What kind of Messiah are we following—and what happens when the Christ we expect isn’t the Christ who calls?

In this special episode of Wesleyan Threads, Pastor Britt steps into the tension of Mark 8:27–9:1 to ask hard questions about discipleship, power, and the cross. Jesus doesn’t affirm Peter’s vision of messianic glory—he rebukes it. He doesn't wield the cross like a banner of conquest. He carries it—and invites us to do the same.

Drawing from trauma theory, narrative theology, and exegetical work from NT 602 with Dr. Brian Blount, this episode dismantles triumphalist visions of Christianity and reclaims the cross as a site of vulnerability, resistance, and solidarity with the wounded. This is not about glorifying pain—it’s about following a Messiah who stands with the suffering, not above them.

For those disillusioned with nationalistic Christianity or a church that avoids the cost of compassion, this is an invitation: to take up not a flagpole, but the cross.

Key Threads

• Cruciform discipleship and the redefinition of messianic power
• The cost of truth-telling and resistance to imperial expectations
• Mark 8 as narrative hinge and theological confrontation
• Trauma-informed readings of rejection, suffering, and hope
• Why Jesus’ call to take up the cross is a comfort to the wounded, not a glorification of harm

Explore More

• R. Alan Culpepper, Mark: Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary
• M. Eugene Boring, Mark: A Commentary (New Testament Library)
• Cynthia Jarvis & Elizabeth Johnson, Feasting on the Gospels: Mark
• Ched Myers, Binding the Strong Man
• Brian K. Blount and Gary W. Charles Preaching Mark in Two Voices
• Craig A. Evans, Word Biblical Commentary: Mark 8:27–16:20

Link to episode recap: https://www.wesleyanthreads.org/blog/special-episode-recap-the-cross-is-not-a-flagpole

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In this special episode of Wesleyan Threads, Pastor Britt explores Mark 15 through the lens of trauma theory, wrestling with how suffering, abandonment, and survival shape the Passion narrative.

Drawing on insights from biblical trauma studies and theological voices like Jürgen Moltmann, this reflection invites us to see the scars of Christ not as signs of defeat, but as testimonies of enduring hope.

Recorded as part of the NT 501 final project at Candler School of Theology.

• Trauma theory as a lens for biblical interpretation
• Fragmentation, silence, and abandonment in Mark’s crucifixion narrative
• Resurrection as survival with scars
• Moltmann’s The Crucified God and the theology of wounded hope
• Living as a scarred and hopeful Christian community

This episode was created as part of coursework for NT 501: Introduction to the New Testament

Special thanks to Dr. Q and TA Allison for their support, encouragement, and guidance.

• Caruth, Cathy. Unclaimed Experience: Trauma, Narrative, and History. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996.
• Erikson, Kai. Everything in Its Path: Destruction of Community in the Buffalo Creek Flood. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1976.
• Garber, David G. Jr. "Trauma Theory and Biblical Studies." Currents in Biblical Research 14, no. 1 (2015): 24–44.
• Malbon, Elizabeth Struthers. "Gospel of Mark." In Women’s Bible Commentary, 3rd ed., edited by Carol A. Newsom and Sharon H. Ringe, 478–481. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2012.
• McDonald, Joseph. "Hermeneutics of Trauma and the Bible." Oxford Bibliographies in Biblical Studies, 2020.
• Moltmann, Jürgen. The Crucified God: The Cross of Christ as the Foundation and Criticism of Christian Theology.Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2015.
• Rich, Matthew A. "Between Text and Sermon: Mark 15:25." Interpretation 70, no. 2 (2016): 200–203.
• Stevenson, Peter K. "The Crucified God: Mark 15:25–39." Ministry Compass (2005): 149–164.
• West, Donald S. "How Is Jesus’s Cry from the Cross in Mark 15:34 Answered?" Expository Times 132, no. 8 (2021): 329–343.

Link to episode recap post: https://www.wesleyanthreads.org/blog/wound-yet-risen-special-episode-recap

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Summary:

This episode explores John Wesley’s life, not through a standard biography, but by focusing on the spiritual and pastoral crises that gave birth to the Methodist movement. Pastor Britt details the decline of the Church of England, Wesley’s formative experience with the "Holy Club" at Oxford, his transformative Aldersgate experience, and the organizational genius that allowed Methodism to flourish. The story emphasizes Wesley’s insistence that grace must be lived out in disciplined, communal life.

Key Topics Covered:

• Spiritual Decline in 18th-Century England
• The Oxford "Holy Club" and the Formation of Methodist Discipline
• The Aldersgate Experience and the Theology of Assurance
• Wesley’s Organizational Vision: Societies, Classes, and Bands
• Lay Leadership and Women’s Roles in Early Methodism
• The Move to America: Wesley’s Bold (and Controversial) Ordination

Reflection Questions:

• Where in your life have you experienced a "heart-warming" moment of assurance?
• How can churches today recover small-group discipleship for formation, not just fellowship?

Link to episode recap post: https://www.wesleyanthreads.org/blog/episode-2-recap-john-wesley-and-the-method-ist

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Summary:

In this opening episode, Pastor Britt introduces listeners to the distinct theological DNA of Methodism. Rather than beginning with John Wesley's biography, this episode explores what makes Methodism different from other traditions: a vision of grace that is not only free but transformative, a disciplined approach to Christian life, and an emphasis on practical discipleship. Rooted in the power of connectionalism and covenant community, Methodism is presented as a living tradition that continues to evolve in service of its mission — making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Key Topics Covered:

• Defining Methodism: Theology, Discipline, and Mission
• An Overview of Wesley’s Vision of Grace: Prevenient, Justifying, and Sanctifying Grace
• The Methodist Focus on Personal and Social Holiness
• The Role of Structured Discipleship (Classes, Societies, Bands)
• Connectionalism as a Core Value
• The Wesleyan Balance: Heart and Head, Faith and Works

Reflection Questions:

• What does it mean to live in response to grace, not just accept it?
• How can structure actually support spiritual growth rather than stifle it?

Link to episode recap post: https://www.wesleyanthreads.org/blog/episode-1-recap-what-makes-a-methodist

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