The Purpose of Pods
By B.J. Funk There are some decisions we should never make. Like the decision to get in God’s way, especially when it comes to our children. We are sure God did not mean to place our child in that difficult situation. We are sure we must help him or her get out of...
Church Planting for Effective Evangelism
By Bishop Joao Carlos Lopes I have been a bishop in the Brazilian Methodist Church for 25 years. After a few years in the episcopal office, I realized that our churches were stagnant. Not many people were joining the church by profession of faith. After much prayer...
Eyes of Faith
By Rob Renfroe- Years ago I heard a preacher say, “It’s not what happens to you, but what happens in you that makes the difference.” I have come to believe that statement is true. And I’m grateful it is because we cannot control what happens to us but we always have a...
A Cup of Joe & John Wesley
Coffee drinking may be an essential component of any modern day United Methodist church, but John Wesley was not a big fan. Neither did he champion the cause of tea: “But three cups of strong tea will now make my hand shake, so that I can hardly write.” In his health...
Judicial Council Decision
Not long after our deadline, the nine-member Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church (the denomination’s Supreme Court) responded to the South Central Jurisdictional Conference, regarding the election of Mountain Sky Area Bishop Karen Oliveto, the...
Loosening the Connection?
By Heather Hahn- The 32 members of the Commission on a Way Forward are getting down to the business of doing what their name says — helping a denomination deeply divided over homosexuality move toward some sort of future together. That future could end up looking very...
Mortals and the Divine
By Steve Beard- As cultural mavens are more than aware, this is the 50th anniversary of the infamous Summer of Love when the hippie counterculture christened its fashions, ideals, art, and music. The pilgrimage of the Flower Children to Haight-Ashbury was an attempt...
Reluctant Church Growth Guru
You aren’t anticipating to hear the pastor of the fastest-growing United Methodist congregation in the United States confess his struggle with discouragement and self-doubt. Nevertheless, half an hour before our interview, Adam Weber told an attentive audience at a...
