Wesleyan/Methodist Illustrations
Entire sanctification, social holiness, prevenient grace.
Key question: “How does this text call us toward holiness and compassion?”
14918 illustrations found
Howard Thurman on Joy Despite Circumstances - Black Church (Psalm 37:4)
"The enslaved found joy in the Lord despite every circumstance designed to crush joy. Delight in God was resistance—the master couldn't touch their inner joy. When we delight in the God of liberation,
Howard Thurman on Tasting Despite Bitterness - Black Church (Psalm 34:8)
"Those who have tasted life's bitterness—oppression, rejection, suffering—know God's goodness is sweeter still. The disinherited taste the Lord and find Him good even when circumstances are bitter. Th
Howard Thurman on Love Overcoming Fear - Black Church (1 John 4:18)
"The disinherited are told to fear—fear the master, fear the system, fear speaking out. But perfect love casts out this fear. Love of God empowers courage; love of neighbor empowers solidarity; love o
Howard Thurman on Love for the Disinherited - Black Church (Romans 8:38-39)
"The disinherited have been told they are unloved, unworthy, separated from God by their race, their poverty, their status. But Paul declares: NOTHING can separate! Not the lies of oppressors, not the
Howard Thurman on Stillness for the Storm-Tossed - Black Church (Psalm 46:10)
"In the midst of life's tempests—and Black folk know tempests—God speaks: Be still. Not passive resignation but profound trust. In the eye of the hurricane, there is calm. God is the still point in th
Howard Thurman on Peace for the Anxious Soul - Black Church (Philippians 4:6-7)
"The disinherited know anxiety—fear of violence, uncertainty of tomorrow, weight of injustice. Yet Paul says: pray, and peace will guard. This is not denial but defiance—the soul refusing to let oppre
Howard Thurman on Word for the Journey - Black Church (Psalm 119:105)
"The enslaved people found light in Scripture—the story of Exodus, the songs of hope, the promises of liberation. The Word was lamp for dark nights of bondage, lighting the path toward freedom. Script
Howard Thurman on Inward Renewal Against Oppression - Black Church (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
"The oppressor can waste the body but cannot touch the inner person—there God renews daily. Light affliction? Heavy for now, but temporary. Eternal glory awaits. The enslaved sang of glory; the disinh
Howard Thurman on Hearts Cleansed of Hatred - Black Church (Psalm 51:10)
"Create in me a clean heart—cleansed of hatred, cleansed of bitterness toward oppressors. The hardest cleansing is forgiving those who wound us. But hate corrodes the container; a heart full of vengea
Howard Thurman on Tears of the Oppressed - Black Church (Revelation 21:4)
"God wipes the tears of the oppressed—tears from slavery, from lynching, from exile. The spirituals sang of this: 'No more weepin' and wailin'! No more death from injustice; no more mourning from viol
Howard Thurman on Trouble and Hope - Black Church (John 16:33)
"The disinherited know trouble intimately—trouble from oppression, from hatred, from systems designed to crush. But hear Jesus: 'Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.' The powers that oppress a
Howard Thurman on Waiting Through the Night - Black Church (Isaiah 40:31)
"The enslaved knew how to wait. Through centuries of night, they waited on the Lord. And they did not faint. Weeping endured for the night, but joy came. Their strength renewed generation after genera
Howard Thurman on Ancestors' Cloud - Black Church (Hebrews 12:1-2)
"The cloud of witnesses includes our ancestors—enslaved believers who ran the race through chains, Jim Crow saints who endured, civil rights martyrs who gave their lives. Their testimony surrounds us.
Martin Luther King Jr. on Kingdom Justice - Black Church (Matthew 6:33)
"Seek first the kingdom and His righteousness—and that righteousness is justice. The beloved community IS the kingdom present. When we seek justice first, trusting God for provision, we find that the
Martin Luther King Jr. on Justice and Love - Black Church (Micah 6:8)
"Justice and mercy cannot be separated—justice is love in public. Do justice: dismantle systems of oppression. Love mercy: compassion for the oppressed. Walk humbly: know that the struggle is God's, n
Howard Thurman on Mystery and Trust - Black Church (Isaiah 55:8-9)
"God's ways are not our ways—and this is hope for the disinherited. Human ways crush; God's ways liberate. What seems defeat may be victory; what seems ending may be beginning. The oppressor cannot pr
Living Out Faith - Contemporary Example
The content emphasizes the importance of applying faith in practical ways, encouraging personal reflection, community engagement, and prayerful action. It highlights how small acts of faithfulness can lead to significant community transformation and foster deeper connections through meaningful conversations about faith.
Howard Thurman on Waters of Oppression - Black Church (Isaiah 43:2)
"The waters of oppression threatened to overwhelm—Middle Passage, slavery, Jim Crow. The fires of hatred burned. But God brought His people through. 'Deep river, my home is over Jordan'—the spiritual
Howard Thurman on God's Love for the Disinherited - Black Church (John 3:16)
"The religion of Jesus makes the love of God the ultimate ground of trust and security. God so loved the world—including those whom the world despises—that He gave His Son for ALL. There is no one out
James Cone on Survival Strength - Black Church (Philippians 4:13)
"The enslaved sang and testified: 'I can do all things through Christ.' This was survival faith, not triumphalism. Christ's strength got them through chains, through beatings, through family separatio
Martin Luther King Jr. on Light in Darkness - Black Church (Matthew 5:14-16)
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. The church shines brightest in society's darkest corners—confronting injustice, illuminating oppression, modeling beloved community. 'This
Practical Piety - Teaching Material
The content emphasizes the importance of Piety through personal reflection, community engagement, and prayerful action. It encourages individuals to take small, meaningful steps that can lead to both personal spiritual growth and broader community transformation.
Biblical Foundation for The Peculiar Politics of Christ - Reflection
The reflection emphasizes the relevance of progressive Christian faith in addressing contemporary issues of justice and inclusion, as highlighted in Galatians 3:28. It encourages believers to embody love and compassion in their actions, fostering a more just and loving society through their faith.
Biblical Truth About Social Media and Community - Commentary
This biblical commentary explores the intersection of Social Media and Community through a progressive Christian lens, emphasizing the importance of love, justice, and inclusion. It encourages individuals to reflect on their attitudes and actions, advocating for a faith that promotes integrity and compassion in today's world.