Introduction
My theological views can be summed up with one word: synthesis. Because I was not raised as a Christian, I was not immersed in a single form of Christian theological expression. Instead, I was exposed not only to a wide variety of theological perspectives but also to a diverse group of people holding these perspectives. I was exposed to various theologies throughout my teenage years, including Evangelical, Southern Baptist, Christian and Missionary Alliance, and United Methodist perspectives. In my college years, I was exposed to Anglican, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Reformed/Calvinist, and charismatic theologies. Now, I have realized that I have synthesized many of these perspectives through listening, reading, fellowshipping, and worshipping with followers of Jesus from all these faith traditions.
I unequivocally affirm the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed statements. While these statements are essential for the basics of Christian belief (declaring the Trinitarian three-in-one God, the divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the universality of the church, and salvation through Jesus, and the hope of His coming again), they leave wide gaps that theology can fill. The first two sections of this essay will cover my primary two influences theologically: Wesleyan and Kingdom theologies. These two approaches fill in the gaps in distinct ways and complement each other. The third section will cover influences that are not necessarily Wesleyan or Kingdom but have played an essential role in my theological development. These influences, Wesleyan, Kingdom, and others, have helped me define my overall theology.
Wesleyan Influence
My first actual exposure to hymns was in a United Methodist church, where my best friend’s father was the pastor, during my high school years. Singing the words of Charles Wesley exposed me to the theology of his brother, John. Wesleyan theology has many different distinctives. Matt O’Reilly discusses thirty-five different distinctives. O’Reilly notes that it is essential to distinguish actual Wesleyan theology from current Methodist progressive theology.[1] For this essay, I will focus on three specific aspects of Wesleyan theology that have impacted my theological framework: Free Grace, the Means of Grace, and Entire Sanctification.
In Wesleyan theology, Free Grace transcends the typical Calvinism vs. Arminianism arguments. The heart of this theological stance is that God’s grace, his loving salvation, is provided to all humanity equally.[2] Wesley adhered somewhat to Jacobus Arminius’s soteriology, even entitling his magazine “The Arminian.”[3] However, in many ways, his passion for bringing the gospel to the lost transcended that established soteriological position, which I have adopted into my theology.[4] Wesleyan definitions of concepts such as prevenient grace —God’s grace through the Holy Spirit that enables one to choose His salvation —deeply resonate with me.[5] His definition of prevenient grace draws not only on soteriological factors but is deeply intertwined with pneumatological realities as well. I have always believed that humanity has the choice to either accept or reject the Gospel and that God, in His sovereignty, has given humanity that choice. The Holy Spirit calls and is present when the Gospel is preached and heard. It is the call of the Holy Spirit that must be answered one way or the other.
My soteriological views have also been shaped by the work of Leighton Flowers, who coined the term “Provisionism.”[6] I prefer this term over Arminianism for two reasons. First, Provisionism more aptly describes the view that God provides salvation to all humans.[7] Not all humans accept this offer of salvation (which would be the heresy of Universalism—the position that all humans are saved), but the provision of salvation is the focus. Second, Arminius interpreted certain passages, such as Ephesians 1:1-14, John 6:35-40, and Romans 9:6-13, in a manner like Calvin.[8] Provisionism and the work of Flowers[9] offer a robust exegesis of those passages that show a biblical interpretation contrary to T.U.L.I.P. soteriology.[10]
Wesley’s concept of the Means of Grace has been a steady part of my theological understanding since my teenage years. Wesleyan understanding of these means is “the ordinary channels whereby God might convey preveniening, justifying, or sanctifying grace to humanity,” and can include prayer, scripture study, the Eucharist, holy conversations (or fellowship), and fasting.[11] Like Wesley, I do not view these activities as a means to salvation.[12] However, they are essential to the development of the Christian life. In modern terms, the Means of Grace can be better understood as Christian Disciplines.
Richard Foster’s work, Celebration of Discipline, and Dallas Willard’s The Spirit of the Disciplines have played pivotal roles in my understanding of the role of the disciplines in my spiritual journey. As Foster states, the opposite of grace is earning salvation through works, but that is not what the disciplines are all about – they are about effort.[13] Willard expounds on this, noting that the disciplines engage us with the life Jesus wanted for his followers: “The secret of the easy yoke, then, is to learn from Christ how to live our total lives, how to invest all our time and energies of mind and body as he did.”[14] In my understanding of the disciplines, they are efforts to develop a deeper relationship with my Creator. The disciplines are theology portrayed in action and activity rather than in sterile adherence to doctrinal positions. Or, as Vanhoozer states, they are the imperative of the Gospel.[15] Having a theological structure should be what I believe to be true, and how I live out that truth.
Out of all the Means of Grace, two have been instrumental in my theological walk. Pneumatologically, I believe that the Holy Spirit works through believers when they are engaged in these activities. The Eucharist (Communion or the Lord’s Supper) has been a pivotal part of my theological development.[16] Initially, when I started my faith walk with Jesus, I did not think much about it. It was something that we did occasionally in church and not much more. Still, after spending eight years as a Roman Catholic, my understanding was based on Transubstantiation (the elements become the actual body and blood of Jesus). My ultimate rejection of Transubstantiation (among other things) led me to leave the Roman Catholic church. However, my understanding of the Eucharist remains a central aspect of my theology of worship. I hold to John Wesley’s view of the Eucharist in that the celebration brings us into newness of life and is a communal offering to Christ.[17] The second Means of Grace that has been instrumental is that of what Wesley called “Holy Conversations.”[18] I have had the privilege of conversing with people from many different faith traditions. Through my interactions with these people, understanding their perspectives, and engaging in their theological worlds, I can refine my own views. Theology is not meant to be held in privacy but is to be shared in fellowship and conversation.
Finally, Entire Sanctification or Christian Perfection is an element of Wesleyan theology that is often misunderstood. This doctrine does not refer to the Christian becoming sinless on their own merits or completely free from temptation.[19] However, it refers to positionally, followers of Jesus are no longer under the condemnation of sin; the guilt and power of sin no longer have a hold.[20] Entire sanctification, then, refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in which each believer can state Galatians 2:20 with complete confidence.[21] All sins are forgiven: past, present, and future. The follower of Jesus, in their quest for sanctification, is empowered by the Holy Spirit to be perfected in love.[22] This doctrine is eschatological in nature, speaking to Christians in their current and future positions with God. It draws upon the “already and the not yet” of the Kingdom of God.
Kingdom Influence
Kingdom Theology has many historical sources, but has gained more traction since George Eldon Ladd started writing in the 1950s. His book, The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God, and more specifically, Kingdom Theology, has influenced much of what was to develop in the theology of the Jesus People Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s and the Charismatic renewal of the 1980s.[23] Derek Morphew defines this theology as the coming Kingdom of God, which Jesus spoke of in the Gospels, intervening and breaking into the course of human history, “confronting the forces that withstand him and imprison people, and interrupting the normal course of society.”[24] Ladd defines it as a tension between the “already and the not yet.”[25]
This approach has profoundly influenced my theology. As Ladd further states, “[T]he Kingdom of God, the redemptive activity and power of God, is working in the world today through the Church of Jesus Christ. The Church is the fellowship of disciples of Jesus who have received the life of the Kingdom and are dedicated to the task of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom in the world.”[26] This is eschatology meeting pneumatology. Jesus told his disciples to go out and do what he was doing (Matthew 10:1-15; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-12), and I, as His follower, filled with the Holy Spirit, the presence of God, am called to do the same. This is why Kingdom Theology, and my own theological approach, emphasize healing, deliverance, preaching of the Gospel, and the prophetic.
That is where I differ from Pentecostal Theology. In Pentecostal Theology, there is a strong emphasis on the subsequent Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.[27] Kingdom Theology and the Charismatic Movement emphasize God’s ongoing work of bringing the eternal into the present age.[28] When I pray for healing or speak words of prophetic knowledge over someone, I invite the eternal Kingdom of God, when there will be no need for healing and we have perfect union with the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit, into our presence. It brings a little piece of the “not-yet” into the already.
The Kingdom of God breaks through not just when one prays for healing, prophesies, or speaks in tongues but in every interaction the believer has with others. When the believer comes to Faith, they are filled with the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God (John 20:19-23). From that time forward, they are citizens of God’s Kingdom, and everywhere they go, everyone they interact with gets a taste of that “not yet” kingdom. When believers are gathered, the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God increase, and the citizens of that Kingdom all participate in Kingdom activities: worship, prayer, healing, prophecy, etc. In Kingdom Theology, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience that happens at the point of salvation.[29] However, I believe subsequent instances of this experience can occur (and indeed are expected) throughout the believer’s life journey.
Another influence in my Kingdom Theology journey is John Wimber. First, Wimber’s theology of “doing the stuff,” which expresses the spiritual gifts (healing, deliverance, prophecy) and evangelism, resonates with my theological framework.[30] For Wimber, evangelism was not just an exercise of proclaiming the Gospel so that unbelievers could decide to follow Jesus. Evangelism is the presentation of the Gospel as well as the demonstration of the Gospel through the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit – what he called Power Evangelism.[31] Power Evangelism does not add anything to the Gospel message but includes the Holy Spirit and His power into the mix.[32] In other words, Power Evangelism invites the nonbeliever in Jesus into an encounter with Him that provides explanation and demonstration. This demonstration can involve healing spiritual, physical, or emotional wounds. It can involve the offering of a prophetic word of knowledge or exhortation. The nonbeliever hears the truth of the Gospel message and sees a demonstration of the Kingdom of God – it brings them into an encounter with Jesus.
Another “Wimberism” that has influenced my theological views is his motto, “Everyone gets to play.” What Wimber meant by this was that every believer has equal access to the Kingdom of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.[33] This theological and ministerial approach helped me to simplify my approach to laity and clergy, as well as gender roles in ministry. If we genuinely believe Galatians 3:27-28 is true, then there should be no boundary, other than God’s direction, for every believer to participate in ministry. This approach has also influenced my move from complementarian (women have limited leadership roles in ministry) to egalitarian (women have no limitations in ministry leadership). Here, Craig Keener has played an essential role in my theological development. In dealing with the difficult passages regarding women in the household and in ministry, Keener points out that “all biblical passages may be for all time, but all biblical passages are not for all circumstances.”[34] Recently, Dénes House published a book on the subject that reflects my journey and views. He states, “… gender-mutual leadership model built around servanthood, humility, and self-sacrifice, whether between a pastor and Elders, multiple pastors, or some other approach, has the benefit of flowing from God’s created design as well as a built-in check to a centralization of power in a church.”[35]
For the most part, there is no central soteriological agreement among Kingdom theologians. Some, like Sam Storms and Jack Deere, are more Reformed in their soteriology. Others, like Derek Morphew, hold to free will. C. Peter Wagner holds to open theism (that God does not know who is saved or not), which is, in my view, a heresy since it denies God’s omniscience.[36] So, one’s soteriology is flexible when entering Kingdom Theology. However, I point out that when it comes to evangelism, both Storms and Deere seem to talk and act like the nonbeliever is choosing to follow Jesus.
Other Influences
Regarding other influences, it is an understatement to say there are too many to count. Many have influenced me for a period of time, such as R. C. Sproul and my brief Reformed period. They all left a mark on my theological development, to be sure. However, several have stamped my theology with an indelible mark. The four I will cover in this essay are Anselm of Canterbury, C. S. Lewis, N. T. Wright, and Craig Keener.
Anselm of Canterbury came to me in a Christian History class. For the class, I was required to read Cur Deus Homo: Why god Became Man. Through Anselm’s dialogue with Boso, he presents an apologetic for the incarnation and the divinity of Jesus. Through logical discourse, Anselm brings the reader to the conclusion that “This debt [sin] was so large that, although no one but man owed it, only God was capable of repaying it, assuming that there should be a man identical with God. Hence it was a necessity that God should take man into the unity of his person, so that one who ought, by virtue of his nature, to make the repayment and was not capable of doing so, should be one who, by virtue of his person, was capable of it.”[37] This work allowed me to think about Christology in a way that helped me communicate Jesus’s incarnation and divinity to others.
I discovered C. S. Lewis as a teenager shortly after coming to faith. Mere Christianity captured my theological imagination as I imagined Lewis delivering these radio programs over the BBC. I have often used his “liar, lunatic, or Lord” to focus my evangelistic conversations on Jesus.[38] Other works, such as The Great Divorce and The Screwtape Letters, engaged my imagination in a way that allowed me to formulate my theological thinking around Heaven, Hell, and the nature of sin. By using imaginary images and flamboyant characters, the truths of the faith come alive rather than stagnant doctrines. Lewis also taught me that I don’t necessarily have to quote Scripture to people to have fruitful spiritual discussions. Sometimes, engaging the imagination is a better approach.
N. T. Wright is an Anglican theologian who has profoundly shaped my approach to theology. There are so many areas of influence that, for the scope of this essay, I will select one area: Wright’s approach to Scripture. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy provides a clear understanding of biblical inerrancy, but I think it is an incomplete picture.[39] Wright fills in this picture with his book Scripture and the Authority of God. Scripture is not just inerrant and infallible; it is God’s working to reveal Jesus as the source of life-changing power which “transform[s] them by the Spirit’s healing love.”[40] In fact, the Word of God is referred to in Scripture as Jesus, and all authority is given to Jesus and then transmitted to the writers of the Old and New Testaments to build Jesus’s Kingdom.[41]
Lastly, Craig Keener continues this thread on the authority of Scripture. As noted above, his work has led me to embrace an egalitarian view of women in ministry. However, in an interview, he stated something that left a deep mark on my theology. He noted that those who had a progressive view of scripture read passages that deal with women the same way as those who had conservative views on scripture. The difference was that the progressives rejected the passages, and the conservatives accepted them.[42] Through his multiple commentaries, interviews, and books, Keener has taught me not to skip the toughest parts of the Bible but to work through them, remembering the literary and cultural contexts in play. Above all else, Keener stresses that we should treat each other with grace and respect when it comes to theological disagreements.[43]
Conclusion
Through this essay, I have presented an overview of my theological thinking. Over the past 44 years since I came to faith in Jesus, my theology has been strongly influenced by the above sources: Wesleyan Theology, Kingdom Theology, Anselm, Lewis, Wright, and Keener. However, many more influences have shaped my theology. Tim Mackie and The Bible Project have encouraged me to look at Scripture from a literary point of view – to see the big story of God redeeming His creation. In the same way, Gordon Fee influenced my approach to Scripture study, getting everything I can from his inductive methodology. Dr. Marvin Wilson, whom I studied under at Gordon College in the 1980s, influenced my love of Israel and Jewish people. Through him, I have rejected Replacement Theology (the Christian Church has replaced Israel) as heresy and see myself as grafted into God’s chosen people (Romans 11). Ken Fish has influenced how I practice ministry in healing, deliverance, and prophecy. He has also influenced my teaching style as I incorporate more anecdotes, as Ken does, in my teaching. Peter Kreeft is another influence. I met him when he addressed the Catholic Club at Gordon College. Kreeft introduced me to Thomas Aquinas and his approach to Theology and many classical philosophers. His books, Socrates Meets Jesus: History’s Greatest Questioner Confronts the Claims of Christ and Between Heaven and Hell (an imagined conversation between John F. Kennedy, Aldous Huxley, and C.S. Lewis after they all die on the same day), are books I have read multiple times over.
Theology should not be static; it should be active. Theology is not immovable and inflexible (although the foundational dogmas can and should be). Still, it is meant to be worked on, fleshed out, abandoned, taken up again, considered, and, most of all, shared in charity and humility with others.
Bibliography
Anselm, Brian Davies, and G. R. Evans. The Major Works. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Collins, Kenneth J., and Jason E. Vickers. The Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2013.
Curnock, Nehemiah, ed. The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M. Logos Edition. Vol. 1. London: Robert Cully and Charles Kelly, 1909.
Defending Inerrancy. “The CHICAGO STATEMENTS on INERRANCY and HERMENEUTICS.” Accessed April 15, 2025. https://defendinginerrancy.com/chicago-statements/.
Flowers, Leighton C. God’s Provision for All: A Defense of God’s Goodness. Place of publication not identified: Trinity Academic Press, 2019.
Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2018.
House, Dénes. Restoring the Lost Kingdom: A Biblical Look at 1 Timothy 2. Self, 2025.
Is the Bible Infallible? How If It’s Written by Fallible People? Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3YIQsjP6Ig.
Keener, Craig S. Paul, Women & Wives: Marriage and Women’s Ministry in the Letters of Paul. Kindle. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2013.
Ladd, George Eldon. A Theology of the New Testament. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1993.
———. The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1959.
Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001.
Morphew, Derek. Breakthrough: Discovering the Kingdom. 5th edition. Cape Town: Vineyard International Publishing, 2019.
Oden, Thomas C. John Wesley’s Scriptural Christianity: A Plain Exposition of His Teaching on Christian Doctrine. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 1994.
O’Reilly, Matt. “35 Axioms of Wesleyan Theology.” Theology Project, September 16, 2024. https://www.theologyproject.online/post/35-axioms-of-wesleyan-theology.
Richie, Tony. Essentials of Pentecostal Theology: An Eternal and Unchanging Lord Powerfully Present & Active by the Holy Spirit. La Vergne: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2020.
Vanhoozer, Kevin J., and Owen Strachan. The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015.
Wagner, C. Peter. On Earth as It Is in Heaven: Answer God’s Call to Transform the World. Ventura, Calif: Regal, 2012.
Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. 1st ed. Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999.
Wimber, John. Everyone Gets to Play. Boise: Ampelon Pub., 2008.
Wimber, John, and Kevin Springer. Power Evangelism. Chosen books edition. South Bloomington, Minn.: Chosen Books, 2014.
Women In Ministry (PART 3): With Dr. Craig Keener, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u9iMvvvqTc.
Wright, N. T. Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today. New York, NY: HarperCollins e-Books, 2014.
[1] Matt O’Reilly, “35 Axioms of Wesleyan Theology,” Theology Project, September 16, 2024, https://www.theologyproject.online/post/35-axioms-of-wesleyan-theology.
[2] Kenneth J. Collins and Jason E. Vickers, The Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2013), 22.
[3] Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley’s Scriptural Christianity: A Plain Exposition of His Teaching on Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 1994), 256.
[4] Oden, 255.
[5] Oden, John Wesley’s Scriptural Christianity, 243.
[6] Leighton C. Flowers, God’s Provision for All: A Defense of God’s Goodness (Place of publication not identified: Trinity Academic Press, 2019), 123.
[7] Flowers, 123.
[8] Flowers, 119.
[9] Flower’s ministry, Soteriology 101, and his website, soteriology101.com, offer a wealth of content that extends beyond his three books on the subject.
[10] Calvinistic acronym for total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.
[11] Collins and Vickers, 70.
[12] Collins and Vickers, 74.
[13] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2018).
[14] Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives, 1st ed (Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999), 8.
[15] Kevin J. Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan, The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015), 120.
[16] Although Baptism is a foundational sacrament, and I believe in the believer’s baptism, for the scope of this essay, I will concentrate on the Eucharist.
[17] Oden, 186.
[18] Nehemiah Curnock, ed., The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., Logos Edition, vol. 1 (London: Robert Cully and Charles Kelly, 1909).
[19] Collins and Vickers, 560.
[20] Collins and Vickers, 558.
[21] Collins and Vickers, 621–22.
[22] Collins and Vickers, 589.
[23] Derek Morphew, Breakthrough: Discovering the Kingdom, 5th edition (Cape Town: Vineyard International Publishing, 2019), 161.
[24] Morphew, 19.
[25] George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, Rev. ed (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1993), 209.
[26] George Eldon Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1959), 115–16.
[27] Tony Richie, Essentials of Pentecostal Theology: An Eternal and Unchanging Lord Powerfully Present & Active by the Holy Spirit (La Vergne: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2020), 11.
[28] Morphew, Breakthrough, 280–81.
[29] Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, 384.
[30] John Wimber and Kevin Springer, Power Evangelism, Chosen books edition (South Bloomington, Minn.: Chosen Books, 2014), 3.
[31] Wimber and Springer, 77.
[32] Wimber and Springer, 77.
[33] John Wimber, Everyone Gets to Play (Boise: Ampelon Pub., 2008) .
[34] Craig S. Keener, Paul, Women & Wives: Marriage and Women’s Ministry in the Letters of Paul, Kindle (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2013) Loc 795.
[35] Dénes House, Restoring the Lost Kingdom: A Biblical Look at 1 Timothy 2 (Self, 2025), 226.
[36] C. Peter Wagner, On Earth as It Is in Heaven: Answer God’s Call to Transform the World (Ventura, Calif: Regal, 2012), 80–81.
[37] Anselm, Brian Davies, and G. R. Evans, The Major Works, Oxford World’s Classics (Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), 348.
[38] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001), 52.
[39] “The CHICAGO STATEMENTS on INERRANCY and HERMENEUTICS,” Defending Inerrancy (blog), accessed April 15, 2025, https://defendinginerrancy.com/chicago-statements/.
[40] N. T. Wright, Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today (New York, NY: HarperCollins e-Books, 2014), 117.
[41] Is the Bible Infallible? How If It’s Written by Fallible People? Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3YIQsjP6Ig.
[42] Women In Ministry (PART 3): With Dr. Craig Keener, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u9iMvvvqTc, 22:35.
[43] Women In Ministry (PART 3) 12:27.
The Wandering Wesleyan 