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The Passionate Jesus

Day1 host Peter Wallace's new book on the emotions of Jesus is, according to Marcus Borg, “An illuminating and powerful personal meditation." Ideal for personal or group study.

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The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter is Bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, headquartered in Lakeland, FL.

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United Methodist Church

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Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

United Methodist Church

Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church

Bishop Kenneth Carter is bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, headquartered in Lakeland, FL. Prior to his election as bishop in 2012, he served as Waynesville District Superintendent in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, a position he assumed in 2011.

For seven years he was senior pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC.

Ken is the author of several books and a contributor to many others, and he maintains a blog entitled “Bear Witness To The Love of God in This World”.   Most recently he contributed to The Wesley Study Bible, The Abingdon Preaching Annual,  and the Feasting On The Word commentary series.  Ken has spoken to groups across the country, and has preached in congregations ranging in size from very small mountain churches to congregations of more than five thousand members. 

He and his wife Pam have two daughters and their family also includes a young man from Haiti who is a student at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama.  Ken’s hobbies are exercise, listening to music, writing and reading.  He and his wife have enjoyed traveling to England, Ireland, Israel, Guatemala, Haiti, Canada and China, and supporting the pursuits of their daughters.


Latest Content by The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

Bishop Ken Carter: Always Being Reformed According to the Word of God

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

On the calendar that most of us live by yesterday was Halloween, and the sugar highs that strike at our brains render us almost helpless in thinking about anything else. I know that, but yesterday has another meaning as well and I wanted to reflect on that you. It is Reformation Day and whether we know it or not, this has shaped our lives in profound ways.

Read full article...
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

a christmas eve prayer for those who do not go to church

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)
       Lord, I don't go to church much.  I don't go at all...Well, I go at Christmas. I'm home then.  I feel drawn to it. I like the Christmas Eve service, the coolness of the air.  I feel like a child again...it's surreal. I know folks make fun of people like me.  What can I say?  I've drifted...but there is a pull back. Are You speaking to me? I hear something in the sermon, sometimes,  but mostly it's the music and the candles. What is it about those candles? And the darkness?The darkness...or maybe it's the light, I suppose.  Light and darkness. I know about light and darkness.  I live in both.  I've got some of both in me.  I'm basically a good person, I think,  but I struggle...I know about light and darkness.  But I want to be closer to the light.  I want to light that candle and sing those words: "And in the dark street shineth,  the everlasting light..." I would like to live in that light, Lord.I would like to come home.  I would like to be born again. Read full article...

Other Recent Content by The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

December 18, 2011

Call and Response

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

On this final Sunday in Advent, the Rev. Dr. Ken Carter examines the important role that Mary, the mother of Jesus, plays in the story of our faith, and encourages us to listen for God's call to do extraordinary things.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

December 11, 2011

The Hand of God on the Shoulder of a Troubled World

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

For Advent 3, the Rev. Dr. Ken Carter shares a theme woven through the texts for today: the theme of joy in the good news of the coming of Jesus Christ.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

October 20, 2011

to walk fast or to walk far

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a simple meditation on shared vision
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

September 29, 2011

conformity and the ten commandments

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

can we perceive the ten commandments to be more than doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

September 01, 2011

bearing fruit implies connection

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

the meaning of a friendship with jesus
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

June 15, 2011

by your spirit make us one

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

This is a Day1 Key Voice article by The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

May 20, 2011

a psalm for the end of the world, or not

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

four words of assurance in a unpredictable times
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

April 11, 2011

a very simple lenten spiritual practice

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

you really can do this
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

March 28, 2011

our hands are too full

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

what does it really mean to give up something for lent?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

March 14, 2011

t.s. eliot and the meaning of lent

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

rediscovering a resource for these 40 days
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

March 04, 2011

transfiguration

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a spiritual reflection on following jesus up and down the mountain
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

January 27, 2011

facing a decision

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

how recovering the ancient path is, paradoxically, the way into the future
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

January 16, 2011

remembering martin at the end of a violent week

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a holiday to remember martin, a preacher of the gospel of non-violence comes on the heals of a murder on our national public stage
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

December 24, 2010

A Christmas Prayer for Those Who Don't Go To Church

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a common prayer for christmas eve
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

December 16, 2010

the chaotic joy of a flash mob: do you hear what i hear?

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

an incognito choir in a mall food court can be a chorus of angels
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

December 10, 2010

the peaceable kingdom

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a prophet and a painter give us God's vision of peace
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

November 12, 2010

the renewal of the church

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

for those who care about the renewal of the church and wonder about its future
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

September 22, 2010

from preaching to meddling: the other six days

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

what happens when the gospel begins to shape the culture: when sunday begins to influence monday through saturday?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

August 26, 2010

shelter from the storm

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

remembering katrina, and reflecting on passage through the storms
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

August 17, 2010

how to leave a congregation: lessons from paul

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a personal statement about how to end a ministry
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

August 05, 2010

in necessary things, unity

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

how christians move beyond division to the heart of what is most important
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

June 30, 2010

jesus had a beard

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

retrieving a pastoral conversation about ministers, jesus and the appropriateness of growing a beard!
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

June 20, 2010

why the bp gulf ecological debacle was inevitable

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

the confluence of poverty and marginalization, greed and despair: it is enough to move one to sing the blues
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

June 05, 2010

summer reading: some unconventional possibilities

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

so, what are you planning to read this summer?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

May 30, 2010

why the trinity matters

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

it turns out that doctrine does, in fact, shape our daily lives
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

May 17, 2010

what is good for the world

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

what is good for the world is good for us, and not vice versa.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

April 30, 2010

the trouble with normal

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a bad week for goldman sachs, the pope, bp...and us
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

April 28, 2010

unChristian

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

what do those on the outside really think about christians, and where do these perceptions come from?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

April 14, 2010

not the church of your grandparents, or your grandchildren

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

why re-thinking church is a required exercise for all of us who care
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

April 01, 2010

betrayal

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

the relation of love to betrayal on holy thursday
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

March 08, 2010

overwhelmed and undernourished

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

what does communion really mean to you?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

February 26, 2010

the longings of a crazy heart

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

how country music expresses our need for redemption
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

February 19, 2010

"fargo" and the winter olympics

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

parallels between a great movie and a current television obsession
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

February 15, 2010

standing in the light

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

when we have stood in the light, we have a deep desire to see the light in other people.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

January 26, 2010

flawed thinking about haiti

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

the assumptions we make about haiti lead to particular outcomes: some good, some not so good
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

January 16, 2010

haiti and the strengths of the mainline chuches

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

in an already challenged country, recent developments call for our engagement, collaboration and prayers.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

January 14, 2010

personal reflection on haiti

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

random thoughts about the last 48 hours in haiti
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

December 19, 2009

is jesus real?

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

the question becomes: is any of this real?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

December 07, 2009

peace is possible

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

what does it mean to light the advent candle of peace, year after year? is peace possible?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

November 21, 2009

the critique of faith

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

why those most critical of the faith are in good company!
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

November 08, 2009

a detour through hot springs

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

making a virtue out of necessity by stopping by a small mountain town
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

October 24, 2009

climate change: should christians care?

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

October 24 is the International Day of Climate Action; should Christians care?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

October 05, 2009

without wilderness

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

watching the ken burns series on our national parks reminded me of a spiritual truth
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

Dr. Ken Carter: Churches and the Economic Crisis

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter, United Methodist pastor and author, shares practical insights for church leaders on dealing with money and stewardship in the midst of an economic crisis.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

September 27, 2009

To Make the Wounded Whole

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Ken Carter examines the spiritual practices mentioned in James 5--confession, intercession, and healing--and helps us understand how to practice them in the 21st century.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

September 08, 2009

who is my neighbor? health care in america

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

In a culture that is saturated with religious communication and obsessed with the topic of health care, why are we not talking about the parable of the good samaritan?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

August 30, 2009

a graveside service

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

a holy moment at the graveside service for ted kennedy
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

August 21, 2009

Can Mainline Christians Be Joyful?

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

what a mainline pastor learned, again, from african brothers and sisters
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

July 31, 2009

healing the health care debate

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

It's not that the government needs to get out of health care; it's that Christians need to get into it.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

July 21, 2009

help...stay away!

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

we often need help, and yet we resist the very help that we need.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

June 27, 2009

when icons are destroyed

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

A reflection on a difficult week in our popular and political culture.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

June 19, 2009

an arranged life

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

An unnoticed film reveals important truths about relationships and tradition.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

June 05, 2009

The Non-Violent Conscience

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The murder of a physician in a Lutheran sanctuary calls for renewed reflection on non-violence and the importance of conscience.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

May 19, 2009

who needs the church/the wisdom of crowds

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

I reflect on a basic question: why do we need the church?
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

May 15, 2009

Abortion, Torture and Integrity

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

I am reflecting on the varied issues that divide the church and yet call for consistency and, yes, integrity.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Article

May 07, 2009

Words, The Word and Getting on with Your Life

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

Ken Carter reflects on the importance of words, words that define who we are and words that send us forth into the world, in the context of a rainy graduation ceremony.
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

December 07, 2008

Our Patience, God's Peace

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter is pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

November 30, 2008

Our Hope, God's Faithfulness

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter is pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

Day 1 Podcast Extra-Carter

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

In this Day 1 Podcast Extra The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter, pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC., shares his personal insights and experiences.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

October 07, 2007

Increase Our Faith

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter reminds us that Jesus is with us wherever there is even the faith the size of a mustard seed and calls us to put our faith into action.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

September 30, 2007

Listening to Jesus

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter firmly reminds us, as did Jesus, that how we are to be judged by God is based on how we treat the poor.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter - Day1 Podcast Extra

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

In this podcast extra, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter, pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, shares his personal insights and experiences of preaching.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

September 03, 2006

Creation as the Labor of God

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter, pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, reminds us of the beauty of God's creation in the world around us.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

August 27, 2006

A Survival Strategy for the Spiritually Homeless

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Jr. is pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC. He reminds us of the solace available to us in God's house.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter Transcript

November 20, 2005

Our Spiritual Bottom Line

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter (UMC)

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Carter Jr., pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C., gives a thought-provoking sermon about judgment and the last day.