Discipulado

Compassion in Practice, Revised Edition

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:16:38 GMT

Available May 2026; Preorder Now!

Discover a path of radical compassion rooted in the way of Jesus.

How do we practice love and compassion for ourselves and others in a world marred by conflict and violence in our families, communities, institutions—and even our own hearts? In Compassion in Practice: The Way of Jesus, internationally renowned compassion teacher Frank Rogers introduces the spiritual path of radical compassion Jesus walked and taught, grounded in God's extravagant love for all people. This path transforms hardened hearts and brings healing and wholeness to even the most challenging situations.

In this inspiring and practical book, you'll discover a series of practices to ground and restore you through self-compassion as you cultivate an ethic of radical care that extends not only to loved ones, neighbors, and strangers, but also to enemies, opponents, and oppressors. Illuminated with extraordinary real-life stories of restorative love in action, these practices will equip you to step heart-first into a challenging world, ready to engage in a new way that beats with the pulse of compassion.

This updated and revised edition provides specific practices for compassionate social activism, more interfaith conversation, and a "compassion compass" to help orient you as you travel the path of healing and restoration.

In Compassion in Practice, you will learn:

The six essential dimensions of authentic compassion
A compassion practice that softens hardened hearts and accesses our best self
Spiritual exercises to cultivate compassion for yourself and others
The critical difference between empathy and compassion
How to practice compassion with a difficult person or amid violence and injustice
Ten principles of empowered and just compassionate action

Exploración de una cultura del cuidado en la congregación

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 18:07:37 GMT

Esta guía completa para líderes contiene seis sesiones de enseñanza de 90 minutos, diseñadas para el curso de Ministerios de Líderes Laicos Exploración de una cultura del cuidado en la congregación. Basado en el libro The Caring Congregation (La congragación que cuida) de Karen Lampe, este recurso equipa a los ministros laicos con habilidades prácticas para el ministerio de cuidado pastoral. Los participantes aprenderán técnicas de escucha profunda para establecer conexiones significativas, cómo brindar cuidado durante tiempos de pérdida y crisis, cómo mantener límites saludables en las relaciones que implican el cuidado y cómo comprender las diferencias culturales en los enfoques del ministerio del cuidado.

Exploring a Culture of Care for a Caring Congregation: Leader’s Guide

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:24:02 GMT

This comprehensive leader's guide contains six 90-minute teaching sessions designed for the Lay Servant Ministries course "Exploring a Culture of Care for a Caring Congregation." Based on Karen Lampe's book The Caring Congregation, this resource equips lay servant ministers with practical skills for pastoral care ministry. Participants will learn deep listening techniques for meaningful connections, how to provide care during times of loss and crisis, how to maintain healthy boundaries in caring relationships, and how to understand cultural differences in care ministry approaches.

Transformed by Grace

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:12:16 GMT

A Year of Prayer, Rooted in Wesleyan Faith.

In the devotional classic Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit, renowned Wesleyan scholar Paul Chilcote invited readers to experience the spiritual depth of John Wesley's sermons through devotional prayer. Now, in Transformed by Grace: 52 More Prayers in the Wesleyan Spirit, Chilcote continues this journey, offering a fresh collection of weekly prayers inspired by Wesley's later sermons. As in the first volume, Chilcote pairs each prayer with a beloved hymn by Charles Wesley, offering readers an opportunity to sing as they pray.

While Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit focused on Wesley's "standard sermons" and their theme of salvation, this new volume explores a broader range of spiritual themes. Traditional theological topics like the Trinity, creation, the image of God, faith, and perfect love are included here, but more fall into the broader category of spiritual formation and examine practical questions of every Christian related to topics like temptation, patience, conscience, simplicity, and zeal.

In Transformed by Grace, Chilcote takes on some of Wesley's most challenging sermons for modern readers and artfully conveys their original purpose: to touch the heart and inspire change. Whether you are a lifelong Methodist, a pastor seeking inspiration, or a person of faith longing to grow in grace, Transformed by Grace will be a treasured resource as God speaks to you through the insights of the Wesleys and their vision of the Christian way.

Walk with Christ through these prayers, both read and sung, and invite the Holy Spirit to be your companion along the way.

Also available: Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit: 52 Prayers for Today

Transformed by Grace

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:06:46 GMT

A Year of Prayer, Rooted in Wesleyan Faith.

Walk with Christ through these prayers, both read and sung, and invite the Holy Spirit to be your companion along the way.

Also available: Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit: 52 Prayers for Today

Sacred Tension

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 18:07:35 GMT

"The Bible was not written for passive readers or lazy listeners. It was written for active engagement, deliberation, dialogue, and debate, because the Bible itself is fundamentally a conversation."—Old Testament professor and scholar William P. Brown, from Sacred Tension

Embrace the complexities of the Old Testament with curiosity and courage.

As people of faith, the words of the Bible are sacred. They tell us about our spiritual heritage and convey our ever-present hope. But sometimes, if we're being honest, the Bible — especially the Old Testament — can bring more confusion than clarity. Apparent contradictions and a wide variety of different accounts about God, faith, and humanity's role can leave us perplexed with more questions than answers. How are we to read the Bible in a way that helps us understand its deepest truths?

In Sacred Tension, renowned biblical scholar and Old Testament professor William P. Brown challenges our unease by suggesting that the "problem" of dissonance within the Old Testament is in fact one of its most powerful features. To read the Bible with one uniform voice, he asserts, is to miss the richness and complexity of the canon. Instead, the Bible is "a canonical cornucopia, a 'horn of plenty' filled with diverse perspectives tied together by a common affirmation that God is God, expressed in different ways." With expert insight and passionate prose, Brown invites us to consider the Old Testament as a wide-ranging dialogue that is in conversation both with itself and with us, fostering further discussion and mutual discernment.

Each chapter of Sacred Tension addresses a key question central to the Old Testament texts like the nature of God, the purpose of the Law, and the problem of evil. By exploring these themes through the lens of diverse, and often contradictory, perspectives, you'll begin to gain a more nuanced understanding of the foundational texts that have informed Jewish and Christian beliefs for millennia.

Whether you know the books of the Bible by heart or are brand new to biblical study, Sacred Tension will invite you into an exciting new dialogue with these ancient scriptures. In this accessible and insightful introduction to the Old Testament, encounter the texts with curiosity and wonder and open yourself to what this inner tension has to offer those who engage with it.

Written for everyday people who long to better understand the Bible, Sacred Tension invites us to embrace the complexity of the Old Testament and discover the profound truths that lie within its hallowed pages.

Join Old Testament scholar William P. Brown in a revelatory journey through the Bible that will change the way you think about our sacred scriptures and your faith. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter will deepen the dialogue. Let the conversation begin!

Key Features:

Accessible language tailored for a general audience
Thought-provoking exploration of key Old Testament themes
Discussion questions with each chapter
Suitable for both personal study, group study, and academic courses

READ A SAMPLE.

Leadership is Discipleship 2025 (Korean)

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 20:26:50 GMT

2025년 리더십저널 주제는 리셋이다. 다음 질문으로부터 리셋의 여정을 함께 시작하기를 바란다. 예수의 리더십은 우리에게 무엇을 리셋하라고 하는가? 감리교 운동이 대중들에게 흡인력을 가질 수 있었던 이유는 무엇이고, 리셋해야 할 요소는 무엇인가? 기독교의 어떤 특성이 대중에게 자신의 신학적 지향을 효과적으로 전달할 수 있었을까? 오늘의 기독교가 편협한 자기중심적 경계를 벗어날 길은 무엇인가? 믿음을 재정비하고, 식었던 선교적인 열정을 회복하고, 강한 연대와 신뢰를 회복하고 미래적인 교회를 위해서 무엇을 해야 하는가? 어떻게 창조를 이끌고, 섬김을 실천하며, 낮은 곳으로 향하는 리더십을 실천할 수 있을까? 신의 이름으로 타인을 압도하는 과오는 무엇이고 진정한 환대와 선교는 어떻게 이룰 수 있을까? 리미널리티 시대를 살고 있는 우리는 미래 교회의 모습을 어떻게 전망할 수 있을까? 어떻게 진정성, 완전성, 창의성을 들어내는가?

Sacred Tension

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:14:53 GMT

"The Bible was not written for passive readers or lazy listeners. It was written for active engagement, deliberation, dialogue, and debate, because the Bible itself is fundamentally a conversation." —Old Testament professor and scholar William P. Brown, from Sacred Tension

Embrace the complexities of the Old Testament with curiosity and courage.

Key Features:

Accessible language tailored for a general audience
Thought-provoking exploration of key Old Testament themes
Discussion questions with each chapter
Suitable for both personal study, group study, and academic courses

READ A SAMPLE.

The Sacraments

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 20:57:17 GMT

This PDF leader's guide is designed to lead the Lay Servant Ministries course covering the sacraments. This course is based on the books By Water and the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism and This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion both written by Gayle Carlton Fenton. The leader guide contains lesson plans for ten hour-long sessions to help lay servant ministers learn more about the theology of baptism and communion, how these sacraments relate to their communities, and how to help their communities more fully embrace the meaning behind these sacraments. The leader guide also contains handouts and printable resources for the Lay Servant Ministries course.

A Spirituality of Caregiving

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 18:08:16 GMT

If you provide care for another person, whether you are a family member or a professional caregiver, you know that caregiving is hard, sometimes unappreciated work. But have you ever considered that it isn't easy to be the care receiver?

"Caregiving is … about forming a relationship with another whom we might never have chosen to know. It is about doing all we do practically with the intention of growing into a relationship of respect, listening, presence, and truthfulness," Henri Nouwen writes.

From the heart of Henri Nouwen comes wisdom for the caregiver about the transformational power of relationship in the unique bond between caregiver and care receiver. Interlacing stories from his own life and the lives of friends, Nouwen communicates warmth and compassion as he shares insights on what it means to be a caregiver and to be cared for.

Whether you have chosen to be a caregiver or were thrust into the role by circumstances, you'll see how important and life-changing your work is. You'll also be encouraged by this beloved author who has been called one of the most influential spiritual writers of our time.

Leadership is Discipleship 2024 (Korean)

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:38:51 GMT

LID 2024 리더십저널은 ‘인공지능’을 다룬다. 물론 우리가 과학자나 기술자가 아니기에 인공지능 기술이 얼마나 발전하고 어떤 방향으로 갈지는 확정할 수 없다. 그러나 현재 상황과 예측할 수 있는 현실을 직시하며 인공지능 시대에 목사와 신학자로, 기독교학자와 교수로 인공지능 영역에 관한 이해와 전망, 이슈와 문제점, 직업과 노동, 인간 이해와 관계성, 윤리와 영성, 교육과 신학 관련 질문을 하고 방향을 제시할 수 있을 것이다. 인공지능이라는 한 주제 속에서, 좀 더 세밀한 부분, 곧 윤리, 문화, 인간론, 영성, 노동, 사회, 교육, 사역 등과 연계한 글이 많으니, 인공지능과 신학의 이해 폭을 넓히고 인공지능과 기독교의 만남으로 펼쳐질 미지의 세상에 길을 트고 방향을 제시해 나가기를 바란다.

Lanzar una nueva comunidad de adoración

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:39:21 GMT

«En una época en la que la religión organizada se asocia a menudo con un pensamiento obsoleto, una gran parte de la población ha renunciado a la iglesia. No creen que la iglesia pueda ofrecer algo interesante y relevante para ellos», escribe Paul Nixon. «Por lo tanto, ahora es necesario un trabajo mayor para construir la comunidad de adoración y cultivar la confianza antes de que la gente se comprometa con nosotros. En el mundo actual, las comunidades de adoración nuevas e innovadoras son más necesarias que nunca».

En el libro Lanzar una nueva comunidad de adoración, los autores Paul Nixon y Craig Gilbert junto con un equipo de otros catorce expertos en plantación de iglesias, ofrecen consejos valiosos a los líderes del ministerio — tanto al clero como a los laicos — para alcanzar a nuevas personas con el evangelio.

Lanzar nueva comunidad de adoración contiene 32 capítulos cortos que profundizan en los detalles más prácticos a los que se enfrentan los equipos de lanzamiento de comunidades de adoración hoy en día.

Los temas incluyen lo siguiente:

¿Por qué iniciar una nueva reunión?
Enfocarse en un grupo particular de personas
Desarrollar una cultura de invitación
Promover la diversidad étnica
Conectar bien en un mundo digital
Reunir a su equipo de lanzamiento
Ofrecer una hospitalidad de primera clase

Lanzar una nueva comunidad de adoración

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:01:00 GMT

Los temas incluyen lo siguiente:

¿Por qué iniciar una nueva reunión?
Enfocarse en un grupo particular de personas
Desarrollar una cultura de invitación
Promover la diversidad étnica
Conectar bien en un mundo digital
Reunir a su equipo de lanzamiento
Ofrecer una hospitalidad de primera clase

연합감리교회 설명서: 우리는 누구인가? A Manual of the United Methodist Church (Korean)

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 14:27:23 GMT

연합감리교회 설명서 - 연합감리교회를 설명하기 위해 만들어진 “우리는 누구인가?”는 연합감리교회의 아이덴티티와 독특성, 역사와 교리를 잘 설명해 줄 뿐만 아니라 연합감리교인으로서 이를 어떻게 적용하고 신앙생활 해야 하는지를 잘 안내해 준다. 또한, 교회 임원들이 감리교회의 정체성을 알고 교회 사역과 운영에 참여할 수 있도록 인도하고, 새 신자나 타 교단에서 신앙생활 했던 분들이 연합감리교회의 특성을 알고 연합감리교회에 더 잘 적응할 수 있도록 안내해 줄 것이다.

Everyday Contemplative

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 21:33:26 GMT

Everyday Contemplative

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 21:33:26 GMT

What does it mean to live a contemplative life? How does someone become contemplative? Does being contemplative mean sitting around thinking about God all day? Does it require living a simple or even austere life, like a monk or a nun?

Roger Owens challenges readers to expand their definition of contemplative living to encompass all ways of seeking to be more open, available, and responsive to God. God may be found just as easily in an office cubicle, a donut shop, or a laundry room as in a monastic cell.

In Everyday Contemplative, Owens presents seven characteristics of contemplative living: longing, attention, patience, playfulness, vulnerability, nonjudgment, and freedom. One ingredient he considers essential to the contemplative life is sharing it with others, and this book invites readers to discover the joys of contemplative living.

Campus Ministry

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:42:26 GMT

This resource, written with the intention to support a new Lay Servant Ministries course, will give readers a general understanding of the developmental needs of the 18- to 26-year-old demographic in the United States; general categories of institutions of higher learning; basic structures for campus ministries and offices of spiritual and religious life on college or university campuses; a framework to discern how United Methodist congregations may be called to serve students in their local context; and tools to begin bridging the administrative structures at the institution of higher learning in question to gain appropriate access to students.

The approach of this text (and its companion PDF leader's guide, available separately) is fundamentally student-centered and contextual, placing the needs of students as the foundation of congregational discernment and institutional bridging to build and/or support a student ministry. (The scope of this text is limited to higher education in the United States, as models of higher education differ greatly in other regions of the world. This text also primarily targets the 18- to 26-year-old demographic, recognizing that many students in the United States may fall outside this age range.)

Gather Us In

Tue, 24 May 2022 18:21:07 GMT

Gather Us In

Five Loaves, Two Fish, Twelve Volunteers

Tue, 24 May 2022 18:20:53 GMT

Five Loaves, Two Fish, Twelve Volunteers

Extraordinary Ministry in Ordinary Time

Tue, 24 May 2022 18:20:45 GMT

Extraordinary Ministry in Ordinary Time