The Myth of Neutrality
The Myth of Neutrality By Thomas Lambrecht As observers continue to unpack the significance of actions taken by the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, one myth continues to float around the blogosphere: the General Conference merely returned the UM...
Room for Traditionalists?
Room for Traditionalists? By Thomas Lambrecht The 2020/2024 General Conference has just concluded its ten-day run in Charlotte, North Carolina. A summary of some of the actions taken by the conference are available in last week’s Perspective, “A Tale of a New Church.”...
World Vision for the Church in Crisis
World Vision for the Church in Crisis Good News Archive: What follows is condensed from a historic address by Dr. E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973) to the 1970 Good News Convocation in Dallas. As Christians we have an Eternal Person and an unshakeable Kingdom – the essence...
What is a Methodist?
What is a Methodist? By Thomas Lambrecht – I have argued before that a consistent Methodist identity has been blurred and obscured in The United Methodist Church. What it means to be United Methodist varies from church to church and conference to conference. A wide...
Of Borrowed Lawnmowers and United Methodist Clergy Status
Of Borrowed Lawnmowers and United Methodist Clergy Status By Bob Phillips – A man went to his neighbor’s house and asked to borrow his lawnmower. The neighbor said no. The man politely asked why, since it was sitting unused in the garage. The neighbor replied, “Well,...
Dust on the Emmaus Road
Dust on the Emmaus Road By B.J. Funk – Two followers of Jesus are walking from Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus, engrossed in conversation (Luke 24). Jesus has been resurrected just this morning. He walks up behind them and initiates the conversation. “What are you...
The Hope of Reconciliation
The Hope of Reconciliation TMS Global Interview featuring Bishop Eduard Khegay – February 24th marked the one-year anniversary of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Bishop Eduard Khegay is the resident bishop of the Eurasia Episcopal Area in the Northern Europe and...
First Wave of GMC Conferences Launched
First Wave of GMC Conferences Launched By Chassity Neckers – Bishop Mark Webb of the newly-formed Global Methodist Church recently wrote about being in an airport and seeing a book entitled The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing. He...
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Looking Back, Moving Forward By K. Lynn Lewis Revival. Awakening. Outpouring. Manifestation of God’s presence. Gentleness. Glory. Peace. There are many descriptors spawned from the chapel service that began on February 8, 2023, in Hughes Auditorium at Asbury...
The Changing Shape of Methodism
The Changing Shape of Methodism By Thomas Lambrecht As many churches considered the option of disaffiliation, there has been a focus on the contrast between a traditional understanding of our Methodist doctrines and practices compared with how The United Methodist...
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...
