In the Pursuit of Holiness

 Today is Good Friday.  As with each Friday (and Wednesday), it is a day when, in addition to the Daily Office, I pray The Litany from the Book of Common Prayer.  During this prayer time, there was a line in the prayer, just prior to the concluding prayer, that stood out to me.  Actually, it often stands out to me, but today it stood out in a particular way.

The prayer asks that the Father would grant that we may ". . . evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living . . ."  (I am using Wesley's version, thus the "thee.")  This brought to my mind Hebrews 12:14, which says (in the NRSV) "Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."  The words that stood out in the verse for me, as I prayed were pursue and holiness.  

This, too, reminded me of Philippians 3:12-14:

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

What stood out for me in this verse was the idea of straining forward and press[ing] on toward the goal.

All of this reminded me of something that a friend and colleague, Rev'd. Jared Henry, once said.  (Paraphrasing) he said that there is a world of difference between the person who tries to avoid sin and the person who is pursuing holiness.

I want to be one who pursues holiness and evermore serves the Lord in holiness and pureness of living, to the honor and glory of our God!  -  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. 

Love, the Essence of Holiness

Today, as a part of my praying Morning Prayer, I sang two wonderful hymns that I would like to share with you, the readers of this blog.

The first is by Paul Gerhardt and is translated by John Wesley.  (It is on page 499 in the Sing to the Lord hymnal):

Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me

1. Jesus, Thy boundless love to me

No tho't can reach, no tongue declare;

O knit my thankful heart to Thee

And reign without a rival there.

Thine wholly, Thine alone, I am;

Be Thou alone my constant flame.

2. O grant that nothing in my soul

May dwell, but Thy pure love alone;

O may Thy love possess me whole,

My joy, my treasure, and my crown.

Strange flames far from my heart remove;

My ev'ry act, word, thought, be love.

3. O Love, how cheering is Thy ray!

All pain before Thy presence flies;

Care, anguish, sorrow melt away

Where'er Thy healing beams arise.

O Jesus, nothing may I see,

Nothing desire or seek but Thee!

4. In suff'ring be Thy love my peace;

In weakness be Thy love my pow'r;

And when the storms of life shall cease,

Jesus, in that important hour,

In death as life be Thou my guide,

And save me, who for me hast died!

The second hymn is a Charles Wesley hymn.  (It can be found on page 500 of the same hymnal):

Jesus, Thine All-victorious Love

1.  Jesus, Thine all-victorious love

Shed in my heart abroad;

Then shall my feet no longer rove,

Rooted and fixed in God.

2.  O that in me the sacred fire
Might now begin to glow,
Burn up the dross of base desire,

And make the mountains flow!

3. O that it now from heav'n might fall,

And all my sins consume!

Come, Holy Ghost, for Thee I call;

Spirit of Burning come!

4.  Refining Fire, go thro' my heart;

Illuminate my soul.
Scatter Thy life thro' ev'ry part,

And sanctify the whole.

5.  My steadfast soul, from falling free,

Shall then no longer move,

When Christ is all the world to me,

And all my heart is love.

Celebrating Phineas F. Bresee

 

 

Today is the commemoration (or "Feast Day") of Phineas F. Bresee, principal founder of the Church of the Nazarene.  As a means of celebration, I have re-printed the hagiography for Bresee which was published in For All the Saints: A Calendar of Commemorations, Second Edition.  The book was 
published by the Order of Saint Luke and edited by Heather Josselyn-Cranson.  I was privileged to have written the following piece on Bresee (the prayer was written by Daniel Taylor Benedict, Jr.):

Phineas Franklin Bresee was born to Phineas and Susan Brown Bresee in Franklin, NY, on December 31, 1838.  At 16, Bresee experienced his own "warmed heart" through a personal faith in Christ.  Soon thereafter, he sensed a call to ministry and was granted a Methodist exhorter's license.  He was ordained a deacon in 1859 and an elder two years later.(301)

In 1867, in Chariton, Iowa, Bresee "entered into the blessing of entire sanctification."(302)  Bresee had been struggling with doubt.  The altar call after his sermon that night produced only one seeker; Bresee, himself.  ". . . [A]s I cried to [the Lord] that night, he seemed to open heaven on me, and gave me . . . the baptism with the Holy Ghost . . . it not only took away my tendencies to worldliness, anger and pride, but it also removed the doubt."(303)  That experience of Christian Perfection would have a huge impact on Breese's ministry.

Bresee served rural charges, and then large, urban churches in Iowa(304) and, after 1883, Los Angeles and Pasadena, CA.  He was appointed presiding elder in West Des Moines (1864)(305) and in Los Angeles.(306)  Further, Bresee served as a delegate to multiple General Conferences.(307)



Me, behind Bresee's pulpit with
my Bresee bobble head

 Education was important to Bresee, as was seen by his serving on the board of Simpson College(308) and the University of Southern California.(309)  Later, Bresee became the president of Pacific Bible College (now Point Loma Nazarene University).(310)

By the mid-1890's, Bresee's commitment to the message of holiness led to his role as vice president of the National Holiness Association (NHA).  The experience of holiness also brought a passion for the poor.  The Church's first miracle after baptism with the Holy Ghost at Pentecost was upon a beggar, and so, Bresee reasoned, the priority of a Holy Ghost-baptized church ought to be the poor.(311)  This passion led him to withdraw from the MEC's appointive system in 1894 to serve with the Peniel Mission.  However, while away, preaching for the NHA, Bresee was ousted from the Mission.  he was now left without the Mission or a MEC appointment.(312)

Thus, at the request of a number of southern California's Holiness people, the Church of the Nazarene was organized on October 20, 1895 as a "Christian work, especially evangelistic and city mission work, and the spreading of the doctrine and experience of Christian holiness."(313)  Bresee was the general superintendent of a growing holiness denomination.  A series of mergers with other regional holiness groups established the church as a national denomination in 1908 at Pilot Point, TX.(314)

Bresee served as the denomination's senior general superintendent until his death on November 13, 1915.  He left behind his wife, Maria, six children, and what would become the largest denomination in the Wesleyan-Holiness wing of Methodism.

Common Prayer for Pastors, Bishops and Abbatial Leaders

Gracious God, our Shepherd, we thank you for raising up Phineas Bresee as bishop and pastor in your church.  Remembering his faithfulness and care, fill all shepherds of your church with truth in doctrine, fidelity in Word and Sacrament, and boldness and vision in leading the people, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever.  Amen.
__________________________________________________________
301 Ingersol, Stan. Nazarene Roots: Pastors, Prophets, Revivalists & Reformers. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City. 2009. p. 87-88.

302 Bangs, Carl. Phineas F. Bresee: His Life in Methodism, the Holiness Movement, and the Church of the Nazarene. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City. 1995. p. 71-73, 77.

303 Girvin, E.A. Phineas F. Bresee: A Prince in Israel. Kansas City, MO. Nazarene Publishing House. 1916. p. 50-52.

304 Ingersol. p. 88.

305 Kostlevy, William C., Ed. Historical Dictionary of the Holiness Movement. Lanham, Maryland, and London. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 28-29.

306 Bangs. p. 286.

307 Ingersol. p. 88-89.

308 Ibid. p. 88.

309 Kostlevy. p. 29.

310 Ingersol. p. 91

311 Ibid. p. 88-89.

312 Kostlevy. p. 29.

313 Bangs. p. 195-196.

314 Kostlevy. p. 29.

Sanctified by Faith: Acts 15:8 & 9

 

I have started reading my devotions using The Wesley Bible: A Personal Study Bible for Holy Living.  It is out of print, now, and it was only made available in the New King James Version, but the notes are very good for those who stand in the Wesleyan tradition.

In Morning Prayer, the second reading was from Acts 15:1-21.  That page included the following "Focus Note":

   Wesley emphasized that God's sanctifying power, which purifies the human heart, is received by faith.  In an extended description of this faith, he writes: "But what is that faith whereby we are sanctified, - saved from sin, and perfected in love?  It is a divine evidence and conviction, first, that God has promised it in the holy Scripture . . . 

   "It is a divine evidence and conviction, secondly, that what God has promised He is able to perform . . . 

   "It is, thirdly, a divine evidence and conviction that He is able and willing to do it now.  And why not? Is not a moment to Him the same as a thousand years?  He cannot want more time to accomplish whatever is His will.  And He cannot want or stay for any more worthiness or fitness in the person He is pleased to honor . . .

   "To this confidence, that God is both able and willing to sanctify us now, there needs to be added one thing more, - a divine evidence and conviction that He does it . . .

   "If you seek it by faith, you may expect it as you are; and if as you are, then expect it now.  It is of importance to observe, that there is an inseparable connection between these three points, - expect it by faith; expect it as you are; and expect it now.  To deny one of them is to deny them all; to allow one, is to allow them all."

Misunderstandings of Perfection

I have been using The Wesley Study Bible during my devotional reading.  The Old Testament reading for Morning Prayer (according to the 2019 BCP) was Deuteronomy 9.  Turning the page to chapter 10, I noticed that the notes contained one of the "Wesleyan Core Term" articles.  (This, along with "Life Application Topic" articles, are features of The Wesley Study Bible.)  This particular article was on "Misunderstandings of Perfection."

The doctrines of Christian Perfection and Entire Sanctification are a distinctive emphasis within the Wesleyan tradition, and especially within the Wesleyan-holiness wing of Methodism where my own denomination, the Church of the Nazarene, is situated.

I thought that it was a good and helpful article for those who might not understand clearly what the doctrine teaches and what it doesn't teach.  And so, I thought I would reproduce it for the readers of this blog (as well as commend The Wesley Study Bible to anyone looking for a new study Bible):

     The terminology Christian perfection, or entire sanctification, is easily misunderstood in the
     following ways. First, purity of heart does not entail perfection in knowledge.  Even the entirely
     sanctified must continue to study and prosper.  Second, Christian perfection does not issue in
     freedom from infirmities, that is, from slowness of understanding, confusion in thought, or 
     mistakes in judgment.  Third, Christian perfection should not be described as "sinless perfection,"
     lest the pure in heart conclude that they can be free from any violation of the perfect law of God,
     voluntary or not.  Fourth, perfect love does not eliminate temptation.  Fifth, there is no state of
     grace so lofty that one cannot fall from it; that is, heart purity can be lost.  And finally, Wesley
     rejected the idea of static perfection that did not increase in love and grace; he cautioned that a
     pure heart increasingly grows in the love of God.

More Holiness Hymns

I am still in the "Holiness" section of the hymnal (cf. previous post), and I thought I would share all three of the hymns for the day.  The first two are classic Charles Wesley hymns, and the third is by the American Methodist hymn writer, Lelia N. Morris, 1908. 

You will notice a marked distinction between the older, Wesley hymns and the one from the American Holiness Movement.  The former look toward or anticipate (in this life!) the experience of that "second rest" of "perfect love."  The latter is a celebratory testimony of God's "saving, sanctifying pow'r" and an invitation for others to "Boldly cross the Jordan's tide."  -  Both are very much a part of our heritage and identity in the Church of the Nazarene.

I hope you enjoy the hymns, and I hope that they prove to be a blessing to you!

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav'n, to earth come down!
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
All Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion;
Pure, unbounded love Thou art.
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter ev'ry trembling heart.



 

2. Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into ev'ry troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be.
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

3. Come, Almighty to Deliver;
Let us all Thy life receive.
Suddenly return, and never,
Nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

4. Finish then Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation,
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heav'n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.



Jesus, My Strength, My Hope

 

1. Jesus, my strength, my hope,
On Thee I cast my care,
With humble confidence look up,
And know Thou hear'st my prayer.
Give me on Thee to wait
Till I can all things do;
On Thee, almighty to create,
Almighty to renew.

2. I want a godly fear,
A quick-discerning eye
That looks to Thee when sin is near
And sees the tempter fly;
A spirit still prepared
And armed with jealous care,
Forever standing on its guard
And watching unto prayer.

3. I want a true regard,
A single, steady aim,
Unmoved by threat'ning or reward,
To Thee and Thy great name;
A jealous, just concern
For Thine immortal praise;
A pure desire that all may learn
And glorify Thy grace.

4. I rest upon Thy Word;
the promise is for me:
My comfort and salvation, Lord,
Shall surely come from Thee.
But let me still abide,
Nor from my hope remove,
Till Thou my patient spirit guide
Into Thy perfect love.



Sanctifying Power
1. There is sanctifying pow'r,
Like a sweet, refreshing show'r,
Waiting for each consecrated heart:
Pow'r to cleanse us from all sin,
Pow'r to keep us pure within,
Pow'r for service which He will impart.

(Refrain) I'm so glad, I'm so glad
For this saving, sanctifying pow'r!
Waves of glory o'er me roll;
Peace abides within my soul.
I'm so glad for this sanctifying pow'r!

2. I'm so glad it reaches me,
All unworthy tho' I be,
Overcoming grace made freely mine.
Since the Comforter abides,
And within my heart resides,
I am walking in the light of divine.

3. This God's will for you and me,
That we sanctified should be,
Dwelling in this land of plenteousness.
Fling your doubts and fears aside;
Boldly cross the Jordan's tide,
And your heritage in Christ possess.

4. Songs of praises let us sing
To our blessed Lord and King
For this great salvation rich and free:
Ev'ry needed grace supplied,
Ev'ry longing satisfied,
Saved for time and for eternity.

Holiness Hymns

 I have mentioned it before, but I tend to sing (usually three) songs when I pray the Daily Office.  I am currently singing through the Nazarene hymnal, Sing to the Lord, once again.  Today, I was in the section on holiness.  In fact, among the three that I sang was one of my three favorite hymns, Holiness unto to Lord.  (My other two are And Can It Be? by Charles Wesley and The Love of God by Frederick M. Lehman and Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai.)

This hymn holds special meaning for me, not only because of its content, but also because it is sung at every ordination service in the Church of the Nazarene.  -  It is unfortunate that, with so many churches moving exclusively to more modern songs, the message of this and several other holiness hymns has been lost for those congregations.  This is also the case for the theology of other classical Wesley hymns, as well as those that belong to the larger Christian Church.  -  I am not opposed to contemporary songs.  In fact, I like many of them.  However, if that is all we are singing, we are probably missing something import.

Holiness unto the Lord was written by Lelia N. Morris in 1900.  Mrs. Morris was a Methodist who wrote more than 1,000 gospel songs, including a number of holiness hymns; this being among them.

Holiness unto the Lord

1. "Called unto holiness," Church of our God,

Purchase of Jesus, redeemed by His blood;

Called from the world and its idols to flee,

Called from the bondage of sin to be free.

(Refrain) "Holiness unto the Lord" is our watch-word and song;

"Holiness unto the Lord" as we're marching along.

Sing it, shout it, loud and long:

"Holiness unto the Lord" now and forever.

2. "Called unto holiness," children of light,

Walking with Jesus in garments of white;

Raiment unsullied, nor tarnished with sin;

God's Holy Spirit abiding within.

3. "Called unto holiness," praise His dear name!

This blessed secret to faith now made plain:

Not our own righteousness, but Christ within,

Living and reigning, and saving from sin.

4. "Called unto holiness," bride of the Lamb,

Waiting the Bride-groom's returning again!

Lift up your heads, for the day draweth near

When in His beauty the King shall appear!

 

In addition to Holiness unto the Lord, I also sang Glorious Freedom.  Again, so many Nazarene churches are missing out on these songs that re-enforce our Wesleyan-holiness emphasis on entire sanctification.

Glorious Freedom

 

1. Once I was bound by sin's galling fetters;
Chained like a slave, I struggled in vain.
But I received a glorious freedom
When Jesus broke my fetters in twain.

(Refrain) Glorious freedom! Wonderful freedom!
No more in chains of sin I repine!
Jesus, the glorious Emancipator -
Now and forever He shall be mine.

2. Freedom from all the carnal affections;
Freedom from envy, hatred, and strife;
Freedom from vain and worldly ambitions;
Freedom from all that saddened my life!

3. Freedom from pride and all sinful follies;
Freedom from love and glitter of gold;
Freedom from evil temper and anger;
Glorious freedom, rapture untold!

4. Freedom from fear with all of its torments;
Freedom from care with all of its pain;
Freedom in Christ, my blessed Redeemer -
He who has rent my fetters in twain.

 

 

One might ask, what if my experience does not match the freedom that this hymn describes?  Indeed, it would be likely that there would be plenty within a congregation that would not claim this testimony.  But in that case, I would paraphrase the advice once given to John Wesley when he was searching for assurance of faith.  Sing it until you experience the grace described in the hymn, and then you will sing it because you have experience that grace!

Christian Perfection - The Doctrine of the Church of England

I was reading, today, in the 10th Volume of Wesley's Works (Jackson edition), and I came across a passage that says it so well!  -  It is found on page 450, in Wesley's "An Answer to Mr. Rowland Hill's Tract, Entitled, 'Imposture Detected.'"  -  It is a position that has long been held, but it was really nice to find it so explicitly stated by John Wesley, himself.

The quote is as follows:

The perfection I hold is so far from being contrary to the doctrine of our Church, that it is exactly the same which every Clergyman prays for every Sunday: "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name."  I mean neither more nor less than this.  In doctrine, therefore, I do not dissent from the Church of England.

There is a further story about Phineas Bresee (primary founder of the Church of the Nazarene) and this very thing.  It seems that an Episcopal priest was criticizing the Nazarenes for their claim of Entire Sanctification.  Bresee responded by asking why he thought it so amazing that God would answer the very prayer that the Episcopalians prayed every Sunday.

Yes, indeed, the Collect of Purity encapsulates the essence of Christian Perfection.  May it be that Almighty God would cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that we might perfectly love God, and worthily magnify God's holy name, through Christ our Lord!  Amen!

Perfect People Welcome!

I'm sure that many of you have heard the slogan, just as I have.  In fact, just the other day, again, I was looking at a church that we were thinking about attending during our upcoming vacation, and there it was; that slogan:  "No Perfect People Allowed."

Well, a few weeks ago, I was preaching from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:39-48.  And in this sermon, I take issue with that slogan.  You see, it's not a slogan that fits with the good news of the Gospel, and it certainly ought not be found in any Wesleyan/Methodist Church.

Since, I'm just discovering how to move one of our sermon videos from the Heartland Church to my blog (I'm not very tech savvy!), I thought this would be a good place to start.  -  In the future, I may try to post my weekly sermons, and perhaps even go back to include some that I have preached in the recent past.  (Perhaps the one on Baptism of the Lord Sunday would fit this blog's emphasis, well.)  -  In any case, I hope that this sermon ministers to you!  -  "Perfect People Welcome!"

A Prayer For Holiness by A. W. Tozer

     Our Heavenly Father, we have heard Thee say, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."  But unless Thou dost enable us by the exceeding greatness of Thy power how can we who are by nature weak and sinful walk in a perfect way?  Grant that we may learn to lay hold on the working of the mighty power which wrought in Christ when Thou didst raise Him from the dead and set Him at Thine own right hand in the heavenly places.  Amen.

 

(from "The Knowledge of the Holy")

A Few Quotes from Tom Noble

I just finished reading Holy Trinity: Holy People: The Theology of Christian Perfecting by T. A. Noble, Cascade Books, Eugene, Oregon.  -  Thomas Noble is Professor of Theology at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO (where I did my M.Div., though he was not teaching there when I attended).  He is also Senior Research Fellow in Theology at Nazarene Theological College, Manchester, UK, and recently served as the president of the Wesleyan Theological Society.

The book is a part of the Didsbury Lecture Series.  These lectures are given annually at the Nazarene Theological College in Manchester.  Dr. Noble notes, at the beginning, that "since the Church of the Nazarene stands in the Wesleyan tradition, and is . . . a member of the World Methodist Council, we decided to call the series the 'Didsbury Lectures' to commemorate the former Methodist Didsbury College.  -  Five of the first ten Didsbury lecturers were Methodists" (xi).  (Incidentally, as I look back through the list of lecturers, I note that two of my former seminary professors were included in the list, as were some other well known names like I. Howard Marshall, C.K. Barrett, J.D.G. Dunn, and then there was the Rt. Rev'd N.T. Wright in 2005.)

In the book, Noble grounds the doctrine of Christian Perfection in the Holy Trinity, and he clearly shows how Wesley inherited the doctrine from the Church Fathers.

But, for the purpose of the is post, I simply wanted to highlight a few quotes found in the last few pages of the book; quotes that focus us on worship, liturgy and the sacraments.

In talking about the essential nature of corporate holiness Noble says:
    
     Even Wesley's preaching on Christian holiness concentrates on the individual, but it was the warm fellowship of what were significantly called Methodist "Societies" that were the matrix of holy love which produced genuine Methodist saints.  And his revival of the ancient "love feast" (the agape), along with his strong emphasis on the importance of the Lord's Supper, which is after all not just a "Eucharist" (Thanksgiving), but "Holy Communion" (hagia koinonia), was at the heart of his creative organization of the Methodist Societies.  Too many of Wesley's heirs have lost that focus, being influenced by a "low church" suspicion of liturgy, but a recovery of the church as the matrix for Christian holiness will necessarily include a rediscovery of the centrality of the sacraments (221).

(To which I give a hearty, "Amen!")

Speaking of the mission of God and the Church, Noble says:

     The missio Dei is not the End.  Or to put that another way, the End will end the mission.  Continuing the missio Dei is not the ultimate purpose of God and so mission is not the ultimate purpose of the church.  At the End, the eschaton, the end of "the present evil age" (Galatians 1:4), the mission Dei will end.  It will be completed.  That is vitally important because it means that while mission is an integral and essential part of the nature of the church in this age, it is not what ultimately makes the church to be the church.  The church will still be the church, the body of Christ, in the age to come.  The salvation of the world through the missio Dei is therefore the penultimate purpose of the church, but the ultimate purpose of the church is the glory of God (222).

He goes on to say, "That implies then that the ultimate purpose of the church - the one, holy, catholic, apostolic church - is the worship of the Triune God.  That will be the life of the church in the age to come, and that is the heart of the raison d'eter of the church today" (222).

A little later, Noble, thinking of Marva Dawns work in A Royal "Waste" of Time, says that worship "is done not to gain anything, or achieve anything, or win anything, or produce anything.  It is simply the sheer joy of participating in the loving relationship between the Persons of the Holy Trinity, knowing that in doing so, we are united with all the human persons redeemed to be part of that eternal joyous fellowship" (223).

It is exciting to see how Noble demonstrates the essential nature of our sacramental worship for the doctrine of Christian Perfection.  This is yet another positive sign of liturgical/sacramental awakening and renewal for those who stand in the Wesleyan-holiness tradition!

Noble concludes his book by quoting Charles Wesley's hymn of "ecstatic Trinitarian worship":

 

Father of everlasting grace,

Thy goodness and Thy truth we praise;

Thy goodness and Thy truth we prove;

Thou has, in honour of Thy Son,

The gift unspeakable sent down,

The Spirit of life, and power, and love.

 

Send us the Spirit of Thy Son,

To make the depths of Godhead known,

To make us share the life divine;

Send Him the sprinkled blood to apply,

Send him our souls to sanctify,

And show and seal us ever Thine.

 

So shall we pray, and never cease,

So shall we thankfully confess,

Thy wisdom, truth, and power, and love;

With joy unspeakable adore,

And bless and praise Thee evermore,

And serve Thee with Thy hosts above.

 

Till, added to that heavenly choir,

We raise our songs of triumph higher,

And praise Thee in a bolder strain,

Out-soar the first-born seraph's flight,

And sing, with all our friends in light,

Thy everlasting love to man.
(223-24).

Holiness Leaders Form New Global Wesleyan Alliance!

The Wesleyan Church has reported that on December 2-3, 2011, leaders of the Church of the Nazarene, The Wesleyan Church, Free Methodist Church USA, Church of God (Anderson), Churches of Christ in Christian Union, The Evangelical Church, Evangelical Methodist Church, Congregational Methodist Church, Church of Christ Holiness (USA), and the Pilgrim Holiness Church have met together to form a new partnership group called the Global Wesleyan Alliance (GWA).

The Alliance is supposed to be a means for providing greater cooperation without bringing about denominational mergers.  They list some of their initial objectives as including:

• Creating greater community through intentional relationship building;
• Collaborating to pool resources, share best practices and ministers, and generate new ideas and tools;
• Convening events to promote the personal experience of holiness and collective ministries for discipleship, church health and multiplication, leadership development, prayer and networking;
• Communicating with one another more intentionally and addressing contemporary issues and public concerns with a more united voice.

According to the report, the GWA’s first joint effort will be a call to prayer for spiritual awakening and revival. An exciting major effort is the establishment of procedures for the mutual recognition of minister’s credentials among the Alliance’s covenant partners.  The report indicates that an online, free library of classic holiness literature is already available at www.holinesslegacy.com.  The Alliance will also sponsor regional “Holiness Summits” (www.holiness-summit.org) in order to introduce others to the personal experience of entire sanctification.

Dr. Jerry Pence, General Superintendent in The Wesleyan Church, was elected as the GWA's first president.  He commented, “This alliance will enable holiness denominations to achieve a historic level of cooperation and unity for evangelism, discipleship, church multiplication, compassion and justice. Our passion is to pursue the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment—making Christ known through words and deeds and millions of lives filled with perfect love.”

Each of the denominations will, of course, have to officially approve GWA partnership.  According to the report, they are expecting several other denominations to participate in the GWA’s first official assembly when it is held in Circleville, Ohio, November 30-December 1, 2012.

This is exciting news!

Readers of this blog will recall that I, through my district committee, sent a resolution to the last Nazarene General Assembly that would have Nazarenes approach The Wesleyan Church and the Free Methodist Church to explore merger possibilities.  That resolution was amended to leave out merger, but seek greater cooperation.  -  Since that time, I have come to the conclusion that denominational merger likely is not the way to go.  I am very pleased with the news of this new Global Wesleyan Alliance!

Some question do remain.  Will this organization be the successor of the now dormant Christian Holiness Partnership?  It has been pointed out that the CHP was national in scope.  It is clear from the name of the new group that the intent is that it be global in scope.  Still, it should be noted that the denominations at this organizational meeting (even the global ones) are based in the U.S.  Even the Free Methodist Church is specified as the U.S.A. branch of the FMC.

Will Wesleyan-Holiness denominations based outside of the U.S.A. align with the GWA?  Will the GWA membership simply mirror the CHP membership?  Will the Alliance reach out to some of the more conservative World Methodist Council denominations?  Will this new Alliance have a negative affect on Nazarene, Wesleyan and Free Methodist membership in the World Methodist Council?  (I hope not!)  Will this "Wesleyan" Alliance be broadened so as to include Pentecostal holiness denominations, like the Wesleyan Holiness Consortium has done?  (Personally, I think that such a move may dilute the Wesleyan-holiness message.) 

For all of these answers, only time will tell.

For now, if anyone at the Nazarene Global Ministries Center happens to be reading this blog (yeah, right!), I would love to be a Nazarene representative to the GWA!  (In the past, I have been appointed by the General Secretary as a denominational delegate to the Christian Holiness Partnership and the World Methodist Conference.)

The full story about the GWA can be read on The Wesleyan Church's site, here.

Still A Holiness Preacher

Way back in August of 1992 (on the 22nd, to be exact), during our wedding ceremony, one of the pastors officiating the ceremony commented to my bride, "You're marrying a holiness preacher."  (For those not familiar with that kind of terminology, I was, at that time, a licensed minister and in seminary studying to be a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene.  The Church of the Nazarene was born in the "Holiness Movement" within Methodism and is the largest of the Wesleyan-holiness denominations.)

Several years have come and gone since that day.  I am now pastoring Centenary United Methodist Church in New Albany, IN.  (My elders orders are still in the Church of the Nazarene.)  And my wife is still married to "a holiness preacher."

There is much more to preaching "holiness" than just focusing on the doctrine and experience of Entire Sanctification or Christian Perfection.  Nevertheless, that is an important aspect of it.  And this past Sunday, the lectionary passage for the Gospel provided a great opportunity to preach on that very subject. The passage comes from Matthew 5:43-48, which ends with Jesus saying, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

This is one of my favorite "holiness passages" to preach from.  (It is actually the text that I preached from when I won the Corlett Holiness Sermon Award as a Senior at Nazarene Theological Seminary, way back in 1994.)

To go along with the sermon, we opened with (and then included, again, after the sermon with the Prayers of the People) the Collect of Purity:  "Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name, through Christ our Lord.  Amen."

That prayer truly encapselates the "holiness message."  In fact, I believe it was P.F. Bresee (the primary founder of the Church of the Nazarene) who once said to some Episcopalians (something like), "Why do you consider it strange that we, Nazarenes, claim that God actually hears and answers the prayer that you pray every Sunday?"

We also sang Charles Wesley's, "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" and a chorus titled, "A Perfect Heart."  We concluded with Wesley's, "Jesus Thine All-victorious Love," and St. Paul's benediction in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

My sermon title was, "Nobody's Perfect . . . Are They?"  For those interested, you can listen to it at our church's website, here.

(Let me say that, when I first start, a person in the congregation corrects me on the particular movie that I am about to reference.  Also, we had a problem with the microphone in the midst of the sermon.  I do not know if that caused a problem in the recording.)

Holiness Denominational Leaders Meet to Strengthen Ties

The article, below, comes from the Nazarene Communications Network website, which apparently picked it up from The Wesleyan Church:


Holiness denomination leaders meet to strengthen ties

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Lenexa, Kansas

Superintendents, presidents, and bishops of 10 denominations and holiness bodies met for a two-day summit in Lenexa, Kansas, to discover ways to spread scriptural holiness and remain committed to the message in the Wesleyan-holiness tradition.

The Church of the Nazarene's Board of General Superintendents hosted the annual meeting of the Wesleyan Leaders Summit, December 3-4 at the Global Ministry Center.

Several task forces were appointed by this year's summit members to do follow-up work on topics of mutual concern, including development of an online, digital holiness classics library; procedures to allow for easier transfer of ministerial personnel and credentials for ministers in good standing between member bodies; statements for possible joint releases that address pressing social and moral issues; and cooperative scheduling of Holiness Summits (grassroots-led, regional events to encourage holiness evangelism and revival).

A subcommittee also was appointed to develop proposals for a voluntary global Wesleyan alliance that could foster greater cooperation and synergy among like-minded church bodies worldwide.

Wesleyan Leaders Summit representatives gather annually for professional enrichment, fellowship, sharing best practices, discussion of cultural trends and current issues impacting their ministries, and informal networking to encourage greater interdenominational cooperation.

Executives at this year's summit included representatives of the Church of the Nazarene, the Free Methodist Church, The Salvation Army, Church of God Ministries, Inc., The Missionary Church, the Churches of Christ in Christian Union, the Church of Christ Holiness (USA), the Congregational Methodist Church, the Methodist Protestant Church, and The Wesleyan Church.

Additional leaders from the Evangelical Church, the Evangelical Methodist Church, and the International Fellowship of Bible Churches anticipated attending, but were unable to do so at the last minute. The next Wesleyan Leaders Summit is scheduled for December 2-3, 2011, in Circleville, Ohio.
 --Board of General Superintendents, The Wesleyan Church Communications

-------------------------------

In reading the article, above, I would note that all but (possibly) three of the denominations listed were members of the Christian Holiness Partnership, which seems to no longer be a functioning organization. The denominations that were not CHP members include the Church of Christ, Holiness (USA), which seems to primarily be an African-American denomination; the Methodist Protestant Church (those who did not join in the 1968 union that formed the United Methodist Church); and the Church of God Ministries, Inc. I'm not sure who this latter denomination is (thus the "possibly," above). If it is the Church of God (Anderson), it is unusual that it was not listed as "Anderson." On the other hand, if it is not the CoGA, then it is unusual that they were not at the meeting.

I find several items in this article to be interesting, and I look forward to hearing about future developments. 

Among the things that I find greatly interest is the exploration of a "global Wesleyan alliance." This, I'm guessing would take the place of the national Christian Holiness Partnership. However, it will be important to pay attention to whatever terminology any future organization would use. These are obviously not the only "Wesleyan" denominations. Also considered Wesleyan denominations are such groups as the United Methodist Church, the AME, AMEZ & CME, none of which were involved in this meeting. For that matter, one can look at the World Methodist Council, itself, noting that three of the denominations in this meeting are members of the WMC. If one is simply looking for a global Wesleyan alliance, there it is! 

However, what we have here are "Wesleyan-Holiness" denominations, and that is the alliance we are looking at.  That is important, because some of these groups would not identify, at all, with a group like the World Methodist Council.  In fact, the "Wesleyan" identity of some of the Wesleyan-holiness denominations seems to be focused only on the doctrine of Entire Sanctification.  Therefore, the term "Wesleyan-Holiness" would be much more fitting for such an alliance.
In general, I wish that there were talks of merger more than "alliances" (which will come as no surprise to those who have read my blog). However, I admit, when it comes to mergers, I would be in favor of merging with those who share and strengthen the Church of the Nazarene's Methodist identity, and I would be less excited about merger with those who would dilute that identity. - Still such a "global alliance" would be an exciting development, and any attempt at strengthening cooperation is always a good thing.

The Problem of Perfectionism?

Earlier this month, I read an article on Anglican Mainstream entitled The Problem of Perfectionism.  It was written by Michael Jensen and originally appeared at Sydney Anglicans.  -  I regularly read Anglican Mainstream and, as one ordained in the Church of the Nazarene (a Wesleyan-holiness expression of Methodism), this article caught my attention.

However, as I read the article, and then especially as I read the comments on the Sydney site, I must say that I was quite disappointed.  Both, the article, itself, and the comments demonstrated only a cursory (mis)understanding of Wesley's teachings.

(I should say, before I go any further, this post is not a defence of the group at Sydney University.  If the understanding of the group put forth in the article is correct [and there is a question, here, because it is clear that Wesley is misunderstood], then they, too, strayed from Wesley's teaching of Scripture.  -  And now, to continue . . .)

It was even more amazing how Jensen identified, "among the descendants of perfectionist teaching," only two, viz., the Keswick Movement and Pentecostalism.  Neither of these two movements, as movements, have followed Wesley's teachings (though there are certain of the Pentecostal-Holiness denominations that have, indeed, sought to stay true to Wesley on perfectionist issues.).  It is quite reasonable to include in such an article various expressions of perfectionist groups, but if one wishes to invoke John Wesley's teachings, one would expect some mention of the Wesleyan-Holiness Movement within the larger Methodist tradition.

Beyond the absence of Wesley's descendants in the article are the misunderstandings found in the article, as well as (and especially) in the comments.  Many of these comments are the very kind of things that Wesley spent much of his life correcting.

For example, Wesley never argued for a "sinless" perfection.  Also, though Wesley did talk of a willful transgression of a known law of God being the definition of sin "properly so called," he also taught that those "sins improperly so called," nevertheless still remained in need of the atoning work of the blood of Christ.  He retained in the liturgies sent to the Methodists in North America the corporate confessions of sins, as well as the Lord's Prayer with it's petition for forgiveness.  Still, he felt that there is Scriptural warrant for talking about a difference between such  "involuntary transgressions" or "sins of ignorance" and those that are willful transgressions of a known law of God.

What, I suppose, was most disappointing was the implication of the posting of this article on Anglican Mainstream.  That implication is that the Conservative/Orthodox Anglican movement (as represented by Anglican Mainstream) has rejected Wesleyanism as a viable expression of Conservative/Orthodox Anglicanism.

Let me simply express that what Wesley talked about as Christian Perfection is nothing other than the "perfection" to which we are called in Matthew 5:48.  Read in its context, it becomes clear that it is a call to love our neighbors, even those who are enemies, even as God loves.  In other words, the perfectionism that Wesley spoke of was a fulfilment of the Great Commandment; to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself.   It is the "perfect love that drives out fear," which St. John talks about in 1 John 4:18. 

It is not the absolute or angelic perfection that St. Paul denies having attained in Philippians 3:12, but it is the "perfection" or "maturity" (same Greek root word in verse 12 & 15) that St. Paul does claim in verse 15. 

Let me be clear.  It is NOT a love or "maturity" or "perfection" which we can attain on our own, but it only comes to us as a gift of the grace of God. 

It is, as St. Paul prays in 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, "And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints."  And, again, in his benediction, "May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and HE will do this" (1 Thessalonians 5:23-4, NRSV, emphasis mine).

It is nothing more than the love of God so filling us.

And, if my reading of the implications of this post appearing on Anglican Mainstream is correct, it is especially disappointing, because the essence of Wesley's teaching on Christian Perfection is the very thing found in prayer prayed by every faithful Anglican as they gather each Lord's Day:

"Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord.  Amen."

I believe it was Phineas Bresee, primary founder of the Church of the Nazarene, who asked the Episcopalians why it should seem strange that the Nazarenes claimed that God answers the very prayer that they pray each week.

It seems to me that, contrary to the implications found on Anglican Mainstream, Wesley was quite true to his Anglicanism in his teaching about the Scriptural doctrine of Christian Perfection.

N.T. Wright & Our Call Unto Holiness

So often people are looking for acceptance.  The great good news is that in Christ we are accepted by God.  However, so often people do not desire to change.  They want to be accepted by God, but they do not want to follow Christ.  They want God's love, but they do not want God's interference; they do not want the glorious, transforming freedom offered to us by God's grace through faith in Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As I was making my regular check of certain blogs, I ran across the quote below from Bishop N.T. Wright.  I found it on my friend, Fr. James Gibson's blog, Sanctus.  He, it appears, found it at Creedal Christian.  There, it was cited as having come from + N.T. Wright's, "Communion and Koinonia: Pauline Reflections on Tolerance and Boundaries."

As a "holiness preacher," I found this quote to be spot on!


"It is one of the most important principles of biblical ethics, and one trampled in the mud again and again in contemporary debate: that God's grace meets us where we are, but God's grace, thank God, does not leave us where we are; that God accepts us as we are, but that God's grace, thank God, is always a transforming acceptance, so that in God's very act of loving us and wooing our answering love we are being changed; and, more dramatically, in baptism and all that it means we are actually dying and rising, leaving one whole way of life and entering upon a wholly different one."

Not only is our life changed at our time of conversion, as our baptism so dramatically proclaims, but as Christians, we are, by the grace of God, "Called Unto Holiness!"  God so desires to sanctify us through and through that we might actually reflect the divine image.  In other words, God really desires to answer our prayer when we pray:

"Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.  Amen."   -  Praise be to God!