Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Wesley

Letters to a Young Pastor: How to Get the Most out of Seminary

October 29, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen 3 Comments

Getting the Most Out of Seminary

Dear ______: Glad to hear you are enjoying orientation and the ramp-up to the new semester. I remember how exciting and important registration always felt. You want to know how to get the most out of seminary. As you put it so well, Seminary life seems like a smorgasbord. I almost have too many choices. […]

Filed Under: Ministry, Wesley Tagged With: How to get the most out of seminary, Letters to a Young Pastor, Seminary curricula

John Wesley’s Small Group Agenda

January 10, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen 12 Comments

Every small group has its own to-do list. When I was a university student I would work up questions for inductive Bible study. We would try to guide our groups from details of the day’s text, to its meaning, and onward to ways to live it. Since then some of the richest small groups I’ve […]

Filed Under: Community, Theology, Wesley Tagged With: Accountability, community, John Wesley, Methodism, Small groups

How John Wesley Marketed His Small Group Program

November 4, 2013 by Gary Neal Hansen 10 Comments

Try to start a program in your church and I bet some of these ideas will be in the conversation: Tell people it will be fun. Let them know it won’t be too demanding — we’re busy people. Make sure they see it is going to make their lives happier. Emphasize that they will meet […]

Filed Under: Community, Wesley Tagged With: Accountability, John Wesley, Marketing, Small groups

Want to Join John Wesley’s Small Group?

October 11, 2013 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

The pastor had decided to start a small group. Everyone says it is the way to grow your church, or to grow a deeper sense of community. Thursday night a dozen people showed up. They met. They left in frustration. What went wrong? They all brought conflicting expectations. Some wanted the group to be a […]

Filed Under: Community, Wesley Tagged With: Accountability, Bible Study, John Wesley, Methodism, Prayer Groups, Small groups

John Wesley’s “Plain, Old Christianity,” or “The Marks of a True Methodist”

September 4, 2013 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

I recently posted on John Wesley’s “Basic Christianity,” looking at the rock-bottom standards he insisted on for members of the early Methodist movement. True enough, Wesley’s baseline was to avoid obvious sin, do a lot of good, and practice basic Christian spiritual disciplines. However, Wesley was very clear that toeing the mark on these things […]

Filed Under: Community, Wesley Tagged With: Holiness, Ideals, John Wesley, Methodism

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Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

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