Storm The Gates

Outline

The Wesleyan/Methodist movement represents a vital theological tradition that needs more exceptional theologians who are committed to teach the faith! This is at the heart of the conversation today with Dr. David Watson, President of Asbury Theological Seminary.

Dr. Watson came to Asbury Seminary from faculty and administrative roles at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He served as United’s Senior Vice President, as well as Professor of New Testament, Academic Dean, and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

During his years at United, his leadership was instrumental in revitalizing the Seminary, strengthening its theological commitments, expanding its global reach, and increasing student enrollment. He demonstrated exceptional leadership in theological education, faculty development, strategic planning, and institutional growth. He oversaw the development of a new Master of Arts degree, the Hispanic Christian Academy, and early advancements in online theological education.

Dr. Watson has built meaningful partnerships across denominations and continents, working with Christian leaders in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. His passion for equipping Spirit-filled leaders extends beyond the classroom and into real-world ministry, where he has actively engaged in church renewal, mission work, and theological discourse on a global scale. His global perspective aligns with Asbury Seminary’s vision to serve the worldwide Church.

In other aspects of his professional life, Dr. Watson is Lead Editor of “Firebrand”, an online magazine “intended to promote theological reflection in various related traditions, including Methodist, Arminian, Holiness, Pentecostal, and others.” He also writes a Substack and serves as one of the hosts of the "It's Elementary" and "WesWorld" podcasts.

Dr. Watson has been published extensively in Christian journals and magazines and has contributed numerous chapters in books and commentaries. His latest book is “Scripture and the Life of God: Why the Bible Matters Today More than Ever” (Seedbed, 2017).

Dr. Watson and his wife, Harriet, have three children: Luke, Sean, and Ciara.

Links for Dr. Watson's work:

Podcasts: https://asburyseminary.edu/about/office-of-the-president/podcasts

Substack: https://davidfwatson3.substack.com

Firebrand: https://firebrandmag.com

Teaching Outline:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DZJNefRaEAR0twd_vTbLBUYh5OOOTjDt/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104137624006892725169&rtpof=true&sd=true

In our cultural moment of contentious partisan politics, polarization, and too many Americans pledging allegiance to political party over the Kingdom of God, Dr. Steve Bezner is here to sober us up with a heavy dose from the Sermon on the Mount.

Steve Bezner is Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Theology at Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University. Prior to joining the Truett faculty, he served in a variety of pastoral roles, most recently serving as Senior Pastor of Houston Northwest Church in Houston, Texas, for twelve years, where he also served as adjunct faculty for Truett Houston. During his time in Houston, Steve served on the Executive Board of Texas Baptists, the board of Houston Church Planting Network, and with GlocalNet to start churches and promote peacemaking across religious and racial boundaries.

One of his primary passions is coaching and helping churches and pastors succeed in their various contexts. To that end, he has taught and written curriculum in a variety of settings over the years, including World Hope Ministries International—a ministry dedicated to providing theological education to pastors in remote global contexts.

Steve is married to Joy and has two sons—Ben and Andrew. He enjoys cooking, jazz music, coffee, books, hiking, fishing, and hunting.

https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781587436314_your-jesus-is-too-american

Teaching Companion Outline:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1shuoQgoROgHpmtYyh1kTi2wK3YcysNkPyaUSGl9PGZo/edit?usp=sharing

It's not everyday we get to have a conversation with a world-renowned Bible scholar of the caliber of Dr. Ben Witherington III. We pray you'll take steps to becoming a Bible nerd after this conversation. Dr. Witherington makes it clear why the Bible really matters. The Bible touches on lots of things but everyone needs to study it deeply because of who it's from and what it teaches.

Dr. Witherington joined the Asbury Seminary faculty in 1995 after teaching at Ashland Theological Seminary for more than a decade. He has also taught at High Point College, Duke Divinity School and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

A prolific author, Dr. Witherington has written more than 60 books, including commentaries on every book of the New Testament, including The Gospel Code: Novel Claims About Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Da Vinci (2004), The Problem With Evangelical Theory: Testing the Exegetical Foundations of Calvinism, Dispensationalism, and Wesleyanism (2005), and The New Testament Story (2004). One of his works, The Jesus Quest: The Third Search for the Jew of Nazareth (InterVarsity Press, 1995), was selected as the top biblical studies book of 1995 by Christianity Today and the Academy of Parish Clergy. In The Jesus Quest, Dr. Witherington surveys the contemporary Christological landscape in New Testament scholarship, offering a helpful perspective on one of the most significant and controversial religious debates of the past decade. In 1999 he again won the Christianity Today book award, this time for The Paul Quest: The Renewed Search for the Jew of Tarsus. He was recently featured in the BBC and PBS special entitled ‘The Story of Jesus’.

Dr. Witherington, who has led numerous study tours through the lands of the Bible, is known for bringing the text to life through incisive historical and cultural analysis. He is a John Wesley Fellow for Life, a research fellow at Cambridge University and a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Society of Biblical Literature, Society for the Study of the New Testament and the Institute for Biblical Research. He is also an emeritus professor of New Testament at St. Andrews University, Scotland. Dr. Witherington has also spoken to many groups about his topics of expertise, and even had the opportunity to preach at the National Chapel in May of 2006.

In his leisure time, Dr. Witherington appreciates both music and sports. It is hard to say which sound he prefers: the sophisticated sonance of jazz sensation Pat Metheny or the incessant tomahawk chant of the Atlanta Braves faithful. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, he is a dedicated Tar Heels basketball and football fan. He and his wife, Ann, have one son and daughter-in-law, and one grandson.

Here are some helpful links for more resources related to Dr. Witherington:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ben+witherington+iii&crid=3UX79XVB8BL6T&sprefix=ben+witherington+iii%2Caps%2C241&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

https://www.benw3.com

https://tutkutours.com

https://asburyseminary.edu/faculty/ben-witherington

Study guide for individual participants and groups:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1htVBoQ21Z36FyOJbpdyFdwkahyg3hpVh/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104137624006892725169&rtpof=true&sd=true

Grief is the subject today on STG. We're grateful for Charleen sharing about her calling to help others live through the messiness of grief without losing faith. Grief can be an opportunity to turn to God for help.

Charleen Burghardt has been through her own share of messy chapters—battling dyslexia and anxiety, navigating the pain of divorce, and learning to be a single mom to two incredible kids with special needs. She has faced chronic illness with her sons and supported loved ones through mental health struggles.

But here’s what she learned: God doesn’t wait for the mess to clear before he shows up. He meets us right in it. Sometimes quietly. Sometimes in ways we don’t expect. But always with grace.

You can find Charleen's new book, blog, and other information about her ministry at www.charleenburghardt.com. Whether you’re grieving, healing, or just trying to breathe through the chaos, there is God's grace for you.

Charleen's background includes a Master’s in Christian Education and a completed Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) residency, equipping her to serve others with both theological depth and compassionate presence. She lives with her husband in San Antonio, Texas, and has three adult children. She loves hiking, exploring nature, reading, learning new things, coffee, and all things chocolate.

Study Guide for individual participants and groups:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CttvITHoAZv3h-nZ2Ii5rIAYaElUQUTx/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104137624006892725169&rtpof=true&sd=true

Who Is God?

In the Global Methodist Church, we are clear about where faith begins.

It does not begin with trends, opinions, or even our urgent needs.

It begins with God.

That is why our catechism starts where the Church has always started—not with what we are called to do, but with who God is. Doctrine, for Global Methodists, is never an end in itself. It exists to form disciples, anchor the Church in truth, and fuel faithful mission.

In a time of cultural change and ecclesial rebuilding, this grounding matters. When we are clear about God, we are steadied for the work before us.

The catechism teaches us that there is one living and true God—eternal, holy, infinite in wisdom and goodness. This confession is not abstract. It is pastoral.

When leadership feels heavy, God is faithful.

When the Church feels fragile, God is not.

When the future feels uncertain, God remains the same.

The early Church understood this deeply. They spoke of God carefully, not because God was distant, but because God was holy. They trusted that while God cannot be contained by human language, God has truly made Himself known—not so we could control Him, but so we could trust Him.

The catechism reminds us that the one God is known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

This is not simply language for creeds or worship services. This is the shape of Christian life.

Before there was creation, God was already love.

Before there was mission, there was communion.

Before there was redemption, there was relationship.

This matters for who we are as Global Methodists.

Because God is Trinity, we are a connectional people, not isolated believers.

Because God is eternally relational, Christian life is never meant to be lived alone.

Because God is love, scriptural holiness is not about rule-keeping, but about being formed in love of God and neighbor.

The catechism also helps us name what God is like.

God is eternal—never rushed, never reactive, never overwhelmed. God is not bound by time, yet God steps into time for our salvation.

God is powerful, but not in the way the world defines power. God’s power does not dominate or coerce. God’s power creates, heals, forgives, and restores. The clearest picture of God’s power is the cross.

God is all-knowing. God knows us fully—our faith, our doubts, our obedience, and our resistance—and still invites us into relationship. God’s knowledge does not trap us; it sustains us.

God is always present. There is no place where God is absent. No congregation, no community, no mission field is beyond God’s reach. God’s presence always goes before the Church.

And the catechism refuses to separate God’s character. God is holy, just, and loving—not in tension, but in perfect unity. God’s holiness calls us into transformation. God’s justice is faithful and redemptive. God’s love is steadfast and active.

The catechism then turns to what God is doing.

God is at work in the world. Christians call this divine providence.

Providence does not mean everything that happens is God’s will.

It does not deny suffering or minimize pain.

It does not remove human responsibility.

Providence means God has not abandoned creation. God is patiently, faithfully working toward redemption—often in ways we only recognize over time.

As Global Methodists, this resonates deeply with our Wesleyan heritage. God’s grace goes before us, walks with us, and works within us. Grace invites response. Grace forms disciples. Grace fuels mission.

Finally, the catechism reminds us that God is Creator.

Creation exists because God is good. People are made in God’s image. The world belongs to God. Nothing is disposable. Nothing is forgotten.

This shapes our life together.

Because God is Trinity, we live in connection and accountability.

Because God is holy, we pursue lives shaped by grace and obedience.

Because God is at work, we lead with confidence rather than fear.

Because God is Creator, we steward faithfully what has been entrusted to us.

The catechism does not give us God to manage.

It gives us God to trust, worship, and obey.

And this is our calling as the Global Methodist Church:

to make disciples of Jesus Christ,

to spread scriptural holiness across the globe,

and to bear faithful witness to the living God.

So today, pause.

Remember who God is.

Remember whose you are.

And trust that the God who called the Church into being is still forming His people for faithful mission.

“For from him and through him and to him are all things.

To him be the glory forever.”

—Romans 11:36

Amen.

Sandy Richter joins STG for an epic conversation! MidTex people won't want to miss Annual Awakening this year as Dr. Richter will be our special speaker for the conference. You will not want to miss her teaching nor the gem of an easter egg at the end of this episode.

Sandy Richter is the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. She holds a Masters Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and her PhD in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University’s Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department. She has taught at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wesley Biblical Seminary and Wheaton College, and is a veteran of many years of leading student groups in field archaeology and historical geography in Israel.

Her ambition? To make the real people and places of the Old Testament come alive for her students. She is recognized in the Church for her book, The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament (IVP Academic) and the Epic of Eden adult Bible Study series that has grown from that project. In the academy, she is known for her work in Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic History and the role of Mt. Ebal in the history of Israelite religion. She is also deeply invested in environmental theology (see Stewards of Eden), often addressing both lay and academic audiences on the topic. Her current research involves a forthcoming commentary on Deuteronomy with Eerdmans, a textbook for the introduction of the Old Testament with Zondervan, and a children’s book on environmental theology. She is married to Steven Tsoukalas and has two (perfect) college-aged daughters.

https://sandyrichter.org/