Church

Jesus commended Smyrna for being spiritually rich despite affliction and poverty, but feared their suffering would silence their witness. He urged them not to fear but to remain faithful, trusting his sovereignty, resurrection, promised crown, and ultimate victory. Courage means doing what is right despite fear, knowing faithfulness to Jesus wins eternally.

Jesus commended the Ephesian church for its perseverance, discernment, and faithful work, but condemned its loss of love. Their ministry had become hollow routine. Jesus called them to remember, repent, and return to their first works, rekindling love for God and people so their faith would remain authentic, fruitful, and alive.

Jesus’ purpose in writing was to identify the most common, most destructive problems facing churches throughout history and then provide a plan to overcome them so churches everywhere can become places where sinners are transformed into saints (Romans 12:1-2), saints are empowered by the Holy Spirit to truly live and minister boldly (Acts 1:8), and entire communities are challenged and changed for the better (Acts 8:4-8). Certainly, some people react bitterly to such things, but history has shown that, when churches are doing these things, many are captivated by the gospel and Jesus as a result (2 Corinthians 2:16).

Near the end of the first century, the last survivor of Jesus’ original disciples, St. John, had a series of visions while imprisoned on the island of Patmos. He sat down and recorded them in the book of Revelation. In the first of his visions, he recorded a series of letters from Jesus to seven […]

The article examines the Local Church Conference as outlined in The Discipline of The Wesleyan Church 2022, highlighting its role as the primary governing body of local congregations. It emphasizes the importance of member participation in maintaining balanced authority and accountability within the church’s presbyterian-like structure. The author expresses concern over declining member involvement, noting that decreased attendance at Local Church Conference meetings can lead to an imbalance of power, favoring clergy over laity. This shift may reduce lay ownership of the church’s mission and vision, potentially impacting overall church health and effectiveness.

The discussion explores the decline in church membership relative to attendance, raising concerns about the potential centralization of power among clergy. It emphasizes the need to balance inclusivity with commitment and examines how membership should function as a meaningful step in discipleship rather than merely an institutional requirement.

In reviewing The Wesleyan Church’s Discipline, the author suggests rethinking the “developing church” classification, distinguishing between church plants and revitalization efforts due to their unique challenges. He also proposes reevaluating the “urban missional church” category to better address the complexities of urban ministry.

The article examines Chapter 5 of The Discipline of The Wesleyan Church, titled “Special Directions,” which addresses various non-dogmatic issues. It highlights the need to clarify positions on topics like human sexuality and modesty, suggesting updates to ensure relevance and clear guidance for contemporary and future Wesleyans.

Chapter 4 of The Discipline contains The Constitution of The North American General Conference. Basic Christian doctrines and the basic outline for our governing structure are established here. Appropriately, these things can be changed, but it requires a tremendous amount of work to do so. Allow me to be clear. The general principles established in The Constitution are sound. They establish as thoroughly orthodox and distinguish us as thoroughly entrenched in the holiness movement with a presbyterian form of government. I will not be advocating for any seismic shifts in this area. However, I would offer a few observations.

What are the five foundational values of The Wesleyan Church as evidenced in her history?