Discipling Life

Have you ever felt discouraged by how slowly spiritual growth seems to happen? Many Christians long to become more like Christ, yet wonder why the journey can feel gradual and challenging. In 2 Peter 1:2-11 , Peter reminds believers that growth in holiness is not something we accomplish alone, nor is it something that happens automatically. God graciously provides what we need, and we are invited to respond faithfully. Peter writes, “His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness” (v. 3). Because God has already acted through Christ, we can actively participate in the work of becoming the people God created us to be. Peter encourages believers to grow in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. These qualities are not merely virtues to admire. They are signs of a life being transformed by grace. Christian maturity is not about perfection overnight. It is about daily cooperation with the Holy Spirit as God shape...

Have you ever noticed how gratitude can change the atmosphere of your day? A thankful heart does not ignore life's difficulties, but it helps us see God's goodness even in the midst of them. Psalm 33 begins with an invitation: “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright” (v. 1). The psalmist calls God's people to sing, celebrate, and worship, not because life is perfect, but because God is faithful. Praise is a fitting response to the God who remains worthy in every season. The reason for this praise is found in God's character. The psalm declares, “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness” (v. 4). God's promises can be trusted because his actions consistently reflect his goodness. He loves “righteousness and justice,” and “the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord” (v. 5). Even when we encounter uncertainty, we can look for signs of God's steadfast love at work around us and in us. As we resp...

In 2 Peter 2:17-22 , the apostle warns about people who appear spiritually confident but whose lives do not reflect the truth of Christ. He describes them as “waterless springs and mists driven by a storm” (2 Peter 2:17). They promise life, but they cannot truly satisfy the deep thirst of the soul. Peter’s words are sobering because he knows how easily people can be led astray by impressive words or selfish desires. False teaching is not only about incorrect ideas. It also concerns the shape of a person’s life and heart. These teachers spoke about freedom while remaining “slaves of corruption” themselves (2 Peter 2:19). Their lives lacked the transforming power of God’s grace. They had knowledge without holiness, words without faithfulness, and influence without love. Yet even in this warning passage, we can hear the heart of God calling people toward something better. The grace of God does not merely inform us. It transforms us. In the Wesleyan tradition, we believe the Holy Spirit ...

Second Corinthians 13:5-13 stands at the conclusion of one of Paul’s most personal and emotionally charged letters. Throughout 2 Corinthians, Paul has defended his apostolic ministry against critics in Corinth who questioned both his authority and his weakness. Some opponents apparently viewed suffering, humility, and vulnerability as signs that Paul lacked true spiritual power. Paul responds by reframing weakness through the lens of Christ crucified and risen. The power of God is revealed not through domination or self-promotion, but through sacrificial love and faithful endurance. Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered if you are becoming the person you hoped to be. Sometimes the questions come quietly at the end of a long day. Am I growing kinder? Am I listening to God? Am I living with love and integrity? In today’s text, Paul invites the church into that kind of honest reflection. He writes, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith” (v. 5). These w...

In his letter to the Colossians , the apostle Paul reminds us of where we started and where God’s grace is taking us. He writes, “And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him” (vv. 21-22). Before we even realized we needed fixing, God was already pursuing us, reaching out into our isolation to bring us home. Through Christ, we are not just patched up, we are completely reconciled and made new. This is not about earning God’s love. It is about allowing grace to transform our hearts and lives day by day. This passage ends with a beautiful mystery: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (v. 27). Christ is not distant or unreachable. Through the Holy Spirit, he dwells with his people, strengthening, convicting, comforting, and renewing us. Wesley often spoke of holiness as the love of God filling the heart and overflowing into everyday life. ...

There are moments when you pause and realize how far someone has come. Maybe it is a child learning to read, a friend finding their footing again, or even your own slow healing after a hard season. Growth often feels quiet and unfinished, yet something steady is at work beneath the surface. Paul writes to the Philippians (1:1-11) with deep affection, saying, “I thank my God every time I remember you… because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now” (vv. 3, 5). His gratitude is rooted not in perfection, but in participation. These believers are still growing, still learning, still becoming. Yet Paul sees evidence of grace already alive in them. Then comes this beautiful promise: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (v. 6). This is the rhythm of grace in the Wesleyan way. God’s prevenient grace awakens us before we even know it. Justifying grace meets us in Christ and sets us on...

Have you ever tried to follow a rule so carefully that you missed the point of it? I have heard it said, “Rules without love are mean, but love without rules is meaningless.” It reminds me of the words of Martin Luther King, Jr . “What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive and that love without power is sentimental and anemic.” Rules can guide us, but they are not meant to replace the heart behind them. In Matthew 5:17-20 , Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” He goes on to say that not even the smallest part of the law will pass away until all is accomplished. At first glance, that can feel heavy, like an impossible standard. But Jesus is not tightening the rules to trap us. He is revealing their true purpose. The law was always meant to lead us into a life shaped by love of God and neighbor. It is not a cold checklist. It is an invitation into a life shaped by ...

We are living in difficult and divided times, where politics, religion, and faith can pull people apart instead of bringing them together. Many of us feel the weight of that strain in our conversations, our communities, and even within our own hearts. Yet Christ meets us right here, not with more noise, but with a quiet and steady presence. He reminds us that we are not alone, and that his peace is still available to us, even when the world feels unsettled. As we lean into his love, we are gently shaped into people who can listen with care, respond with grace, and carry a calm spirit into anxious places. In this way, even in a divided world, we can become small signs of God’s healing and hope. In his first letter, the apostle Peter speaks directly to people living in difficult times. He encourages them by saying, “Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be int...

There are moments in life that are so full of emotion and promise they feel almost too big to trust. A couple standing at an altar making vows. Watching the birth of your child. A child hears a parent say, “I will always love you.” A friend says, “I will be there.” These moments are holy, but they can also feel fragile. We know how easily promises can be broken. So when we hear about covenant in scripture, it can feel both beautiful and risky. Maybe you have sat at a table with someone and realized that something deeper was being formed, something rooted in commitment and care. Those moments help us understand what is happening in Exodus 24 . In this passage, God invites Moses, Aaron, and the elders to come up the mountain. There is both nearness and distance. “Worship at a distance,” God says, and yet Moses is drawn closer still. This reminds us that God’s grace is always reaching toward us before we reach toward him. Even when we feel far away, God’s grace is already at work, invitin...

In Ezekiel 34 , the “bad shepherds” are the leaders of Israel, especially kings, officials, and likely religious authorities, who were entrusted with the care of God’s people but instead used their position for their own benefit. Rather than protecting the vulnerable, binding up the injured, or seeking the lost, these leaders exploited the flock for their own gain, “feeding themselves” while leaving the people defenseless and scattered. They completely ignored the weightier matters of justice and mercy that God requires of those entrusted with leadership. It is so easy to see the modern parallels. People running for offices of leadership often make promises they won’t keep. Elected officials seem to be more interested in holding onto power than serving those in their care. This passage begins with God’s promise to do what failing shepherds would not do. “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak” (v. 16...

Since my retirement from full-time ministry, I have been doing about one wedding a year. One thing that is common to all weddings is the celebration of a new connection. People, friends and family, gather to celebrate these two people and their decision. When the wedding service ends, those gathered celebrate with joy. It is a clear, unmistakable point of entry into a brand-new shared story, rooted in love. Just like at a wedding where a new family is announced, on the day of Pentecost, Peter announced something new: the life of Jesus was for  all people. This announcement, fueled by God’s grace set off a ripple effect that we’re still feeling today. 22  “Fellow Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know—  23  this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified an...

This Easter Sunday I decided to do something different. I wanted to focus on the epistle lesson for the day. The first four verses of the third chapter of Paul's letter to the Colossians. 1 Since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. The Hidden Life Date: April 5, 2026 Speaker: Alan Swartz Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4 1. Introduction In the quiet of this Easter morning, we find ourselves standing at a   threshold. It is the intersection where the silence of an empty tomb meets the our profound expectation for a word that actually matters. We gather with a deep hunger, hoping that the story of the resurrection might do more than occupy our minds for an hour; w...

Thoughts Upon Methodism, Rev. John Wesley 1.  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 both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out. 2.  What was their fundamental doctrine?  That the Bible is the whole and sole rule both of Christian faith and practice.  Hence they learned,      (1)  That religion is an inward principle; that it is no other than the mind that was in Christ; or, in other words, the renewal of the soul after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness.      (2)  That this can never be wrought in us, but by the power of the Holy Ghost.      (3)  That we receive this, and every other blessing, me...

In this message, I invite you to explore the Transfiguration of Our Lord, a profound event that reveals God’s radiant glory and challenges us to follow Christ into the heart of our daily lives. Drawing from my own memories of a confirmation retreat in State College, Pennsylvania, under the mentorship of Dr. Nelson Frank, I reflect on the Celtic concept of “thin places”—those sacred moments where the boundary between heaven and earth becomes porous and the divine presence feels especially near. By examining the experiences of Moses on Mount Sinai and the eyewitness testimony of Peter, we see how these mountaintop revelations are not meant for us to hide away in “shelters,” but to transform and equip us for the journeys through the valleys. Ultimately, I want to emphasize that our spiritual life hinges on the Father’s singular command to “Listen to him,” a call that requires us to pay attention to Jesus’ teachings and find direction in His Word even when the world feels chaotic. The Tran...

Today’s scriptures show us the Heart of True Religion. The prophet Micah presents a courtroom scene where God lays out his case against Israel. The people respond by asking what kind of sacrifice would please him—thousands of rams, rivers of oil, or even their firstborn. But the answer is surprising because God has already shown us what is good and what he requires: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.  The Heart of True Religion Sermon Date:  January 18, 2026 Speaker:  Alan Swartz Scripture Lessons:   Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31;Matthew 5:1-20 The Illusory Measure of Success How do you measure success? How do you measure blessing? In our modern culture, the definition of a “blessed life” stands in direct opposition to the biblical narrative. We are surrounded by a world that prizes wealth, influence, and an unwavering sense of self-sufficiency. This creates a profound tension for us, as the values of the kingdom of God ...