Amen! This is such an important topic to discuss. The Academy is a place we need to be doing some serious looking at, and educating people both in and out of it needs to be revested. Attending Asbury I have been so refreshed that every single teacher I've interacted with so far have all been so focused on ensuring you are not letting your personal discipleship and devotional life get worn down by getting so focused on academic work. It's all about Christ, and being a disciple under Him. Hasn't mattered what the class is, they've all had that focus.
I was a Methodist and attended West Virginia Wesleyan and studied Christian Education. While learning more about Wesley and attending conferences I started to encounter Orthodoxy. I converted to the Orthodox Church in 2004. Wesley prayed the hours, fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays, etc.
Jeffrey, thanks for another glimpse of what is possible for the GMC when influenced by leadership withe integrity. Dr. Watson has been a strong advocate of class/bands, small group ministries for the purpose of spiritual formation. And your previous guest, Steve Cordle promoted intentional discipleship. These two practices are essential for raising up an effective lay ministry within the GMC. Without that happening, I can’t visualize anything other than UMC 2.0.
As a young Clergy; I pastor a church by myself in the GMC. I've not been an associate, and I agree with the assessment of Kevin Watson--and what I seemed to gather from this video--that seminary focus ins't to disciple the pastor, nor is it the focus of the denomination. At least it defiantly wasn't in the UMC. I always felt that was my largest frustration in the UMC going through residency in ministry, etc, is that the focus was not to disciple the young clergy so we are prepared, but rather to 'educate' us on whatever they thought was important. Jeff, my question is; do you have any advice on how to seek out being discipled by someone so that I can be better equipped to disciple and lead the Church God has brought me to serve? In my mind that would be the purpose of being an associate at a church, to have a 'spiritual father' as you and Kevin talked about. But how should I go about finding a personal spiritual leader while I myself am tasked with being the primary spiritual leader for a community? Thanks!
God bless you, brother. This is an excellent and faithful inquiry. For many years, I have sought a spiritual father. I have approached many men that I thought would be able to minister to me, push me, correct me. For one reason or another, nobody has worked out. It has been a source of sadness for me. I have had to learn to do a lot of this alone, and it shows.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Roc Steady (feat. Flo Milli) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HozPPyqW0dY/mqdefault.jpg)
Excellent, and long overdue interview🙌
Thank you, Jeffrey, for a thoughtful and edifying conversation.
Amen! This is such an important topic to discuss. The Academy is a place we need to be doing some serious looking at, and educating people both in and out of it needs to be revested. Attending Asbury I have been so refreshed that every single teacher I've interacted with so far have all been so focused on ensuring you are not letting your personal discipleship and devotional life get worn down by getting so focused on academic work. It's all about Christ, and being a disciple under Him. Hasn't mattered what the class is, they've all had that focus.
I was a Methodist and attended West Virginia Wesleyan and studied Christian Education. While learning more about Wesley and attending conferences I started to encounter Orthodoxy. I converted to the Orthodox Church in 2004. Wesley prayed the hours, fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays, etc.
Methodism has the potential to become the western orthodox church if this tradition were to anchor itself in its founding.
Jeffrey, thanks for another glimpse of what is possible for the GMC when influenced by leadership withe integrity. Dr. Watson has been a strong advocate of class/bands, small group ministries for the purpose of spiritual formation. And your previous guest, Steve Cordle promoted intentional discipleship. These two practices are essential for raising up an effective lay ministry within the GMC. Without that happening, I can’t visualize anything other than UMC 2.0.
As a young Clergy; I pastor a church by myself in the GMC. I've not been an associate, and I agree with the assessment of Kevin Watson--and what I seemed to gather from this video--that seminary focus ins't to disciple the pastor, nor is it the focus of the denomination. At least it defiantly wasn't in the UMC. I always felt that was my largest frustration in the UMC going through residency in ministry, etc, is that the focus was not to disciple the young clergy so we are prepared, but rather to 'educate' us on whatever they thought was important. Jeff, my question is; do you have any advice on how to seek out being discipled by someone so that I can be better equipped to disciple and lead the Church God has brought me to serve? In my mind that would be the purpose of being an associate at a church, to have a 'spiritual father' as you and Kevin talked about. But how should I go about finding a personal spiritual leader while I myself am tasked with being the primary spiritual leader for a community?
Thanks!
God bless you, brother. This is an excellent and faithful inquiry. For many years, I have sought a spiritual father. I have approached many men that I thought would be able to minister to me, push me, correct me. For one reason or another, nobody has worked out. It has been a source of sadness for me. I have had to learn to do a lot of this alone, and it shows.