant step towards future unity. The talks gave priority to mission and evangelism and paid special attention to diversity. This report proposes a national covenant, made up of mutual acknowledgement and mutual commitment. It should consolidate at the national level the many local and regional covenants that already exist and so prepare the ground for the next vital stage on the road to unity.

Title: The life of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M.: sometime Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and founder of the Methodist Societies.Author: Richard WatsonPublisher: Gale, Sabin Americana Description: Based on Joseph Sabin's famed bibliography, Bibliotheca Americana, Sabin Americana, 1500--1926 contains a collection of books, pamphlets, serials and other works about the Americas, from the time of their discovery to the early 1900s. Sabin Americana is rich in original accounts of discovery and exploration, pioneering and westward expansion, the U.S. Civil War and other military actions, Native Americans, slavery and abolition, religious history and more.Sabin Americana offers an up-close perspective on life in the western hemisphere, encompassing the arrival of the Europeans on the shores of North America in the late 15th century to the first decades of the 20th century. Covering a span of over 400 years in North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean, this collection highlights the society, politics, religious beliefs, culture, contemporary opinions and momentous events of the time. It provides access to documents from an assortment of genres, sermons, political tracts, newspapers, books, pamphlets, maps, legislation, literature and more.Now for the first time, these high-quality digital scans of original works are available via print-on-demand, making them readily accessible to libraries, students, independent scholars, and readers of all ages.++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++SourceLibrary: Huntington LibraryDocumentID: SABCP03669000CollectionID: CTRG01-B2217PublicationDate: 18310101SourceBibCitation: Selected Americana from Sabin's Dictionary of books relating to AmericaNotes: Collation: 323 p., 1] leaf of plates: port.; 18 cm

We Must Speak: Rethinking How We Communicate About Faith in the 21st Century "Pray that I may declare (the message) boldly, as I must speak." - Ephesians 6:20 In "We Must Speak," Larry Hollon addresses the communications crisis in mainline denominations and sounds a call to action for the church: Speak out in today's digital culture or risk irrelevance. Communications technology is connecting people in unprecedented ways, yet many mainline churches have been slow to adapt - and have continued to lose members and status. Other voices and messages are filling the void, offering superficial entertainment and consumerism as poor substitutes for the good news of the church. By embracing communications ministry, churches can transform their communities, change lives and be the presence of Christ for a hurting world. Hollon shares success stories, a theologically grounded vision, and specific steps for local congregations and denominations to tap the power of communications. "Larry Hollon sets out the case for why we need to maintain our voice ... in a world crowded with competing messages and often destructive values." - Mike McCurry, former White House press secretary

Built in 1894, the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ, stands alone as a distinctive historic structure from the national Camp Meeting movement of the late 1800s. Authors Ted Bell, Cindy Bell and Darrell Dufresne provide a fascinating account of the history and development of this architectural treasure that occupies nearly an acre and is situated 1500 feet from the Atlantic Ocean. Included in the book are detailed diagrams and photos of the construction of the building, design aspects including original building contracts, and correspondence and observations by persons who were present at the time of its construction. www.oceangrovehistory.org Articles of Agreement and Specifications of Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ

This second edition of Richard P. Heitzenrater's groundbreaking survey of the Wesleyan movement is the story of the many people who contributed to the theology, organization, and mission of Methodism. This updated version addresses recent research from the past twenty years; includes an extensive bibliography; and fleshes out such topics as the means of grace; Conference: "Large" Minutes: Charles Wesley: Wesley and America; ordination; prison ministry; apostolic church; music; children; Susanna and Samuel Wesley; the Christian library; itinerancy; connectionalism; doctrinal standards; and John Wesley as historian, Oxford don, and preacher.

Committed to Christ: Six Steps to a Generous Life is a six-week stewardship program that presents giving as a lifelong journey in Christian discipleship. This Adult Readings and Study Book is designed for use in the six-week small group study that undergirds the program, as well as by others participating in the program. After an introductory Sunday stressing the importance of commitment to Christ, the next six weeks are spent exploring six steps to a generous life: Prayer Bible Reading Worship Witness Financial Giving Service With each step, readers are asked to assess prayerfully their own level of commitment and to consider increasing that commitment by one step. Equal emphasis is placed on each of the six steps, clearly communicating that this program is not simply about money, but rather cultivating a thankful heart that will lead us to giving more than we can ever imagine. For a program that focuses on the totality of stewardship, there is none better. -Jim Polk, Senior Pastor, El Dorado First United Methodist Church, El Dorado AR"

Handy, helpful prayers to use in public worship during Advent and Christmas. The collection includes invocations, opening prayers, prayers of confession, and pastoral prayers for the Sundays of Advent, and Christmas Eve services. Drawn from a variety of traditions, the prayers in this collection will aid any congregation as it worships throughout the journey of Advent.

John Wesley s Teaching is the first systematic exposition of John Wesley's theology that is also faithful to Wesley's own writings. Wesley was a prolific writer and commentator on Scripture---his collected works fill eighteen volumes---and yet it is commonly held that he was not systematic or consistent in his theology and teachings. On the contrary, Thomas C. Oden demonstrates that Wesley displayed a remarkable degree of internal consistency over sixty years of preaching and ministry. This series of 4 volumes is a text-by-text guide to John Wesley s teaching. It introduces Wesley s thought on the basic tenets of Christian teaching: God, providence, and man (volume 1), Christ and salvation (volume 2), the practice of pastoral care (volume 3), and issues of ethics and society (volume 4). In everyday modern English, Oden clarifies Wesley s explicit intent and communicates his meaning clearly to a contemporary audience. Both lay and professional readers will find this series useful for devotional reading, moral reflection, sermon preparation, and for referencing Wesley s opinions on a broad range of pressing issues of contemporary society."

This book's novel approach shows how to order John Wesley's unsystematic practical theology around what and how he valued as a person and as a Christian. It applies philosophical value theory to John Wesley's theology, specifically the axiological theory developed by Robert S. Hartman,

In The Renewal of United Methodism: Mission, Ministry and Connectionalism, a distinguished group of United Methodist seminary professors celebrate the life and work of Russell E. Richey by presenting essays highlighting important themes around which much of his scholarly research and writing have focused: ministry and mission; denominationalism and connectionalism; ecclesiology and evangelism; and doctrine and theology. The contributors to this volume share the conviction that the genuine renewal of United Methodism is more likely to result from careful attention to and serious engagement with the work of the church's scholars and teachers, exemplified by Russ Richey, than from the proposals of organizational consultants and management experts from the business world. By both precept and example, Russ has throughout his long and distinguished career served as both mentor and model not only for his students but also for his colleagues in both church and academy.

Popular author James W. Moore recalls how several years ago, while delivering the sermon at his church one Sunday morning, he had told a moving story about a boy and his dog. The author s then-five-year-old son, Jeff, was fascinated by the story, but feeling a bit uncertain about some of the details of it, during the family s car ride home from church, Jeff asked his father, Daddy, is that story true, or were you just preaching? Highly amused by Jeff s question, Jim Moore went on to explain to his young son that there are two kinds of stories: TRUE stories, stories that happened factually in history; and TRUTH stories, stories like Jesus parables, which are shared to underscore a dramatic truth in life. The several short chapters and stories in this book are designed to highlight such life-truths, with chapter titles such as Go out Singing, Roadblocks, Should I Forgive? One Step at a Time, Who s in Control Here? What Can One Person Do? Tell Me, Please, How to Be Happy, Why not You? Keep on Keeping On, Jesus: The Message and the Messenger, The Importance of Uniqueness, and others. This book contains a discussion guide."

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

1878. Volume III of III. Stevens was an American editor, historian and Methodist Episcopal clergyman. He suffered the trials of poverty and hard work in childhood and early on he was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He began to preach when a mere youth, and before he was twenty-one years of age was regarded as a prodigy of eloquence. He opened the vein of American Methodistic history, and gave a long series of historical articles, which afterward appeared in the form of books, and, indeed, entered upon the investigations which produced his History of Methodism, one of the ablest and best-known works of its class. This volume covers from the Death of Wesley to Centenary Jubilee of Methodism. In his preface Stevens writes: This volume concludes my task-The History of the Religious Movement of the Eighteenth Century called Methodism, considered in its different Denominational Forms and its Relations to British and American Protestantism. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. Volume 1 ISBN 0766196194, Volume 2 ISBN 0766196208.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Methodism started out as a missional alternative to establishment Christianity, but is now like the establishment Christianity it once critiqued. In this book, Dr. Hunter asks whether enough New Testament Christianity exists in any institutional form of Christianity, including The United Methodist Church, to change the world. If United Methodism is to survive, it must recover bold directions in ministry, in addition to Wesley s theological vision. If only it was so simple as to stand on Wesley s shoulders to see our way forward. This means that laity and clergy must be biblically informed, spiritually energized, and systematically organized. If United Methodism is to thrive, it needs to focus on mission, recalling that early Methodism was an extravagant expression of missional Christianity. Net membership decline is not from losing more people but from reaching fewer people than it used to. The need for the gospel of Jesus Christ is greater than ever. United Methodists must create structures and serve God and neighbor in order to spread, as Wesley admonished, scriptural holiness throughout the land. George G. Hunter III is Distinguished Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He is the author of several books, including Radical Outreach and The Celtic Way of Evangelism, both published by Abingdon Press."