In August we traveled to Hattiesburg, MS again to meet with the new student leadership at the University of Southern Mississippi Wesley Foundation. An integral part of discipleship within the Wesley Foundation is what they call Forge Bands. These bands are based on the Inspire model of Wesley Bands. What a joy it was to meet these dedicated young men and women and to be a part of their discipleship journey.
Following our time with these students, Brian had the privilege to be a part of the Southern Miss Wesley podcast, “The Catalyst.” Brian joined the director, Eric Davis and several students discussing the powerful role bands play in discipleship. Click HERE listen to the podcast.
Teaching, teaching, and more teaching…
Brian continues to teach for both Wesley Biblical Seminary and Asbury Theologicial Seminary. He is currently teaching two courses for Wesley, one undergraduate and one masters level. The undergraduate is a fun course he enjoys teaching on occasion entitled “Christian Literary Classics”. It is a small class of 6 students which is a nice break from the 89 students in his “Denominational History and Polity” class for Global Methodist students working on their requirements to pastor in the GMC denomination. While 89 makes a large class, it is actually less than the first time he taught the course with around 100 students! I wasn’t sure he was going to survive that one with his sanity left in tact. 😉
He is also co-teaching the Doctor of Ministry class again at Asbury along with Dr. Joe Dongell. For those of you who know Dr. Dongell, you know what a joy that opportunity is for Brian.
At the beginning of October, Brian traveled to Palestine, TX to teach at the Trinity Conference’s GMC School of Ministry. These workshops provide laity and clergy some basic training in the Global Methodist Church. Brian’s workshop was on Methodist History where he somehow condensed a semester long course into three hours.
In November, Brian and another Inspire Missioner (also named Brian – so this could get confusing), will be leading a 5 week “Introduction to Inspire” online class. Participants in this course are from all corners the United States – Maine, Washington, Kansas, Oklahoma, and California.
New Developments
Brian will be dusting off his passport in January to travel to Benin, Africa. As part of a delegation of AFTE John Wesley Fellows (A Foundation for Theological Education), Brian will specifically be teaching on the Inspire Way of Life to lay and clergy in the Benin Methodist Church.
Because life is not busy enough… Brian is now working with one of our local Methodist churches as “Scholar in Residence.” He is helping to plan educational opportunities and events for the church, including hosting the School of Methodism presented by the John Wesley Institute in February.
Brian and Misty are Inspire Missioners based in Louisiana with their daughter Sarah. They fund-raise support for their day-to-day living costs and ministry expenses. Click here to read more of their reflections and adventures.
