William Willimon Audio Sermons William Willimon Blog William Willimon Weekly Column In his book Why I am a United Methodist, William Willimon writes: "I find that United Methodism has five great gifts to offer our troubled, but still blessed and beloved-by-God world: (1) Stress on the need for a personal, engaging, experienced relationship with Christ. (We can know Christ, not just know about Christ.) (2) The need for structure, discipline, and form in meeting the challenges of living a Christian life today. (Some things are too important to be left to chance.) (3) The importance of lifelong journey and self-exarni nation, assisted by others, in developing our lives in Christ. (We can actually grow and be better people than we are right now.) (4) The refusal to separate spiritual needs from human, material needs. (God loves whole persons, not just detached "souls".) (5) The stress upon the church, its proclamation, sacraments, and other "ordinary means of grace" against our rampant individualism and subjectivism. (Religion - the Christian one, that is - is not a private affair.)"