Christianity

Praying for the USA…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

Please don’t mistake me for a Christian Nationalist (although some probably will), but I am reminded this morning of the words of the Psalmist:

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
    and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33: 12 – 22 NIV)

Now is not the time for followers of Jesus to point fingers and ascribe blame. Now is the time for us to pray.

For my left-leaning friends, President Trump is not Hitler reincarnated and he is not an existential threat to our democracy. Stop saying he is. Please!

For my right-leaning friends, President Trump is not the savior nor the Savior of America. Stop treating him that way. Please!

Rather, as followers of Jesus, let us pray for our nation and our leaders. That’s what we’re instructed to do:

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,… (1 Timothy 2: 1 – 3. NIV)

Here is the question I have for my left-leaning friends: Did you pray for President Trump while he was in office? No? Then, shame on you! Are you praying for him now that someone has attempted to take his life? No? Then, shame on you!

Here is the question for my right-leaning friends: Are you praying for President Biden while he is in office? No? Then, shame on you! Are you praying for him now that the evidence of his cognitive decline is irrefutable? No? Then, shame on you!

Yes, I have my political biases and my political preferences. I will express those (although I’m guilty of occasionally expressing otherwise–yes, I repent) on Election Day at the ballot box. It makes us good citizens when we do.

In the meantime, I’ll recognize that President Trump was God’s man for God’s time (for whatever reason he was) while he was President, and I will treat him with the respect he deserves. I’ll also recognize that President Biden is God’s man for God’s time (for whatever reason he is) while he is President, and I will treat him with the respect he deserves. And, I will pray for them both…and their families…and our nation.

July 13, 2024 was a sad day in American history regardless whether we are right-leaning or left-leaning. Let us not, as those who say we follow Jesus, add to the division in our nation by joining in the expression of hateful political rhetoric (though both President Trump and President Biden make it so easy to do so). It is unbecoming of a disciple of Jesus, and it gives the Church a black eye when we do (guilty again–and again, I repent).

So, my rant is over. Will you join me in repentance? More importantly, will you join me in prayer?

Until next time, keep looking up…

The Coming Storm…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I heard some bad news this week that makes me think it really is only the first winds of the storm that is blowing on the horizon for the institutional church, especially as it presents itself in the local congregation.

What was the news? I heard that this past Sunday was a pastor’s last Sunday at one local congregation because the congregation could no longer pay the pastor’s salary. I hated to hear the news, especially for the pastor who was faithful to lead the congregation through the disaffiliation process of the United Methodist Church.

I don’t know all the details of the transition. I know it was, by all United Methodist standards, a successful church plant a decade ago. The departing pastor was not the founding pastor (that might have a little to do with it), but the fact that the local congregation could no longer pay the salary points to a financial reality that many congregations will be facing in the future.

The news got me to thinking about some of the challenges that the institutional church will face in the future…there really is a storm on the horizon.

Challenges on the Horizon

Inflation

Thanks to Covid and bad national economic policy, everything costs more these days. That means people have less money to give to the church, but it also means that utilities, sound equipment, cleaning supplies, office supplies…literally everything costs more.

When people are unable to give to the church because their personal expenses have gone up, the local congregation can’t keep up with its own expenses. Programs have to be cut, personnel costs have to be cut. The model for the local congregation is unsustainable.

Real Estate

What inflation has done to everything else, it’s also done to real estate. I suppose this challenge could have been included in inflation above, but I think it stands on its own. Real estate prices have risen disproportionately to almost everything else, which is good for homeowners, but not really good for anyone else.

Real estate becomes a problem for the institutional church when it comes to the prospect of church planting. How can a “traditional church model” of church plant afford real estate in today’s market? Or, how can a “growing” congregation afford to either build or relocate in today’s real estate environment?

Not to mention building restrictions that many municipalities are placing on property use. Municipalities lose millions of dollars of revenue when property is used for a church. Those municipalities aren’t liking that much anymore and planning and zoning commissions are limiting the number of churches in some areas…because the municipalities need more revenue, too.

Salaries

Salaries will definitely be a challenge for local congregations in the future. Well, the future is now! Thus, the example given above. The local congregation could no longer afford the pastor’s salary. So it will continue to be as inflation takes its toll on the economy.

Even large congregations will find themselves scaling back on personnel in order to sustain the cost of keeping the doors open. Let’s face it, there are a lot of pastors and church staff who weren’t making a living wage anyway. It’s only going to get worse.

Congregations will begin (have begun) the transition to bi-vocational ministers, and pastors will have to transition to bi-vocational because, I know for a fact, that pastors like to eat and live indoors. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with that transition. It might even be for the best—it puts the pastor out into the community with an opportunity to meet un-churched, de-churched and un-saved people instead of spending all of their time “tending the sheep” inside the church walls, or sitting eight hours a day in the office because the Church Council demands their “availability” to the congregation.

Honestly, though, when you start cutting church staff, programs suffer and today’s institutional church model is built around attractional programming.

Clergy Shortage

Okay, so even if a congregation can afford to pay a full-time pastor, where are they going to find said pastor? (For more on the clergy shortage, click here and here).

There is no longer a functional ministry pipeline from which to choose trained professional clergy.  Number one, people aren’t going to seminary in the numbers they were in the past. Seriously, they finally figured out that spending all that money for a seminary education wasn’t paying off.

Many people who feel called to ministry have figured out they can fulfill their calling in the non-profit world and get paid more for it. I know it’s not all about the money in ministry, but pastor’s still have to provide for their families.

Additionally, traditional denominations have provided a pipeline and pastors would “rise up through the ranks” to fill pastoral roles. Well, there are no ranks anymore in many denominations. Many denominations find themselves in “warm body syndrome” where they just need someone/anyone to fill a pastoral position. Yeah, the Holy Spirit is really in that process.

Another issue affecting the clergy shortage is the fact that the majority of clergy are near or past retirement age. I know! Retirement is not a biblical concept, but most retired clergy don’t have the energy and don’t really want to invest the time it takes to “grow” a church. Yeah, I’m probably just speaking for myself, but I’ve also heard it from other retired clergy who have been asked about serving full-time or even planting a church.

The clergy shortage makes the traditional institutional church model unsustainable.

Shrinking Attendance

Rev. Max Edwards, General Superintendent of the Evangelical Methodist Church, posted a link to an article in his weekly newsletter that is really eye-opening. Church attendance has been falling for generations and according to the article, shrinking attendance has costs far beyond the ability of a congregation to stay open.

Also, the article states that since the 1990’s, 40 million people have stopped going to church—that’s one in eight Americans, and in 2021, membership in houses of worship fell below the majority for the first time.

Yeah, I know! Covid, right? Covid only accelerated the decline. Most churches haven’t recovered their pre-Covid attendance. Most churches never will. Shrinking attendance makes the traditional model of the institutional unsustainable.

Disciple-Making Process

Okay, as one who served as a full-time pastor, I assume my share of responsibility for this one, but the local congregation has not been very good at making disciples. Most congregations don’t have an intentional disciple-making process.

For generations, it has been about programming for the local church and for the passing on of information as if we can just get enough information we can experience transformation.

Yeah, well it doesn’t work that way. Information does not equal transformation. Only the Holy Spirit can transform a person and I suspect we were so busy planning programming and designing ways to keep people’s attention that we forgot to leave room for the Holy Spirit.

Heck, we didn’t even disciple our children and that’s the very place we should excel most. Young people have left the traditional church in droves and they’re not coming back!

Unless and until a local congregation implements an intentional disciple-making process—a process whereby a person grows up in faith and holiness to engage their own gifts for ministry in service to the Kingdom—the local church/traditional brick-and-mortar model is going to be unsustainable.

The House Church

I think there is a legitimate answer for the challenges facing the local church and the institutional church. I don’t want to talk about a bunch of problems without offering some solutions.

I am evermore convinced that the answer to the “church” problem is to go back to the future—The House Church.

I don’t intend to lay out the Biblical justification for house churches in this blog (for that you can click here, here, here, here and here). But, let me offer some reasons that I believe the house church is the harbor in the storm facing the institutional church.

Here are some reasons I believe this:

No Professionals Needed

You don’t need a “professional” pastor in a house church. All that is required is for a person to exercise his/her gifts for ministry.

There is no need for a salary because it is not a “job” or means of support for anyone who is part of a house church. The ministry pipeline already exists in every house church. The members of the house church are the ministers—each one engaging in the use of their own giftedness supporting the body of Christ.

No need for M.Div’s or theological schools and no student loans to have to pay back. The primary expense of any local congregation is cut in half when no “professional” pastor is needed.

Real Estate

In a house church, real estate is not an issue. You already own it (unless you rent, of course). What’s more, the government can’t shut you down in the next pandemic. The cost of maintaining a place of worship no longer exists because you’re going to live in your house anyway.

It’s More Evangelistic

Trust me, it’s easier to invite someone to your house for a Bible study than it is to invite them to a church building for worship.

With a house church, you can meet in the local coffee shop (a house church doesn’t necessarily limit one to a literal house) for prayer. Someone will see you praying and it will open the door for a conversation with someone present who desires/needs prayer.

Honestly, many existing local congregations, including many who disaffiliated from the UMC, are really Sunday school classes that own property. What if all those “Sunday school classes” transitioned to house churches and sold their property and gave all the money to missions—of course, that would have to mean the local congregation had a focus and passion for missions, but that’s for another blog.

The church becomes infinitely more accessible under a house church model in today’s culture—more accessible than a traditional church ever will be again.

Financially Sustainable

A house church doesn’t need gazillions of dollars to sustain itself. There are no salaries, no church staff, no buildings to maintain, no church vans or buses to pay for. The only need for money comes in the resourcing, and there are abundant resources for house churches whose costs can easily be shared by those attending.

Quickly Scalable

Because house churches are not dependent on large investments of money, and because they are only limited by the real estate that its members already own, it becomes simple to multiply and replicate.

So, your house can only accommodate 20 people? Cool! Start another house church!

Intergenerational

The church was/is meant to be intergenerational. The house church is specifically meant to be so. Yes, everyone stays together. Everyone prays together. Everyone sings together. Everyone studies together.

This is the absolute best example of disciple making for your children. We pray with our children and for our children…and they pray for and with us. That’s the way it is supposed to be.

We were never supposed to send our children to children’s church or our youth to youth services. Worship is meant to be intergenerational.

Tell me, really? Why does the “traditional” church model have “youth ministry” at 5 p.m. on Sunday, yet they don’t have any ministries at the same time for adults…or children…or anyone else?

And, really? We want the church to do for our children and youth what the Bible says parents are supposed to do? The home is now, and has always been, the greatest incubator of faith.

Like Hurricane Beryl in the Gulf of Mexico this past week, all the signs pointed to the storm that was coming. The signs are on the horizon for the local church. How will local congregations (and the institutional church) prepare for the storm ahead?

An Invitation

May I invite you to pray with me? Pray for the many local congregations that are struggling with their future. They have looked toward the horizon and see the storm brewing but are unsure how to prepare. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead them into His future for them…and pray that the congregation will be open to the Holy Spirit.

Also, pray with me about The House Church Movement. The House Church Movement was a vision the Lord gave me back in 2020, but it has been on the back burner (I rather called it “paused”) for a couple of years. I am praying to discern if now is the time to re-launch the Movement.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment below, and if you live in the northwest Louisiana area and would be interested in being a part of a re-launch, I’d love to hear that, too. All it takes is two:

20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18: 20 NIV)

Until next time, keep looking up…

A Glimpse Inside a Preacher’s Mind…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I went to church last Sunday. I heard a good sermon from a good preacher. These former United Methodists, though, they are in uncharted waters. The preacher who was preaching was doing so “in view of a call” to be the church’s pastor. The congregation was handing out ballots so the people could vote. It just seemed all so Baptist to me, but we are living in a new world as former United Methodists, aren’t we?

A Critical Mind

I did what I usually do when I attend worship where I’m not preaching. I critiqued the sermon. Don’t judge me! I suspect it is what most preachers do when they attend worship. They’ll probably tell you otherwise, but only a few (those really holy few) really mean it.

What is there to critique? Well, there is first the choice of text. Unless the preacher is preaching from the Revised Common Lectionary, I wonder why the preacher chose the text he/she chose. Did the preacher spend time in deep prayer and devotion and was moved by the Spirit to preach this text? Or, did the preacher just pull out an old sermon, dust it off, freshen it up and preach it?

Next, I can usually find a reason to critique the points of the sermon. “Well, I don’t know if I would have included that in the message.” “Interesting direction he/she took with that point.” “That application doesn’t really work with that point.” “I think I could have found a better illustration for that point.” And on it could go…

Then, I can usually find a critique of the preacher’s exegesis. Exegesis is one of those three dollar theological words that simply means “read out of.” It is taking the biblical text and bringing out the meaning, rather than reading meaning into the text.

Let me see if I can say it another way: Reading into the text (called eisogesis) would be like saying, “This is what the text means to me.” Reading out of the text would be saying, “This is what the author meant when he wrote the text.” There is a world of difference between the two.

Finally, I can usually find a critique or two on the preacher’s delivery. The preacher’s dress code, the preacher’s cadence, the preacher’s inflection, the preacher’s diction. And, on it could go…

Not to worry, though. I know that when I preach to a congregation that has other preachers in it, I’m probably getting the same treatment. Nonetheless, we preach on in spite of the critique. And, seriously, the guy is a good preacher and he preached a good sermon. That’s what you do when you’re preaching in view of a call (it still sounds strange saying that as a Methodist).

A Thoughtful Mind

How do I know the sermon was a good sermon? Because it was thought-provoking. The notes I made from the message cover the worship folder from the service.

The scripture for the message was Matthew 14: 22 – 33–

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

So, here’s your opportunity to get a glimpse into how my mind works when I’m listening to someone else preach.

Thinking About Peter

The preacher’s message prompted me to look at the event from Peter’s perspective. My first thought was, “I wonder how many steps Peter took on the water?” Did he take one and then began to sink? Did he take ten before he began sinking? Even if he took one step, what a miracle that is because people don’t walk on water!

Also, Peter was actually willing to get out of the boat. What a risk of faith! Those who are willing to take the risk of faith generally reap the greatest rewards. Seems like there is a sermon in there to me. I’ll come back to this note another day. Yeah, I know, John Ortberg wrote an entire book about it. Nonetheless, I can put my own spin on it.

Peter, even in the midst of great faith, exhibited doubt and fear. No one is perfect…not even Peter…even as great as his faith was. Even the greatest among us can be overcome by doubt and fear…even in the midst of a miracle. Maybe it’s in the midst of a miracle that the devil shows up to do his most deceptive work?

Thinking About the other Disciples

I also think about the disciples who remained in the boat. I first got the impression that the disciples who remained in the boat are like most followers of Jesus. We are unwilling to take the risk of faith. The safest place is in the boat in the middle of the storm.

Interestingly, though, even disciples who aren’t willing to take the risk of faith still reap the benefit from those who do. They witnessed the miracle of Peter walking on water and of Jesus calming the storm. See how much difference one person’s faith can make? Yeah, probably a sermon in there, too. I’ll hold on to this note.

Thinking About Jesus

Of course, this is one of the Gospels, so what is most important is what do we learn about Jesus? First, Jesus is in the storm. That doesn’t mean Jesus causes the storm. It just means He’s there. Probably a sermon in there somewhere, too.

Not only is Jesus in the storm, sometimes He calls us into the storm. Yeah, I could do an entire sermon on our uniquely American name-it-and-claim-it prosperity gospel with this as an example of how we don’t need to avoid the “storms of life.” Jesus is there in the storm and He calls us to join Him there. It is where faith is built and miracles happen.

Jesus also gives us a powerful example of the spiritual disciplines of prayer and solitude. He went away alone (as was often His want) to pray. Jesus’s power was rooted in His relationship with His Father. I’m not so sure that this is not the most important point of the encounter. Jesus was sustained by this relationship, and all He accomplished He accomplished because of His connection to His Father. Exegesis (see above) proves this point well. Yeah, there’s a sermon in there.

One final thought I noted was the simple fact that Jesus is our salvation. Whether we are in the storm or in the boat, it is Jesus who saves us. Jesus saved Peter from the doubt and fear he experienced in the storm (while he was walking on water, I might add), and Jesus saved the other disciples when He calmed the storm once He got into the boat. Perhaps this is the most important point of the encounter–Jesus saves!

A Hopeful Mind

See? I told you it was a good sermon. No, the preacher didn’t make all these points in his sermon (it would be insufferably long if he did!). The sermon was good enough to get me to think all those things. So what if I might have gone a different direction? So what if the preacher’s diction wasn’t the greatest? So what if…? So what?

I left challenged to think more deeply about this event and its implications in my life and the life of the Church. I left asking more questions about Jesus and wanting to find the answers. That’s what good sermons do. I can only pray that my sermons are that good, too.

So now, you’ve had a brief glimpse into how the mind of a preacher works…or, at least how this preacher’s mind works. Please don’t judge me. I am, after all, not the perfect pastor.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Oh! How the Mighty Have Fallen…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

Bad news breaks hard, and unfortunately, bad news has been breaking hard for the Church for a few weeks now.

A Run of Bad News

First, return to late April. News broke of the suicide of a pastor’s wife in South Carolina (click here for a deeper dive into the story). Pastor John Paul Miller’s wife, Mica, allegedly took her own life after filing for divorce from her husband. The story reveals a tumultuous and allegedly abusive relationship between the pastor and his former wife. Newsnation has a series of reports on the entire ordeal (it can be found here). No matter the issues involved, it is a sad, sad story.

Second, on June 13th, it was announced that Dallas area megachurch pastor Tony Evans was stepping down from the church he helped found nearly 50 years ago over an “unnamed” sin. Dr. Evans had also built a flourishing media ministry through his Urban Alternative ministries. Dr. Evans was/is quite the celebrity among evangelical Christians, and the loss of his pulpit and ministry influence is a sad, sad story.

Third, news broke on June 18th, that Rev. Robert Morris, founding/senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, TX, had resigned his position as a result of accusations of sexual abuse and assault reaching back over 30 years ago. Rev. Morris had, in his own right, established a growing media ministry and exercised a strong influence among evangelicals just as Dr. Evans. Again, for his congregation and for the Church, his is a sad, sad story.

Finally, on a note not related to the Church/church, but closer to me personally (and reflective of the destructive nature of sin), I saw reports that a former co-worker had been arrested for crimes of a sexual nature. The accused and I worked together at the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office in another lifetime. I haven’t seen or talked to him in years, but the breaking news brought an overwhelming sadness to my heart because it, too, is a sad, sad story.

Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty! Although, both Evans and Morris resigned as a result of the allegations, so there is that. Rev. Miller (who I think has been relieved of his duties as pastor) hasn’t yet been charged with any crime, and my friend is yet to be tried for his alleged crime.

King David’s Lament

In each of these instances, I am reminded of David’s song in 2 Samuel 1:

19 “A gazelle lies slain on your heights, Israel.
    How the mighty have fallen! (2 Samuel 1: 19 NIV)

David, ever the song writer, expressed his deep emotion regarding the death of his adversary (King Saul) and his friend (Jonathon). Though many have since uttered the phrase in celebration over the fall of the famous or influential, David sang it as a deep lament.

I won’t rehash David’s relationship with King Saul or Saul’s son, Jonathon, here. You can read 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel:1 for the full story. Let’s just say David’s relationship with King Saul was challenging. King Saul sought numerous times to have David killed and David had numerous occasions to kill Saul and assume the throne he knew to be rightly his. Yet, David chose to wait for God’s timing and he never failed to view Saul as the Lord’s anointed.

Upon hearing the news of both Saul and Jonathon’s demise, David’s heart broke because to him, it was not a time to celebrate, but it was, in fact, a sad, sad story.

Unfortunately, there are many outside the church who are celebrating the fall of the mighty. It gives them an opportunity to point to Christians and say, “Look, just a bunch of hypocrites!” Unfortunately again, they would be correct. We are, for the most part, a bunch of hypocrites. That’s why we need grace. That’s why we need Jesus. That’s central to the message of our faith. Too many outside the faith don’t understand that fact, and that, too, is a sad, sad story.

There are also some within the church who celebrate fall of the mighty. The celebration comes from those mostly outside the evangelical community who have an opportunity to say, “See, I told you so! Just a bunch of hypocrites.” And, they would be correct. It affords them a chance to say, “At least I’m not like that publican, over there” (Luke 18:9-14). Nothing like attacking our own. Why do we do that?

Lessons to Learn

I’m going to choose to learn some lessons from David in these particular situations.

Reserve Judgment

First, I’m going to reserve judgment. I’m not going to judge either the person or circumstance. David consistently withheld his own personal judgment in regard to his relationship with King Saul. He knew that God would judge Saul and his circumstances in His own time. David trusted God enough to wait. If David can do that, so can I.

I wait to offer any judgment because I remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount:

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7: 1-5 NIV)

There’s just something about that whole log and speck thing that slows me down when it comes to rendering judgment in any way. I’ve come to believe that we all have logs in our eyes…everyone of us have LOGS in our eyes. The log in your eye only looks like a speck to me because of the log in my eye, and the speck you see in my eye only looks like a speck because you can’t see around the log in your own eye.

The truth is I don’t want to be too hard on others because it means others will be too hard on me. We Christians believe in this little thing called forgiveness, and we work toward reconciliation and restoration, or at least we’re supposed to. Forgiveness is hard (especially in some of the circumstances above), but it is nonetheless demanded by those of us who follow Jesus.

Yes, accountability is necessary, and accountability will work itself out through the legal process (as it should). There are always consequences to sin. I suspect that each person whose name is in the news recently is experiencing that accountability first-hand. I’m willing to let that process play out without rendering judgment against the persons. I trust God enough to do that.

Respect the Person

Second, I’m going to respect the person. Honestly, I don’t know Pastor Miller. Never heard of him before the news of his wife’s suicide made national headlines. I feel reasonably certain there are folks who are standing with him during this tragic time, and that he has had a positive impact on lives under his care as a pastor (maybe not…I really don’t know). As far as I know, he hasn’t been implicated in any way in his wife’s death, but the “gossip” is rampant that it was his abuse that drove her to it.

I’ll choose to believe that no matter what, he has had a positive impact on someone, and I’ll celebrate that in the midst of my own sadness over the circumstance.

The same is true with Evans and Morris. Both have had a profound impact of the evangelical church over the past 20 years. They have positively impacted many lives through the ministry the Lord entrusted to them. I will choose to look at that impact and celebrate the goodness of God in those circumstances, even as I lament the sadness of their current circumstances.

And, I don’t know what my former co-worker’s life has been like over these past 35 years. But, I remember him as dedicated public servant who was funny and hard-working, and didn’t have an evil bone in his body. I’m going to celebrate those memories even as I lament the sad, sad nature of the tragic circumstances surrounding his arrest.

Our Work to be Done

The sad news of the past few weeks also serves to remind me that the Church/church has work to do.

Accountability

First, we in the church must practice accountability better, and we must submit ourselves to be accountable to one another. I’ll confess this has been a challenge for me in recent years (since I left vocational ministry). Previously, there were built in relationships that helped shape accountability in my life. As vocational ministry has grown smaller in my rearview, those relationships have likewise faded.

We must be intentional in accountability. That’s one reason I’m a Wesleyan. Wesley’s model of accountability (bands, classes, societies) is an effective model of discipleship when executed properly (and when submitted to properly). The practice of accountability is part and parcel to our pursuit of holiness, and we Wesleyans, if we’re not pursuing holiness, should be doing nothing else.

Prayer

Second, we must pray for those in circumstances like these. I think it was Oswald Chambers who said praying for others is the surest way to discover one’s own salvation. Not only to discover it, but also to live out the holy life to which one is called.

We must pray for every person involved in the situations…for the accused, for the victim/accuser, for their families, for the church. Praying for them helps us not lose sight of the hurt that affects everyone, and it reminds us that both victim and accused are people of sacred worth who are made in God’s image.

Naming Sin

Finally, we must name sin for what it is. Excuse me for saying it this way, but we can’t “poo-poo” sin. We can’t make light of it. We can’t sweep it under the rug. We can’t call it by any other name. Sin is destructive. It destroys lives and there are four very recent examples that leave very little doubt.

Sexual sin appears to be the Devil’s chosen means of destroying Jesus’s Church (and people in general). Folks, we’ve got to put guardrails in place to protect ourselves and the Church from sexual sin (well, all sin, but particularly sexual sin). The Devil has control of the culture and he is using that control to bring down the Church. We have to open our eyes to that reality.

For the Church to call out sin is not to render judgment. The Bible is relatively clear on the matter of sin and for the Church to call it out as such is to be faithful to Scripture. Judgment is the Lord’s, but the Lord has given His Church His Word. It is His Word that renders the judgment, not us as individuals.

I know this post may elicit some negative feedback. That’ll be okay. I won’t judge those who do. I’ll take it all in stride and include it as part of my continuing lament for the current climate of culture and news.

I’ll also remember that someone could someday be saying about me, “Oh! How the mighty have fallen.” Except I’m afraid they’ll be celebrating when they say it.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Happy Father’s Day!

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Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! I did a blog honoring mothers on Mother’s Day, so I should return the favor to dads on Father’s Day. In that blog (read it here), I reflected on the mothers who were influential in my life, but I kind of did that previously (here and here) for dads, so I don’t feel the need to repeat all that again.

Someone asked me this week, “What are your plans for Father’s Day?” I answered, “Go to church, eat lunch and take a nap.” Sounds like a pretty good plan to me. I think that for most fathers the routine of a typical Sunday is perfectly fine for them. It’s not that we don’t appreciate the warm and loving gestures of our wives and children, it’s just that we view the Hallmark holidays a bit differently.

We view days like today differently because men are different. I don’t care what our culture has been trying to tell us for the past 50 years, men and women are different. It has been that way since the beginning:

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

Yeah, I could now launch into a long essay on how men and women are different from a biblical perspective, but if you’re reading this you probably don’t need my persuasion. Most of you probably already agree with me.

I also could expound on the impact that feminist ideology, and now trans ideology, has had (and continues to have) on culture’s view of fatherhood, but again, most of you probably don’t need my persuasion and most of you would agree with me.

I could connect feminist and trans ideology to Marxist ideology that has at its core the destruction of the nuclear family (see here if you don’t believe me). It really is eerie how that ideology is being played out before our eyes in today’s cultural climate. I won’t do that here, though, because most of you reading this already see it and you would agree with me.

Besides, doing so would be too much like work, and it’s Father’s Day. Most fathers would rather simply go to church, eat lunch and take a nap.

So, I’ll just say Happy Father’s Day to all our fathers, and I’ll leave you with a Facebook meme I saw this week that pretty much sums it up for me:

I leave that with you because it is what your children need. It is what your wife needs. It is what your church needs. It is what our culture needs.

Happy Father’s Day!

Until next time, keep looking up…

“Value-Added” Faith…

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It is always good to be with friends! I met a friend for coffee this week and the course of the conversation soon turned to our common journey of vocational ministry.

My friend mentioned a sermon he recently heard that challenged him. After our conversation, I was challenged, too.

A Moment of Conviction

Well, challenged is not really the correct word. Conviction is more appropriate in this case. The message of the sermon my friend heard, and the subsequent course of our conversation, centered around the nature of the gospel we have preached in our years of ministry.

It basically comes down to asking, “Have we preached a ‘value-added’ faith?” What do I mean?

“Value-added” faith is, in essence, coming to Jesus for what we can get out of it. Need a better marriage? Come to Jesus. He’ll fix your marriage. Want to be a better parent? Come to Jesus. He’ll make you a better parent. Financial problems? No worries! Follow these six biblical principles and soon your financial problems will straighten out. You get the picture.

Get Jesus…and this is the value He will add to your life!

And there was where the conviction came in! I am guilty of preaching a “value-added” faith. I also must confess that I didn’t do it occasionally, I did it often.

Enough with the Excuses

Don’t get me wrong, I have several excellent excuses. First, of course, is my desire to be relevant because if the preacher isn’t relevant, what good is he? How many sermons and sermon series have I designed based on topics rather than scripture? Too many, I’m afraid.

I looked back through my preaching calendars over the years. Here are the titles to a few sermon series I preached:

  • Breaking Bad (Circumstances, Decisions, Attitudes, Relationships)
  • Connected (Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter [X], Texting)
  • Faith and Politics (Culture, Leadership, Role of Government)
  • Inside Out (Series on mental health)

I also looked back through the files for sermon titles. Again, here is what I found:

  • Learning How to Love
  • Living in Shades of Gray
  • Practical Advice for Surviving the Season
  • Priorities of Life
  • Racing is Life

There are too many others to list here, but you get the gist. They are all designed to speak to the value of having Jesus in one’s life. The routine was choose the topic, find a passage or two of scripture and craft a sermon that would be “relevant” to the congregation.

Another excuse is that I thought (or was taught) that in order to reach people with the gospel, sermons had to address a “felt need” in the listener (congregation). Actually, “felt need” and relevance are close cousins as you can see from the sermon and series titles above.

A “felt need” can be:

  • Financial security
  • Stability
  • Love
  • Peace
  • Stress (worry)
  • Loneliness

Again, the routine was to discover a “felt need”, find a passage or two from scripture and craft a message that would address that “felt need.” Sometimes it worked. Often times, it didn’t.

No matter how many times I sought relevance or addressed a felt need, the congregation always left pretty much like they came–at least time and reflection has proven it to be so. The Church in culture has been on the decline for generations. I’m not so sure that it isn’t because we preachers of the gospel have too often chosen relevance over honesty, felt needs over accountability. Perhaps it is only part of the reason.

I don’t mean to insinuate that my friend does that, or indict any other pastors. I speak purely from my own experience, and the conviction is mine and mine alone. Although, as I’ve conducted a few Google searches I can say there are a lot of sermons on the internet that, based on the title, are seeking the same end.

Having acknowledged my fault and repented of my failures, may I share a commitment for the future?

A Call to Surrender & Sacrifice

I believe what the Church (and the world) needs now more than ever is an honest, simple presentation of the Gospel. The world and the Church need to hear the Truth in a simple, straightforward way. I am reminded of the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

“The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death—we give over our  lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time—death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at his call.” (The Cost of Discipleship, 99)

Bonhoeffer only echoes the words of Jesus to the ruler in Luke’s Gospel:

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22).

Or, of what Jesus told His disciples (also in Luke’s Gospel):

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25).

The call of the Gospel, the call of Jesus Christ, the call to discipleship is a call to die to self, a call to surrender, a call to sacrifice. I fear I have not preached that enough. I fear that I have not lived that enough. I fear that is part of the reason the Church is where it is in culture today. I am heartily sorry for my part in bringing the Church to that place.

The message of the Gospel is self-surrender, not self-help. I’ve yet to see a “self-surrender” section in any local bookstore. Surrender and sacrifice are not popular topics in today’s culture. Perhaps those topics will be a little more relatable if I untuck my shirt and wear skinny jeans while preaching them. Yeah…perhaps not (this body wasn’t made for skinny jeans!).

This blog has gotten way too long, so let me close with my commitment to do better in my preaching. I’ll do my best to “give ’em Jesus.” He’s relevant enough. I’ll trust the Holy Spirit to do His work if I do mine.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Embracing Opportunities: A Bright Side to the United Methodist Church Situation

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What? Another blog post on the situation in the United Methodist Church? From someone who left the United Methodist Church? Can’t you please just move on?

Yes, I probably should move on, but honestly, it’s hard to simply walk away from an institution that was an integral part of my life for over 50 years…an institution that shaped me spiritually and theologically…an institution in which I still have many friends and acquaintances…an institution that I loved for so, so long. That, and when I write a blog about the United Methodist Church, my readership generally explodes, so there’s that!

Everyone (well, almost everyone) who reads my blog is reasonably familiar with the recent decisions of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church that has many UM traditionalists reassessing their prospects of remaining United Methodist, so I’m not going to rehash those General Conference decisions here. You can find all the information you want here and here if you need to revisit those decisions.

What I am going to suggest to my traditionalist friends who adopted the “wait and see” approach (and now find themselves considering what’s next) is that you may be in a season of wonderful opportunity, and to encourage you to embrace the opportunity that lies before you. I’m suggesting there really is a bright side to the situation in which you find yourself.

Opportunity #1

If you are a traditionalist in the United Methodist Church, the recent decision of General Conference has forced you to the margins of both the institution and the culture. Being on the margins is a good thing. The Church has always flourished best on the margins.

You are now in conflict with “the system.” Well, that’s exactly where Jesus was when he established His ministry on earth. The “power” dynamic has flipped. That’s a scary (and terribly uncomfortable) place to be. Traditionalists have been accustomed to palace living. What do I mean?

Ever since the Edict of Milan in 313 A. D. (when Emperor Constantine “legalized” Christianity), the institution of the Church has enjoyed relatively “favored” status in the culture. The palace (the power structure) looked favorably on the Church. Likewise, traditionalists were part of the structures that maintained the institution. It is relatively safe to say with GC’s recent decisions, that is no longer the case. You are on the margins.

Should you and your congregation choose to remain in the United Methodist Church, you and your congregation can be like “a voice crying in the wilderness” (John 1:23, et. al), or as a remnant left behind in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 52) to tend the vineyards and till the soil.

Opportunity #2

If you are a traditionalist congregation in the UMC, you may now be forced to deal with your “edifice complex.” You now have to assess just how much your property is worth to you. That is a good thing.

The Church has never been about a building or property. The Church has always been about people.

Yes, I know it is sad that you, your forefathers and foremothers poured your life and soul into a building and property. You made the investments. You raised the money. You made the commitment to pay the debts.

Your parents and grandparents were buried there. Your children were baptized there. You were married there. There are too many memories to count. That property carries a ton of emotional weight and the prospect of walking away from it generates an equal amount of grief.

Considering the emotional worth of your property forces a reflection on the purpose and mission of the Church, and that is a very good thing.

It can take the focus off the parking lot and put the focus on people. It can take the focus off the color of the carpet and place it on the process of discipleship. It can provide the opportunity to create new spaces that will be attractive to new people.

Can you imagine what a church budget would look like if 50% of it was dedicated to evangelism rather than light bills and maintenance?

Yes, leaving your property will require sacrifice (and it will seem totally unjust), but what is the Christian life apart from sacrificial living? The greater the sacrifice, the greater the blessing. What is the price of faithfulness?

And, who knows? Walk away from your property for a season and you might be able to purchase it back in the future for pennies on the dollar. I recall a time in the not too distant past when a particular Annual Conference was begging cemetery associations to form legal entities so it could unload abandoned properties and get them off the AC’s books.

Tons of abandoned properties will soon be an albatross around the necks of many Annual Conferences. Some have even explored the possibility of hiring additional Conference staff just to manage the properties. That will get old (and expensive) really quickly.

Seriously, beyond a few properties (mostly in downtown areas valued by real estate developers), there is little value in church property, especially if there is a cemetery attached to it.

You are being given that opportunity to revisit the purpose and mission of your congregation. Embrace the opportunity.

Opportunity #3

I believe that traditionalist congregations in the UMC are now being given the opportunity to rely on God in a new way. In the past, congregations had a power structure (the Annual Conference) that it depended upon for direction and connection. A departure from the power structure brings a new freedom to listen to the Lord for direction.

In the past, top down decisions dictated the direction and the leadership of a congregation. I am intimately familiar with one former UMC congregation who is living this reality even now. In the “good old days,” if they needed a pastoral change they conferred with the District Superintendent and the issue was resolved.

Now, in their search for a new pastor, the prayer life of the congregation has increased dramatically. Everyone is praying for the congregation’s leadership as they navigate the new waters of pastoral selection. They are living in an era of reliance on God in ways they never had to before. That is an amazingly good thing!

The congregation is out of its comfort zone, and that is the place where great things can happen.

One Consideration

One thing that I’ve been reflecting on has me concerned. It may surprise you. It is the name “Methodist.” Yes, what an amazing heritage and history! I have always been honored to be called Methodist, even if (or especially because) it was originally a derogatory reference.

I am concerned for all in the Wesleyan family who carry the name Methodist because the observing world doesn’t distinguish between those in the Methodist family. The world doesn’t know the difference in a United Methodist, an Evangelical Methodist, a Free Methodist, a Wesleyan Methodist or a Global Methodist. The world only sees “Methodist.”

The challenge is for all of us to be intentional in communicating who we are to a watching world. Of course, that should have been the challenge all along.

A Final Word

There are probably more opportunities for congregations. These are just the ones I’ve thought about as I’ve reflected on the situation. If you know more, please include them in the comments for others who might read the blog.

Traditionalists, you wanted to “wait and see.” Well, you waited and now you’ve seen. It is time to make a decision about where God is calling you in the future. Embrace the season. Embrace the challenge. Embrace the opportunity. But always, keep looking on the bright side!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Them’s the Breaks…

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Well, when you plan to go see your daughter out of town and you leave work and forget your computer, you take it as a sign the Lord doesn’t want you to write what you were planning on writing. Or, you take it as a sign that you needed the weekend to focus on other things. Either way, there is no meaningful blog this week. Just me rambling about nothing.

So, y’all have a great weekend, and remember what this weekend is all about. A great shout of appreciation to those who gave all for our nation and freedom.

Maybe I’ll write that blog I was planning today next week.

Until next time, keep looking up…

My Lesson from a Battleship Sermon…

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So, I’ve often told folks that I never preach a sermon that I haven’t first preached to myself. In large part that’s true…but not always. It wasn’t necessarily true this week when, in the middle of a sermon I was preaching, the Holy Spirit convicted me on a deep, deep level on a matter I had not previously considered.

Going on a “Journey”

I had the blessed opportunity to preach on Thursday evening to the gathered body at the last “Journey” session for the Evangelical Methodist Church in Copperas Cove, Texas.

What is a “Journey” session? For all my former United Methodist (and present UM) friends, think Annual Conference. “Journey” is the time of year when EMC pastors and laity gather for meetings, business, worship and encouragement.

The theme of the evening was “Be Watchful,” and the passage of scripture around which the Journey session was framed was Paul’s departing speech to the elders from the church at Ephesus in Acts 20:

28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

I chose as the text for my message Ephesians 6: 10 – 20:

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

Bermuda Shorts and Battleships

I’ll do my best to make a long story short. The title of my message was “Wearing Bermuda Shorts on a Battleship,” with the point being that many people come to Jesus expecting life to be a cruise ship when, in fact, we are boarding a battleship. We have to have the correct attire for the occasion. We must put on the full armor of God to be prepared for life as a disciple, otherwise it’s like wearing Bermuda shorts on a battleship.

The full armor of God is, of course, Jesus Himself. He is our salvation. He is our righteousness. He is our peace. He gives us the gift of faith. He is Truth. He is the Word made flesh. We must clothe ourselves in Christ and we do so through prayer. And, that’s where the Holy Spirit convicted me in the middle of the message.

I was bringing the message to a crescendo (don’t you like that word?) with these words:

“Friends, we don’t strap on a Colt 45 and look for some evil to confront. Evil will find us on its own. Our battle is won or lost on the field of prayer. We cannot advance, let alone win the spiritual battle, if we are not empowered with prayer. We need to pray for each other. We need to pray for protection from the evil one. We need to pray that God would guard our moral lives and protect our people from moral failure. We need to pray for the strengthening of families in our church. We need to pray for love and unity within the church. We need to pray for wisdom to discern false teaching. We need to pray and not give up. But, we must never pray to be taken out of the battle.”

And, there it was…”we must never pray to be taken out of the battle.” I even repeated it twice for emphasis. In that moment, the Holy Spirit impressed upon me that praying to be taken out of the battle is exactly what I had done in 2019 when I left the United Methodist Church.

Jumping Ship

Between 2019 and 2024, the United Methodist Church was in a battle for its future. I like to believe that in 2019 after General Conference, I saw the handwriting on the wall…that the battle was already lost…so, what was the point of sticking around?

I prayed for a door to open so I could make my exit. Time to move on…time to fight other battles. Well, doors did open, and I thought those doors were answers to prayer. Perhaps they were answers to prayer because, well, God is just good that way, but as a result of the message I preached on Thursday evening I feel convicted that I left friends on the battlefield. To use the analogy of the message: I jumped ship. I abandoned a church I loved and friends I loved because I thought the battle wasn’t worth fighting.

I don’t mean to suggest that either side in the battle for the UMC was “good” or “evil.” What I am suggesting is that the devil got all up in the business of the UMC, and the division is a direct result of the devil having his way with us. We spent years fighting each other when who we should have been fighting was the devil. At least, that’s my perspective (with all due respect for those friends of mine who remain UM).

Now that I’ve had a couple of days to reflect on the Holy Spirit’s conviction, I think I need to apologize to my shipmates–I’m sorry I jumped ship. I got caught wearing Bermuda shorts on a battleship.

The Goodness of God & Coming Home

Yet, God is good! After almost a year of being spiritually homeless, the Lord (in July 2020) led me to the Evangelical Methodist Church. In His goodness and grace, He has shown me over the past three+ years that I have always been an evangelical Methodist, now it’s just official. I’m glad to be home. Yet another answer to prayer, for sure. He answers our prayers in positive ways even when we’re not praying for the right things.

So, I’ll do my best to fight the good fight in my new home. I’ll do my best to serve Him wherever He might lead me as a result of this new relationship. I’ll do my best every day to put on Jesus Christ (the armor of God) and board the battleship in the fight against the spiritual forces of wickedness. I’ll do my best to pray and never give up. I’ll do my best to never abandon my shipmates again. I’ll do my best to honor Him at every turn. I’ll do my best to be prepared for the journey that is faithful discipleship in Christ. I’ll try not to bring Bermuda shorts to a battleship.

I’m certain I may fail at some point. For those times, as in this one, I’ll ask for forgiveness, for mercy and for grace. I’m sure the Lord will extend all three, well, because He’s just good that way. I can only pray that others will, too.

Until next time, keep looking up…

What Did You Expect?

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I’m not one to say, “I told you so,” so I won’t tell you that what I expected to happen, happened. What happened? The United Methodist Church changed this week.

My phone notifications dinged numerous times over the past week from friends, colleagues and former colleagues alerting me to and asking about the “changes” that were happening at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, which met April 23 – May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I don’t intend to use this venue to offer commentary on the events or decisions (though I could!) of the past two weeks as it relates to the United Methodist Church. Any of you reading this blog, and who know me any at all, should know my position of many of the issues that were before the Conference (there’s a reason I left the UMC in 2019).

As I wrote in last week’s blog, I’ve moved on. I’ve had neither the time, nor the desire to follow the General Conference closely. I will simply say that nothing happened that I didn’t expect to happen.

General Conference Action

Since many have asked about the events and decisions, I’ll post a summary written by Rev. Chris Ritter. He has followed the legislative process closely (God bless him!) and prepared the following summary (no point in me reinventing the wheel):

May 4, 2024, Version 1.5
The main governing body of the United Methodist Church, General Conference, met in
Charlotte, North Carolina from April 23-May 3, 2024. By anyone’s estimation, this long-
delayed meeting was a watershed event marking a new direction for the UMC as a
progressive denomination, especially in the United States. The denomination prepared a
summary of laudable legislative outcomes. What follows is a summary of notable actions
that run counter to traditional Methodism.
Marriage is Redefined in United Methodism
A revised set of social principles were approved that broaden the definition of marriage to
include two consenting adults. The new language is, “Within the church, we affirm
marriage as a sacred lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith, an adult man and
woman of consenting age, or two adult persons of consenting age into union with one
another.”
Restrictions on LGBTQ Clergy Are Removed
The following language was stricken from the Book of Discipline: “The practice of
homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing
homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to
serve in The United Methodist Church. ”
Language Forbidding Same-sex Weddings in UMC Sanctuaries Are Removed
Language barring same-sex weddings from being hosted in UM sanctuaries was removed.
Although the Judicial Council ruled during General Conference that local church boards of
trustees can set policies forbidding same-sex weddings, the ruling was vague on whether
clergy are required to honor such policies.
Non-binary Gender Categories Are Embraced
Even before General Conference, official statistics used in the UMC allowed for a non-
binary category of gender. At General Conference, all speakers were asked to state their
name, conference, clergy/lay status, and age category for statistical purposes. Delegates
who wished were invited to share their “preferred pronouns,” and many did.
Specific Language Related to Adultery Is Removed from Clergy Chargeable Offenses
General Conference edited the list of offenses for which a clergy could be charged by
removing: “(a) immorality including but not limited to, not being celibate in singleness or
not faithful in a heterosexual marriage; (b) practices declared by The United Methodist
Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings, including but not limited to: being a
self-avowed practicing homosexual; or conducting ceremonies which celebrate
homosexual unions; or performing same-sex wedding ceremonies.”
While “sexual misconduct” remains a chargeable offense, this definition of misconduct is
less defined and subject to the discretion of bishops. There are concerns this change could
open the door to permitting sex outside of marriage if consensual.
Abortion Stance Changed
General Conference approved a petition affirming a right to abortion and pledging
“solidarity with those who seek reproductive health care.” The petition, “upholds a person’s
right to an abortion after informed consideration with their family, medical practitioners,
pastor, and other pertinent counsel.” It also denounces abortion bans. The Revised Social
Principles are more nuanced on the topic of abortion, but the overall position of the UMC
on abortion is pro-choice. The following words were deleted, “we are equally bound to
respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.”
Church Funds Can Be Used to Promote Homosexuality
Annual conference and general church monies are no longer prohibited from being used to
promote the acceptance of homosexuality. The General Commission on Archives and
History quickly announced the formation of a new “Center for LGBTQ+ United Methodist
Heritage” using apportionment dollars.
Sexual Orientation Now a Mandated Diversity Category on Church Boards
The category of “sexual orientation” was added as a required category for mandated
diversity on church commissions and agencies. Alongside race and gender diversity,
people of various sexual orientations are now to be included in governing bodies.
Protections Previously Developed for Traditional United Methodists Mostly Omitted
The 2019 One Church Plan produced by the Commission on a Way Forward provided a raft
of protections for traditionalists in the UMC that would accompany liberalization of the
human sexuality position. These protections were mostly omitted from the changes
approved at General Conference. While General Conference made clear that no clergy can
be coerced into conducting same-sex weddings, the following One Church Plan
protections were omitted: (1) Language to “affirm those who continue to maintain that the
Scriptural witness does not condone the practice of homosexuality. We believe that their
conscience should be protected in the church and throughout society under basic
principles of religious liberty.” (2) Language stating that marriage has been “traditionally
understood as a union of one man and one woman,” (3) Language stating that same-sex
weddings would only be allowed in churches that specifically voted to host them, (4)
Language allowing annual conferences to develop their own policies on human sexuality,
and (5) Allowances for bishops to decline to ordain practicing gay clergy (the jurisdiction
would have provided another bishop to ordain gay candidates in such an instance.)
Annual Conferences Required to Prepare Local Churches to Accept Gay Clergy
The definition of Open Itineracy was expanded to include accepting clergy regardless of
sexual orientation. The revised ¶ 425.1 directs annual conferences to train Pastor Parish
Relations Committees to receive pastors regardless of sexual orientation.
The UMC Divests from Israel
In the first such action by a major Christian denomination, the General Conference of The
United Methodist Church voted to divest from Israel bonds. Approved Petition 20554-CC-
R6111-G calls on the UMC to lobby the U.S. government to end military aid to Israel.
The General Board of Global Ministries Tasked with Furthering Intersectional Ideology
General Conference added a new ¶ 1302.16 requiring that the UMC mission board “provide
training, resources, and consultation for and with all levels of the global church to actively
resist intersecting structures of white supremacy, heterosexism, sexism, patriarchy,
transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, colonialism and classism.”
Constitutional Amendments Allowing Regionalization Were Approved
Sweeping changes to the UMC constitution were approved allowing U.S. jurisdictions to
organize as a U.S. Region and adopt their own rules. If ratified in the annual conferences,
these changes would prevent conservative global regions from affecting U.S.-based rules.
Why the Shift in Church Teaching was So Dramatic
In the fallout of a special General Conference in 2019 where the traditional understanding
of marriage and human sexuality was upheld, U.S. progressives organized opposition with
cooperation from certain U.S. bishops. Progressive slates of delegates were elected to
represent several U.S. conferences. Amid this fallout, a high-profile plan, the Separation
Protocol, was negotiated to divide the denomination. The General Conference set to
approve separation was delayed twice due to COVID-19 and without controversy. A third
delay until 2024 was viewed by traditionalists as unnecessary and shrewdly calculated.
The Global Methodist Church announced plans to form in May 2022 and traditionalists
began to disaffiliate under a provision approved at GC2019 (but only applied to US
churches). A quarter of the 30,000 UMC churches in the USA exited. Meanwhile, the UM
Commission on the General Conference styled the 2024 meeting a “delayed General
Conference 2020.” This allowed the US the same delegate as before the exodus. African
delegates, already disenfranchised from their new majority status, suffered further set-
backs when a quarter of their delegates were unable to attend due to travel visa issues. All
these factors created a ”boomerang effect” from the stated positions of the church in
2019.
No Exit Pathways Were Approved
The disaffiliation legislation had a sunset clause of December 31, 2023. It was not renewed
by General Conference. This means that churches that wish to exit the United Methodist
Church have no clear pathway out of the church. Some annual conferences, like South
Carolina and South Georgia, have temporary mechanisms in place for churches that wish
to depart. Other congregations will need to negotiate their way out if they wish to keep their
properties.

The Future is Now

Thanks to Rev. Ritter for his diligence in compiling the information. Find the original post here. You can also find a list of helpful links to additional articles by clicking here.

In the interest of fairness (and because I have many whom I still consider friends in the UMC) I’ll share the official summary provided by the United Methodist News Service. You can do the work of comparing the two yourself.

Conclusion

So, why am I sharing this information if “I’ve moved on?” One reason: There are many congregations that remained United Methodist who adopted a “wait and see” attitude. They chose to wait and see what the General Conference would do.

Well, the GC has acted, and those congregations might now choose to make a decision about their future. I share this information for those congregations, lest they miss it in their discernment process.

If you are a part of one of those congregations, and your congregation will be entering a discernment process to determine its future, I’d love to visit with you and your congregation about the Evangelical Methodist Church. The EMC is where I’ve found my home, and I would love to help you explore the advantages of being a part of our denomination. Simply reply in the comments section below, or email me your contact information. We’ll go from there.

Until next time, keep looking up…