Timothy Tennent

Old Testament Fulfillment Series: Great David’s Greater Son

2 Sam. 7:11b-16; Luke 1:26-33; Matt. 22:41-46; Rev. 11:15 Christ does not abolish the Law but fulfills it and then deepens the Law for us in many profound ways and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, calls us to life in the kingdom under the rule and reign of God. Christ is the fulfillment […]

Old Testament Fulfillment Series: Moses the Great Deliverer

Deut. 5:6-21; Acts 3:17-26; Matt. 5:17-20 The theological structure of the Old Testament serves to prefigure Christ, Who is the subject of redemptive history. We have begun to see a great redemptive trajectory with Christ as the second Adam. The Fall was the fellowship of the rebellion; “Not Your will, but mine be done.” The […]

Old Testament Fulfillment Series: Abraham Meets the King-Priest Melchizedek

Gen. 12:1-3; 14:17-20; Hebrews 7:1-17 I found as a pastor that many people were intimidated by the Old Testament. To introduce folks to the Old Testament is to introduce them to the four key figures of the Old Testament, who are by far the four most quoted figures in the Old Testament: Adam, Abraham, […]

Old Testament Fulfillment Series: Adam

Gen. 1:26-28, 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-25 The Old Testament has such a wide array of books, 39, and hundreds of people, events and stories, such that it is not easy for many Christians to know exactly how or where to begin. Most people know the story of Jonah being swallowed by the great fish or David […]

Women as Pastors and Leaders in the Church

During our Centennial year, I am preaching on the great themes that have defined the ministry and theology of Asbury Theological Seminary. Here, we will examine our historic commitment to train women. Even though we began as an institution in 1923, our first regular graduating class that was not merely transfer students was in 1927. […]

My Charge to the 2023 Graduating Class of Asbury Theological Seminary

May 20, 2023 Every year I give a brief charge to our graduates as part of the graduation ceremony. Here is the charge I gave this year. 2 Cor. 4:8-10 says, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. […]

The Relationship of Psalms to Hymns and Choruses

Most Protestant worship services devote a section of the worship service to congregational singing. Typically, a congregation will sing hymns, choruses, or some combination of these. Yet, for the vast majority of Christians throughout history, the primary act of singing would have been the Psalms, even if other songs were also sung. One of the […]

Asbury Awakening Continues

The spiritual awakening that started at Asbury University on February 8 continues to the present and is having a significant impact on many people around the country and even in distant parts of the world. Thousands of people from all over the nation and the world have descended upon this little town of Wilmore, Kentucky. […]

Thoughts on the Asbury Awakening

Something special happened last Wednesday in the chapel of Asbury University chapel. The Lord began to move in the lives of a group of students. These embers have now been fanned into flame and there is clearly a definite move of God in our midst. We should not spend too much time looking for human […]

Small UMC churches and the pain of disaffiliation

My heart swells with joy as I reflect on the wonderful opportunity given to me to pastor several small United Methodist churches in the earliest days of my ministry. I was a true Methodist “circuit rider” with four churches on my “charge.” I would start early on Sunday morning and preach at 8:00 to a […]