Dear Belmont Friends, Last week, after 52 years of language incompatible with God’s boundless grace and love, our United Methodist Church General Conference removed the harmful language from our Book of Discipline. We no longer name some of God’s beloved children as incompatible. The UMC no longer bars churches or pastors from celebrating same sex […]
Tag Archives: listening
Three acts into the 28 scenes of the Acts of The Apostles, Peter and John land in jail just like Jesus. They were arrested, jailed overnight, and dragged before the same court that crucified Jesus. I don’t know about you, but I grew up hearing that preachers should avoid politics, stay away from trouble and […]
Jesus grieved and grew angry at the church’s hardness of heart. (Mark 3). Compassion signals the presence of Christ. Jesus calls us to love others as ourselves- even strangers and opponents. Hard hearts allow us to regulate, isolate, and direct our love to people like us. The Incarnation shatters these boundaries by entering human suffering. […]
We all love to be heard. James counsels, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slower still to grow angry.” (1:19) Could our love be best measured by how well we listen? In addressing a Corinthian controversy, that is now largely a non-issue, Paul counsels, “Now concerning XY&Z, we all have ‘knowledge’. […]
Over 30 years ago, I left my childhood denomination and joined the Methodist church. When people asked me, “Why did you become a Methodist?, I usually answered with one word: “Grace.” In seminary, when I read about Wesley’s idea of “being made perfect in love”, I wrote “this is idiotic. perhaps blasphemous” in the margins […]
The divided state of America A few words from God’s Word about our words Our knowledge, speaking and preaching is partial and incomplete. (1 Corinthians 13) Warning: We will give an account to God for all our words. (Jesus Matthew 12:36-37) Our words (typed or spoken) reveal what makes up our hearts. (Jesus Luke […]
The Bible and Homosexuality A Way Forward Thoughts by Pastor Paul Purdue As United Methodists, “We believe the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, reveals the Word of God so far as it is necessary for our salvation. It is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for […]
Have you ever listened to the orchestra tuning up or the sound check for a band? It may not be the most lovely sound, but tuning up is necessary for the production of great performance. If John Cook pulls out his guitar to play for us, he must take a little time to tune it. […]
pastorpaulpurdue 