Dr. Bob Whitesel: How to Read John Wesley's Sermons

The following post is from my good friend and John Wesley authority, Dr Bob Whitesel. I had the tremendous privilege of traveling with him on a UK tour to study the “Footsteps of John Wesley.” This immersion was so powerful that I invited Dr. Whitesel to speak for a half day on the church growth principles of John Wesley (we recorded it all – see the PS below for more on his powerful new resource).

Biola’s Fred Sanders has posted a helpful interview with Jason Vickers, one of the editors of the Abingdon book: The Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey. When I lead tours to England I have travelers preach some of these sermons, from the very same pulpits in Oxford and Bristol where Wesley preached them. It is a moving and powerful experience.

Sanders writes,…”Though he (John Wesley) wrote and edited voluminously in a variety of genres, it’s the sermons that made history and deserve to be heard today. Wesley even specified a few dozen sermons that he considered to be standards, which makes our selection easier.”

So I’m delighted that Abingdon has just released a volume that solves our problems: The Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey.

At about 650 pages, this collection of 60 of Wesley’s sermons is pretty likely to serve this generation as the definitive anthology for reading Wesley firsthand. It is published by a Methodist press and edited by two respected Methodist scholars. One of those two editors is the aforementioned Ken Collins, and the other is Jason Vickers, Associate Professor of Theology and Wesleyan Studies and United Theological Seminary.

Vickers is author, most recently, of Minding the Good Ground: A Theology for Church Renewal (Baylor UP, 2011) and is one of the leaders in the program known as Canonical Theism. As for his credentials to edit the sermons of Wesley, he is author of Wesley: A Guide for the Perplexed , and co-editor of the Cambridge Companion to John Wesley.

I asked Vickers a few questions about this new collection of Wesley sermons. Here are his responses…

Click here to read the full interview.

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S. – I have the privilege of introducing a brand new resource from Dr. Whitesel on The Church Growth Principles of John Wesley. Whitesel will engage you with colorful narratives of his travels across England studying original Wesley writings in the actual locations where Wesley wrote them!

Plus you’ll hear about growing churches today that have recaptured Wesley’s biblical principles and are growing exponentially.

So as an introductory special – so you have the greatest opportunity for success in applying Wesley’s leadership lessons to your own church growth – today you can save over 89%! The total retail value of this package is $1,899.70 – but you can download everything for only $99 TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY, June 26th!

Click here to save over 89% – Get your brand new Church Growth Principles of John Wesley resource and over $489.55 in Bonuses – for just $99 (regularly $299.95)! Ends Friday, June 26th!

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.