Seoul’s Burning Bush: What’s The Secret?
Editor's note: In honor of the passing of Bishop Sundo Kim (1930-2022) last fall, we are pleased to feature our 1991 cover story on him and the remarkable Kwanglim Methodist Church in Seoul, South Korea -- one of the largest Methodist congregations in the world. At...
Happy Aldersgate Day!
By Jay Therrell On May 24, 1738, 285 years ago, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, went “very unwillingly” to a religious meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. He wrote about what happened next in his journal: "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society...
The Place of Conscience
By Thomas Lambrecht- That old saying from our parents, "let conscience be your guide," is foremost in the debate over ministry with LGBTQ persons. Some cannot in good conscience go against what they believe Scripture teaches about the sinfulness of same-sex practices....
Blatantly Disregarding Truth
By Thomas Lambrecht- For United Methodists concerned about the future of our denomination, the current crisis revolves around a critical lack of accountability. For 45 years we have been part of a church where people have a variety of thoughts and opinions about...
How “Centrist” Is Uniting Methodists?
By Tom Lmbrecht- The new group Uniting Methodists is in the process of forming to (in their words) give voice to the "broad center" of The United Methodist Church. A recent information session about the group was held at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas,...
What Is Unity?
By Thomas Lambrecht- In the wake of the September meeting of the Commission on a Way Forward in Berlin, I would like to reflect on the balancing act that the Commission is engaged in as it formulates its proposal for the Council of Bishops and the called 2019 General...
Another Complaint, No Consequences
By Thomas Lambrecht As has become all too common, another complaint against a pastor for celebrating a same-sex wedding has been resolved without any discipline. In other words, the case has been "resolved" without any form of authentic resolution. The Rev. Ben...
New Room Renewal
"Great periods of Christian revival in the U.S. need not be consigned to the church's circuit-rider past," writes Heather Hahn of United Methodist News Service. "Even without the saddle sores and sawdust trail of yesteryear, a new generation of Christians can be just...
Uniting Methodists Leaning Left
By Walter Fenton Uniting Methodists is a new caucus group that has entered as a "new voice" in the battle over the United Methodist Church's sexual ethics, teachings on marriage, and its ordination standards. It joins a long roster of groups formed by concerned United...
At the Center of What?
By Walter Fenton- In his recent respectful, but critical appraisal of so-called United Methodist "centrism," Dr. Kevin Watson, Assistant Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies at Candler School of Theology, says he has "no idea to what extent [the Rev. Adam]...
The Man Came Around: RIP Johnny Cash
By Steve Beard “We’ve seen the secret things revealed by God/ And we heard what the angels had to say/ Should you go first, or if you follow me/ Will you meet me in Heaven someday?” Johnny Cash wrote those lyrics many years ago for his wife, June Carter. The song is...
Local UM Churches Respond to Harvey and Prepare for Irma
By Walter B. Fenton Local United Methodist churches across the country have rushed to support people trying to get back on their feet after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. And they are already preparing to assist those in the path of Hurricane Irma. Along the...
