Timothy Tennent

My 2019 Opening Convocation Address (Part I): A Way Forward for Our Time

Every year, as President of Asbury Theological Seminary, I have the privilege of delivering a major address to the entire community which formally marks the kick off of a new academic year. I am going to be sharing this message (with some adaptations) with you in four parts. The first part is a diagnosis of […]

Remembering Our Roots

I recently returned from ten days of preaching at Indian Springs Holiness Camp Meeting in Georgia. It is one of hundreds which will take place across this nation during the summer. If you have never experienced a Camp Meeting, then you should attend one because it is a vital reminder of an important chapter in […]

Sevenfold Prayer

The greatest privilege of my life is the sacred calling to help in the training of men and women for places of Christian ministry. Asbury Theological Seminary is brimming with dedicated Christ followers who are training to serve Christ within the context of historic faith and, in particular, within the grand Wesleyan stream of the […]

Thoughts As the United Methodist Church Prepares for General Conference 2020

The church has always been misunderstood and maligned by the unbelieving world. But it is an added pain to live with both a broken world and a broken, hurting church. Leonard Ravenhill once said, “there is no greater tragedy than a sick church in a dying world.” The United Methodist church is hurting and sick. […]

My Charge to the 2019 Graduating Class of Asbury Theological Seminary

Every year I give a brief charge to our graduates as a part of the graduation ceremony. Here is the charge I gave this year. — The core mission of Asbury Theological Seminary is to “spread scriptural holiness throughout the world” and we do that primarily through training men and women such as yourself. You […]

When Was the Last Time You Heard a Worship Song Like Psalm 94?

Andrew Peterson is one of the most gifted contemporary Christian artists of our day, and you should thank God for him. What I like about Peterson’s work is that his worship lyrics are theologically strong, and he is willing to bring to the church neglected doctrines, which is one of the great gifts of rightfully […]

Why Did Jesus Put Mud on a Man’s Eyes?

Joaquin Phoenix plays the role of Jesus in the newly released film, Mary Magdalene. It is one of these new, now predictable, “Jesus films” which takes its cues from one of the Gnostic gospels rather than the actual Gospels of the New Testament. This so-called Gospel is known as the Gospel of Mary and was […]

Great Wesleyan Distinctives, Part II

In these challenging days, there is a part of us which wants to just throw in the towel and go and join some independent, Bible-believing church and put our pain in the rear view mirror. But the deeper impulse is to remember our heritage and to keep on faithfully preaching the gospel right where God […]

Great Wesleyan Distinctives, Part I

Beloved, we are facing the long and difficult work of rebuilding the church and remembering our heritage. Perhaps it might be helpful to dedicate a little mini series on four of the great themes of our Wesleyan heritage. We will start out with the Wesleyan view of grace. Wesley accepted the Reformation emphasis on justifying […]

Reflections on General Conference

Here are a few of my reflections on the recently completed meeting of the 2019 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. First, we must be aware of how the wider global Christian movement who are not members of the United Methodist Church viewed this final vote. I realize that some may not fully appreciate […]