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Out of Every Tribe and Nation demonstrates how ethnic minority perspectives can enrich the church's understanding of a variety of its traditional doctrines: creation, salvation, the Word, and the church in its relation to the world. In each case, Gonzalez draws from several ethnic minority perspectives to demonstrate that the church's traditional understanding of these doctrines, because it has been framed by one dominant group, has impoverished and at times distorted the gospel. In listening to these perspectives, the church can recapture the richness of the divine-human encounter in Christ, and reclaim its standing as "the whole people of God." By combining the theological perspectives of different ethnic minority theologians on the nature of the gospel and the church and by avoiding an anthology approach, the book offers a single, coherent theological discourse drawn from a variety of different yet complementary perspectives.

Preaching is in crisis. Why? Because the traditional, conceptual approach no longer works, says Richard L. Eslinger. It fails to capture the interest of listeners and is not sufficiently Scripture-based. The time has come to listen to new voices, new methods. And that is what A New Hearing provides. Eslinger offers as "living options" the work of five preeminent--though quite different--preachers who represent the "cutting edge" of preaching in the 1980s: Charles Rice and the storytelling method; Henry Mitchell and the black narrative method; Eugene Lowry, who bridges the narrative and inductive methods; Fred Craddock and the inductive method; and David Buttrick, who emphasizes the structure and movement of biblical material. Eslinger devotes an entire section to each preacher. He explicates each man's technique, shows how it differs from the traditional "three points and a poem" approach, and presents one sample sermon from each. Eslinger then critiques these "new homileticians," delineating the strengths and weaknesses of their respective methods.

Larger churches are different--in expectations, in performance, in staffing, and in use of lay volunteers. Their unique differences require special handling. And that's what this first-of-its-kind book is all about.Expert Lyle Schaller helps the leaders of larger churches understand the special characteristics of these churches and helps members of multiple staffs see their role and the context of that role more clearly.Schaller fully describes the differences that mark the larger church of 700 to 1,000 or more members. He discusses the many alternatives of staffing: part-time vs. full-time, use of more volunteers, and the many duties that can be carried out by these staff members. Special emphasis is given to the role of the senior minister, the role of the associate minister, and to their relationship with one another. Since one-sixth of all congregations account for nearly half the total members of all churches in the United States, that one-sixth actually sets the pace for the religious life of the nation. The need for specialized help is imperative, and Lyle Schaller has provided that help in this important and useful book.

In a single, convenient volume, readers can now look up John Wesley's own statements of his theological beliefs. Reprinted from the 1954 work, A Compend of Wesley's Theology, the book includes Wesley's most significant statements on the essential questions of Christian doctrine, culled from over thirty of his works.

A study of the Wesleyan tradition in the light of current theological debate. Issues of vital importance and interest to contemporary Christians are covered in this complete picture of Wesleyan theology. Colin Williams examines the main beliefs of John Wesley--authority and experience, salvation, original sin, repentance and justification, atonement, the work of the Holy Spirit, doctrine of the church, Christian perfection, and eschatology--in a search for insights which Methodism should share with other Christians concerning issues that divide the churches. A deeper perspective is added to the study through a comparison of Wesley's views with beliefs of other reformers such as Calvin and Luther and, in many instances, with the Roman Catholic view. In a world caught up in a new revival of the Spirit, John Wesley's own heart-warming experience and history-making religious reforms continue to inspire and guide Christians of all denominations.

For the first time, students of Wesley have access to Albert C. Outler's widely acclaimed "introduction" to Volume 1 of The Works of John Wesley in a single inexpensive paperback. No student of John Wesley will need to be reminded of Albert Outler's stature, or the significance of his contribution to twentieth-century Wesleyan studies. Contents A Career in Retrospect The Preacher and His Preaching The Sermon Corpus Theological Method and the Problems of development Wesley and His Sources On Reading Wesley's Sermons

This volume, first published in German in 1976, still stands as the most definitive, comprehensive treatment of John Wesley's social ethics. John Wesley's Social Ethics offers a balanced treatment that dispels notions that Wesley can easily be categorized as only an evangelist or only a social reformer. It demonstrates that Wesley's theological and spiritual concerns were catalytic in his social program. It encourages a rethinking of the importance of theology for social ethics in the Methodist tradition.

This guide to contemporary preaching focuses on exciting and innovative ideas that have recently emerged. Wilson demonstrates with clarity and detail how Scripture and personal experience can be used to train the imagination, thus strengthening and enlivening the task of preaching.

This book is designed for the minister's use, not only in the study while planning services of Holy Communion, but also at the Lord's Table while conducting service.

This provocative volume illuminates a dimension of John Wesley's theology that has received insufficient attention: his deep and abiding commitment to the poor. By focusing on the radical nature of Wesley's "evangelical economics," Theodore W. Jennings, Jr., provides an important corrective to the view that Wesley was concerned with the salvation of souls only, and not also with the social conditions of human beings.

David Lowes Watson wants to remove a major blockage in the church--the self-centered pursuit of spiritual amphetamines--by acknowledging the responsibilities of universal salvation and the demands placed upon faithful discipleship: How can Christians effectively hold the tension between the gospel and the seductions of the world? How can we be committed to the church in a way that guards against thoughtless or self-centered discipleship? How can we be committed to discipleship in a way that guards against theological procrastination? David Lowes Watson demonstrates through careful biblical exegesis that all persons are the benefactors of divine grace, but that persons known as Christians are called to a disciplined discipleship. When identifying the role of the clergy and laity as facilitators of these disciplined leaders, Watson explains why no person has the right to declare who is inside or outside of God's universal love.

Here are 52 easy-to-follow "how-to" session plans for introducing young children to worship. Carolyn C. Brown uses her many years of experience as a Christian educator to show How to use the church school hour to introduce children to worship and to prepare them for the day they will participate in the church's worship; How to learn and explore the meaning of the Lord's Prayer and other elements of the worship service; and How to become familiar with the sacraments and celebrate the seasons of the church year. For every church wishing to make the church school a valuable introductory worship experience for children, Gateways to Worship is the ideal resource.

The pastoral ministry is in danger of losing its focus, say the authors of this perceptive and timely study. Specialization in preaching, counseling, evangelism, administration, and education has diffused the impact of practical theology. And because of competing ideas as to what now is central, the very image of ministry may be breaking down. Foundations for a Practical Theology of Ministry responds to the problem by introducing a specific method for doing practical theology which will be welcomed by concerned church leaders everywhere. Presenting a realistic, workable answer to those who call for a revival of this vital discipline, Drs. James N. Poling and Donald E. Miller propose that the unifying image for ministry becomes the formation of the community of faith. After developing this as the most appropriate base for the practice of theology, they carefully outline their method and show how it will work by demonstrating its success in the actual experiences of typical congregations. For Christian leaders who seek to renew the integrity of ministry and restore the character of pastoral leadership, this significant book will provide a solid foundation. And for individuals interested or involved in education for the future of the church, this important resource will prove invaluable.

Highly acclaimed and widely used, this text shows what church tasks must be undertaken, why they are important, and the guiding theological principles required to achieve them. Alvin J. Lindgren clarifies the present confusion about what church administration is and what its place in the church should be. He provides a concept of church administration for the student of theology, and a new, more effective overview for the working pastor frustrated by current demands and procedures.

Answers the question "Why start new churches?" and shows how to reverse the decline of new church development. Schaller offers tested advice based on more than thirty years of working with leaders responsible for developing new churches.

Shows how to spiff up your storytelling skills, plus plenty of ideas for dance, movement, and drama techniques. This revised volume combines two classic resources by author Dorothy Jean Furnish: Exploring the Bible with Children, a bestseller, and Living the Bible with Children, which shows how to put the principles of the first book into practice. This new combination offers professional and lay Christian educators a current, reliable source book to help children really understand and experience the Bible. You'll learn more about what to tell children about the Bible and what methods are best to use with children. These methods include storytelling techniques, dance, movement, drama techniques, and the "meaning" of words for children.

This volume is intended to set in historical context the official United Methodist theological statements in the Disciplines of 1972 and 1988, and to foster reflection on and discussion of the 1988 statement.