Faith That Warms the Heart

This week, I have been thinking a lot about faith as I prepare to start our new sermon series, Faith in Action, this Sunday. My faith has grown over the years, but my understanding of faith has too.

Early on, I thought faith was mostly about belief—knowing the right things about God, Jesus, and the Bible. Through seminary and many years of pastoral ministry, I have come to see that faith has a much deeper meaning.

One of the voices that continues to challenge me to grow in my faith is Father Richard Rohr. He challenges his readers to see faith as a matter of the heart, not just the head. He goes on to say: “head ideology, righteousness, opinionatedness, and insisting on the right or wrong words are all ways of avoiding the heart and staying in the head!” That resonates with me. It is easy to keep faith in the realm of ideas—debating doctrines, quoting Scripture, making sure we are “right.” But true faith moves beyond knowledge. It changes us. It softens us. It opens our hearts.

John Wesley had this kind of experience. He had been a deeply religious man for years—preaching, studying, even traveling as a missionary. But something was missing. Then one evening, as he listened to a reading from Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans, something shifted. He later wrote, “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation.” It was no longer just about what he knew in his head. His faith had moved into his heart, and it changed everything.

So, let me ask you: How do you define faith?

As we begin this new sermon series, I invite you to reflect on what faith means to you. Is it just about what you believe, or is it something more? Maybe faith is what moves us toward love, toward compassion, toward action. Maybe faith is what changes not only our minds but also our hearts.

I hope to see you Sunday as we explore what Jesus said about Faith and Action. 

With Gratitude,

Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC