Catalyst Publications
Publications by Category
From time to time those of us in the Wesleyan tradition pause to remember from whence we have come. From its modest beginnings in the Holy Club at Oxford, a prayer meeting on Aldersgate Street, and field preaching in Bristol, we now have a …
Oct/20/2021
In a previous Catalyst blog entitled “The Biblical Basis for the Ordination of Women in the Wesleyan Tradition,” I described various patterns of women’s leadership evident in the NT and historic early church. In this blog I will trace how t…
Oct/18/2021
Narcissist.
It’s a descriptor we’ve heard a lot in the last few years. Whether spoken about politicians or pastors, celebrities or social media savvy teens, it’s alive in our common discourse. But it’s important to be clear and wise as w…
Oct/13/2021
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Jesus, Rev 3:20)
When I was a boy, my grandmother had a picture of Jesus standing outside …
Oct/11/2021
In a restaurant in North Dakota, I found myself sitting across from a pastor I had met just hours earlier when I presented at his church. By every outward mark, his congregation was vibrant. And yet he felt a creeping crisis.
“I don’t kn…
Oct/06/2021
Last month I came across a complaint on the internet. It was pretty standard as internet complaints go, but it stayed with me because it was a complaint I have heard often from pastors and students, and it gets to the heart of what I unders…
Oct/04/2021
When thinking about those who need ministry care within our congregations, it’s easy to overlook service members, veterans, and military families. They often appear composed, resolute, and strong. Yet caregivers both inside and outside the …
Sep/29/2021
St. Augustine, writing in what is arguably the most influential handbook for preachers in the Christian tradition (De Doctrina Christiana) begins by citing the experience and words of St. Paul to emphasize the importance of learning from th…
Sep/27/2021
Christians and COVID—what are the issues and possible responses?
Earlier this summer, D. Gareth Jones, Emeritus Professor of Anatomy in the University of Otago (NZ) and renowned bioethicist, wrote an important essay outlining how the pol…
Sep/20/2021
[Note: This article is part of a series on engaging Scripture as a means of spiritual formation.]
Lectio divina is a formational approach to Bible reading in which the reader takes seriously that the primary purpose of reading Scripture …
Sep/13/2021
One of the pandemic’s “gifts” to me was that, for the first time in years, I started watching videos of my preaching on a regular basis. It wasn’t intentional. Mostly I’ve been watching the videos to check the audio quality from services st…
Sep/06/2021
Many people want to impact their world for the sake of God’s mission but are unsure where to begin, especially when today’s churches face unprecedented challenges. Church participation has shifted dramatically in the last year and, when loo…
Aug/09/2021
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A Foundation for Theological Education (AFTE) John Wesley Fellowships have been awarded to three doctoral stud…
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Announcing that 2026 John Wesley Fellowship Scholarship Applications are now being accepted. Please see the at…
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JWF and Friends of AFTE, we look forward to you joining us Thursday-Sunday, January 15-18, 2026, for the AFTE …
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Twenty John Wesley Fellows, spouses, and friends were able to experience a trip of a lifetime. The travel itin…
"The John Wesley Fellowship provides not only financial support, it is an extraordinary community of Christian scholars — and friends."