Has anyone read Luke Timothy Johnson's, "The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters?"

If you have read it or some of it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Hippolytus's account of the baptismal service:
When the person being baptized goes down into the water, he who baptizes him, putting his hand on him, shall say:
"Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty?"
And the person being baptized shall say:
"I believe."
Then holding his hand on his head, he shall baptize him once.
And then he shall say:
"Do you believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was born of the Virgin Mary, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and was dead and buried, and rose again the third day, alive from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father, and will come to judge the living and the dead?"
And when he says:
"I believe," he is baptized again.
And again he shall say:
"Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, in the holy church, and the resurrection of the body?"
The person being baptized shall say:
"I believe," and then he is baptized a third time.

-- Hippolytus, early third century, quoted on page 115(I don't remember from what though...).

I thought I would get this going before pitchers and catchers report. I was was one of the old guys, doubled-dipped, ordained in the Texas Annual Conference as a Deacon while a student in 1996 and as an Elder in 2000, both times while Woodrow "Woody" Hearn was presiding.
I enjoy old Methodist History and chasing the mysteries associated with who we are as People Called Methodists. I loved growing up at Klein UMC, fed by the likes of Wayne Day and Harral Dunnam, and I hope to do the same where I serve. I have spent most of my ministry in East Texas. Currently we are serving Emory Methodist, enjoying every bit of it.
Go Astros!
-David Banks

Here are the templates we are using for adult and children's baptisms. Feel free to adapt and use at your discretion.

The font I use is Montserrat. It is one of the officially recommended fonts of the GMC. You can download that font at https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Montserrat

Howard Huhn

Attached Files

  Baptism Certificate Child.docx (Size: 93.66 KB / Downloads: 9)
  baptism certificate adult.docx (Size: 93.43 KB / Downloads: 7)

John Wesley listed the "Grand scriptural doctrines" as "Original Sin, Justification, and holiness consequent thereon". Holiness was often interchanged with sanctification and christian perfection by Wesley.

Wesley saw sin, specifically original sin, as the problem to be addressed by the Methodist. I know that may seem obvious but in terms of teaching/preaching I don't that people always see sin as the problem. If they do not see or understand sin as a problem then it becomes even more difficult to explain why the gospel matters.

Wesley used "deformed image" to describe the impact sin had on a person and "renewed image" as a result of salvation.

What ways have you found helpful when describing sin as a problem? Rebellion against God? Separation from God? Anxiety?

What are some common ways you illustrate the impact sin has on the world?

Book that may be helpful: https://www.amazon.com/John-Wesleys-conc...=4&depth=1

The attached document includes the text of Wesley's sermon along with discussion questions along the way.

Attached Files

  Thoughts Upon Thoughts Upon Methodism.pdf (Size: 166.33 KB / Downloads: 4)

The attached document includes the text of Wesley's sermon along with discussion questions along the way.

Attached Files

  Wesley - Scripture Way of Salvation.docx (Size: 42.18 KB / Downloads: 4)

I put this together a few years ago as a way of helping people see where they are strong and where they can grow and some options on how to work toward growth. Feel free to adapt and use.

Attached Files

  spiritual health assessment - lettersized whole punch.pdf (Size: 57.25 KB / Downloads: 5)

If "the church is a lay driven movement", and I believe it is, what does that mean for those of us who serve in a volunteer capacity? What do you think is our proper role in the church?

Here's an interesting question for us to talk about - how can we describe the role of scripture in determining our faith lives?

Some may say 'solo scriptura' or 'only scripture.' John Wesley is said to say he was a 'man of one book'. But the tendency of 'only scripture' proponents is to ignore that scripture itself is a product in part of tradition. It is the tradition of the church that set the canon of scripture. We need reason to understand scripture. Our experience influences how we read it. Our interaction with scripture isn't something that happens in isolation.

Some may say 'prima scriptura' or 'scripture first'. This is the way a lot of Wesleyan scholars refer to scripture and is considered a tenet of the 'Wesleyan Quadrilateral' of Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience. Scripture comes first, with the others providing direction and influence in the interpretation of scripture.

But I have a view I'm considering that proposes a slight difference - 'suprema scriptura' (that might not be correct in Latin, but stick with me) This means scripture is supreme. What I mean is there is a difference in primacy and supremacy. Primacy (scripture first), implies an ordinal arrangement of items without ranking of merit. It's like 1,2,3,4,... One comes first, but it isn't necessarily the best or most important. To say that scripture is primary is to say that scripture is the first step, but doesn't imply that it is the most important step. Supremacy implies a cardinal arrangement of items by rank or merit. It's like gold, silver, bronze medals - a ranking of their importance. To say that scripture is supreme is to say that it takes precedence over others. Tradition, reason, and experience are not just other steps to understanding faith, but they are inferior. Where scripture and the others disagree, scripture is superior and is to be followed.

So, I believe that scripture is not just 'prima' (first) but also 'suprema' (supreme).

Thoughts?