To Serve This Present Age

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Essential to Methodist revivalism was the personal conversion experience, which constituted the basis of salvation and church membership. Revivalism, maintains Airhart, was a distinctive form of piety and socialization that was critical in helping Methodists define who they were, colouring their understanding of how religion was to be experienced, practised, articulated, and cultivated. This revivalist piety, even more than doctrine or policy, was the identifying mark of Methodism in the nineteenth century. But, during the late Victorian era, the Methodist presentation of the religious life underwent a transformation. By 1925, when the Methodist Church was incorporated into the United Church of Canada, its most prominent leaders were espousing an approach to piety that was essentially, and sometimes explicitly, non-revivalist. The Methodist approach to personal religion changed during this transition and, significantly, Methodists increasingly became identified with social Christianity -- although experience remained a key aspect of their theology. There was also a growing tendency to associate revivalism with fundamentalism, a new religious development that used the Methodist language of conversion but was unappealing to Canadian Methodists. Airhart portrays the tensions between tradition and innovation through stories of the men and women who struggled to revitalize religion in an age when conventional social assumptions and institutions were being challenged by the ideals of the progressive movement. Serving the Present Age is an account of Canadian Methodist participation in a realignment of North American Protestantism which supporters believed would better enable them, in the words of a well-known Wesley hymn, "to serve the present age."

At a time when the African American church is increasingly associated with the controversial prosperity gospel, Minister Danielle Ayers and Reverend Reginald Williams remind black church leaders of the prophetic call to "do justice." Within these pages, the authors Review the history of the black church's social justice contributions and leadership Establish today's need for justice ministries in the congregation and community Spotlight real-lire ministries and initiatives Provide sample training manual materials, "Doing Justice" and "Our Vote" From initiatives of care and education to programs of action and collaboration, discover the transforming impact the church can have on society, culture, and community through diverse social justice ministries. Book jacket.

This book is for the ministry minded person who desire fundamentals and principles to help grow ministry in an organized manner. It is a must read for Pastors, Deacons and church leaders.

This book makes clear the need of every servant of the Lord to serve under the vision of the age in which he lives. It covers the visions unveiled throughout the Bible and encourages the believers to closely follow the completed vision of this age and to serve according to the present vision and practice in the Lord's Recovery.

To Serve the Present Age: A Practical Guide to Church Growth and DevelopmentIn this day and age, how do we promote growth within the church? How do we extend the church beyond its four walls and draw in people who are lost and hurting? How do we reach people who might never have come inside a church building? How do we reach people who might have never heard of the name "Jesus Christ?"There are many people who are spiritually lost and in pain. Therefore, as church leaders we must always ask ourselves, how can I be used by God as his agent to offer Christ to people who are hurting and lost?We must never become complacent with the number of people we see within the four walls of the church each Sunday. Rather, Jesus challenges us to rise up and have a passion to want to serve those within the community who are spiritually lost. The question, of course, is how? Within the pages of this book, Author Carlton Worthen teaches his 5 essential principles on how to promote church growth which are: -Dynamic and Engaging Thematic Worship-Giving As a Form of Worship-Technology to Serve the Present Age-Strategic Community Partnerships-Holistic MinistryReading this book will enable you to: -Develop engaging and transformative worship experiences for your congregants-Notice an increase in weekly giving-Expand the reach of your local ministry beyond your current zip codeIt is the hope of the author to not only help you 'To Serve the Present Age' through church growth and development, but also lead you to enjoy the journey along the way.Carlton currently serves as a Senior Pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and is the Founder of Carlton Worthen Ministries, Inc. and Carlton Worthen Publishing, Inc. Carlton continues to lead community outreach and grassroots initiatives that lead to Christian, social, and political change. He lives by the motto, "Be prosperous in all that you do" in an effort to promote purposeful living.To learn more visit www.CarltonWorthen.org