Since the days of King Uzziah, the United Methodist Church has kept a methodical record of darn near everything there is to count in and about a church. Each year, every United Methodist Church the world over is asked to report on the number of people in worship, the number of people in Sunday School and small groups, the number of children, the number of Youth, the number of people engaged in service, in missions, etc, etc. Numbers, numbers, numbers. Because for so long the rule of thumb was, the more people a church had participating, the more successful the ministry of the church was. Perhaps you can see the problem that eventually came to light - more doesn't necessarily mean better, or deeper, or closer to God.

In response to many suggesting there has to be a better way for folks to keep a finger on the pulse of their relationship with God, there is an effort now, a movement if you will, to encourage people in four different areas. Four areas of discipleship - that is, of following in Jesus' way - that John Wesley himself believed were the pillars of a good relationship with Christ. Over four weeks, we'll be looking at each one, seeing how it is used and intended scripturally, historically, and more practically for our personal and communal attempts to draw nearer to God.

These four pathways to spiritual health come directly from The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, paragraph 1109.8, which states that our purpose is "to witness to Jesus Christ in the world, and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit."

For far too long our measurements for spiritual health and discipleship have been reduced to numbers on a page - membership and finances. Not that membership and finances are unimportant or unnecessary. They certainly are. But this series will lay the foundation for developing a Spiritual Rule of Life through a deeper understanding of what it truly means to follow Jesus in these four essential ways.

September 7 - Moved by Compassion

September 14 - Walking Justly

September 21 - Lifted in Worship

September 28 - Wholehearted Devotion

Join in person or online. See you in worship!