1. Learning to See the Work of God
Knowing the Story & Seeing the Patterns

2. Plenty of Resources ?
How do we choose
faithfully?

5. 1822 New England Districts Charges
New London (CT/RI/MA) 15
Boston, MA 14
New Hampshire 10
Vermont 9
Portland, ME
Kennebeck, ME 12
Penobscot, ME 6

6. 1863
Districts
Charges
 East Maine
Bangor 28
Bucksport 31
Rockland 37
 Maine
Lewiston 34
Portland 47
Readfield 23
 New England
Boston 39
Lynn 41
Springfield
Worcester
Districts
Charges
New Hampshire
Claremont 36
Concord 39
Dover
 Providence
New London, CT 54
Providence, RI 44
Sandwich, MA 43
 Vermont
Burlington 23
Danville 27
Montpelier 25
Springfield
St. Albans 33

7. Seeing God at Work

8. Downward Spiral Late 20th Century American Church
Membership Declining
Churches Closing
Trouble maintaining buildings
No youth = no young pastors who can go to seminary
What people talk about at Church Council
What people talk about at coffee hour
NCD – uninspiring worship, tepid spirituality, disempowered leadership, ministry full of “should” – parents “should” teach Sunday School
Members disconnected from one another
Congregation disconnected from community
Spiritual but not religious – aversion from/discomfort with church
Downward Spiral Late 20th Century American Church

9. Seeing God at Work

11. Wesley’s Way of Salvation
The Backbone of the Great Awakenings
Unawake Anxious Justified Sanctified Christian Perfection
Backsliders

12. Non-violent Communication
Marshall Rosenberg
Non-violent Communication
Benjamin Zander
The Art of Possibility

13. Double Predestination
Heaven
Reward A+
Good
Double Predestination
Judgement
“Shoulds”
Baptize the baby as soon as possible
Come to worship every Sunday
Give your money
Social justice
Pay apportionments
Take in new professing members
DEMANDS
Fear
Guilt, Shame
Blame
Evil F-
Punishment
Hell

15. All sin and fall short of the glory of God = grace
Creation - Eden
“The Land I will show you”
Canaan
Zion
Kingdom of God
Cross the Jordan
New Jerusalem
Wedding Banquet
Abundance
Beloved Child of God = A
All sin and fall short of the glory of God = grace
Love God and Neighbor
Shalom – well being
Harmony
Requests - Free Will
Perfect Love

16. Grace - The Work of God – Way of Salvation Word - Communication
Blessing – It is Good, very Good
Reboot - Noah
Covenant
Animal Sacrifice
Commandments/Law
Incarnation
God’s Death and Resurrection - Unstoppable
Story

18. UMC Basic Pattern of Worship
Entrance – Stop – Gather – Set Apart
Proclamation and Response – Look/Listen
Thanksgiving /Communion- Look/Listen/Inward Response
Sending Forth - Go/Outward Response
Scripture, tradition, reason, experience (of God at work)
Faith -> Function -> Form
Form follows function
Function follows faith
More Guidance for Choices

19. Local Church Visit

20. God’s Time Church History and Worship
The Theology of the Christian Year

21. God’s Time Part I: Church History and Worship

23. Jesus – 313 AD Early Church Rome Goal Re-creation Body of Christ
Character
Informal/private
House churches
Universal/Catholic
Simple singing
Praying
Scripture
Preaching
Communion
Baptisms
Word and Sacrament
Jesus – 313 AD
Early Church
Rome

24. Constantine 313 AD
Holy Roman Empire
Popes and Emperors
Creeds
Bible
Parishes
Dioceses
Violent forced baptisms
Benedict 530
Francis 1208
Ignatious 1540
Monasticism
Christendom
Fear – Superstition – Latin – Clericalism
Sacrament over Word
Oppression - indulgences

25. East/West Split
Islam
610
1054

26. Reformation 30 Years War 1618-1638 Counter Reformation King Henry VIII
1532
30 Years War
Martin Luther
1517
Calvin/Reformed
1530s
Counter Reformation

27. United Kingdom Church of England Catholic Dissenters
Presbyterian – Church of Scotland
Church of Ireland
Church of England
Dissenters
Puritan
Quaker
Catholic
Baptist
Methodist
Unitarian

28. George Whitfield Field Preaching Conference District Circuit Society
Class
Field Preaching

29. Colonizing North America
Pilgrims, Puritans, Congregationalists – MA, CT, NH
Baptist – RI – Roger Williams - Freedom
Dutch Reformed
Presbyterians - NJ
Quakers – Pennsylvania - William Penn - Freedom
Catholics – Maryland – Lord Baltimore
Church of England – Virginia
Lutherans, Moravians, Scotch Irish – Appalachia, Carolinas
Baptists
Methodists
Mennonites
Amish

30. New England

31. Methodist Immigrants

32. John Wesley Sends Methodist Preachers

33. Revival/ Pentecostal Pattern
Field Preaching
Camp Meetings
Revival/ Pentecostal Pattern
Greeting
Music (rhythmic)
Call/response
Preaching
Exhortations
Emotional High
Altar Call with music
Goal
Conversion, Sanctification, Reclaiming Backsliders
Awaken to the Work of God - union
Character – technical excellence – enthusiasm, African influence, emotional

34. American Born Methodist Preachers
Jesse Lee
Richard Allen
Harry Hoosier
Freeborn Garrittson

35. Christmas Conference 1784

36. Christian Bible not privileged
Universal Salvation
Christian Bible not privileged

37. Black Church Adventists Wesleyans Nazarenes Pentecostals
A. M. E. Zion – New York
A.M. E. – Philadelphia
Wesleyans
Nazarenes
Pentecostals

38. Methodist Split Temperance Dancing Smoking Prayer Tithing
Personal Holiness
Social Holiness
Temperance
Dancing
Smoking
Prayer
Tithing
Personal experience of salvation
Reject Enlightenment thinking
Abolition
Temperance
Suffrage
Labor Rights
Poverty
Civil Rights
War
Social Gospel = Salvation
Embrace Enlightenment thinking

39. Sunday School Movement
Goal
Enlightenment – Read the Bible
Christian Character
Character of Worship
Educational - moral
Standard Lessons
Opening Exercises
Devotional Reading
Theme of the Day
Program
Announcements
Dismissal

40. Prosperity, Modern Theology, Aesthetics

41. Vatican II
Full,
Active &
Conscious
Participation

42. World Council of Churches Liturgical Renewal

43. Chronos

44. Kairos - Eternity

45. Theology of the Christian Year
God’s Time Part 2
Theology of the Christian Year

46. Christian Calendar When the Eternal Enters Our Chronos
See book of worship pp
Advent – Christmas – Epiphany
Lent – Easter - Pentecost
Ordinary Time
UM Special Sundays etc.
See book of worship pp. 422
When the Eternal Enters Our Chronos

47. Full, Active & Conscious
Enacting the Drama of Our Salvation

48. Prayer - Vertical Habits

49. Designing Worship for Your Appointment