Traditional views of evangelism are often intimidating and push the limits of personal comfort, leaving the job of reaching out to new and searching Christians for the professionals - the clergy of the church. Knight and Powe show how this basic misunderstanding is contrary to John Wesley's view of evangelism, which he understood as a complete circle. Once one has been evangelized to and welcomed into the faith, part of the transformation of their lives includes Christ's teaching, which is to help the evangelized to become welcomed in the faith. The key to Wesley's way of sharing the faith is to relate to others in love, compassion and gratitude for God's divine grace. Knight and Powe's explanation of evangelism is steeped in the Wesleyan tradition, exposing how God's love and grace comes to each of us as we once received it, through the gift of proclamation. A true transformative act of evangelism is R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.A.L.: Renewal; Enter; Listening; Acceptance; Testimony; Inviting; On-Going; New Beings; Assurance; Live-It. As Christians, we are not to keep the gift we receive through evangelism; we are to live out what we learn in community and study, by inviting others into this grace. Knight and Powe express that evangelism should not be viewed as an ugly word or act that most fear to live out, but as a way for one friend in Christ to welcome another friend in Christ to the faith.

God wants todo a new thing in the African American Church. Author, Douglas Powe suggests that the African American church, while once the bedrock of the community, is no longer on the radar for many. During the Civil Rights movementAfrican American churches initiated and even shaped transformation for an entire country, well beyond their own walls. In this post-Civil Rights era the power of many African American churches remains mired in the assumptions and practices of the past, thereby making theminvisible to their surrounding communities.

New Wine, New Wineskins helps African American congregations understand and benefit from the cultural shifts we are now experiencing. Many African American churches once thought they were immune to the cultural shock waves in our streets and neighborhoods. They simple argued that they have always been all about participation and being relational; yet like many churches, their numbers continue to decline. African American churches must find a way to reclaim their missional orientation, while at the same time remaining true to their historical identity and witness of speaking truth to power. The worthy goals of justice and bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ in this time, requires new practices and fresh ideas new wine. The old framework just won t work any more. We need new wine skins. "

Wesleyan theology and African American theology have both become fixtures on the theological landscape in recent years. While developing along parallel tracks both perspectives make claims concerning justice issues such as racism and sexism. Both, however, perceive justice from a particular vantage that focuses on just-us (just our community). Hence African American theology has not seriously studied John Wesley's stance against slavery or his work with the disenfranchised. And Wesleyan theologians have largely ignored the insights of African American theology especially in regard to certain injustices. To get beyond the "just-us" mentality, the author lays the foundation for a Pan-Methodist theology, which will draw from the strengths of African American and Wesley theologies.