Category Archives: Will Willimon

Clergy & Laity

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

In Bishop, Will Willimon says, Because I’m a Wesleyan I believe that all church leadership, bishops or otherwise, is best rationalized on utility rather than by puffed-up theological warrant. Like Luther, I prefer a pragmatic rather than an ontological definition … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry, United Methodism, Will Willimon | Leave a comment

Cultural Dissonance

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

At least since the 1960s, being counter-cultural has been in. Paradoxically, we might go so far as to say that refusing to be counter-cultural is currently counter-cultural. Being at odds with our culture has become a virtue, not just in … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, United Methodism, Will Willimon | 2 Comments

Just Whose Idea Was It?

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

Will Willimon notes: Ministry, in any of its forms, is always God’s idea before it is ours. While we may eventually enjoy our clerical vocation, we do it first of all not because it causes us bliss but rather because … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Discipleship, Ministry, United Methodism, Will Willimon | Leave a comment

Change or Die, part 2

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

Change is good! New is good! Growth is good! It’s so nice to deal with abstractions. In my last post I mentioned some forms of growth that aren’t very desirable. Cancer. The bloat of decomposition. In this post I’m going … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Discipleship, United Methodism, Will Willimon | Leave a comment

Change or Die

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

I’m picky when it comes to shoes. I want shoes that fit well and are comfortable all day. I want to spend as little time and money as I can when I acquire them. For now, I’ve settled on a … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Discipleship, Ecclesiology, United Methodism, Will Willimon | Leave a comment

Individual vs. Collective

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

Listening to Peter Harrison’s fifth Gifford Lecture as I drove to Marshall today, I heard his description of a shift from natural philosophy to science in the early modern period. Under the old paradigm (and I use Kuhn’s term intentionally), … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Discipleship, Leadership, Spirituality, Theology, United Methodism, Will Willimon | Leave a comment

Permanence

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

Some places up north, the ground is frosty in the winter time. If you want to dig a hole, you wait until the spring thaw. Even farther north, one might find permafrost. If you want to dig there, get your … Continue reading →

Posted in United Methodism, Will Willimon | 1 Comment