John Wesley was the 18th century founder of the Methodist spiritual renewal movement in England. A product of the Church of England, Wesley taught that Scripture, church tradition, and human reasoning were the valid sources of authority in a Christian’s life of faith. And he added a fourth source of authority: experience. 

Wesley believed, that Christians and the Church, can and should be informed by their experiences with the Holy Spirit and with the new ways God was at work.  In other words, Wesley believed that God will not be put in a box!

At times we all try to put God in a box. Maybe you only seek God out when you’re in trouble. Maybe you claim God is for or against the same things you are. Maybe you only think about God on Sunday? Maybe you put limits on God’s grace and power to change your life and others. 

We may not want to admit it. Sometimes we may not even be aware that we are doing it.  But, we all try to put God in our own boxes.

My hope is that you and I will take a page out of John Wesley’s playbook and simply seek to experience God’s presence with no set agenda and see where that goes. When we do, we’ll start getting rid of our boxes and let God be God! Click here to listen to more (July 26 sermon). 

Your partner on the journey,

Pastor Steve