The holy river of God

By Barry L. Callen

Subjects: Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.), International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, International Pentecostal Holiness Church, Church of the Nazarene, Salvation Army, Assemblies of God, Church of God (Anderson, Ind.), Holiness churches, Free Methodist Church of North America, United Methodist Church (U.S.), Wesleyan Church, History, Brethren in Christ Church, Grace Communion International, Christian and Missionary Alliance

Description: Today's Christian leaders have come to new heights of frustration seeking ways to revitalize their congregations and denominations. Welcome answers are now coming from an ancient Christian tradition is biblically rooted, informed by Wesleyan theology, and proving timely in the twenty-first century. The Wesleyan Holiness stream of the church is rich with history, serious theological thiking, and powerful social manifestations of God's transforming work. It has taken various forms, including numerous denominational families, thirteen of which are detailed here by their own leading exponents. These faith families have networked to form the Weselyan Holiness Connection. Joining the denominational histories are the stories of regional networks of pastors, leaders in Christian higher education, Aldersgate Press, and several associated ministries in North America and far beyond that together have produced position statements on several of the most pressing social issues of our time. These include the "Holiness Manifesto," "A Call to Full Participation" (women in the Wesleyan Holiness tradition), "Gracefully Engaging the LGBT Conversation," and a "Declaration of Freedom" (human trafficking). Found here are the currents and contributions of Christian holiness in the broad Wesleyan tradition, past and present, found inside and outside the established churches. It is a significant part of the rushing river originating in God's heart and now being energized by the Wesleyan Holiness Connection on behalf of the life and mission of today's churches. To God be the glory!