Dr Paul Allen

English: "John Wesley," by the English artist George Romney, oil on canvas. 29 1/2 in. x 24 3/4 in. Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) John Wesley (1703–1791) is best known in church history as the founder of Methodism. His commitment to the biblical gospel, passion for evangelistic preaching, and skill at organizing the budding Methodist movement are all notable traits. And God used those qualities to help spark the Evangelical Revival in England in the mid-18th century (a revival that paralleled the Great Awakening in North America ). In that respect, there are many helpful things that we can learn from Wesley’s example. His marriage, however, left a different kind of legacy; one which is also noteworthy, but not for good reasons. As Methodist author John Singleton explains: The saga of John Wesley’s marriage is a cautionary tale from the roots of Methodism that ought to resonate today with any couple so involved in chur...

English: Saint John of the Cross, portrait (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The only thing worse than falling into a spiritual valley is the conviction that one must always be on a spiritual mountaintop. Though the Bible is the very history of the ups and downs of God 's people, God's people go on thinking themselves immune, and that something is terribly wrong if their passion and joy today is not at the same fever pitch it was on the day they came to faith. There is, of course, a ditch on the other side of the road. We can grow complacent, our ardor having all the vitality of lukewarm water. But cooler than it once was can be a long way from lukewarm. We ought to be taking our spiritual temperature. We ought to pray for passion, joy and gratitude. What we have to watch out for is when the devil comes calling like some diabolical pusher offering us his spiritual uppers. When we are dissatisfied, when we are looking for more, the devil is more than happy to offer us what we th...

Vanderbilt Stadium, Vanderbilt University (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Peabody College of Vanderbilt (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "Cornelius Vanderbilt, head-and-shoulders portrait, slightly to left, with side whiskers". Half plate daguerreotype, gold toned. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The music video of "The Story of Us" took place in the Central Library of Vanderbilt University. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Entrance to the Vanderbilt School of Medicine (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Like most of America’s historic private universities, Vanderbilt University was founded by Christian believers for the purpose of inculcating Christian beliefs in its students. Vanderbilt was founded in the 1870s by Methodists and later funded largely by New York’s Vanderbilt family . Within a remarkably short period of years, Vanderbilt had forfeited its conservative Methodist roots in order to identify with the emerging secular consensus in American higher education . As Notre Dame’s James ...