All Saints'

Yesterday was All Saints' Day.  Thus, I'm a little late with this post, but, since many Protestant churches transfer All Saints' Day to the following Sunday and observe All Saints' on Sunday, I thought I would go ahead and post!  (Plus, I did post an article on All Hallow's Eve, so that's not too bad!)

As The United Methodist Book of Worship reminds us, "All Saints (November 1 or the first Sunday in November) is a day of remembrance for the saints, with the New Testament meaning of all Christian people of every time and place.  We celebrate the communion of saints as we remember the dead, both of the Church universal and of our local congregations.  For this reason, the names of persons in the congregation who have died during the past year may be solemnly read as a Response to the Word."

Since, All Saints' is not only a recognition of death, but also a celebration of life through the Resurrection, all of the paraments, banners & stoles are white, which is the joyful and festive color used at Christmas and Easter.

All Saints' was a favorite of John Wesley's.  He mentioned it four times in his journal.  On All Saints' in 1748, Wesley said, "Being All-Saints' day, we had a solemn assembly at the chapel; as I cannot but observe, we have had on this very day, for several years.  Surely, 'right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints!'"  In 1756 Wesley says, "November 1, was a day of triumphant joy, as All-Saints' Day generally is.  How superstitious are they who scruple giving God solemn thanks for the lives and deaths of his saints!"  In 1767, he included in his journal the following comments: "Being All-Saints' Day, (a festival I dearly love,) I could not but observe the admirable propriety with which the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the day are suited to each other." 

The Collect for the day from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (which would be the Pray Book Wesley used) reads as follows (and I would encourage all to pray):

O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys, which thou hast prepared for them that unfeignedly love thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

 

The Epistle was Revelation 7:2-12.  The Gospel was Matthew 5:1-12.  -  I would encourage you to read these Scripture lessons.

 

The year prior to this entry, Wesley wrote, "'God, who hath knit together his elect in one communion and fellowship,' gave us a solemn season at West-Street (as usual) in praising him for all his Saints.  On this day in particular, I commonly find the truth of these words:

 

The Church triumphant in his love,

Their mighty joys we know;

They praise the Lamb in hymns above,

And we in hymns below."

 

 

That is the second verse of Charles Wesley's "Happy the Souls to Jesus Joined."  Unfortunately, that hymn is not found in either The United Methodist Hymnal, nor the Nazarene's Sing to the Lord hymnal.  Three verses of it did appear in the older The Methodist Hymnal.  The four verses, below, were taken from the Wesley Hymns book, compiled by Ken Bible and published by Lillenas Publishing Company (Nazarene):

 

 

1.) Happy the souls to Jesus joined

And saved by grace alone.

Walking in all Thy ways they find

Their heaven on earth begun.

 

2.) The Church triumphant in Thy love,

Their mighty joys we know;

They sing the Lamb in hymns above,

And we in hymns below.

 

3.) Thee in Thy glorious realm they praise,

And bow before Thy throne;

We in the kingdom of Thy grace;

The kingdoms are but one.

 

4.) The holy to the holiest leads;

From thence our spirits rise.

He that in all Thy statutes treads

Shall meet Thee in the skies.

 

 

Since the hymn is in common meter, it can be sung to a number of familiar tunes, not the least of which is Wesley's "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" (Azmon).  We will be singing it this Sunday to Land of Rest (which is the tune that the Nazarene hymnal uses for Wesley's "All Praise to Our Redeeming Lord").

 

It is unfortunate that more of our churches do not have an All Saints' Day service on November 1, no matter the day on which it falls.  However, with the transference that most Protestant churches do, to the following Sunday, All Saints' becomes a major focus during the primary service of worship. 

 

May God be praised for all of His saints who have finished their course and have become for us such a great cloud of witnesses!

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

The Journal entries were taken from the Jackson edition of Wesley's Works.



My "Authentic Christian Worship" Video

During the General Assembly of the international Church of the Nazarene held last June in Indianapolis, I had the opportunity to present a workshop on "Authentic Christian Worship Using John Wesley's Criteria."  -  I have to say, I had a great time, and I am thankful to have had this opportunity.  I am also thankful for all of the positive feedback I received from a number of those who attended the "packed-out" workshop.

The workshop, itself, led to the opportunity to participate in a video interview for Grace & Peace Magazine.  I have added a link to the video on my sidebar.  But, for those not wanting to take the time to click on the link . . . here is the video:




Todd Stepp - Authentic Christian Worship from John Wesley's Perspective from Church of the Nazarene on Vimeo.

Grace & Peace Magazine has provided a host of videos on the topic of worship (as well as other topics.)  Some of the videos fit better with a Wesleyan/Anglican understanding of liturgy & the sacraments than do other videos, but the page is definitely worth taking a look at, especially for those interested in the thoughts of folks in the Church of the Nazarene.  The video page can be viewed, here.

A special thanks goes out to Bryon McLaughlin & all the folks at Grace & Peace Magazine!

(Any district or local church that may be interested in my presenting a workshop along these lines can feel free to contact me!  If it works with my schedule, I would love to present on this topic!)

Common Prayer Texts Finally Available!

 

This past week the Anglican Church in North America finally made public their Texts for Common Prayer in downloadable format.  (I would have posted this earlier, but I am having some serious issues with my laptop!)  -  The texts include Morning and Evening Prayer, the Holy Eucharist, and the Ordinal. 

This is such exciting news for many of us who have been waiting for the ACNA to produce a Book of Common Prayer; something that is closer to the 1662 version (and, thus, closer to Wesley's version), but which is more "user friendly," i.e., in contemporary English.  It is hoped that it does include some of the good moves that the '79 Prayer Book made (e.g., the recovery of the Passing of the Peace), without making all of the theological shifts made there and without diverging so drastically from the common prayer tradition.

Also exciting is the statement made on the download site that says, "Although Texts for Common Prayer is copyrighted, many of the texts herein are in the public domain. Nothing in the copyright is designed to prohibit congregations from the free use of the texts in the form published."

It has been my hope that the ACNA would publish a form that could simply be taken over and utilized in a Wesleyan/Anglican worship setting.  With the downloadable option, it is likely that, if there are parts that stray from a Wesleyan understanding, they could be edited for use in a Wesleyan setting (though, I am hopeful that such will not be necessary!).


I should note (as does the article) that these are all still "working" texts.  That means that they are not necessarily in final form.  However, they are the approved texts for the Province.  It is hoped that a book form of these texts will be available by January 1, 2014. -  Until then, the texts, themselves, can be downloaded, here.  I have also included a link to them on my sidebar in the Books of Common Prayer section.

For more information about the liturgy project and the Texts for Common Prayer, click, here.

I look forward to praying these forms of the Daily Office, and I look forward to looking more closely at the service for Holy communion.

Praying the Litany

One of the spiritual disciplines that members of the Wesleyan-Anglican Society are encouraged to take on is the praying of the Litany each Wednesday and Friday.  -  The Litany is found in the Book of Common Prayer (in its various forms).  In the 1662 BCP of the Church of England, this "General Supplication" was said to be sung or said after Morning Prayer upon Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

John Wesley passed the Litany on to "the people called Methodists" in his conservative revision of the Prayer Book, which he titled, The Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America.  The instruction that Wesley gives in The Sunday Service is that it should be prayed on Wednesdays and Fridays.

One of my colleagues and fellow WAS member, the Rev'd. Daniel McLain Hixon, has given a rendering of the Litany in modern language based on Wesley's version and compared with the 1662 & 1979 Books of Common Prayer.  He has posted this version on his blog, Gloria Deo.  -  I prayed this version, yesterday, and commend it for your consideration.

A Change on the Journey

It has been a long time since I last posted!  -  I have simply been very busy.  Oh, I have had lots of ideas, but have not gotten around to posting them.  -  I hope to get back into a regular habit of posting.

Although this may not be the most positive post to make for my "come back," it seems that today is the most appropriate time to make it, because today is the celebration of the Feast of Saint Luke. 

As such, this is the day that all of the members of the Order of Saint Luke renew their vows and commitments to the Order.  However, for the first time in since 2000, I will not be making those vows.

It is not that I have changed my position concerning the content of the vows, themselves.  They are still very much a part of who I am.  I still "Affirm the Apostolic Hope; Live for the Church of Jesus Christ; Magnify the Sacraments; Seek the Sacramental Life; Promote the Corporate Worship of the Church; Accept the call to Service as put forth by the discipline of the Church and (much of) the Practice of the Order; and, by and large Abide by the Rules of the Order and Indicate that Commitment by Study, Service, Gifts and Practice."  Except, of course, for those things that are specific to membership in the Order, I hold all of these, still.

The problem that I have wrestled with over the years has been the tolerance for such theological and social liberalness (or whatever term you want to use).  It has amazed me, over the years, how many people who are so "conservative" liturgically are so "liberal" theologically, and how many who are so "conservative" theologically are so "liberal" liturgically.  (And, yes, I recognize that those labels are ambiguous and not tremendously helpful.)  Those are just general observations.  It is not to say that all in the OSL fit the former category.  Far from it.  But there is certainly an openness to those who do.

I have had debates with folks in the cyber-chapter of the OSL a number of times over the years.  Those debates were wearisome, and at times even became heated for some in the group.  (In at least one case, maybe a couple of cases, I don't recall, it led to person/s being removed, or their removing themselves.)  Yet, I stuck with the group, because those issues were not at the heart of what the group was supposed to be about.  And, also, because the group was officially tied to the United Methodist Church, and therefore, officially lived under the UMC's social standards.

Those ties are no longer there.  And, while the Order is not likely to actually take an official stand on various social issues, much of what held the Order in check, in this regard, (as I see it) has been removed.

I finally came to the place where I simply did not read the posts on the cyber-chapter, because they could become such an emotional drain for me and a distraction.  Now, that it is time to make my renewal of vows, I have decided not to do so.

Oh, there is still much value in the Order.  I am quite thankful for their publications.  I am sure I will continue to purchase interesting books from them.  And I am very thankful for the Order providing me an opportunity for a liturgical outlet, for conversations, opportunities for learning, a recognition that I am not "alone," and for an introduction to colleagues who have also walked on the "Canterbury Trail."  I thank God for the place that the Order has had in my journey, and for their continued work in worship renewal.  And I pray that God will guide them into the future.

Yet, for me, the newly formed/forming Wesleyan-Anglican Society has filled the void of the Order.  There are, of course, those who hold dual membership.  The Society is not quite the same thing as the Order, and it has not sought to duplicate it.  However, in some ways, it does correspond.  There is the same deep commitment to liturgical & sacramental worship and living.  One difference, however, is that the theological, liturgical, and sacramental emphasis in the Society is more specifically Wesleyan & Anglican, while the Order is much more broad in scope.  The Society seeks to remain consistent within the classical Wesleyan (and, thus, orthodox) theological camp.  Again, the Order is much more broad.  So, in this sense, the Society could be seen as a more conservatively Wesleyan, orthodox alternative to the Order.

The vision of the Wesleyan-Anglican Society is as follows: 

The Wesleyan-Anglican Society is an association of Methodist[1] Christians from various Wesleyan and Anglican denominations who understand themselves to be classically Wesleyan in theology and who embrace a classically Wesleyan-Anglican view of liturgy and the sacraments.

 

And the purpose of the Society is as follows:

The Wesleyan-Anglican Society seeks:

1. To provide a means of support, encouragement, and fellowship for those who seek to live out a fully Wesleyan understanding of the Christian faith, especially (but not exclusively) in connection with the liturgy of the Church of England as received by the various Wesleyan and Anglican denominations and the sacraments of the church catholic as understood by the same.
2. To provide a means for Wesleyans and Anglicans all over the world to exchange ideas, experiences, and fellowship as it relates to the reclamation of a Wesleyan theological understanding of the Christian faith, a Wesleyan way of life, and a Wesleyan-Anglican expression of worship.
3. To be a resource for the promotion of a more holistic Wesleyan understanding of the Christian faith for the churches and denominations within the Wesleyan-Anglican family; especially the promotion of a Wesleyan-Anglican expression of Christian worship.

While the website for the Society can be found, here, it is still in process of development.  The best way to connect with the Society is through the Wesleyan/Anglican Facebook page, here.  One can find access to the WAS constitution in the files section of the Facebook group.

---

[1] The term Methodist is not intended as a reference to the United Methodist Church or any other particular World Methodist Council denomination (e.g., AME, AMEZ, Church of the Nazarene, CME, Free Methodist Church, or The Wesleyan Church).  Rather, it is being used as a synonym for Wesleyan and refers to those who seek to be Wesleyan in theology as well as live according to the General Rules of Methodism as expressed in the various Wesleyan/Methodist denominations.  Thus, the term is inclusive of individuals across a range of Wesleyan and Anglican denominations as well as other denominations.  The term Methodist was chosen over Wesleyan in order to make the clear connection with those writings of John Wesley which refer to “the people called Methodists.”

New Logo

Well, there is not much news from the General Assembly, thus far.  One more session to go for the evening (7:30 - 9:30 pm).  -  I am hopeful that we will elect a new general superintendent (i.e., bishop) this evening.  Time will tell.

One thing that was revealed last week was a new logo for the denomination.  It has met with mixed reviews.  Here is the video that introduces it:


So, what do you think?

Fraternal Delegates

The General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene has entered into the actual business phase. 

I was very pleased that our general superintendents were faithful to their episcopal position by calling the delegation and guests to an hour of prayer during the first hour of business.

Another thing that I was very pleased to hear was that our fraternal delegates from sister denominations included (perhaps for the first time?!) a representative of the United Methodist Church.  We have always been invited to their General Conference, but they have not been included in our General Assembly.  Instead we have tended to stick with our closest Wesleyan-holiness sister denominations.  This time we have included the UMC, as well.

The full list of denominations represented by fraternal delegates includes:  The United Methodist Church, The Wesleyan Church, the Brethren in Christ, the Salvation Army, the Evangelical Methodist Church, the Evangelical Church, the Free Methodist Church, and the Missionary Church.  (It may very well be that others were also invited, but these are the ones who have attended).

I plan to be updating the blog on business decisions that I consider to be significant (or at least those things that I am more interested in!)

Nazarene General Assembly Begins

It has begun!  The 2013 General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene!  -  Well, to be exact, the General Assembly actually begins on Sunday, but the General Conventions have begun.

The General Assembly and Conventions run from June 19 - 27 in Indianapolis.

The Church of the Nazarene’s General Assembly and Conventions convenes every four years, bringing together more than 20,000 Nazarenes from around the world.

The main priority of the General Assembly and Conventions is to bring glory to God. This global event unifies, renews, educates, shapes, and inspires attendees not only as Nazarenes, but also as followers of Christ.

 

We gather together to focus on our church’s mission, “To Make Christlike Disciples in the Nations.” 

 

This is also the place where decisions will be made concerning the Resolutions I published on this blog last August.  -  I expect to be blogging about them, as action is taken, beginning Monday.  -  Hopefully, I will have good news to report!

 

I am particularly excited about this General Assembly, because I will be presenting a workshop tomorrow (Thursday, June 20) morning.  The title of the workshop is "Authentic Christian Worship Using John Wesley's Criteria."  It is scheduled for 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM, and will be located in Room 243.  -  If you will be at General Assembly, tomorrow morning, I would love to see you in the workshop! 

 

More information on the General Assembly can be found, here. 

 

For those unable to attend the Assembly, there will be live streaming available.  (Although, the workshops are not a part of the live streaming.  However, I am told audio of the workshops will eventually be available on-line.)

 

Hope to see some of you at my workshop!

Wesleyan-Anglican Society News

The Wesleyan-Anglican Society now has a new banner (above) and our new, official seal (below).  We also have a new website, though it is in its very early stages.  (It is still best to connect with the Society through our Facebook page.)

Our membership comes from various Wesleyan/Methodist & Anglican denominations.  It is international in scope.

We are still trying to overcome some hurdles in establishing our bank account, so that we can proceed in collecting dues from members.  However, for the time being, we are still accepting new members, and we will get information concerning dues to our members once we establish our account.  (Dues have been set at $30 and $15 for students.  However, a waiver may be granted due to financial concerns.)

Our constitution can be found in the files section of our Facebook page.  -  I would encourage those who visit this blog to take a look at the constitution and consider whether membership in the Society might be for you!  (Joining the Wesleyan/Anglican Facebook group does NOT constitute membership in the Society.)

At this time, membership requests may be sent to me via Facebook messaging.  If you are not on Facebook you can comment, below, leaving me your email address.

We have a growing membership, and it is my hope that YOU will choose to be a part of it!

Todd A. Stepp+

President
Wesleyan-Anglican Society

One Way of Moving to a Weekly Celebration of the Sacrament

Teddy Ray has posted an article on his site presenting a way to move a congregation to a weekly celebration of the Eucharistic sacrament. 

I have pointed out that his article is United Methodist specific in a couple of ways, especially when it comes to what to do if the congregation does not end up "on board."  First, it assumes a certain pastoral authority when it comes to ordering worship.  While some in other Methodist traditions (e.g., The Wesleyan Church or the Church of the Nazarene) may agree, theologically (or not), the fact is The Book of Discipline gives United Methodist pastors such authority.  The Nazarene Manual (and I believe it is the case with the Wesleyan Discipline) is less explicit in this matter.  Second, he assumes an assured appointment system.  This is not the case for those in a call system.  So, for those in a call system, the "fall out" for moving ahead if the congregation is not "on board" can be much greater.

Still, I think that the article is a good read for all of those who see the move to a weekly celebration of the sacrament as of vital importance in the life of the Church.

The article can be found, here. 

Trinity Sunday

Tomorrow the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is one of the mysteries of faith, but the Church, from ancient times, has confessed its faith in the Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The denomination in which I am currently serving (the United Methodist Church) is no exception to the orthodox Christian faith.   Neither is my own denomination (the Church of the Nazarene).  Our very first Article of Faith confesses our belief in the Triune God. Additionally, in our Manual's "Historical Statement," we state that the Church of the Nazarene ". . . receives the ecumenical creeds of the first five Christian centuries as expressions of its own faith." Along side the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed (which, in my local setting, we have made it a practice of confessing alternatingly each Sunday), we find that creed which John Wesley identifies as the best explication of the Trinity he ever saw (cf., his sermon "On the Trinity"), that is the so called Athanasian Creed (or Quicunque Vult) written, most likely within the fifth-century.

The words at the beginning and conclusion of the creed tying the necessity of assent to this faith with salvation have caused much difficulty for many. (Thus, on my side-bar link to the creed, I affirm the faith of the creed as an expression of "Wesleyan/Anglican Belief," while not including the "damnatory statements.")  However, according to Ray Dunning, "Edmund J. Fortman says that it is not suggesting that the 'Catholic faith' is merely an intellectual assent but rather that it involves the 'worship of one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity'" (Grace, Faith and Holiness, 226). Wesley, himself, said, "I am far from saying, he who does not assent to this 'shall without doubt perish everlastingly.' For the sake of that an another clause, I, for some time, scrupled subscribing to that creed; till I considered,(1.) That these sentences only relate to wilful, not involuntary, unbelievers; to those who, having all the means of knowing the truth, nevertheless obstinately reject it: (2.) That they relate only to the substance of the doctrine there delivered; not the philosophical illustrations of it" ("On the Trinity"). - Whether one still has trouble with those lines, even after Fortman's and Wesley's explanation, the Athanasius Creed is still a wonderfully thorough confession of Trinitarian faith.

Although, it has been said that it is far too long for liturgical use, I do know at least one Lutheran pastor whose congregation uses it every Trinity Sunday (and I'm sure they are not alone).

I strongly encourage those who are unfamiliar with the creed to read it by clicking, here. (Sorry, it's a bit too long for me to reproduce on my blog.)

Please join me in this prayer from the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, on God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Last Day to Join As a "Founding Member" of the Wesleyan-Anglican Society

Aldersgate Day (see the post, below) is the official start of the year for the Wesleyan- Anglican Society.   It is also the last day to join the Society as a "Founding Member."   If you have not already joined the Society, but would would like to do so, I would encourage you to read the Constitution.  It can be found in the files section of the Wesleyan/Anglican Facebook page, here.  Then, those wishing to join can message me (through Facebook), stating your desire to be a member.   Please include in that message your name, address, phone, email, denomination/jurisdiction, and your clergy/laity status (if the former, which order).   I will then add your name to the Founding Member's list.

(Dues have been set at $30 & $15 for students, with the possibility of a waiver if there is a financial issue. We are not yet collecting dues, but are working on getting a bank account set up.)  

Aldersgate Day

*Today is the day that all good Wesleyans/Methodists celebrate! Today is Aldersgate Day! Now, it may be that a few of the readers of this blog may be unfamiliar with Aldersgate. And, of course, it is a strange name, thus, it is not easy to discern what it is about. So, what is Aldersgate Day?

In a nutshell, it is the anniversary of John Wesley's "Evangelical Conversion." As the United Methodist Book of Worship puts it, "On Wednesday, May 24, 1738, John Wesley experienced his 'heart strangely warmed.' This Aldersgate experience was crucial for his own life and became a touchstone for the Wesleyan movement."

Aldersgate Memorial in London

So, why is it called "Aldersgate"? Well, the name refers to Aldersgate Street, the location of the Society meeting where Wesley experienced his strangely warmed heart.

Prior to this Aldersgate experience, Wesley had sought assurance of his sins forgiven, but he was unable to obtain it through his many pious works.

During his trip to Georgia, where he would serve as a missionary, the ship on which he was sailing encountered a terrible storm . . . right in the middle of their time of worship. But the thing that caught Wesley’s attention was that, while the English on board were screaming for fear of their lives, the Germans simply continued singing.

Wesley asked one of them, “Weren’t you afraid? Weren’t your women and children afraid?” The man simply said, “Thank the Lord, we were not afraid; we are not afraid to die.”

Later, Wesley met with one of the German pastors for advice. The pastor asked him, “Do you have the witness within? Does the Spirit of God bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God?” Wesley was caught off guard (not something that happened very often). And so the pastor asked, “Do you know Jesus Christ?” Wesley said, “I know he is the Savior of the world.” The pastor replied, “That’s true, but do you know he has saved you?” Wesley said, “I hope he has died to save me.” “But do you know?” And then comes those powerful lines from John Wesley, “I said, ‘I do.’ But I fear they were vain words.”



This marker is located at the probable
site of Wesley's Aldersgate experience

However, what was to happen to Wesley on May 24, 1738 would forever change his answer, and forever change the world.

John Wesley, himself, describes what took place that evening in his journal as follows: "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

Another marker in memorial of John & Charles'
"Evangelic Conversions"

Wesleyan/Methodists remember and observe Aldersgate Day, because it not only shaped the life and ministry of John Wesley, but also the entire Methodist movement from that time until today. It not only marks the spiritual experience of Mr. Wesley, but it calls us to worship the God who still "strangely warms the hearts" of all who place their trust in Christ alone as Lord and Savior. This experience illustrates so well the Biblical doctrine of Assurance.

We can, by grace through faith, know our sins forgiven. We can, by grace through faith, have an assurance that Christ has "taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." As the apostle Paul says, "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God . . ." (Romans 8:15-16, NRSV). - Praise be to God!!

Let us pray: Almighty God, in a time of great need you raised up your servants John and Charles Wesley, and by your spirit inspired them to kindle a flame of sacred love which leaped and ran, an inextinguishable blaze. Grant that all those whose hearts have been warmed at these altar fires, being continually refreshed by your grace, may be so devoted to the increase of scriptural holiness throughout the land that in this our time of great need, your will may fully and effectively be done on earth as it is in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

__________________________________________
(Prayer by Fred D. Gealy, as printed in the UMBW.)

(The pictures in this post were taken during my trip to England for the 2001 World Methodist Conference.)

*This post was originally posted in 2011.

Pentecost Sunday

 



Tomorrow (Sunday, 19 May 2013) the Church will celebrate the culmination of the Great Fifty Days, the conclusion of the Easter season, the outpouring of the promise of the Father, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the Church. - John the Baptizer had declared concerning Jesus, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Luke 3:16, NRSV).

Jesus assured the disciples that it would be to their advantage that He would ascend to the Father, because, in doing so, He would send the Holy Spirit (the Advocate/Comforter/Counselor/Helper - parakletos ) to them (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit would teach them everything and remind them of all that Jesus had said to them (14:26), and the Holy Spirit would "prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement (16:8).

Further, Jesus told the apostles, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, NRSV).

On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples saw the fulfillment of the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit as told by John the Baptizer and the Lord Jesus, as well as the prophet Joel.  It is that same outpouring of the Holy Spirit that we enter into by faith and through our baptism, for St. Paul declares, "For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body . . ." (1 Cor. 12:13, NRSV).*

 

Pentecost is one of the major feast days of the Church, and it should be a great day of celebration for those of us in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. - I recall a conversation several years ago with a pastor from a Presbyterian (USA) congregation. He confessed, he really didn't know what to do with Pentecost. Now, I do not mean to imply that such is the case for all, or even a majority of Presbyterians. I don't know. However, whatever the case for my Presbyterian brother, Nazarenes, whether espousing a 19th century or a classical Wesleyan view (cf. footnote, below) ought to know how to celebrate Pentecost Sunday.

 

You see, one of the main benefits of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the possibility of having our hearts cleansed of sin. - As the prophet Ezekiel foretold, there was coming a day when God would ". . . sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statures and be careful to observe my ordinances" (Ezek. 36:25-27, NRSV). And St. Peter, referring to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the gentiles, argued, "And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us" (Acts 15:8-9).

 

It is this heart cleansing that has been at the heart (no pun intended!) of the Wesleyan & Methodist movement, and especially so for the Holiness branches of Methodism. It has been referred to by Wesley in connection with the Biblical doctrines of Entire Sanctification and Christian Perfection. In fact, the spread of scriptural holiness throughout the land was the stated purpose of Methodism, first by John Wesley in London in 1733, and then in America, at the famous Christmas Conference in Baltimore in 1784 at the founding of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was the commitment to this purpose that gave rise to the 19th century Holiness Movement within Methodism. And Phineas Bresee said of the Church of the Nazarene, that it is ". . . a part of that body of believers raised up to spread sanctified holiness over these lands, and thus that we are a part of that company who are the real successors of John Wesley and the early Methodists" (Nazarene Messenger, July 15, 1909).

And so, we Wesleyan Christians enthusiastically join our sisters and brothers in Christ from around the world to rejoice and give thanks to God on Pentecost Sunday for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as we seek to worship God in Spirit and in Truth.

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*At this point, those within the Holiness movement will recognize that I take my stand with John Wesley, the Church of history, and those in the classical Wesleyan theological tradition, rather than those who are more consistent with 19th century interpretations. Those debates within the Holiness Movement can be seen in The Wesleyan Theological Journal between 1973 and 1982. Mark Quanstrom discusses it in A Century of Holiness Theology: The Doctrine of Entire Sanctification in the Church of the Nazarene, 1905-2004 (though his bias toward the 19th century view is apparent in his, not always completely accurate portrayal of members of "The Trevecca Connection").

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

Time is running out on becoming a "Founding Member" of the Wesleyan-Anglican Society.  The Society previously indicated that everyone who joined by Aldersgate Day (May 24) 2013 would be considered "Founding Members." Well, that date is just one week away!

I want to encourage the readers of this blog (if you have not already joined the Society) to go to the Wesleyan/Anglican Facebook page.  There, you can click on the files section to view our Constitution.  If you agree with the membership requirements and would like to become a member, you can message me on Facebook, providing your name, address, phone, email, denomination/jurisdiction, and clergy/laity statue (if clergy, which order).  (If you don't have a Facebook account, leave a comment, and we will work out other arrangements.)

You should know, dues have been set (by vote of the Society) at $30 and $15 for students (with the possibility of a waiver due to financial difficulties).   However, we have had a bit of a set back, and are not yet ready to receive those dues.  As soon as we have established our banking account, we will notify members where they can send their dues.

I hope to hear from a number of you!