Dr David McEwan presents: Studies in Religion Research Seminar on Converting Worlds or Carrying Bricks: A Wesleyan Perspective on the Ministry of the Mundane

Event Details

Date:

Friday, 04 September 2015

Time:

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Room:

Room E319 Forgan Smith Building

UQ Location:

Forgan Smith Building (St Lucia)

Event category(s):

Full Description:: Many popular Protestant evangelical publications and presentations define “successful ministry” in terms of dramatic numerical growth, large building projects, and rapid mission expansion. John Wesley’s theological and pastoral framework evidences a strong concern for everyday service in the community, even if that appeared to others to be rather unspectacular; in the words of a letter he wrote, a matter of “carrying bricks” than “converting worlds.”

Wesley’s conviction that he would not preach where he could not plant a Society is clear evidence of his belief that effective ministry was a matter of faithfulness in the mundane activities of life in community. The paper examines a number of reasons for Wesley’s position, as well as offering some implications of this for the daily life of the church in Australia today.