Read our Lent 2024 Devotionals, written by students, staff, and alumni!
Winter Retreat 2024- Devos
Day 1: Acts 19: 1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
In the passage in Acts, Paul asked the twelve men in Ephesus who claimed to believe in Jesus if they received the Holy Spirit when baptized. They confess they did not even know that the Holy Spirit existed. They further explain they were baptized by John’s baptism of repentance. This is such an important interaction because the men are then awakened to the fact that the Holy Spirit is now within them when Paul places his hands on them. Their lives were immediately changed. We can even look at this inauguration into the way of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit disrupting and deconstructing lives linguistically, like speaking in tongues, and ethically, like prophesying, and giving life to those who accept it.
First and foremost we have to understand that the Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit is an equal and very active part of the Holy Trinity. Often people do not realize that the Holy Spirit is still moving in the world today. It might be believed that the Spirit is awaiting the coming of Christ to move again, or that the Spirit is activated in certain parts of your life. This is just not the case. One of my favorite books that I highly recommend as a great read is “Knowing the Spirit,” by Costi W. Hinn. Hinn describes the Spirit as “making moves, influencing minds, and changing lives at speeds that make lightspeed look like a snail’s pace.” I think it is important to note, too, that even if we know the Spirit, we should strive to HEAR the Holy Spirit. Most people think of the Holy Spirit as your conscience, or someone telling you to do certain things at certain times. I definitely have felt this when feeling as though I need to pray for someone or do something to exemplify God at a particular time. Now matter how you hear God, the Spirit is moving over you, equipping you with gifts that will help you, as well as those in need.
Another thing to mention in this is how Paul found these men. He was making his voyage to spread God’s word, and he knew Ephesus was a large city where he could make a difference. He found the men and they were in need of a spiritual awakening. We go about our lives, trying to stay in tune with what God has in store for us, and no matter how much we actually realize it, we are thoroughly helping people all around. When Jesus uses His hospitality (thanks Tony for the sermon), to show others what it is like to take care of people as though we are taking care of the Lord, it proves that, like Paul, we are called to bring people to knowledge of God. We should continue to pursue enlarging God’s kingdom, using the discernment of the Lord to stay on this right track.
Reflection:
How have you seen the Holy Spirit move in your life?
How are you continuing to live in the Holy Spirit?
How often do you brush off a calling and choose not to pursue the call?
How will you discern allowing the Holy Spirit to lead?
A prayer: God, pour your Holy Spirit over me, those I encounter, and those who are beyond me. I strive to be obedient to your call, listening to the guidance provided within my mind, heart, body, and soul. Blessed are those who join the path of Christ, and allow me to walk with You in everything I do. Amen.
Winter Retreat Day 2 - John 20:19-29
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
My bro Thomas being called “doubting Thomas” is really a crazy title in my opinion. When you look back in scripture, it’s hinted that Thomas was one of the most steadfast, dedicated and unwavering disciples. For example, when Lazarus died, Jesus told the disciples they were going to see Lazarus in Bethany. That was concerning because the people in that region had just tried to stone Jesus. But, Thomas got everyone on board by saying “we should go so if He dies, we die too.” Now I don’t know about you, but that is a WILD reason to go to a funeral. Thomas had to have cared deeply about Jesus in order to go to such lengths.
So, what happens when you’re Thomas and witness the death of Jesus? Scripture says Thomas wasn’t with the twelve disciples when Jesus appeared to them. The disciples were all hiding in fear but Thomas clearly was numb to that idea. How broken-hearted do you have to be where you don’t care what happens to you anymore? So, Jesus appears to the disciples and gives them the Holy Spirit, marking them with salvation and a spiritual renewal they need to believe in Him. But it took a week for Thomas to come around. Right away, the disciples tried to tell him “Bro, we saw Jesus” and Thomas was like “Cap, unless I see for myself.”
Now, Jesus, the man and legend He is, shows up on the scene a week later and is like, “Shalom Thomas, I’m not dead.” But then Jesus says, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Thomas is like us in so many ways. Following Jesus, we feel like we’re ready to tackle the world for Him and we keep it real with Him at times. But when Jesus looks like He isn’t showing up or we feel like all we did for Him was for nothing, that’s where we become like Thomas. So often, when God does not meet our expectations, we’re quick to stop looking for Him. Even when He shows up on the scene again. Doubting doesn’t mean you don’t have faith because Thomas clearly did. Doubting just reveals an area in life where you can expect to have an encounter with Jesus Himself. Now, it’s extremely rare to meet Jesus in the flesh but we can take the words “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” to heart.
Doubt is defined as “a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.” So if you’re struggling with doubt, maybe believing God is real, God is personal, or that God is in that situation you’re worried about, there's a response offered in Scripture. In Mark 9:24, a man is struggling with the same thing and says, “I believe, help my unbelief.” And that’s exactly the response God wants from us. If you ask Jesus to help your belief in Him, He will. He will empower you with faith and a mind to stay focused on Him. That’s the power of the Holy Spirit! But don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away. For Thomas, it took Jesus a week to show up and it might be the same with us. So if you’re having doubts, just remember that the Holy Spirit would love to draw near and show you that God is there.
Reflection questions:
Where are you experiencing doubt?
How are your doubts affecting your relationship with God?
Where’s an area of your life where you want to see God?
Spend a few minutes lifting up your doubts to Jesus and ask Him to help you grow your faith.
Prayer: Father, in this time, I lift my struggles, worries, and doubts to You. I feel them affecting me to where I have nowhere to turn to but You. Come fill me and lift this burden. I ask that you would draw me closer to Your heart and hold me in the palm of Your hand. Your word says in Romans 12: 2 to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. I ask that Your word would minister to me and mold me Your image. Holy Spirit, I ask that You would encounter me and empower me to glorify You. No matter what my struggle, I know You will prove to me the tools I need to walk free in your Name. If this burden is fleeting, please take it away. But, Holy Spirit, if it’s meant to teach me and guide me, do so with Your love and grace. I want to know You. In the name of Jesus. Amen
Winter Retreat 2024- Called Deeper
Called Deeper
Rev. Sarah Robles Wise
You have been chosen and equipped to be part of something so much larger than any of us can imagine, but such an undertaking requires depth in your relationship with Jesus in order to sustain the journey. Take this time to dive deep into Christ and let the Spirit transform you even as you are called deeper.
Questions to unpack:
How do we understand the ever-expanding ripples of relationships between ourselves and God, self, others, and the world?
What is the story of Jesus and the church in Luke-Acts, and how does it relate to me? • How does the identity crisis of the Jesus community experienced in Luke-Acts inform us today? • What am I called to do as a believer, a part of this community, and a servant of God’s mission in the world?
Session 1 – Deep Distractions
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:1-4
What distracts me from answering the call to go deeper? Our human predisposition to orientate our world around our needs, emotions, and desires is the biggest distraction from the deep dive. Christianity outside of a total surrender of self-orientation is shallow, purposeless religiosity. Humility is the gateway to the deeper places, but it requires that we let down the walls, let go of ourselves, and go where we are led. It requires the total surrender of self for the sake of something greater.
Session 2 – Deep Doubts
Scripture reading: Luke 24:36-48
What parts of this story do you struggle with?
How do I deal with doubt when I answer a call to go deeper? All doubt stems from the question, “Can I really trust God with (fill in the blank)?” How do we let go of control and trust God’s best when things are seemingly not going according to our plans? How do we deal with our doubts? It requires humble vulnerability to be honest with ourselves, with God, and with each other. It also requires humble obedience to hear with listening ears the faith-filled hope inspired by God’s legacy of goodness in our lives and in God’s story with creation.
Activity: Use a single piece (or multiple sheets) of paper, fold, shape, crumple, etc (be as creative or simplistic as you need it to be) to represent how you feel your soul is today / your relationship with God.
If you could do it over again, would you have changed anything about your paper? How would you like it to look/feel? What do you think it needs to get to that place?
What ideas or images from the message resonated most strongly with you? How does it interact with your faith story?
To be honest, how would you fill in the rest of this statement: Can I really trust God with_____?
Session 3 – Deep Delight
Scripture reading: Acts 1:1-11
What results from answering the call to go deeper? Having dealt with the distractions and doubts, what is there to look forward to? How does a surrendered life, characterized by humility, empower you for the journey ahead? The beauty of Christ’s calling is its paradoxical logic – you lose your life to gain it, its leaders are servants, and the willingness to die to self is the beginning of a full life. Sacrifice and surrender are not the end of the story, joy is. Our joy is made complete in humility.
Activity: Using a pen and paper, draw an image or write a word that represents what makes you unique. No colors. Just doodling magic.
Think of a story from your life that illustrates the quality you shared.
Notice the details of the story you share. Where were you? How did your context change, modify or emphasize the quality you shared? Why?
How does your uniqueness relate to how you live out your faith? If so, how? If not, why?
How can the people in your life help you in identifying, cultivating or using your gifts at Wesley and beyond?
Session 4 – Deep Dwelling
Scripture Reading: Acts 15:1-41
How do deep individuals transform the world? Christ’s community is defined by those who dwell in delight brought forth by their deep relationship with God and others. The infectious joy of his people saturates their relationships and, in turn, penetrates the places to which they are called. Humility is the cohesive factor for this community. It is the glue that enables them to continue growing deep and wide even as they are sent out as kingdom builders.
Advent Devos - Day Twelve by Benjamin Taylor
January 5 - Benjamin Taylor
John 1:10-18
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
Chances are, if you are reading this right now, you have heard the gospel story of how Jesus came into the world, was rejected, died for our sins, and rose again. However, to truly begin to understand the sacrifice Jesus made, and the immense amount of love he has shown us by carrying out this sacrifice, it is vital to read the four gospels for yourself. (The Gospel of John is one of them.)
In this passage from John, John talks about how the world was made through Jesus, but when Jesus came to save the world, the world did not receive him. In this, we can get a glimpse of how powerful the love of God is. That Jesus would choose to leave his throne in heaven to become a lowly servant and live a perfect life, only to die at the hand of sinners who would mock and beat him shows a love deeper and more profound than any seen before.
However, we can choose to go against the ways of this world. By accepting Jesus and putting our faith in him we may accept his grace and be born again as children of God. Once we have accepted this amazing grace, Jesus calls us to love like he has loved. We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, as well as love others as ourselves. Those are the two greatest commandments. This will not be easy though, for by accepting Jesus, we reject the world, and therefore will be persecuted by the world as Jesus was. In the end, though, it will be worth it as we worship God in heaven and behold His beautiful face.
Advent Devos - Day Eleven by Olivia Seeley
January 4 - Olivia Seeley
Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
This passage is one of Paul’s letters to the church and mainly discusses spiritual blessings. It opens by praising God for blessing us with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms” because we are united with Christ. What a wonderful reminder of how God always provides, and does so abundantly. In verses 7 & 8, it also reminds us that God not only bought our freedom with His only beloved son’s blood but forgave us and blesses us with His kindness, wisdom, and especially understanding. It is kind of a beautiful parallel with how Jesus is often referred to as “beloved” and in verse 6 some versions have us labeled as beloved.
While there are multiple note-worthy verses, verse 4 is the first one that really stood out. It is truly incredible to think that before God even created the world he knew us, loved us, and chose us to be His people. That He not only knows us fully, but in His eyes we are faultless. Another thing is many times in the Bible we will see Jesus doing works and while many come to Him, some do not. They may have given up hope or do not want to be a bother/problem. But Jesus calls out to them (sometimes by name) and He goes to them. We are seen and we are known by God. So, as verse 5 says, long before we even existed God knew He would bring us to Him through Jesus.
It can be a challenge to trust in God’s plan. It can be hard to comprehend how some things could ever be used for good. However in verse 10 & 11, it states God’s plan to bring everything in heaven and on Earth together under Christ and that He will make everything work out according to His plan. Even in the dark times or when something goes “wrong” because of a mistake you made. God uses us and every flaw that we have. We have to trust that God knows the situation and that instead of hoping God will “fix it”, He will use it. God knows it can be hard to trust, which is why Paul is telling us of His plan. Another interesting thing in verse 11 is how in some versions it says we have received an inheritance from God but in others it says we have become God’s inheritance, which really speaks about our role in God’s plan.
The last thing I would like to touch on is verses 13 & 14. I love how it says that God claims us as His own and fulfills His promise of gifting us with the Holy Spirit. He wants to assure us of His commitment and such a spiritual blessing can be a guide to help us connect with God and others.
Dear Lord, thank you for all your unending love, wisdom, mercy, and understanding. You know all and you always do what is best for us. You never have or will abandon us. Help us to trust you and use the Holy Spirit to lead and connect with others. Please watch over everyone’s health over the holiday and help us find peace. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Ten by Hunter Atkins
January 3 - Hunter Atkins
Jeremiah 31:7-14
This is what the Lord says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘Lord, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
See, I will bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame,
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
They will come with weeping;
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:
‘He who scattered Israel will gather them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’
For the Lord will deliver Jacob
and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.
They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,
the young of the flocks and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,
and they will sorrow no more.
Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
I will satisfy the priests with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,”
declares the Lord.
The heading under my Bible when I read this chapter was ‘God’s Love Lasts Forever.’ Jeremiah was written while the nation of Israel was going through a major period of persecution from the Babylonians while the kingdom was split into Israel and Judah. God’s people were going through it big time! They disobeyed Him and committed terrible acts. The Babylonians were punishing them. However, God DECLARES that He will redeem them from the hand that is stronger than they (verse 11). This tells us that no matter what we are going through, God’s promises are always true. With a whole new year coming up and lots of busyness and other mumbo jumbo, always remember that the treasure and love God has for you is greater than anything this world can offer!
God, thank you for your power and majesty. For making us your people and giving us hope that you have overcome the world. Please give us the faith to lean into that covenant you have made with us and share the good news with those around us. We love you Lord, and we thank you for being our Father. In Christ’s name. Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Nine by Paige McDaniel
January 2 - Paige McDaniel
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
o silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are humans that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Today, we are to rejoice in our Lord, who cares so deeply to allow the creation that he made in his image to watch over his other creations. Although we are powerless compared to him, he supports us every day. This verse reminds us of all the amazing things we see and experience because of what he provided us. Today is a great day to take a walk or sit in nature and thank the Lord for all he has given us. You can experience God’s love and presence through the wind, sun, clouds, moon, and stars. There is beauty in everything he created in nature, and it extends to you. Take a moment and think of ways he has blessed you in your life. God has given us so much to be thankful for. With the new year, God reminds us of his blessings with beautiful sunrises and sunsets, trees that take on different colors each season, flowers blooming and brightening the world around us, and a community of friends we can experience it with. Fortunately, we have an ever-present God who came to be with us on Earth and in Heaven. We are not promised a world without pain and struggles, but we are promised that we will never be alone because he is always with us. The beauty of the world around us reminds us of his daily love for us. So, from now on, use nature's beauty as a reminder of God's grace and love for us. Now, take a moment and pray.
Thank you, God, for all that you have given me. Thank you for crowning me with your glory and honor as I am created in your likeness. I am forever thankful for all you have given me, and I can see that every single day. Thank you for allowing me to see the beauty in nature and entrusting me to watch over your creations. Thank you for loving me as I am. Thank you for planning special blessings every day. I rejoice for all you have given me, mainly all you are. Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Eight by Sarah Rhodes
January 1 - Sarah Rhodes
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil.
When we read poetry we tend to pause where we would if we were talking or where it feels natural, but poetry is meant to be read with pauses only at the punctuation. Try reading it again, but rather than pausing before the “and,” read each line through and also pause at the commas at the end of the line.
I think this is important, not just for flow, but for the meaning of the scripture. There is not a separation between the “time to plant” and the “time to uproot,” they are really connected. If you never uproot, you don’t have the room to plant. There is no separation between the “time to weep” and the “time to laugh.” It is our times of sadness that make the times of joy so sweet, and it is our blessings of joy that make the loss of those we love so painful. To have the joy of caring truly is to have the pain of loss and change - they are intertwined together.
In addition to this beautiful picture of life it paints, these scriptures are offering practical wisdom. There is “a time to be silent and time to speak” and “a time to search and a time to give up.” It is not our life’s goal to speak and convince everyone of our views or to be silent always to allow others to speak. A lifetime goal, instead, I think this scripture suggests, should be understanding when it is time for silence and when it is time for speaking. We need wisdom for knowing what it is the time for for each of the couplets.
As you read through, which times of life are you in right now, which lines stand out to you? For whatever time you are in, how is that connected with the inverse in the line? If you are in a time of mending, how is that connected with tearing? Is there peace in that or uncertainty? Maybe both? Reflect back on the last year, what times were you in and what times are you hoping for in the new year?
Verse 9 asks what we gain from all this toil, and verse 13 answers, “That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”
Auld Lang Syne reminds me of the scripture. Auld Lang Syne just means for old time’s sake. As we clumsily step into the new year with our faces to the past and backs to the future, we consider the times of youth and times of weariness in the past years and we take the gift of God as “we take a right good-will draught for auld lang syne”.
May God give us peace and awe when we consider the lives we live. May God give us courage to not run away from the times for destruction and weeping and give us joy for our times of building and laughing. May we grow in wisdom to know when to act and when to be still. May we eat and drink and find satisfaction in our toil. Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Seven by Emily Legg
December 31 - Emily Legg
Revelation 21:1-6
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”
A new heaven and a new earth. A Holy City, coming from the sky. No death or pain? All of this sounds absolutely amazing, so why is Revelation rarely talked about? A lot of times during this season, we think of baby Jesus in the manger, fulfilling God taking on flesh. We all know the story - Mary is told she will have a baby, Joseph was too stunned to speak, no room in the inn, boom Jesus is in the barn. Jesus lives His whole life perfectly, and then even more flawlessly resurrects after being crucified. AFTER THAT, He says He will return. Revelation is telling us just of this occurrence. He tells us to write all of it down, that He is above it all. Revelation is supposed to invoke a hopeful tone, that God is going to make all things new for us on the return of Christ. The Scripture God gives us is so powerful, and we should be analyzing it, to push ourselves further into His loving embrace. We are made new through Him, and that is such a great gift from God. He makes beautiful things out of us here on earth, and we give Him the Glory.
God, thank you for what you have shown us, what we can look forward to in the days to come. Pour the blood of Jesus over us as we await the return, trusting you will allow the Holy Spirit to move through us, beyond us, and, if needed, in spite of us. Lord, we give thanks to you for what you have done, are doing, and will do here and as in Heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Six by David Couch
December 30 - David Couch
Galatians 4:4-7
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God.
Okay, think about this for a second… isn’t it kinda absolutely bonkers that when God the
Son decided to come to earth, He CHOSE to be a BABY??? God the Son had existed in full power for eternity far before the creation of the universe. (John 1:1, Daniel 7:13) Like, the incarnation probably could’ve started with the Messiah appearing in the clouds riding in on a warhorse as He decimated the principalities of the Roman Empire, but no, He chose to live a rather typical human life up until His ministry started about 30 years later. Not only did God choose to step down from Heaven to live in vulnerable human flesh, but with the flesh He also chose to live under the same law everyone else was under… and He followed it perfectly. Those facts sum up so well the incredible grace of God, which is poured out on the cross when Jesus, again, CHOOSES to pour out His blood of the spotless Lamb for the forgiveness of our sins… but what’s all this stuff about adoption?
If you’re like me, this language might have sounded new at some point (maybe even right now) in our faith journeys as we navigate what salvation actually is, but the truth is, our adoption as sons and daughters of God is the very gateway into sanctification. Sanctification is just a fancy word for the process of being made holy…being made Christlike, and I believe it is largely overlooked in our daily walks with Christ. There is so much talk of God’s grace in “getting saved” and less talk of the absolutely absurd amount of God’s grace in continually being renewed in Christ daily. It may seem like a daunting task to take on this whole “becoming holy” thing as our flesh is so susceptible to sin, but the good news is, our adoption takes care of that through and by the one and only Holy Spirit.
Heavenly heirship requires the type of holiness that we on our own could never achieve, but notice how Paul says that it is the Holy Spirit who cries out “Abba, Father!” from within us. In the same way which we are adopted into Christ’s family by the same Spirit who delivered Christ to Mary’s womb and likewise raised Him from the dead, we are made holy and sanctified and likewise allowed access to our Father in Heaven. All of this is not by our own strength, but by that of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works through us by praying to the Father for the things we don’t even know to pray for (Romans 8:26), and when we find ourselves scrambling to get ready for the next semester, the Spirit is constantly crying out for our Heavenly Father even when we feel we cannot find the time to. Now that is the incredible grace of Jesus Christ.
Abba, Father, thank You for adopting us into Your holy Kingdom. Let us more fully acknowledge your Holy Spirit crying out from within us. Make us holy by your Spirit and by your Son who delivered Him to us on the cross. Allow us to seek the born-again sanctification which you freely offer to us daily and allow our spirits to both rejoice and mourn just as Your Spirit does. Make these things especially true as we move into a new semester with all that entails. Make our miraculous heirship visible to all who encounter us. We ask these things in the powerful name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Five by Langham Parr
December 29 - Langham Parr
Matthew 2:13-23
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
If there is anything to look at in this set of verses more than Jesus’ life as a baby, it’s the number of times the word “fulfilled” pops up. It didn’t jump out to me until the second or third time I read through it, but it’s definitely there for a reason. It’s there to remind us that everything that happened wasn’t simply a random roll of the dice but was all part of a plan God had already set in motion long before Jesus’ birth. Not only that, but I believe it’s there to help us trust that whatever promises or plans we find in God’s word can and will happen and that we can rest easy knowing that everything God promises for us will be fulfilled.
Father, thank you for your Word. It remains unchanged and will never fail me. When I need to hear Your voice, speak to me through your scripture. Help me to look to Your Word whenever I’m in doubt and learn how to hear Your voice. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Four by Jacob Hohn
December 28 - Jacob Hohn
Isaiah 63:7-9
I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us
and the great favor to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not act deceitfully,”
and he became their savior
in all their distress.
It was no messenger or angel
but his presence that saved them;
in his love and pity it was he who redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Today’s verses in Isaiah talk of the goodness of the Lord as well as the prophecy of what was to come with Jesus Christ. It is refreshing to be reminded of the greatness of God and all He has done, and will do, for us. Through the day-to-day business of our lives, I will occasionally remind myself of the sheer grandness of God, thinking about how cool and awesome it is that He favors us, acts as our savior, and calls us His children.
Verse 7 is what I believe the word “worship” to mean, in a sense. It is a verse of praise, honor, and appreciation of all the “praiseworthy acts” the Lord has done, including his favor, mercy, and love. Verse 8 reaffirms God’s commitment to being our savior, calling us His children. Does it not refresh your heart and mind to hear that in this busy time? Verse 9 reminds us that it is God, and God only, that redeems us. I also find it interesting that it mentions God’s “pity” on us. While it makes sense that God would have pity on us for our human shortcomings, I cannot say I ever expected it. Regardless, we are loved and cared for under the redemption of God. I hope all of you have had a wonderful Christmas season!
Advent Devos - Day Three by VK Brandt
December 27 - VK Brandt
Isaiah 9:2-7
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied exultation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Great will be his authority,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This profound statement says a lot about Jesus’s character, even when He was prophesied about 700 years earlier. Why? Well, Isaiah 9:4 says, “For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor” and then it goes on in verse 6 to say, “for to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Yokes were used for farming to put the burden of sowing seeds or carrying a lot of weight on the shoulders of cattle. One of the ways to understand the yoke that Scripture talks about is to think of it as the weight of the world. Individually and collectively, God knew we would need Him to help us with sin, death, and living in a fallen world. But now, the burden that was originally placed on us as humans now is placed on Jesus. First, He shattered sin, death, and spiritual bondage, and then Jesus replaced the yoke of darkness with a ✨light✨ yoke, you know, ‘cause He’s the light of the world.
But that means that as Christians, we don’t have to worry about the world around us. The weight of sin and death that we would otherwise feel, Jesus took that yoke from us. Every time we sit down and spend time with Him, pray, read the Word and walk in obedience, Jesus lifts that yoke off of us. Jesus is fully in control of the world that we live in. There is nothing that escapes His eye. He’s so willing to take away all the pain, guilt, and shame you may be feeling. He replaces the yoke of the world from around our shoulders with His yoke. The worldly yoke is built to weigh us down, but His yoke is built to keep us side by side with Him so He can walk with us and take care of us. The closer you begin to get to God, the more you’ll see your hunger for the world fade away, because God replaces your desires with a desire for Him!
So if you’re weighed down by the world and the things you know are not of God, but you don’t know how to turn back to Jesus, I challenge you to take a moment in prayer and ask Jesus to take the burden you’re feeling away and replace it with a new heart that wants to walk in obedience and freedom. Jesus is the prince of peace. This season, let the story remind you that God’s peace is always perfectly timed. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” Let the Mighty God be your Prince of Peace.
Jesus, You once said that Your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Help me walk out my faith with You so that I’m able to have the peace and freedom that you offer. I reject the world and all it has to offer and want to live for You only. Open up my eyes to see in the Spirit so I may discern what’s truly of You and not of You. I ask that You would take away everything that’s taking me away from You and preventing me from having peace. Thank You for giving Yourself up for us and help me to encounter Your Holy Spirit even more fully. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Advent Devos - Day Two by John Thornhill
December 26 - John Thornhill
Luke 2:15-20
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.
To all whom may be reading this, Merry post-Christmas! The verses read today are very fitting for the day. I know from personal experience, the days following Christmas can feel weird. The previous month (months if you like to celebrate before Thanksgiving) has been a build up to one day. Then, the day comes and is gone in the blink of an eye. However, that doesn't mean our joy goes with it. From the Christian perspective, we celebrate the birth of our Savior for Christmas, but the end of the season shouldn't be the end of our celebration. Like the shepherds in verse 20, even after the event ends, we continually proclaim the glory and power of Jesus to everyone. I know the days following Christmas can feel drab, but I encourage you all to continue in the celebration of our Lord and Savior. You're doing great, and God is with you always.
Advent Devos - Day One by Hays Jones
December 25 - Hays Jones
Luke 2:1-14
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Merry Christmas everyone!
Here in Luke 2, the scripture tells of the birth of Jesus after Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem for the Roman census (it would have taken many days to travel there). While they are in Bethlehem, Mary gives birth to Jesus and there’s no room for them, so they lay Jesus in a manger instead.
I personally find it to be an interesting start to the life of the One who would eventually save us all. That in the beginning of his life, even from birth, Jesus is in a lowly position. He is humble from the very first moments of life to the last. And that is a way of life that we can try our very best to model.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” This is good news that causes great joy! The son of God was born in a manger and eventually will give us the greatest gift we could ever receive. Praise God for the birth of our Savior, Messiah, and Lord - Jesus. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” As you open presents, spend time with family and friends, or whatever you do today, may you not forget the “reason for the season”.
Ecuador 2023- Jacob Hohn
Dear fellow Wesley Foundationers,
Earlier this May, a group of us from Wesley embarked on a mission trip to San Juan de Pastocalle, Ecuador. When I first heard of this opportunity last year, I was eager to sign up and participate. Ecuador is a special place to me since I had previously been on a mission trip to Quito in 2018. Carrying out mission work in a new place is interesting, but returning to a semi-familiar location made it even more exciting. Upon arrival in Quito, the capital city, we took a day to get familiar with the country and culture. Our leaders for the trip were Sara and Dakin, locals of the area and long-time missionaries. They introduced us to several landmarks – a few to mention are the equator, Quito market, El Crater, and the Cotopaxi volcano. These were awesome! Once we were done touring Quito, we made our way to San Juan Pastocalle – the rural town where we would spend the remainder of our time serving a local church and school. Over multiple days, we visited the church and spent time with the schoolchildren there, hosting a VBS-style day camp for them. These events were filled with songs, Bible stories in the form of a play, crafts, and lots of football. The children loved having us, as did all the staff. Additionally, we spent time painting the buildings and creating murals on the walls. It was very difficult to leave all that behind once our time was up. Our week was filled with great sights, meals, mission work, and the best people. You can see many of these experiences for yourself on the Wesley Photocircle! This trip not only allowed us to serve in a new place, but also created precious memories that will last with Wesley forever. I highly recommend doing something like this yourself when the opportunity arises.
Grace and Peace,
Jacob Hohn
Fall Retreat 2023 Devos
Day 1
~Take a second to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in Scripture~
Let’s be real. How often do you get to be still with God? Is it easy or hard? Is it something that you think about doing during the day? Think about it for a second.
For Adam and Eve, walking in the presence of God was an everyday thing for them. Genesis 2-3 speaks of the close bond they had with their Creator. Imagine God creating a new animal and pulling up to to Adam with it all excited like: “look, how cool this one is!” and Adam saying “Wait, you’re so right. I’m calling it a capybara.” That’s how close God was with Adam and Eve. The garden of Eden, quite actually Heaven on Earth, was the perfect refuge for them to reside in. They knew God on a personal level. Unfortunately, we all know how the story goes. Satan made a cameo, Adam and Eve ate the apple, and then L humanity. That moment when sin entered the world, Heaven from the Earth, leaving Adam and Eve below to bear their shame. Their first reaction was to hide the moment they realized they messed up. But God went looking for them, regardless. In fact, God instantly started cooking up a plan to make sure that He could be with them again.
Fast forward to 33 AD. Jesus was sentenced to death on the Cross. The same God who enjoyed life with Adam and Eve, endured humiliation by the people He loved. Why? Because He knew that shame was a barrier in our relationship with Him. He took all of our shame upon Himself so that we don’t have to hide.
Okay so, extra fast forward to 2023. Do you ever hide from God? A lot of times there are barriers to connecting with Him. Sometimes we have questions, doubts, and shame. We don’t want to face God with certain things because we’re afraid He might be mad at us. Other things prevent us from going to Him, too. But Scripture says in 1 John 1:9; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” God can handle it when we mess up. In fact, God wants us to run TO Him when we do something wrong. We can take refuge in the Lord. Psalm 46 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” His presence is our Eden.
Take a second to reflect on the back.
Where would you like to grow in your relationship with God?
When have you experienced God as your refuge?
What’s something you want to share with Him?
Let’s Pray: Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice and Your forgiveness that sets me free. Help me to grow closer to You and open up to You more! Create a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Help me turn to You, even when I feel like I can’t. Make Your presence known to me. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Day 2
~ Breathe and ask the Holy Spirit to give you revelation through His word :) ~
Acts 2:24-27 goes like this. After Pentecost, the church is established. They’re all trying to figure out what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. They can’t do it alone, though. A small skip ahead shows us that the believers grew together in the Spirit and were just chilling with the joy of the Lord as their strength. All of this is because of the love they had for God and for each other. As a result, God sees what’s going on and is like, “now that’s what I’m talking about.” and BOOM He blessed the Church with more people giving their life to Christ every day.
Proverbs 27:17 says: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Which means that Godly friendships and community are a way that God shapes us into His image. In the Acts church, because God honoring conversations and activities were constantly taking place, the Holy Spirit was able to bestow His transformation power. That’s what Godly friendships are all about. People who constantly push you to Christ and hold you accountable in your faith. It’s the opposite way around too!
Community is so important in the walk with Christ. Being with others is supposed to bring humility and remind us that we can’t do it alone. Friendships keep us in check and don’t let us get too ahead of ourselves. In fact, when we’re struggling, we’re told to set aside our pride or the concern about how others may think of us and tell someone. James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective”
Yesterday, we talked about God wanting to be with us and turning to Him when things go wrong. He wants us to confide in Him but He also wants us to confide in others. It’s so important to have a faith based community to be able to trust in. Who are the people you go to when you have done something wrong? Ask God to reveal who that “iron sharpening iron” someone is in your life. If you can’t think of someone, ask God to send that person your way.
Take a second to reflect on the back
What does it look like to have friends who love God and hold you accountable?
Are you that friend for someone?
Take a moment to pray for Auburn Wesley Foundation
Let’s pray: Father, thank You for friends who mirror what it looks like to be in a relationship with You. Lead me to friends who are going to help me seek You and know You. I ask that you bless the Wesley Foundation and that You pour Your favor over it. Help me become molded into Your image and help me to confess to others when I mess up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Finding Shared Values and Building for the Kingdom of God TOGETHER
This week we began our new semester-long leadership series. This semester our good friend, dgroup leader and former Wesley missions council person, and current phD student - Sara Gonzalez is leading the conversation.
She began by helping us to reflect on and talk about the values we hold most deeply. Not aspirational values, but the things that really move us day-to-day in how we act. We then spent time at our tables working on finding shared values. One or two came pretty quickly, but then it took some time and real conversation to find more common ground that we could build from. Then we did the same exercise with the whole room. And it took even more time and even more conversation and some give and take.
We talked about what this process was like and what it shows us. We talked about how there were so many different values represented in the group. And yet, how we could find some things that we could hold in common. And that even when those didn’t emerge quickly, we could ask one another questions and share a little more about why we picked certain values and that often times this led us to finding that underneath the unique specifics we could find even more that we have in common.
Then we shifted to begin to talk about what culture is. Both in terms of big and broad and in terms of more mirco cultures… for example the culture of Wesley. What is it? Where does it come from? How does it work?
And we talked about what it is like to encounter, enter into or interact with a culture that feels different, unfamiliar, maybe even strange to us. We talked about how we do this as being a skill; something we can learn how to do. And that it doesn’t mean giving up your values, but that we can learn how to make space for others whose view of and experience of things is quite different from our own. And what’s more we can even find ways to work together to do really important and meaningful work together.
This is very close to my heart for what Auburn Wesley will always be about: That we would have people who come to Auburn from all kinds of different backgrounds and experiences, but that from the shared value of having our lives impacted by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we find that at Wesley we’re able to share deeply and in really meaningful ways in mission and ministry in the name of Jesus.
And so between this month and our next meeting we’ll be taking a cultural intelligence assessment. And when we meet again, near the end of February, we’ll talk through the results. And do more learning about how to grow and take next steps in this - specifically for the benefit of being able to work well and faithfully together as a campus ministry. But, also to help as us in the ways we interact on campus and as we begin to enter internship and the work place. It will help groups like our Ecuador mission team as they meet monthly to prepare to be on mission together, immersed in a different culture this May.
And so, if you’re a part of Wesley in any way and this sort of thing sounds like something you’d want to be a part of, please email tony@auwesley.org from your auburn email address NO LATER THAN Wednesday, February 1 - so that you can be sent a link to take the CQ assessment. Even if you weren’t able to be at this first meeting, it’s ok. But mark it on your calendar and plan to join us on Mon. Feb. 27 at 7:30pm for part 2.
God's Mission in Many Places
The last couple weeks have been especially full. It’s the halfway point of the semester and we feel the academic demands of that.
And we do lots of things at Wesley. But I love how in focus our mission has been this semester. I have been especially grateful for the ways so many of our students have set aside time to serve others, to discover what God’s kingdom work looks like in other places, to be learners of Jesus’ disruptive and grace-filled way of combating racism.
I wanted to share a few pictures from the last couple weeks and a brief description of what our students were up to in each picture.
This group, along with a couple others, got up before the sun, to be at Wesley by 5 am in order to make breakfast for the Gideons in our area. They served with smiles on their faces! This is a mission fundraiser for us. It will help to send a team of our students to serve in Ecuador with United Methodist missionaries there, later in May 2023.
This group - made up of our student council and several other student leaders - met with the leadership of Celeste Eubanks for part 1 of 2 we’re calling “Becoming Christian Leaders: Meaningful Conversations about Race”. Celeste helped us to explore the stories that so powerfully shape our view or reality around race and socialize us to speak and act in certain ways. Being able to start to tell our stories is a first step in beginning to notice where these stories continue to be bent toward supporting and sustaining social norms that are racist at their root - norms of division, separation and inequity. We’ll meet again on November 14 for part 2 of this conversation.
This group spent the first part of their Fall Break in Montgomery learning about the work of the Beacon Center from Rev. Richard Williams and getting to serve helping to feed some 300 households and getting to paint rooms that will be a part of how this amazing and holistic ministry will soon expand to find even more ways to embody the good news of Jesus in its neighborhood.
This group used their Monday evening to serve some 60 families at our monthly Loachapoka UMC food pantry - setting this room up like a grocery store and shopping with those who come for food. It’s been just the last 3 months that we’ve gone back to shopping after 2 YEARS of doing a drive thru pantry because of the pandemic. It has been a lot of extra work and some trial and error. But I am so proud of the desire of these students to serve others and to do that with joy and humility!
So, how’s that for couple weeks worth of being a part of God’s mission in many different places?!
There's No Holiness That Isn't Social Holiness
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was all about cultivating the inner life with God; all about those inward practices that are aimed at connecting us deeply to God. That same John Wesley said that when it comes to life in relationship to THAT God there is no such thing as holiness that isn’t SOCIAL holiness.
In other words, there is no version of being a Christian that gets lived in a vacuum; in total isolation from people and the larger world that we live in. And so if we are going to be God’s holy people, that holiness is going to have to get SOCIAL! That holiness is going to HAVE to be about the way we relate to others and how we play out the love of Christ in the culture and context of our real and ordinary lives.
Celeste Eubanks, Director of Connectional Ministries for the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church
Jesus shows us this! God’s way of saving us was NOT some kind of invisible idea that floated into our hearts. God’s way of saving us was Jesus - who was born in a particular place and time among particular people. And Jesus shows us God’s salvation through the relationships he builds and through the people he includes and through the particular social issues he addresses (most of which have to do with Religious leaders mishandling power).
A big part of what we do at Wesley is about helping you become Christian leaders. We’re interested in seeing you cultivate an inner life with God, growing as a part of God’s holy people, now and in your time beyond Auburn. And we know that this holiness MUST BE SOCIAL. So for the months of October and November we are setting aside time for us to explore one of the most pervasive social evils that has LONG plagued us - Racism.
So, I want to invite you to join us in a conversation THIS coming Monday night that we’re calling “Becoming Christian Leaders - Meaningful Conversations About Race”. Our conversation will be led by our friend Celeste Eubanks, the Director of Connectional Ministries for the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. It will be an interactive and insightful conversation. One that will help us to grow in our faith.
Join us THIS coming Monday night, October 10, 7:30-8:30pm at Wesley.
Grace + Peace,
Tony Jeck