In order to grasp the significance of reclaiming our prophetic and evangelistic voices, it is crucial to consider these concepts from the perspective of God and the life of Jesus, our biblical texts, the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, and our lives as Christians within the Wesleyan tradition as its embodied in The United Methodist Church.

As believers in Jesus Christ following the Wesleyan tradition, we are committed to the values of "social holiness" and "personal piety." These values combine the prophetic and evangelistic voices, compelling us to engage with all communities, including those under bridges, in rough parts of town, or in the wealthiest neighborhoods. We seek to advocate for those in need and take part in solving pressing issues in all areas. By integrating faith with action, we aim not only to speak about Jesus, but to also emulate His actions.

John Wesley's Position on Social Holiness

John Wesley stated, in "Hymns and Sacred Poems" published in 1739, “The gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.”  This statement highlights Wesley's belief that Christian holiness does not exist in isolation, but must be lived out in communities and relationships with others. We are called to actively live out our faith in the public square, being a voice of mercy and justice with acts of love and helping the underserved, marginalized and oppressed, so that our societies become better, stronger, and more fruitful.

Feeding those who are hungry meets an immediate need today, but what about tomorrow? What is the root cause of the problem, and why are people or communities unable to feed themselves? Let's work together to thoroughly solve these issues so that the need for our aid diminishes. Our faith is not stagnant but alive and moving forward, which is why it is important to engage in small groups, and Bible studies outside the wall of church buildings. These practices allow others to hold one another accountable, encourage truth-telling, and help society witness our faith through our actions in the public square.

Personal Piety: A Daily Christian Discipline

According to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement, personal piety involves how we live as Christians on a daily basis. Living as a Christian daily requires staying centered in Christ through our disciplines of prayer, worship, reading and meditating on scripture, fasting, and service. Just as Steph Curry didn't become the greatest three-point shooter in the history of the NBA overnight, but because of his disciple and unwavering focus he has transformed the game of basketball.  Our spiritual discipline requires daily commitment and is the journey of a lifetime of practice. My translation of Wesley is he emphasized that while we are not yet perfect, we strive to do our best for the sake of Christ, aiming to be the "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) in His service.

The Urgent Call to Reclaim Prophetic and Evangelistic Voices

The twin cornerstones of social holiness and personal piety are not just historical ideals but urgent calls to action in a world yearning for hope, justice, and transformation. However, some communities are asking, “where are the  voices, of the church leaders in, it seems in these critical times, your voices have grown faint.” The need to reclaim our prophetic and evangelistic voices are more pressing than ever, both for the renewal of the church and for the healing and restoration of the world.

A Prophetic Voice: "Shines a Bright Light on Injustices"

The prophetic traditions in Holy Scripture involve a bold dedication to truth, justice, and fulfilling God's purpose for humanity. Prophets like Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah fearlessly challenged the status quo and denounced injustices, even when it meant opposing powerful political and religious establishments. Similarly, The United Methodist Church is called to be a prophetic witness in the world, advocating for the marginalized, addressing systemic injustice, and demonstrating the love and righteousness of God in our public engagement. 

Reclaiming this prophetic voice requires us to first acknowledge where we have been silent, hesitated to speak out against injustice because of fear of controversy. This is not an easy witness, but it is what we are called to do. In our time with the God, during our evening examining prayer, might we ask  God the questions, Lord have I allowed the comfort of institutional security to temper our zeal for righteousness and justice? A prophetic voice demands that we rise above these fears, speaking truth to power with Holy Spirit boldness, even when it costs us. Moreover, our prophetic witness must be deeply rooted in love and humility. The prophets were not just social critics; they were God's messengers, calling people back to holy faithfulness and communion with one another. Our prophetic voice aim at to envoke Holy Spirit restoration—restoring relationships, communities, and ultimately, humanity's relationship with God. It is our presence and our Prophetic and Evangelistic voices, through the power of the Holy Soirit, that calls for repentance but also offers grace, hope and transformation.

The Evangelistic Voice: Grace, Love, and Good News

The the etymology of the word "evangelism"comes from the Latin words “evangelismus” refers to spreading of the gospel. Greek translation is "euangelion," which means “good news” or “gospel.” In the United Methodist tradition, evangelism is not about increasing church membership; it is about taking part in God's mission to redeem the world. However, in recent decades, the evangelistic mission within our denomination has often been overshadowed by a fear of the other, seen as too dogmatic, possibly uncomforatable, and if we are really honest, just not a vision priority of the church, for whatever reason. It is important we reclaim our Evangelistic DNA must reclaim its passion and compassion, embracing the fullness of Jesus Christ’s evangelical voice. Jesus showed compassion for the woman at the well, challenging the crowd to self-reflection with His words, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone." This call for self-examination is a model for evangelism that is bold yet filled with grace. Reclaiming our evangelistic voice means being bold in our proclamation of the need for personal conversion and discipleship while addressing systemic sins that harm individuals and communities. Our evangelism must be holistic, addressing both the spiritual, systemic systems  and  basic material needs of those we are called by Jesus Christ, to reach.

A United Voice: The Intersection of Prophecy and Evangelism

In the Bible, God communicated through prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Moses, Elijah, and Amos, and John the Baptist. Historical  prophetic and evangelistic voices include Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Fannie Lou Hammer, Barbara Jordan, Billy Graham, and Shirley Chism.  Modern-Day prophetic and evangelistic voices like, Candance Lewis, Gary Mason, Howard John Wesley, Joy Moore, Motoe Yamada Foor, Sunny Ahn,  Chariety Goodwin, Kylan Pew, Kevin Kosh Jr., Olu Brown, Bishop Tracy Smith Malone, Bishop Latrelle Easterling and Bishop Ken Carter to name a few. Even today, we can engage in ministry with both our prophetic and evangelistic voices. John Wesley recognized that genuine evangelism must address the social conditions of the oppressed and dehumanized siblings. Similarly, our prophetic testimony must be rooted in the Good News that God's kingdom is entering the world, bringing justice, peace, and reconciliation. Jesus Christ, the ultimate prophetic and evangelistic voice, established the standard.

As United Methodists, it is imperative that we hold these two voices together in tension, ensuring that neither drowns out the other, or that we are silent. The prophetic and the evangelistic mantle are not separate callings but deeply interconnected vocations. When we say we are disciples of Jesus Christ, we use our Prophetic and Evangelistic voices to illuminate the problems in the world and in ourselves. Then when the power of the Holy Spirit falls on us, we then go to Jerusalem, Judah, Samaria and the ends of the earth, we build relationships, tell people about Jesus who promised to heal our land, and proclaim the gospel to the world. My book, Doing Justice Together, reminds us, the church, that we can have challenging conversations together, with the hope and the promises of God. Revelation 7:9 reminds us there will be a day, when every tongue, tribe, nation, and people will be worshiping God together. Matthew 6:10 casts the vision in prayer, “Gods kingdom is coming, Gods will be done, (It will occur) on earth just like it is in heaven.” Since it will occur on earth - ready, set, let’s GO and  reclaim our Prophetic and Evangelistic voices, in our churches, neighborhoods, sports events, bars, restaurants, parks, schools, families, shopping centers, sports arenas, business, civic organization, the political landscape, the person in the mirror and in Jerusalem, Judah, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Let’s GO!