Rev. Dr. Travis Stevick

As we finish out this year, I wanted to share some of the things I have learned from John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement. There are many things we can learn from him about the gospel. We have and will consider those as well. However, I wanted to share a few of the very practical things I have learned from Wesley. 1. We always need to read the Bible in context. In my earliest days as a Christian, I noticed that most people talked about the Bible a verse at a time. It gave the...

Last month, I offered a reflection on the nature of Communion and how it lies at the center of the Gospel. This month, I will direct some attention to the other sacrament recognized by the Global Methodist Church: Baptism.   Baptism is first and foremost something that Jesus did for us. When Jesus went to get baptized by John in the Jordan, Matthew tells us that John didn’t want to do it. Jesus’ response is remarkable: “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill...

That title might seem a bit provocative, and it is certainly at least a bit of an exaggeration. After all, the real center of the Gospel is the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ for us and our salvation. Everything else gains theological value by how it is related to that center. What I mean is that I have become increasingly convinced that the practice of Holy Communion is vitally important. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus famously predicts his own death...