Joel V. webb
PASTOR – WRITER – Podcaster – THEOLOGIAN
“the sacramental life” is a space devoted to exploring the Christian faith through the lens of a sacramental worldview. Here, we approach Scripture, tradition, and daily life with the conviction that God’s grace is not only spiritual but also tangible, made visible and present in the ordinary, the material, and the liturgical. Drawing from the richness of historic Christianity, this blog reflects on how the sacraments, liturgy, and spiritual rhythms shape both our understanding of God and our participation in His ongoing work in the world.
Vita Sacramentum seeks to bridge academic reflection and pastoral care, offering insights that are thoughtful yet accessible, intellectually rigorous yet deeply devotional. It invites readers to encounter the divine in the fabric of everyday life, to see creation as charged with God’s glory, and to experience faith not merely as belief but as lived, embodied, and relational. Through study, meditation, and reflection on Scripture and tradition, this blog is a space for cultivating wonder, deepening devotion, and discovering the transformative power of a sacramentally attuned life.
Recent Blog Posts
Book Review: Rebirth of Orthodoxy
What is orthodoxy, and why does it matter?These are questions that many years ago Thomas Oden, who is now recognized during his lifetime as the preeminent Methodist theologian, and the father of a branch of theology called paleo-orthodoxy. We live in what...
Justice vs Justification?
Excess leads to error. An over extension of how God's sovereignty works leads to a once saved always saved mentality. An over extension of how human free will works leads to an eternal insecurity mentality. One thing that I have been noticing is his over...
Book Review: The Thrill of Orthodoxy
We live in a very pluralistic society. So much of the discourse is focused on “your truth, and my truth”, without ever asking the question, is there such thing as the truth? The question this begs as well is what is the response of the Christian faith? We...
How do we all engage?
I lead the music part of worship every week at my church. Music is an important element of worshiping God, and always has been in different ways. Something my wife told me shortly after we got married was that she misses older songs, especially those found in...
Berean Standard Bible – open source Bible?
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. - Acts 17:11 (BSB)I talked about Bible translations in a post a while ago, and...
got enchantment?
A key theme in the literary genre of fantasy fiction is that of enchantment, or being enchanted. It usually has a magical overtone by which someone or something is imbued with special power or qualities that makes them stand out from everything else around them....
When it starts to crumble
What do you do when everything that you know starts to fall apart?The reality of this is that it really shows you what your faith is built on. This question, and the reality of the last statement is really the crux of everything going with the...
Why Judgment?
Why does God judge?How could a God who is love possibly judge? Can these be reconciled? There are many in the Christian landscape who do not think so, and thus deny a key characteristic of God, His justice.So what is judgment, what is it's purpose, and how can...
To Reform, or Not to Reform?
Happy Reformation Day!Today marks the celebration of the day that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses, which while not desired by Luther kicked off the Protestant Reformation. During his time there were legitimate abuses and problems in the institution of the...
Imprecatory Psalms?
We all know that shifting uncomfortable feeling when someone in the room goes just a bit too far with a joke. That moment of silence when the tension can be cut with knife, and everyone is darting their eyes around, looking for some kinds of out. If...
Hi, my names is Joel
Joel Webb is an ordained Elder in the Free Methodist Church, and as a pastor, theologian, and writer explores the intersection of Scripture, historic worship, and spiritual formation through a sacramental worldview. He is committed to helping the Church recover theological depth and faithful worship practices as a means of shaping disciples in a polarized age. Through his preaching, published writings, and podcasts, Joel emphasizes the importance of Scripture in its historical context, the formative power of liturgical tradition, and the call of the Gospel to transform both individuals and communities. He lives with his family and pastors in Eastern Michigan where he enjoys reading, writing, teaching, and engaging in meaningful conversations about faith and culture.
Lead Pastor – Croswell FMC
Joel is lead pastor at Croswell Free Methodist Church. A liturgical and sacramental expression of Free Methodism that seeks to bring the beauty of Christian worship to the modern world.
