Bishop Thomas Bickerton

Success: Bearing Fruit or Building a Kingdom?

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 12/21/2009

Success is nothing with successors.  Church leaders must take action to develop principled Christian leaders.

The Discipline: A Call to Action

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 12/14/2009

The Book of Discipline contains some calls to action that, if followed, can address issues facing many local churches today.

A New Connectionalism

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 12/7/2009

United Methodists must rediscover the power of connection to make a difference in the church and the world.

No God? BIG Problem!

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 11/27/2009

There's a new ad campaign urging people to "be good for goodness sake".  Although many good people don't profess a belief in Jesus, many of them come to a point where the going gets rough without God in their lives.

Taking My Turn

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 10/30/2009

Words can cause unintended hurt.  It's important for all Christians to bear faithful witness, be sensitive to the impact of what we say and do, and seek forgiveness when necessary.

Connection Responds to Tragedy in Bridgeville

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 8/14/2009

When prayer was needed for people in Bridgeville, United Methodistst from across the world responded. The power of our connection is awesome. 

After Fitness Center Shootings, Let Us Pray!

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 8/5/2009

A shooting spree at LA Fitness in Bridgeville left three woman and the alleged gunman dead, 10 injured and countless others devastated. Two of the victims were United Methodist. Join us in prayer for all touched by this tragedy.

Both/And, Not Either/Or

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 7/27/2009

Partners in the fight against malaria use a both/and approach, not either/or.  It's a strategy United Methodists should adopt in the global health arena and other aspects of ministry.

Basements and Balconies

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 7/11/2009
Topics: Ministry

Basements and balconies are critical for the success of today’s church. Basements provide the foundation for our entire ministry -- our biblical faith, our Wesleyan heritage, our common experience and the trust we build through our fellowship. But if all we do is dwell in the basement, we find ourselves entombed in past realities and successes that often become stale and irrelevant as the culture changes.  

Connecting with Christ in Today's Culture

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 7/2/2009

Using new technology, some pastors have connected with people searching for meaning their lives and are sharing the gospel.  But many have never met face-to-face and they don't necessarily show up in our churches. They may not even be in the same geographic area.  How will they connect to our established churches? Do they want or need to?