**15. Joint Service in the Name of Christ**

The second area through which Wesleyans and Orthodox Christians could travel together is joint service in the name of Christ. There are many areas of practical ministry in which the motivation for the "right action" of helping people who are materially poor does not matter. The person receiving shelter, food, a listening ear, or training in job skills can receive Christ's love, likely without caring much about whether that assistance was spurred by Wesley's instruction to visit the sick or Basil's admonishment to share resources.

Once, when he was asked if it was appropriate for Orthodox to support a local ministry, Archbishop Job of Blessed Memory replied: "There ain't nothin' wrong with Methodist soup." Behind this statement is knowledge that the world is full of suffering—so full of pain and need and want that no one group can respond to it all. Orthodox and Methodists should consider pooling their resources, bringing together their "time, talent, and treasure" to help effect greater change than they could on their own.

In Archbishop Job's statement is also the acknowledgement of the good in the other. Both traditions see Christ in the person who is materially poor. That shared perspective should allow Orthodox and Wesleyans to also see Christ in each other. There is potential, then, for Orthodox and Wesleyans to acknowledge their own differences but also to acknowledge the world's suffering and to choose partnership toward its alleviation (See Bria 1984, p. 67). This would be a profound witness to the world that the gospel is truly good news.

FOCUS North America is a wonderful example of this kind of joint service. "FOCUS" stands for both "Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve" and for "Food, Occupation, Clothing, Understanding, and Shelter." Through its nine Centers and national and state programs, FOCUS serves those living in poverty in the name of Christ. Although "Orthodox" is in the name, FOCUS is an organization that in its practicalities brings together not only Orthodox of different jurisdictions but non-Orthodox Christians and faith-based groups.<sup>6</sup> In doing so, it exemplifies the willingness to cooperate in whatever ways are possible for the sake of others, out of love for Christ.

### **16. Conclusions**

When it comes to evangelism, Eastern Orthodox and Wesleyan Christians share many positions. Both believe that Christians are called to evangelize, that through evangelism the Trinity is at work, that humanity has a responsibility and freedom in both offering and receiving evangelism, and that the result of evangelism is a transformation-in-process. There are, however, areas of difference as well; some are minor differences in emphasis, others are more significant, and at least one is a church-dividing issue. This difference does not mean, however, that Orthodox and Wesleyans cannot work together: through service to others and through dialogue which reminds them of their own core convictions, cooperative work is possible.

For the first time, the number of adults in the United States who report belonging to a church, synagogue, or mosque has fallen below 50%; all major subgroups are in decline, and nearly a third of respondents report "no religious affiliation" (Jones 2021). "Theological deconstruction" is a trending topic in Evangelical (and Exvangelical) circles (Vanderpool 2021). It is not uncommon to hear evangelism treated like a dirty word, a source of pain and not joy. What is the solution, for Orthodox and Wesleyans who believe that they are called to evangelism even in this climate?

εὐαγγέλιoν, the root word for "evangelism", is the combination of the words for "good" and "messenger". In this moment, when it seems that the world is full of people who have not experienced Christians as those who bring "glad tidings of great joy," an opportunity arises: Orthodox and Wesleyans can take this moment to truly and deeply listen to each other and to find their own voices as "good messengers" in the process. They can serve others in the name of Christ, proclaiming His love for each other and for all persons with unity-in-action. They can walk down parallel paths, together toward Christ.

**Funding:** This research received no external funding.

**Institutional Review Board Statement:** Not applicable.

**Informed Consent Statement:** Not applicable.

**Data Availability Statement:** Not applicable.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The author declares no conflict of interest.

#### **Notes**


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