Tonight was another great night. I have admired Maxie Dunnam from a distance since coming into the United Methodist Church several years ago but tonight I had the blessing of hearing him speak in person.
The thing that struck me about Maxie is that he spoke with authority. The others have also spoken well but this was different. If I remember correctly he has been appointed 56 years in the UMC. His first appointment was at age 18.
I just want to give you a few comments from the message.
Text: 2 Corinthians 4: 1-6
I don’t remember hearing a title because he told us that after working quite some time on his sermon for tonight he changed it at 4pm this afternoon.
Prayer: God we thank you for the call to ministry yet we tremble under the responsibility of that call. We give ourselves afresh to you.
Maxie started by quoting from John Wesley: “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
“There will never be renewal in the church unless we lodge this truth in our minds and proclaim it faithfully.”
“Half of the United Methodist Churches last year did not receive one new member into the church through profession of faith.”
This is not a clergy problem! The lay members of the congregation are responsible as well. The vocation of every Christian is to win the lost.
“Is it because we do not believe it is a life or death issue with eternal consequences?”
“If we will believe, experience and share the gospel, God will do the rest”
It has been a blessed week and we will wrap it up tomorrow morning with one more worship service. Pray for us as we travel home.
Ronnie
Dr. Maxie Dunnam
Chancellor, Asbury Theological Seminary
Dr. Maxie Dunnamis Chancellor of Asbury Theological Seminary, where he served as President for 10 years. He served 12 years as Senior Minister at Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He also served as World Editor for The Upper Room, President of the World Methodist Council. Dunnam currently serves on the Executive Committee of the World Methodist Council and is the Director of the Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. He is recognized throughout Methodism for his commitment to evangelism, social witness, and renewal. Dr. Dunnam has authored more than 40 books.
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