Category Archives: Discipline

Deepening Accountability

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Richard Heyduck

One of the ways to look at the genesis of the Global Methodist Church is as embodying a desired “return to accountability.” Some hear this and think, “Now we will have bishops and leaders who are accountable and not just … Continue reading →

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Positive and Negative in United Methodism

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Richard Heyduck

Since reading Alasdair MacIntyre’s Whose Justice? Which Rationality? thirty-something years ago, I’ve found great value in the definition of a tradition that he he offers there (p. 12). A tradition is an argument extended through time in which certain fundamental … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, Discipline, Diversity, Doctrine, Ecclesiology, Theology, Tradition, United Methodism | Leave a comment

The Spirit of the Disciplines – Chapter 1

Posted on August 1, 2022 by Richard Heyduck

Dallas Willard begins his account of how to become the kind of person who can consistently live as a disciple of Jesus. In a key sentence he says, “A successful performance at a moment of crisis rests largely and essentially … Continue reading →

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Wesley’s Sermon on The Catholic Spirit

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Richard Heyduck

I’m working through some of Wesley’s works to help United Methodist churches in the discernment process many are in now. Throughout the document, I provide analysis of what Wesley is saying and questions for consideration. My intention is that these … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Discipline, Doctrine, Ecclesiology, John Wesley, United Methodism | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Our United Methodist Mission

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Richard Heyduck

The mission of the United Methodist Church is “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” As a slogan goes, it has deeper rooting in the Christian tradition than our marketing slogan, “Open Hearts, Open Minds, … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Discipline, Diversity, Doctrine, United Methodism | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Against Separation, Part 1

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Richard Heyduck

When I was ordained, Bishop Oliphint asked me and the other candidates a series of questions inherited from John Wesley. Methodists of various sorts have been asking and answering these questions for a couple centuries now. There’s nothing new here. … Continue reading →

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Surprised by… Sin?

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

If you watch tv, I bet you’ve seen a show where someone no one suspected turned out to have deep, dark secrets. A man everyone knew to be a loving and engaged father was really a molester. A woman who … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Discipline, Sin, Will Willimon | Leave a comment

Grades in Church?

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Richard Heyduck

Back in the olden days, I did fairly well at school (in spite of avoiding my homework as often as possible). I valued making good grades. I set high standards for myself and tried to keep them, though high school … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Discipline, Spirituality | 4 Comments

What’s Next?

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Richard Heyduck

We humans are such odd creatures. We seem to oscillate between giving no thought to the consequences of our actions to being paralyzed with fear by imagined consequences of our actions. Take one of the proposed constitutional changes in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Discipline, United Methodism | 9 Comments

Memories

Posted on April 28, 2009 by Richard Heyduck

A Happy Memory: One Sunday about 14 years ago my son did the children’s message for the church service. Well, it was sort of a reverse children’s message. In a normal children’s message an adult gets up and tells the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Discipline | 1 Comment