“So then, putting away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor, for we are members of one another.” Ephesians 4:25 (NRSV) Recently, I was reviewing the gifts of the Spirit that Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians. He included such gifts as healing, prophecy, discernment, and several others. However, there were…
Tag: United Methodist Church
Sermon: “Sharing Jesus With the World”
More or less, here’s the sermon I preached this morning. In hindsight, I probably should have changed the title because the sermon took a slightly different turn than what I envisioned earlier in the week. I ended up approaching the text as a prayer for the disciples Jesus would eventually leave behind. By extension, I…
A Letter to the M.S.A.C. General Conference Delegation
After a four year delay, the 2020 session of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church is only weeks away. Soon, delegates will gather in Charlotte to debate legislation that will shape the future of our church and, perhaps, decide the future for several of our annual conferences. Mississippi has been hit particularly hard…
“What’s Going to Happen at General Conference?”
The title reflects the question that I, and I’m sure most UMC pastors, are asked constantly. I always tell my people that I’m not afraid to tell them when I don’t know the answer, and this is the answer I give here. Simply, I don’t know. The pre-conference editions of the Daily Christian Advocate have…
Would Jesus Have Live Streamed the Sermon On The Mount? (Nurturing Faith in a Digital Age)
In today’s digital age, the landscape of ministry is undergoing a profound transformation. The advent of digital technology has paved the way for churches to expand their reach and engage with their congregations in unprecedented ways. While some critics argue that digital ministry fosters consumerism and promotes spiritual laziness, a closer examination reveals that the…
Hello, Adams UMC and Sweetwater UMC!
We live in a digital age, and it’s not lost on me that one of the first things people of the UM church do is google the person announced as their new pastor. So, to the folks of Adams UMC and Sweetwater UMC who have found my website: Hello! My name is Jonathan Tullos (Tull-is),…
The Impact of Disaffiliation on This Pastoral Family
If you follow me on social media, you know that one of my churches has voted to leave the United Methodist Church. Their decision has a far-reaching effect on many fronts, including impacts on my family and me. As I am committed to remaining in the United Methodist Church, we will be uprooting ourselves and…
Abolish the Jurisdictional System
In this season of splintering in the United Methodist Church, the most common questions I see are about accountability. “Why can’t the bishops hold themselves accountable for breaking the discipline?” “Why can’t we (whoever that may be) make a complaint?” “Why can’t someone do something?” As it turns out, there is a very simple explanation…
Sermon: Revival!
More or less, here is the sermon I preached today at Salem United Methodist Church and Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church. Initially, the title was “I Say…” but I made a game-time decision (appropriate since it’s the day of that big football game that I don’t have permission to use the name of) to talk…
Hot Take: Predictions for the Global Methodist Church
Since the Global Methodist Church has launched and begun holding convening conferences, I believe now is an excellent time to give predictions of what I believe may be in store for the GMC. I fully and freely admit that these are my hot takes and may or may not come true. Perhaps I should remind…