Why did the Wesleyan Methodists and the Anglican evangelicals divide during the middle of the eighteenth century? Many say it was based narrowly on theological matters. Ryan Nicholas Danker suggests that politics was a major factor driving them apart. Rich in detail, this study offers deep insight into a critical juncture in evangelicalism and early Methodism.
The Elect Methodists is the first full-length academic study of Calvinistic Methodism, a movement that emerged in the eighteenth century as an alternative to the better known Wesleyan grouping. While the branch of Methodism led by John Wesley has received significant historical attention, Calvinistic Methodism, especially in England, has not. The book charts the sources of the eighteenth-century Methodist revival in the context of Protestant evangelicalism emerging in continental Europe and colonial North America, and then proceeds to follow the fortunes in both England and Wales of the Calvinistic branch, to the establishing of formal denominations in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
The Pastor’s Pocket Edition has everything, but the service music, found in the regular Book of Worship. This helpful United Methodist denominational book of liturgy, prayer, and services is indispensable for pastors, musicians, and laypersons that plan and lead worship. Arranged according to the Christian year, this resource enables worship leaders to locate prayers, services, and information quickly. Updated information and new formats insure ease of use, making this a great resource when planning and leading worship. Updates for all formats include: Membership vows, baptismal covenant, diaconal changes, and other updates made as a result of General Conference action. Calendar for dating Easter and related holy days—extend beyond 2020. Chart of lectionary years on page 227--update and extend. Current version of ordinal. Available with all digital formats PDF contents pages--hot linked to each section/item.
John Wesley gave the Methodist movement (and all Christians in general) a discipleship pathway to follow. Wesley began with Three Simple Rules (or “General Rules”), and followed this instruction a year later with the Five Marks of a Methodist (or “Character of a Methodist”). Wesley observed the need for continuous renewal of relationships with God and others, so he established a recurring annual process for God’s people to make One Faithful Promise: The Wesleyan Covenant for Renewal. The study by Heath turns to the practices at the center of Wesley’s understanding of spiritual growth: the means of grace. This book/study guides readers through the five means of grace that John Wesley called “instituted,” meaning these are spiritual practices in which Jesus himself participated and which he encouraged his followers to do. One of the beautiful aspects of Wesley’s theology is that spiritual practices are seamlessly integrated with practices of loving our neighbors well. This is why Wesley said there is no holiness but social holiness. A life of genuine prayer inevitably leads to a life of hospitality, mercy, and justice. Through this book/study participants will consider how each of the five means of grace help us as communities of faith to pray more deeply and live more missionally as followers of Jesus Christ. These means are the ordinary channels that God uses to draw us into a fruitful relationship. These five means or channels are: 1. Prayer 2. Searching Scripture 3. Receiving the Lord’s Supper 4. Fasting 5. Conferencing (communion, fellowship) "Surely John Wesley wanted his teachings to be presented in clear and understandable ways. Elaine Heath’s teaching on the Five Means of Grace are simple and engaging with deep truths. Your group will love it!" - Jennifer Cowart (Executive pastor at Harvest Church, a United Methodist congregation in Warner Robins, GA, near Macon. She co-preaches and directs Discipleship and Emerging Ministries at Harvest UMC.) "Elaine Heath is one of the church’s great teachers and prophets. With engaging stories and clear understanding of Scripture she invites us to experience God’s love through ancient practices that we desperately need. I will be using Five Means of Grace with my congregation as an invitation for those seeking a deeper pathway into discipleship." - Rev. Jacob Armstrong, Providence United Methodist Church, Mount Juliet TN. "Methodists are followers of Jesus who are guided by a “rule of life”, a set of common spiritual practices that put us in a place where we are more likely to experience God’s transforming grace. This brief volume is deceptively filled with guidance for those who would allow the Holy Spirit to guide them. I am grateful to Elaine Heath, who continues to lead us again to the ordinary channels where the streams of mercy, justice and righteousness flow.” - Ken Carter, Resident Bishop, Florida Area, The United Methodist Church and co-author, Fresh Expressions: A New Kind of Methodist Church for People Not in Church
With the decision to provide of a scholarly edition of the Works of John Wesley in the 1950s, Methodist Studies emerged as a fresh academic venture. Building on the foundation laid by Frank Baker, Albert Outler, and other pioneers of the discipline, this handbook provides an overview of the best current scholarship in the field. The forty-two included essays are representative of the voices of a new generation of international scholars, summarising and expanding on topical research, and considering where their work may lead Methodist Studies in the future. Thematically ordered, the handbook provides new insights into the founders, history, structures, and theology of Methodism, and into ongoing developments in the practice and experience of the contemporary movement. Key themes explored include worship forms, mission, ecumenism, and engagement with contemporary ethical and political debate.
