In this episode of the Dulin Weekly Podcast, Pastor James Henry continues the exploration of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral by reflecting on tradition, inviting listeners to see it not as a confining force but as a well from which faith can draw wisdom, nourishment, and guidance. Acknowledging the ways tradition has sometimes harmed or excluded, he reframes it as a living conversation shaped by those who have gone before us—prayers prayed, practices formed, and institutions built in response to human need. Drawing on the Methodist story and the legacy of John Wesley, the episode explores how traditions like worship practices, theological language, education, healthcare, and communal rituals have evolved over time, offering both gifts to receive and elements to re-examine or release. Ultimately, tradition is presented as one voice among others—alongside scripture, reason, and experience—that helps believers make faith their own while faithfully passing it on to future generations.

In this episode of the Dulin Weekly Podcast, Pastor James reflects on Reason as one of the four elements of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Far from being the enemy of faith, reason is described as a God-given gift that helps us interpret, discern, and live out our faith in real life. Drawing on Wesleyan theology and everyday experience, the episode explores how reason works alongside Scripture, Tradition, and Experience to move faith from abstract belief into faithful practice—especially in loving God and neighbor. Rather than offering certainty or control, reason invites humility, curiosity, and discernment, helping us ask what love looks like here and now. Listeners are encouraged to let reason be a companion in the coming week, guiding thoughtful, loving responses in the midst of life’s complexities.

In this episode of the Dulin Weekly Podcast, Pastor James Henry begins the new year by introducing a short series on the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, focusing first on experience as a foundational way people encounter and understand God. Drawing on Wesleyan theology, scripture, and lived reality, James reflects on how faith is not formed abstractly but emerges through the concrete experiences of our lives—shaped by our stories, wounds, joys, and bodies. He challenges the idea of pure objectivity in faith, noting that we always approach scripture, tradition, and reason through the lens of experience, and emphasizes that God meets us where we are through prevenient grace, accompanying us in every moment of life. Encouraging listeners not to diminish their own experiences, James affirms that God is present in the good, the bad, and the ordinary, inviting healing and transformation through lived encounter. The episode sets the stage for upcoming reflections on reason, tradition, and scripture, while grounding the conversation in the everyday reality of how faith is truly lived.

In this New Year’s episode of the Dulin Weekly Podcast, Pastor James Henry invites listeners into a Wesleyan practice of intentional reflection and covenanting through the Wesley Covenant Prayer. Rooted in United Methodist tradition, the reflection explores how the prayer offers a way to set the spiritual tone for the year ahead by acknowledging that our lives belong to God and are meant to be offered back in faithful action. James emphasizes that authentic faith, as John Wesley insisted, is not merely intellectual or habitual but lived out through concrete acts of love, service, justice, and compassion—especially toward those who are hungry, imprisoned, or marginalized in visible and invisible ways. As the year begins, listeners are encouraged to let go of what no longer calls them and to courageously open themselves to what God may be inviting them to do, trusting that even small, quiet acts of faithfulness can participate in God’s transforming work in the world.

In this fourth and final week of Advent, Pastor James reflects on the theme of love as the lived promise of Emmanuel—God with us. Drawing from Wesleyan theology, he frames love not as an abstract idea but as a practice of presence: being fully present with God, with ourselves, and with others. He offers three simple, accessible practices to make love tangible—an Emmanuel breath prayer (“God with us”), intentionally being present with another person without agenda or judgment, and engaging in anonymous acts of kindness that allow God’s love to be experienced in the world. As Advent draws to a close and Christmas approaches, this reflection invites listeners to embody discipleship by making hope, peace, joy, and love real through everyday, practical acts of presence and care.

In this Advent reflection on Joy, Pastor James invites the Dulin community to move beyond seeing joy as mere happiness and instead understand it as a deep, resilient gladness rooted in connection with God and nurtured through daily practice. Drawing on Wesleyan theology and Paul’s teaching on the fruit of the Spirit, he frames joy as something cultivated through lived faith, even amid difficulty. He offers three simple, practical practices: naming one small joy each day, engaging in an act of joyful generosity, and giving oneself permission to honestly feel and share one’s emotions in God’s presence. Through everyday examples—warm coffee, children’s laughter, sunlight through stained glass—James reminds listeners that joy often arises in ordinary, unexpected moments and grows when it is noticed, shared, and welcomed. He closes with a blessing that joy might meet listeners in surprising places as they continue their Advent journey toward love.

In this second week of Advent, James reflects on the meaning of peace—not as mere quiet or the absence of conflict, but as the deep biblical vision of shalom/shlama: wholeness, right relationship, and holy love. He invites the congregation into practical, accessible ways of embodying peace each day, beginning with a simple “peace pause” of slow breathing and the prayer, “Christ, make peace in me and through me.” James encourages peaceable conversations marked by attentive listening, genuine apology, and intentional encouragement, as well as extending peace outward by silently blessing those we pass in our daily lives. In a season often filled with chaos and hurry, he reminds listeners that worship and community can be a sanctuary of calm and connection, and he prays that Christ’s peace would take root in each heart—shaping self-care, relationships, and presence in the world throughout this Advent journey.

In this week’s episode, Pastor James reflects on the first theme of Advent—hope—through a practical Wesleyan lens, describing hope not merely as optimism about the future but as a deep assurance that God is already at work in and around us. He offers several simple practices for cultivating this assurance in daily life: identifying one small “next step” that makes space for God’s work, lighting a candle with the prayer “Lord, awaken hope in me today,” reaching out to someone who feels unseen, and lifting up hopes for the church or one’s faith community in prayer. Acknowledging how easily hope can feel fragile amid the world’s struggles, he reminds listeners that they are not alone—God’s Spirit is continually working through the community and through each of us. Hope becomes real, he says, when we participate in God’s ongoing work, planting small seeds of encouragement, presence, and faith in our lives and in the lives of others as we journey through Advent.