Well, if you are reading this you are either a glutton for punishment or you love The Church, particularly The UMC. Welcome back. We can get through this.
In my previous post I lifted up the concern, frustration, and challenges before us. As a denomination we are divided, fearful, skeptical, and entrenched in the dark side of the church: politics. I can hear people everywhere, "Yeah, sign me up for that!" But here is the truth that we all know: the answer does not lie with General Conference, with denomination structure, or with the boards and agencies; it lies with the local church. Therein lies the problem: many of our local churches are messes also. They are entrenched and filled with fear, skepticism, division, and negativity. And we wonder why people aren't flocking to our doors?
At the denominational level we argue about everything from incandescent light bulbs to gay marriage. In our local churches we argue about everything from carpet colors to drums and coffee in the sanctuary. We mire ourselves in committee meetings and parking lot gossip. We have forgotten/lost touch with the main thing.
I remember back in 2002. This was the year that the MO East and MO West Annual Conferences were proposed to merge. As you might imagine, conference was filled with debates, questions, and skepticism. Then, I remember this older woman who stood up and made this statement: "the Main Thing is to keep the Main Thing the Main Thing." Profound, I know. But also true.
What is the Main Thing? I'm glad you asked. We often refer to it as "The Great Suggestion." Oh, sorry; my mistake. I mean "The Great Commission." Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt 28:19 NRSV). When and how did we as Christians forget this?
Look, I'm no Adam Hamilton and I don't have all of the answers. I'm still trying to get a grip on things in the church I serve. But I know that if we want a place to start, the Great Commission seems pretty foundational. Can we at least be unified about this? Can we lift up Jesus over our agendas? Or is it more likely that we begin arguing over what constitutes a disciple or what 10 step program we need to implement to make disciples. Worse yet, we form a committee to study for the next 4 years.
Maybe we can do it. Maybe we can turn things around and The UMC doesn't cease to exist in less than 50 years as is currently predicted. Maybe we can get back to the main thing.
I am hopeful.
I am a pastor in The United Methodist Church.
As the expression goes, "If I'm going down, I'm going down swinging."
Chris
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2 comments:
Amen!
It is strange that politics enters into every aspect of our denomination and/or church. Isn't our UMC's rules and regulations similar to the Laws instituted by the Jewish priests at their discretion above and beyond the Commandments that God gave Moses? So many things do not make sense to me when I know in my heart that God asks so little of us but to simply love our Lord with all our heart which enables us to help one another everyday of our lives. True love leads to compassion to spreading the Good News to bringing more believers unto our Lord. Such a simple request from Christ; however, most of us think that our life's choices are more important than Jesus' one big request for our own salvation. Hmmm ...
Buttons Jimerson
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