Paul W Chilcote

Bring love into action one small step at a time. In a world that often feels divided and dark, On Love reveals how everyday moments can become transformative acts of love. Drawing from their rich life experiences, Paul and Janet Chilcote offer twenty essential practices that anyone can begin immediately--no special training required. Each chapter shares relatable stories and simple practices that fit naturally into your daily routines, from making meaningful eye contact to creating beauty in ordinary spaces. Through refreshingly honest personal stories and down-to-earth wisdom, the Chilcotes show how small shifts in the way we interact with the world create ripples of positive change: Turn a hostile interaction into a moment of genuine connection Find hope even in challenging circumstances Listen in ways that make others feel truly valued Create spaces of welcome in an increasingly isolated world Discover joy in simplifying your life Written in an everyday conversational manner, On Love reads like a heart-to-heart talk with trusted friends who understand life's complexities. This book meets you exactly where you are and invites you to discover how love transforms everything it touches. No homework, no complicated spiritual practices--just twenty simple ways to bring more love into your life and our world, starting with your next interaction. With your purchase of On Love, you'll receive access to a free downloadable digital Companion Guide designed to help you get the most from these twenty transformative practices. Its flexible format allows you to use it for personal reflection and with small groups. The six-session guide includes: Weekly scripture connections that illuminate each practice Focus verses for contemplation Simple reflection questions to deepen your experience Practical guidance for implementing each practice in daily life

A new and age-old way of practicing the Christian faith. What does Wesleyan theology and the Methodist way of life have to do with Benedictine ideas and practices? Renowned teacher Paul W. Chilcote reveals surprising and profound similarities and overlaps in the practices and theological convictions of these two Christian streams. Chilcote is a United Methodist scholar, elder, and serves as a Benedictine oblate. He writes from his own spiritual life, offering a gift to readers who are interested in Methodism and mysticism. Chilcote teaches a remarkable approach to spiritual practice; it is a new and age-old way of practicing our faith.

John Wesley's impact on Methodist theology and practice is well established, but there are many other early figures who shaped Methodism just as thoroughly. Quest for Love Divine explores the contributions of Charles Wesley by exploring the impact of his lyrics on methodist worship, and the importance of lyrical theology in the founding of Methodism. Chilcote also examines the contributions of early Methodist women such as Dorothy Fisher, Mary Taft and Sarah Crosby, exploring how the Wesley brothers and their community sought to inhabit 'faith working by love leading to holiness of heart and life'. In his collection of essays, Chilcote explores the salient themes of Wesleyan theology and practice, and reflects on its legacy, in the Wesley's time and in ours. By focussing on the nature of their discipleship and the centrality of 'love divine', Chilcote brings Wesleyan theology into sharp and practical focus.

Are you ready to reclaim our inheritance as United Methodist Wesleyans? Our communities and the world are crying out for empathy, authenticity, and integrity. This book helps us choose ways of living that are grace-filled and redeeming. Cultivating Christlikeness is about the bold adventure of United Methodists celebrating and living into a grand vision that includes everyone in God's extravagant embrace. Jesus invites us to partner in the work of transformation, new birth, and resurrection in every aspect of our lives. Together, we can step into a future showered by God's multiplying love. Paul Chilcote mines his decades of study, prayer, and devotion to Christian practices to share his vision for how we partner with God to make the world more loving and just. In Cultivating Christlikeness, he weaves the threads of insight and appreciation with special attention to Wesleyan ways of loving God and neighbor that can change us and change the world. With his gentle direction, we discover with new appreciation how 18th-century John and Charles Wesley illumine our 21st-century quest to befriend Jesus, who frees us to live into and by the grace of God. Chilcote's book is a practical guide, leading us through selected excerpts from the Wesleys, adding fresh insights and probing questions as we explore essential teachings about God and the beloved community. He helps us know how to share these understandings with our families and neighbors, and more importantly, he points us to ways to live out our commitments with purpose, courage, and joy. The framework and flow of Cultivating Christlikeness make it easily adaptable for group discussion and individual use. It includes a plan for a two-day retreat for those eager to join in a more intensive experience of mutual engagement to renew their spirits and discover fresh ways to grow in love and grace. The book is a companion to Chilcote's Multiplying Love (Abingdon Press, 2023) that casts the theological vision that animates this practical spiritual guide. And it is an updated and expanded revision of an earlier work entitled Wesley Speaks on Christian Vocation, originally published by Discipleship Resources then reissued by Wipf & Stock.

A Vision of United Methodist Life Together. Our world needs love during these desperate days of radical polarization and division. Our United Methodist churches yearn to embrace love more completely because God first loved us. Our "faith" (including doctrine) is important; Christian "hope" (including renewal) is important; "love" of God and neighbor is more important. Multiplying Love underscores what matters most and stands in contrast to divisive misreadings of essential Methodist teachings. Chilcote helps us embrace anew the Wesleyan vision of love of Jesus as central to what we believe and how we live. When I finished Multiplying Love, I found myself jumping up and down shouting, "Yes, yes, yes Gosh, do we need this " We are at a remaking moment in the church. Dr. Chilcote beautifully articulates the deeper theological vision that beckons and sustains us. Multiplying Love helped me more thoroughly embrace the kind of loving people we are hoping to become. That's what it's all about to me, and this book nails it --Rev. Christy Allen Holden, co-creator of The Channel UMC, a new hybrid community of faith (@christyallenholden) Every United Methodist pastor would do well to invite their church council to read Paul Chilcote's brief and powerful Multiplying Love. It recalls the power of the Wesleyan approach to the gospel and makes a compelling case for the future of The United Methodist Church. I loved this book --Rev. Adam Hamilton, Kansas pastor and author of Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith

Charles Wesley and early Methodist women shaped Wesleyan theology and practice just as much as John Wesley. All these pioneers in the renewal of the church engaged together in a quest for love divine. That journey led them to timeless discoveries related to God's grace, the liberating nature of life in Christ, the joy of Christian discipleship, and the sense of purpose to be found in partnering with God in the celebration of beloved community. The early Methodist people learned their theology by singing it. Faith working by love leading to holiness of heart and life. Accountable discipleship. The rediscovery of a missional church. Discover the meaning of sound bites like these as you explore these themes and more.

Charles Wesley and early Methodist women shaped Wesleyan theology and practice just as much as John Wesley. All these pioneers in the renewal of the church engaged together in a quest for love divine. That journey led them to timeless discoveries related to God's grace, the liberating nature of life in Christ, the joy of Christian discipleship, and the sense of purpose to be found in partnering with God in the celebration of beloved community. The early Methodist people learned their theology by singing it. "Faith working by love leading to holiness of heart and life." "Accountable discipleship." "The rediscovery of a missional church." Discover the meaning of sound bites like these as you explore these themes and more.

Do you long to draw closer to God in prayer and song? Imagine what a 30-day conversation with devout followers of Jesus might mean for your own journey. Featuring the spiritual writings of Methodist women and hymns written by women of many Christian traditions, this devotional resource will open your life to deeper connection with God. These creative women invite you through prayer and song to consider what it would mean for God to fill your heart with love. Each of the thirty readings includes a scriptural text, a prayer, and a hymn selection from The United Methodist Hymnal, covering a full spectrum of spiritual themes. Recommendations for the use of the book are also included, both for individuals and small groups. Immerse yourself for a month in the wisdom of these women, open your heart to the indwelling of God's grace and love, and see what the Spirit births in your lives.

If you feel you've lost your bearings, you aren't alone Global pandemic . . . Economic crisis . . . Racial tensions . . . Political polarization . . . Climate change. The converging crises expose our timeless need for an internal compass to guide us through disruption, disorientation and change. James Harnish invites you into six crucial moments when Jesus found his bearings by recalling words and stories from the Old Testament. By connecting Jesus' story with your own, you can find your bearings as you walk the way Jesus walked in the way that Jesus walked it. It's the way that leads to life Questions for Reflection create an opportunity for you to pause, find your place in the story, and determine your next step along the way. These may also be used for journaling or small group discussion.

If you feel you've lost your bearings, you aren't alone Global pandemic . . . Economic crisis . . . Racial tensions . . . Political polarization . . . Climate change. The converging crises expose our timeless need for an internal compass to guide us through disruption, disorientation and change. James Harnish invites you into six crucial moments when Jesus found his bearings by recalling words and stories from the Old Testament. By connecting Jesus' story with your own, you can find your bearings as you walk the way Jesus walked in the way that Jesus walked it. It's the way that leads to life Questions for Reflection create an opportunity for you to pause, find your place in the story, and determine your next step along the way. These may also be used for journaling or small group discussion.

We are living in a world desperately in need of hope. Do you yearn to live into a future filled with hope as a beloved child of God? Rooted in this great gift of God, Living Hope explores life in an inclusive vision of the future. This book offers you an opportunity to reflect on the witness of hope, the legacy about hope, the reason for hope, and helps you to engage in the practice of hope. Living Hope celebrates the possibility of restored hope in the church and the world and invites you to become a bearer of hope to others in our time.

We are living in a world desperately in need of hope. Do you yearn to live into a future filled with hope as a beloved child of God? Rooted in this great gift of God, Living Hope explores life in an inclusive vision of the future. This book offers you an opportunity to reflect on the witness of hope, the legacy about hope, the reason for hope, and helps you to engage in the practice of hope. Living Hope celebrates the possibility of restored hope in the church and the world and invites you to become a bearer of hope to others in our time.

Are we Methodists ready for the work of God to be unleashed? Are we ready for Methodism to be the catalyst of yet another New Pentecost? God has decisively acted in Christ, and Christ says, ""Do this."" Therefore, there is only one real answer, since ""not ready"" is not a valid response. For United Methodism to be revived, there can be no more such excuses. Christ showed us his presence and power through Constant Word and Sacrament praxis during the time of the Acts 2 church. Christ then again showed us his same divine presence and power through Constant Word and Sacrament praxis during the Methodist-Evangelical Revival. We have now been given two millennia to view this work of God. We Methodists were born of this work of God. How much more being made ready to unleash it do we require?

Are we Methodists ready for the work of God to be unleashed? Are we ready for Methodism to be the catalyst of yet another New Pentecost? God has decisively acted in Christ, and Christ says, "Do this." Therefore, there is only one real answer, since "not ready" is not a valid response. For United Methodism to be revived, there can be no more such excuses. Christ showed us his presence and power through Constant Word and Sacrament praxis during the time of the Acts 2 church. Christ then again showed us his same divine presence and power through Constant Word and Sacrament praxis during the Methodist-Evangelical Revival. We have now been given two millennia to view this work of God. We Methodists were born of this work of God. How much more being made ready to unleash it do we require?

John Wesley promoted the ministry of women in early Methodism. Amazing women like Phoebe Palmer, Catherine Booth, and Frances Willard--founding figures in the holiness movement, the Salvation Army, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union--claimed biblical precedent for their groundbreaking ministries. They withstood the onslaught of criticism and hostility from those who thought they had stepped out of their proper sphere. Methodists have championed the cause of women and developed biblical, spiritual, and practical arguments for their ministry for two and a half centuries. More than fifty documents from the history of Methodism chronicle the tortuous journey leading to biblical equality in this family of churches. At a time when the ministry of women is under serious attack in a number of quarters, yet again, we all have much to learn from the witness of Wesleyan Christians who argued for women's ministry. This story illustrates how faithful women, when they knew they had the Lord's approval, stood ""like the beaten anvil to the stroke."" Courage. Defiance. Perseverance. Faithfulness. These qualities define the Methodist defense of women in ministry. ""Loud applause to Paul Chilcote for continuing his noteworthy vocation of recovering Methodist women's substantial presence, influence, and writings. In this latest volume, he recovers specifically their writings on the defense of women in ministry, from Mary Bosanquet in the eighteenth century to Georgia Harkness in the twentieth. His recovery work in this regard not only informs but also, and even more importantly, moves us now--in this present hour--to affirm boldly and unequivocally the full equality of women in ministry."" --Priscilla Pope-Levison, Southern Methodist University ""Discrimination against women in ministry is very much alive and pernicious as ever in its subtle and blatant forms. In the face of this enduring challenge, Paul Chilcote brilliantly chronicles centuries of biblical, practical, and spiritual defenses for women in ministry by famous and more obscured Methodists. At once scholarly, pastoral, and prophetic, this book is encyclopedic in its documentary scope and eminently useful to all who appreciate the 'extraordinary call' of God to ministry."" --Wendy J. Deichmann, United Theological Seminary ""'I do not believe every woman is called to speak publicly, nor more than every man to be a Methodist preacher. Yet some have an extraordinary call to it, and woe to them if they obey it not.' Mary Bosanquet to John Wesley, 1771] With such telling selections, incredibly exacting commentary, and engagement with the full range of pertinent scholarship, Paul Chilcote covers the long saga of women's campaign for recognition of such extraordinary calls."" --Russell E. Richey, Duke University Paul W. Chilcote is Professor of Historical Theology and Wesleyan Studies at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. He is author of more than twenty books, including A Faith That Sings (2016).

John Wesley promoted the ministry of women in early Methodism. Amazing women like Phoebe Palmer, Catherine Booth, and Frances Willard--founding figures in the holiness movement, the Salvation Army, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union--claimed biblical precedent for their groundbreaking ministries. They withstood the onslaught of criticism and hostility from those who thought they had stepped out of their proper sphere. Methodists have championed the cause of women and developed biblical, spiritual, and practical arguments for their ministry for two and a half centuries. More than fifty documents from the history of Methodism chronicle the tortuous journey leading to biblical equality in this family of churches. At a time when the ministry of women is under serious attack in a number of quarters, yet again, we all have much to learn from the witness of Wesleyan Christians who argued for women's ministry. This story illustrates how faithful women, when they knew they had the Lord's approval, stood ""like the beaten anvil to the stroke."" Courage. Defiance. Perseverance. Faithfulness. These qualities define the Methodist defense of women in ministry. ""Loud applause to Paul Chilcote for continuing his noteworthy vocation of recovering Methodist women's substantial presence, influence, and writings. In this latest volume, he recovers specifically their writings on the defense of women in ministry, from Mary Bosanquet in the eighteenth century to Georgia Harkness in the twentieth. His recovery work in this regard not only informs but also, and even more importantly, moves us now--in this present hour--to affirm boldly and unequivocally the full equality of women in ministry."" --Priscilla Pope-Levison, Southern Methodist University ""Discrimination against women in ministry is very much alive and pernicious as ever in its subtle and blatant forms. In the face of this enduring challenge, Paul Chilcote brilliantly chronicles centuries of biblical, practical, and spiritual defenses for women in ministry by famous and more obscured Methodists. At once scholarly, pastoral, and prophetic, this book is encyclopedic in its documentary scope and eminently useful to all who appreciate the 'extraordinary call' of God to ministry."" --Wendy J. Deichmann, United Theological Seminary ""'I do not believe every woman is called to speak publicly, nor more than every man to be a Methodist preacher. Yet some have an extraordinary call to it, and woe to them if they obey it not.' Mary Bosanquet to John Wesley, 1771] With such telling selections, incredibly exacting commentary, and engagement with the full range of pertinent scholarship, Paul Chilcote covers the long saga of women's campaign for recognition of such extraordinary calls."" --Russell E. Richey, Duke University Paul W. Chilcote is Professor of Historical Theology and Wesleyan Studies at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. He is author of more than twenty books, including A Faith That Sings (2016).

Praying in the Spirit of Christ offers contemporary readers a compelling and holistic vision of what life in Christ can mean for them. It draws from the broad array of spiritual and theological literature that John Wesley considered most significant for growth in Christian discipleship. In this volume, author Paul Chilcote utilizes the same method or approach of his earlier devotional work, Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit. He has transposed brief excerpts from Wesley's fifty-volume Christian Library into fluid prayers that are written in contemporary language, yet faithful to the spiritual insights of the classical sources. A hymn by Charles Wesley accompanies each prayer, and a passage of Scripture frames the topic for each devotional reading. The prayers help readers ponder themes like the desire of the heart, liberty in Christ, thirst for God, resurrection joy, and unbounded love. These devotions engage head and heart and seek to shape the lives of those who pray in the spirit of Christ. FOR BACK COVER: ""Using this book for reading and reflection is like having the 'great cloud of witnesses' as spiritual guides. Paul Chilcote's writing unlocks John Wesley's Christian Library, providing us with gems for our spiritual formation."" --Steve Harper, retired Professor of Spiritual Formation and Wesley Studies ""For anyone with a contemplative heart but a full schedule, this book will be a welcomed treasure Paul Chilcote has masterfully crafted this collection of themed scripture, hymns, and prayers from the devotional classics that shaped John and Charles Wesley's experience of God. These ordinary Christ-followers of yesteryear understood what we need today. Pause and drink deeply "" --Sharon Rowland, Spiritual Director, Professor, Co-director of Richmont Graduate University's Spiritual Direction training ""No one knows the heart of Methodist spirituality better than Paul Chilcote. In this profoundly simple volume, he draws together John Wesley's prose and Charles Wesley's poetry in a way that brings us--the reader and prayer--into the presence of Christ. This is a book of prayer for the entire church, not just the Wesleyan related denominations."" --Tom Albin, Director of Spiritual Formation and Congregational Life, The Upper Room Ministries, Nashville, Tennessee FOR FRONT MATTER: ""Over the years I have come to value so much the unusual gifting of Paul Chilcote as a Wesleyan scholar and author. He has the rare ability to share the rich treasures of his own faith tradition both with those of his own tribe and beyond. This he always does in a way that is fresh, winsome, and powerfully attractive. In Praying in the Spirit of Christ he accomplishes this again. Here he takes the rich devotional inheritance that shaped the lives of the Wesley brothers, drills down deep and makes it available to us in 52 prayers that we can pray ourselves. Phrased in contemporary English, Paul shows how an 'ancient-future' approach to discipleship can speak so powerfully to our hearts and minds today. You can be sure that as you live with this book, you will be drawn into the kind of faith that works through love towards a holiness of heart and life. I commend this work highly and with much gratitude to God for Paul's life and witness."" --Trevor Hudson, author of Discover Your Spiritual Identity Paul W. Chilcote is Professor of Historical Theology and Wesleyan Studies at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. He is the author of many books, including Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit and A Faith That Sings.

Praying in the Spirit of Christ offers contemporary readers a compelling and holistic vision of what life in Christ can mean for them. It draws from the broad array of spiritual and theological literature that John Wesley considered most significant for growth in Christian discipleship. In this volume, author Paul Chilcote utilizes the same method or approach of his earlier devotional work, Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit. He has transposed brief excerpts from Wesley's fifty-volume Christian Library into fluid prayers that are written in contemporary language, yet faithful to the spiritual insights of the classical sources. A hymn by Charles Wesley accompanies each prayer, and a passage of Scripture frames the topic for each devotional reading. The prayers help readers ponder themes like the desire of the heart, liberty in Christ, thirst for God, resurrection joy, and unbounded love. These devotions engage head and heart and seek to shape the lives of those who pray in the spirit of Christ. FOR BACK COVER: ""Using this book for reading and reflection is like having the 'great cloud of witnesses' as spiritual guides. Paul Chilcote's writing unlocks John Wesley's Christian Library, providing us with gems for our spiritual formation."" --Steve Harper, retired Professor of Spiritual Formation and Wesley Studies ""For anyone with a contemplative heart but a full schedule, this book will be a welcomed treasure Paul Chilcote has masterfully crafted this collection of themed scripture, hymns, and prayers from the devotional classics that shaped John and Charles Wesley's experience of God. These ordinary Christ-followers of yesteryear understood what we need today. Pause and drink deeply "" --Sharon Rowland, Spiritual Director, Professor, Co-director of Richmont Graduate University's Spiritual Direction training ""No one knows the heart of Methodist spirituality better than Paul Chilcote. In this profoundly simple volume, he draws together John Wesley's prose and Charles Wesley's poetry in a way that brings us--the reader and prayer--into the presence of Christ. This is a book of prayer for the entire church, not just the Wesleyan related denominations."" --Tom Albin, Director of Spiritual Formation and Congregational Life, The Upper Room Ministries, Nashville, Tennessee FOR FRONT MATTER: ""Over the years I have come to value so much the unusual gifting of Paul Chilcote as a Wesleyan scholar and author. He has the rare ability to share the rich treasures of his own faith tradition both with those of his own tribe and beyond. This he always does in a way that is fresh, winsome, and powerfully attractive. In Praying in the Spirit of Christ he accomplishes this again. Here he takes the rich devotional inheritance that shaped the lives of the Wesley brothers, drills down deep and makes it available to us in 52 prayers that we can pray ourselves. Phrased in contemporary English, Paul shows how an 'ancient-future' approach to discipleship can speak so powerfully to our hearts and minds today. You can be sure that as you live with this book, you will be drawn into the kind of faith that works through love towards a holiness of heart and life. I commend this work highly and with much gratitude to God for Paul's life and witness."" --Trevor Hudson, author of Discover Your Spiritual Identity Paul W. Chilcote is Professor of Historical Theology and Wesleyan Studies at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. He is the author of many books, including Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit and A Faith That Sings.