Lifestyle Evangelism
By Thomas Lambrecht As a declining denomination in the midst of cultural headwinds becoming increasingly hostile to Christianity, we wonder how to be a growing, vital church. Although I have served as a pastor and have been a member of growing congregations at one...
The Mission Jesus Gave Us
By Max Wilkins - At TMS Global, we talk a lot about “joining Jesus in his mission.” But what, exactly, is that mission? Maybe you’ve wondered that, too. In recent decades, parts of the church in North America have watered down the mission of Jesus until anyone who is...
United Methodism embraces traditional view of marriage
By Linda Bloom Ten years ago, the Rev. Greg Dell was put on trial by the United Methodist Church for performing a same-sex union ceremony. Since then, a few states have legalized gay marriage and some mainline Protestant denominations, including the Episcopal Church...
Good News statement on marriage
By Rob Renfroe Good News unequivocally affirms the United Methodist position regarding marriage as stated in The Book of Discipline: “We support laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.” As Christians, we United Methodists...
Ruling intensifies debate over homosexuality
By Heather Hahn A federal court’s rejection of California’s same-sex marriage ban is receiving condemnation and praise from United Methodists. One thing both sides agree on: The ruling only adds to the longtime debate on how the church ministers to gays and lesbians....
Key factors identified for vital congregations
Lively, vital churches come in all sizes, locations, and settings says a new study commissioned by the United Methodist Church, but they consistently share some common factors that work together to influence congregational vitality. That means what works to make those...
Jesus delivers
By Liza Kittle "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears…This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles." —Psalm 34:4,6 As I write these words, my 18-year-old daughter Frances is walking to her...
Excerpt: Three crucial demands
Three Crucial Demands What follows is excerpted from Bishop Gerald Kennedy’s Episcopal Address to the 1964 General Conference of The Methodist Church. As Methodists, we are now confronted by three crucial demands. First: the coming of the Holy Spirit in power...
