The Cost of Proclaiming the Gospel

A reminder that Jesus and his gospel are offensive even to many religious people:

"Jesus,
filled with the power of the Spirit,
returned to Galilee,
and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.

He began to teach
in their synagogues
and was praised by everyone.

When he came to Nazareth,
where he had been brought up,
he went to the synagogue
on the sabbath day,
as was his custom.
He stood up to read,
and the scroll of
the prophet Isaiah
was given to him.
He unrolled the scroll
and found the place
where it was written:

'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.'

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.
The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Then he began to say to them,
'Today, in your hearing, this scripture is fulfilled.'

All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words
that came from his mouth.
They said, 'Is not this Joseph's son?'

He said to them,
'Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb:
Doctor, cure yourself!
And you will say,
Do here also in your hometown
the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'

And he said, 'Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown.
But the truth is,
there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah,
when the heaven was shut up three years and six months,
and there was a severe famine over all the land;
yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.
There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha,
and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.'

When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.
They got up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built,
so that they might hurl him off the cliff.
But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way."

- Luke 4:14-30 (NRSV, adapt)

Episcopal Malfeasance

In the days since the Supreme Court of the United States rendered its decision in the Obergefell v. Hodges case which has made same gender marriage legal in all 50 states, there have been various reactions from Church leaders. Notably gracious responses were lodged by the Wesleyan Church, the Church of the Nazarene, the Anglican Church in North America, and the President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. These thoughtful responses have much to teach the Body of Christ in these trying times.

Several United Methodist Bishops have also released statements. Some, such as that of Bishop Lindsey Davis of the Kentucky and Red Bird Conferences, are brief and serve as effective reminders of our commitment to the vows we have taken before Almighty God.

Other United Methodist Bishops have responded in ways that are less than satisfactory. Several episcopal leaders have issued statements urging pastors, laity, and local congregations to remain faithful to our covenant while offering loopholes that might enable us to avoid prosecution while still affirming practices contrary to Church teaching. Heartbreakingly, many of these sad statements come not solely from Bishops in the Northeast, North Central or Western Jurisdictions, which have histories of unfaithfulness to our covenant, but from episcopal leaders in the Southeast and South Central Jurisdictions, such as Bishop Bill McAlilly of the Memphis & Tennessee Conferences, Bishop Mike Lowry of the Central Texas Conference, and Bishop Gary Mueller of the Arkansas Conference.

Bishops are called according to Chapter Three of our Book of Discipline - 2012, "...to guard the faith, order, liturgy, doctrine and discipline of the Church." They are to lead, "...using scripture, spiritual disciplines, our Wesleyan heritage, and the history and doctrines of our Church" (emphasis mine). They are to, "...teach and uphold the theological traditions of The United Methodist Church." In my view, they are to embody our covenant, that clergy and laity have faithful examples to hold before the Church and the world.

If a Bishop (or a pastor, frankly) cannot support, proclaim and live into the teaching of The United Methodist Church, there is no shame in stepping away from the clergy role. To continue in a key leadership role (such as that of a Bishop) while being unable or unwilling to embody our covenant (as defined by the General Conference and outlined in our Discipline) is shameful.

What would a Church look like if Bishops stated, "Here is the teaching of the Church; here is why we believe this to be correct; here is how disciples of Jesus live into this teaching"? Instead, we have Bishops essentially ignoring their teaching office, saying, "Here is how you can 'get around' Church teaching while avoiding any legal ramifications." That, in my opinion, is nothing less than episcopal malfeasance and is unworthy of the episcopal office.

Almighty and everlasting Father,
you have given the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever:
Bless, I pray, with the Spirit's grace and presence,
the Bishops of The United Methodist Church,
that they would grow in faith and wisdom
and lead your people with faithfulness,
that your Church,
being preserved in true faith and godly discipline,
may fulfill all the mind of him who loved her
and gave himself for her,
your Son Jesus Christ our Savior;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

I Took A Vow

In July 1991, I took a vow.

I stood before God at the altar of the local church in Johnstown, PA which had first nurtured my faith and I vowed to God and to a breathtakingly beautiful young woman that I would live with her in holy marriage. I took a vow that I would love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others be faithful to her as long as we both shall live.

The striking lady who miraculously became my wife that day and the presiding pastor both graciously affirmed my vow and permitted me to enter into a new covenant.

At various points in the 1990s & 2000s, I took a vow.

I stood before God, my wife, and gathered disciples of Jesus Christ at the altars of three different United Methodist churches and I vowed to nurture the children with which God has blessed me in Christ's holy Church, raise them in the Christian faith, teach them the Holy Scriptures and give reverent attendance upon the private and public worship of God, that they might be guided to accept God's saving grace for themselves, to profess their faith openly and to lead Christian lives.

My wife and the various presiding pastors all graciously affirmed my vow and permitted me to enter into a new covenant

In June 2003, I took a vow.

I stood before God and the clergy of the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and I vowed that I would preach, support and maintain the doctrines, teachings and polity of The United Methodist Church.

The presiding Bishop, Hae Jong Kim, and the gathered clergy members of the Conference all graciously affirmed my vow and permitted me to enter into a new covenant.

A few days later, I took a vow.

I stood before God, my wife and children and extended family, clergy colleagues, and members of various United Methodist congregations as Bishop Kim charged me "to serve rather than to be served, to proclaim the faith of the Church and no other, to look after the concerns of God above all." I confessed, among other things, that "the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and are the unique and authoritative standard for the church’s faith and life."

I vowed "to lead the people of God to faith in Jesus Christ, to participate in the life and work of the community, and to seek peace, justice, and freedom for all people," - not as I define those terms, but as the Church defines those terms. I went on to vow "to be loyal to The United Methodist Church, accepting its order, liturgy, doctrine, and discipline, defending it against all doctrines contrary to God’s Holy Word," and committed to be accountable with those serving with me, and to the bishop and those appointed to supervise our ministry.

Bishop Kim along with the gathered clergy and laity members of the Conference all graciously affirmed my vow and permitted me to enter into a new covenant.

A vow is, "a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment made to a deity, person or group of people committing oneself to an act, service, or condition." It is a reflection of a person's character. One's keeping of vows demonstrates how trustworthy one is.

If I deliberately, unrepentantly break one of the sacred vows I have willingly made, all of my vows may be called into question, as my word would become utterly worthless. My wife and children would have every right to distrust me and to be filled with shame that I am their husband and father. I would be completely without honor as a man and as a human being.

There is no reason to believe that if one breaks their marriage vows, they will be faithful to their ordination vows.

There is no reason to believe that if one breaks their ordination vows, they will be faithful to their wedding vows.

There is a crisis of vow-keeping in the world today as persons freely break vows which they made before God at their wedding.

There is a crisis of vow-keeping in the United States today as persons freely break vows which they made before God at the baptism of their children.

There is a crisis of vow-keeping in The United Methodist Church today as clergy at every level of ecclesial life freely break vows which they made before God at their ordination and/or consecration.

This is the case whether one is teaching that homosexual behavior is acceptable (in clear violation of Church teaching), presiding at a wedding between two persons of the same gender (in clear violation of Church teaching), denying the efficacy of infant baptism (in clear violation of Church teaching) or rebaptizing a person who is already baptized (in clear violation of Church teaching).

The paramount issue is not whether homosexual behavior, gay marriage, infant baptism or rebaptism are theologically acceptable; the issue is whether one will be true to the vows they have made before God, even when they may struggle with those vows. This isn't just a question of inadequate or at times even non-Christian theology; this is a question of a person's character.

May God grant me grace to keep the vows I have made, that my wife and children might know I am a man of my word, and that Jesus will be proud of me. May God grant me grace to stand strong in the vows I have made, to hold accountable in love those who struggle with their own vows, and to maintain a heart of mercy and reconciliation when working with sisters and brothers who have broken their vows.

Evangelicalism or Fundamentalism:Getting Our Terms Right

In today's American discourse, in both culture & religion, the terms "evangelical" and "fundamentalist" are often used interchangeably, both of them contrasted to terms used to designate those who lean to the left regarding faith issues, who are often termed "liberal" or "progressive". I believe there are stark differences between "evangelicals" & "fundamentalists" & that this distinction is vital to understanding today's Church, particularly in America.

Christian fundamentalism as a formal movement arose in the early 20th century as a reaction to modernism in both Church & culture and to Protestant liberal theology, which by the early part of that century was coming to dominate mainline denominations. An attempt to stress what early fundamentalist leaders considered essentials for Christian faith, fundamentalists stressed the inerrancy of & literal interpretation of the Bible, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the bodily resurrection & physical return of Christ & a version of substitutionary atonement theory. It wasn't very long before this "circle the wagons" mentality became genuine animosity toward those who disagreed with the movement, and it seemed that the wrath of God (a legitimate topic in Scripture) was proclaimed far more passionately than the love of God (also a legitimate Scriptural topic). Fundamentalists became stereotyped as mean, uneducated, separatist, and shallow, rejecting most Biblical scholarship, science, historical/archaeological discoveries & even at times aspects of the Great Tradition of Church history & doctrine.

The evangelical movement (or neo-evangelical movement) was birthed out of fundamentalism in the mid-20th century. Originally known as fundamentalists who were willing to cooperate with non-fundamentalist Christians for evangelism & mission work, the movement quickly broadened & soon began gaining adherents in the very mainline denominations fundamentalism was founded to fight.

Because of the breadth of evangelicalism, identifying core principles in this
trans-denominational movement can be difficult. Wesleyan evangelicals, for example, stress the importance of God's prevenient grace, Lutheran evangelicals stress Luther's delineation of law & gospel, Presbyterian evangelicals stress the sovereignty of God, Catholic evangelicals stress proper celebration of the sacraments, Pentecostal evangelicals stress the gifts & activity of the Holy Spirit, Baptist evangelicals stress their particular understanding of baptism, etc. These & other differences are not unimportant.

But what evangelicalism has become, essentially, is a movement which strongly adheres to the core principles of orthodox Christianity as it has been proclaimed for more than 1500 years. The doctrines of the Trinity & the Incarnation are important, as are the Resurrection of Jesus & the authority of Scripture. Evangelicals may disagree as to which atonement theory is to be preferred (ransom, Christus Victor, Anselmic satisfaction, Calvinist satisfaction & governmental approaches have all been taught by evangelical theologians at one point or another) or which style of worship is most faithful or what is the correct understanding of the sacraments or which polity is best, but they are united in that core doctrines such as Trinity, Incarnation & Resurrection are vital to being Christian.

Fundamentalism has also broadened a bit, but not in terms of cooperation. There are Catholic fundamentalists, for example, who insist that unless one is a faithfully practicing Catholic, one is not a Christian even if adhering to the core doctrines of the Great Tradition. Some go further & believe that unless one is a faithful "traditionalist Catholic" rejecting Vatican II & everything which followed, one is not a Christian. There are similar movements in, say, Reformed Baptist circles, where some teach that unless one adheres to Dordt Calvinism, one is not Christian (which begs the question of how any Christians could have existed prior to 1619). Fundamentalism is thus still generally known as an at times nasty approach to culture & the Church, misunderstanding or even ignoring completely the love of God & the fullness of his grace. Put another way, too often our fundamentalist sisters & brothers "major on the minors".

To understand the full breadth of evangelicalism / orthodox Christianity, perhaps no work has been more important than that of theologian Thomas Oden, who has endeavored for decades to gather the wisdom of the ages for the Church to learn & enjoy again. I highly recommend his Classic Christianity as perhaps the best one volume summary of the Great Tradition in the English language. Here, we read of the fullness of orthodox Christianity & rejoice in its diversity as well as its unity.

I am an evangelical Christian in a Wesleyan context. It's a wonderful thing to be.

The Bounds of Christianity

"A community with no boundaries can neither have a center
nor be a community." Thomas Oden

"Boundaries aren't all bad.
That's why there are walls around mental institutions." Peggy Noonan

Orthodoxy: of, pertaining to, or conforming to the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, etc.; of, pertaining to, or conforming to beliefs, attitudes, or modes of conduct that are generally approved.

The loudest debate in the American arm of The United Methodist Church over the past several decades has been over the issue(s) related to chosen sexual behavior. Specifically, many United Methodists have disagreed with the Church about whether or not active homosexual relationships are valid within the framework of Christian discipleship in a United Methodist context.

The Church maintains in Article IV of our Constitution that, "...all persons are of sacred worth." That is vital to understanding United Methodist exegesis of Scripture through the lens of Wesleyan theology.

The Church also maintains in paragraph 304.3 of our Book of Discipline, "The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." This is equally important to understanding United Methodist exegesis & is in line with the rest of the Church Universal and her teachings on sexual ethics and behavior. The United Methodist position is hardly unique or groundbreaking.

The "conversation" has been marred at times by various acts of ecclesial disobedience from pastors & bishops which has forced the Church to strengthen its prohibitions against homosexual choices rather than have any meaningful dialogue. Many faithful United Methodists hope & pray that these acts will cease in order to facilitate a real conversation.

And there IS a conversation that is not only worth having but necessary for the Church as we engage 21st century American culture. It may not be the conversation many want to have, but it is nonetheless vital if we are to speak to one another in any meaningful ways.

The question which must be asked - in as loving & as gracious a way as possible - is this:

Is affirmation of homosexual behavioral choices still within the bounds of historic Christian orthodoxy or is it essentially a new Christianity-like religion, such as the Mormons, Unitarian-Universalists or the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Certainly, historic orthodox Christianity, of which the United Methodist tradition is a part, has not affirmed sexual behavior outside the covenant of a marriage between a man & a woman. There is biblical precedent for this teaching as well as theological support throughout the 2000 year history of the Church; there's no need for me to
re-present that here. This is simply the default teaching of Christianity, and is founded on faithful biblical exegesis by many intelligent, well-meaning saints over many years.

Breaking with the Christian faith on this issue - which progressives admit is vitally important - may be quite dangerous for The United Methodist Church.

Other faith movements have broken with orthodox Christianity in the past. The history of the Mormons, Unitarian-Universalists, Jehovah's Witnesses and other groups are filled with well-meaning persons who were and are very sincere about their faith and who wholeheartedly believe that they stand in divine favor. They should be respected as persons of integrity and conscience...but that does not make them orthodox Christians.

Mormonism, for example, has been dealt with by the General Conference of The United Methodist Church which in 2008 stated that, "...the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints presents itself as a faith tradition outside the parameters of historic, apostolic Christianity," and that Mormons seeking to become United Methodist must first receive the sacrament of Christian baptism as their LDS membership is not considered within the bounds of orthodoxy (see Resolution #3149 in our 2008 Book of Resolutions & the related teaching document Sacramental Faithfulness: Guidelines for Receiving People from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

There is also precedent for considering social issues & behavioral choices to be outside orthodoxy. Few would consider Westboro Baptist Church's extreme hate speech as perfectly orthodox, in spite of their faithful adherence to Dordt Calvinism. Likewise, most people on both sides of the political aisle would agree that pederasty is unorthodox behavior.

The wisdom of the Church, then, teaches us that allowing theology or practices deemed outside the bounds of orthodox Christianity to be accepted or normative within the Church is a threat to our identity as the covenant Body of Christ. At the point of acceptance of non-orthodox theology or practice, that branch of the Church ceases to be the Church & becomes a new religious movement, perhaps utilizing Christian language & concepts but distinctly non-Christian.

The question is thus a crucial one for us to discuss. Is affirmation of homosexual behavioral choices still within the bounds of historic Christian orthodoxy or is it essentially a new Christianity-like religion, such as the Mormons, Unitarian-Universalists or the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Surely, the Safe Sanctuaries policies of the Church have reminded us that boundaries matter; not every behavior is acceptable in every context. The Church has the responsibility to determine what is appropriately Christian behavior and what is not.

The imperative debate, then, is not about whether the Church should bless weddings of persons who have chosen homosexual behaviors or partners, nor is it about whether the Church should ordain to the pastorate those who are actively engaged in homosexual behaviors. The debate concerns the very nature of the choice of those behaviors & whether they can be deemed at all to be within the bounds of Christianity...ever.

I take very seriously my ordination vows & the doctrinal standards which I swore to teach & uphold. Not only must I as a United Methodist pastor teach the Church's position on the appropriateness of homosexual behavioral choices, but I also personally agree with the Church's position which, as I've stated, is based on 2000 years of Spirit-led, Spirit-driven quality Biblical exegesis by faithful saints & should not be dismissed lightly.

Nevertheless, I am happy to engage in this critical discussion with friends who disagree with the Church. I am willing to listen & consider. Granted, the witnesses of Tradition, Reason, Experience & (especially) Scripture make it very, very difficult for those who disagree with the Church to change my mind (and the minds of other United Methodists who are much smarter than I am & are equally committed to orthodox Christianity), but I am willing to engage.

But let us not debate the wrong questions. Let us consider instead whether or not it is even possible for the Church to approve of chosen homosexual behaviors while still remaining faithfully a part of the covenant Body of Christ. That is a conversation worth having.

Leading Jesus' Church

I have heard a refrain from members of the United Methodist Council of Bishops over the last several years. It is heard whenever discussions ensue regarding the issue of sex & people's chosen behaviors. I have heard it or read it multiple times over the last several months, as the actions of a few unfaithful pastors & bishops have driven the denomination to the brink of schism.

The refrain is heard when leaders refuse to take a side in the debate & goes something like this:

"I am called to lead ALL of God's people, the entire Church, both sides of the issue of sexual behavior."

It sounds like a fair, mediative statement. The issue of a person's chosen sexual behavior is, after all, a very heated one in today's Church. Bishops & pastors alike desire to lead the Church through these times of trial into whatever future the Spirit leads us.

But the more I hear it or read it, the more I find it problematic. When you analyze what the statement is really saying, it isn't a statement of leadership; it's an example of "anti-leadership", an abdication of leadership, a blatant refusal to lead.

To lead, after all, means (according to Merriam-Webster), "...to guide on a way especially by going in advance...to direct on a course or in a direction...to serve as a channel for...to direct the operations, activity, or performance of...to bring to some conclusion or condition."

Leadership, then, means seeing a chosen destination in the future & saying, "Follow me." Imagine great leaders of the past. Had they said, "I will not take a side or choose a path. I am called to lead EVERYONE," how might history be different?

Imagine if Churchill had said, "I'm called to lead ALL of the British people; I won't take a side in the issue of German aggressiveness."

Imagine if Reagan had said, "I'm called to lead ALL of the American people; I won't take a side in the issue of Soviet moral integrity."

Imagine if Jesus had said, "I'm called to lead ALL people to salvation; I won't take a side in the issue of sin & death."

In The United Methodist Church, our clergy leaders - especially our bishops - are called to live into our covenant. Our covenant is determined by our exegesis of Scripture through the lens of Church tradition, reason, and our experience of the doctrine of assurance of salvation, all of which is detailed in our Book of Discipline.

Our covenant teaches that while, "We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God", "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching."

Lots of persons disagree with the Church on lots of issues, but this is our covenant. It's relatively clear. Leaders will live into this & lead others into it as well. It is a position informed by centuries of exegesis, compassion & grace. It is our position because we love all persons & desire to see them know the liberating mercy of a great God, not because we are mean or desire harm. Persons who understand our theology will understand this. It is unworthy of the clergy office to ignore or apologize for Church teaching which is founded on centuries of faithful exegesis & theological development. It is also arrogant.

If a United Methodist pastor or bishop cannot with integrity live into our covenant or lead others to do so, there is no shame in simply separating from the Church. That can happen in a gracious manner. But live into it we must, or our integrity & character must be called into question.

If United Methodist bishops cannot live into, teach & lead persons into our covenant, why are they bishops? Surely the Church deserves better than leaders who refuse to lead. Unity begins with faithfulness to our covenant. If our bishops truly desire unity, they will live into it.

Conversely, if a bishop cannot with integrity live into our covenant without violating his or her conscience, there is no shame in stepping away from the episcopacy. The role of bishop is reserved for those who are called by the Spirit to lead persons into our covenant, not for well-meaning folks who simply lack the courage or the desire to lead.

I'm reminded of a brief speech in the 1995 movie Braveheart, in which William Wallace says to Robert the Bruce, "Tell me, what does it mean to be noble? Your title gives you claim to the throne of our country, but men don't follow titles; they follow courage. Now, our people know you, noble and common they respect you. And if you would just lead them to freedom, they'd follow you. And so would I."

Incomplete Ponderings of the Possibility of Schism

In the past year or so, the level of confusion in The United Methodist Church regarding sexual behavior, secular politics & ecclesial accountability has risen to new heights. In that time, we have seen relations between the evangelical side & the progressive side of the Church sink to new lows.

There have been several steps along this journey. The Church teaches, in union with the Church Universal over the centuries, that "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." (par 304.3)

The Church also teaches, "We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God." Even if someone chooses to engage in behavior which the Church deems sinful, they are loved by God & Christ's Holy Church. We cannot condone sin, obviously, but we love all people & offer grace to all. This is hardly news.

Many progressives hope to see the Church change its stance. I welcome the conversation, which can be a healthy one if facilitated properly. As the progressive regions (such as the Western & Northeast Jurisdictions) continue to decline, however, and evangelical areas (such as the Southeast Jurisdiction & Africa) continue to grow, the likelihood of change seems remote, barring a radical restructuring of the denomination (which failed miserably in 2012).

A few progressive schismatics have chosen disobedience to the Church in an effort to, presumably, force change. They have violated our covenant & our sacred ordination vows which call us "to proclaim the faith of the church and no other." Some pastors have been put on trial; some have lost their clergy credentials, others received what amounted to slaps on the wrist. Some bishops have refused to hold pastors accountable who violate church law. Almost every week, there seems another bold move by progressive activists eager to break covenant for the sake of their agenda.

These acts of canonically criminal conduct (to borrow a phrase from a friend) have led some evangelical leaders in the Church to the conclusion that schism has already taken place & to ponder whether a formal separation would serve both sides better. This sad conclusion is being decried by many United Methodists as premature or even mean-spirited.

Two Biblical allusions come to mind. One, shared via Twitter by Pastor Drew McIntyre of the Western NC Conference, is the story of the prophet Hosea. Hosea was called by God to "take a wife of whoredom" to illustrate God's grace toward Israel even in the midst of their unfaithfulness. Though Hosea might have been justified in divorcing his promiscuous wife, he remained with her, in part to demonstrate God's abundant mercy. In Drew's allusion, the progressive schismatics are a whoring wife married to Hosea (the orthodox faction of the Church, or at least those faithful to our covenant). If Hosea did not dismiss his wife, neither should the orthodox dismiss the unfaithful progressives. (I apologize to Drew if I've pushed the analogy too far; I've sought to use it biblically.)

There are many (including many bishops) who urge the Church to remain united (almost) no matter what, stating that unity is greater than almost any differences.

The other biblical allusion that I've been pondering was shared with me by a pastor in my Conference (who has not publicly shared the idea, so whose name I will not share). In Genesis 11, the people were united...but not in a way pleasing to God. John Wesley viewed this story as a tale of disobedience; many today view it as an example of human arrogance. The united people were building a grand tower "to make a name for [them]selves". In other words, though they were united, they were acting in an unholy manner. They were bound by mutual unfaithfulness, not mission, submission or holiness.

God reacts by breaking their unity, scattering them across the world. Wesley's notes teach that, "...if they continue as one...these children of men will swallow up the little remnant of God's children, therefore it is decreed they must not be one."  To the Lord, unity in sin seems abhorrent. Apparently, God would rather see disunity than solidarity if disobedience is necessary to achieve that state.

I am not advocating formal schism. My utmost prayer is that the progressives who have engaged in & who plan further schismatic behavior repent & endeavor to live in faithfulness to our covenant. But I am advocating that those who believe that nothing could possibly be worse than schism rethink that line of thought. There are worse things than splitting, as heartbreaking as that might be.

Though the example of Hosea is an inspiring one, and perhaps does have much to teach us in these days of great impatience, it may well be that unity is even more dishonorable. The stakes are high: the salvation of the world. I believe wholeheartedly that the Methodist movement is better equipped to be the hands of God in the world than any other branch of the Christian family tree & that Wesleyan theology is by far the most biblical option in the Church Universal. I believe that perhaps the finest days of Methodism are in our future, not our past. But it's possible that God may be on the cusp of bringing division in order to once again save a remnant, that the mission to make disciples of Jesus might continue on in faithfulness, holiness & true justice.

Something to ponder in light of the Call to Action...

"In the end, the church cannot endure without a body of systematic and coherent doctrine. This was not the problem Wesley faced two centuries ago. His challenge was to take the doctrine the church already possessed in her canonical traditions and make it accessible to the masses of his day. Hence, he did not make doctrine a high priority in his efforts to renew the church of his day.

"Two hundred years later, the situation is radically reversed. We have become so doctrinally indifferent and illiterate that the church is starved of intellectual content. Indeed in many quarters the church has become internally secularized. It has no shared public discourse of its own, other than that borrowed from the secular world, to think through its pastoral care, its mission in the world, its evangelism, and its internal administration. Hence pastoral care is reduced to therapy, mission to sociopolitical action, evangelism to church growth, academic theology to amateur philosophical inquiry, and church administration to total quality management.

"To be sure, only a fool would claim that we cannot learn from the best secular inquiries of our day. Yet it is patently obvious that the Christian tradition has its own special way of thinking about its healing care, its mission, its evangelism, its internal structures, and the like. That special way of thinking is inescapably doctrinal. The recovery of doctrinal identity is not then some abstract exercise in constitutional archaeology; it is integral to the deep renewal of the life and work of the church in the current generation."

William J. Abraham in
Waking from Doctrinal Amnesia:
The Healing of Doctrine in the United Methodist Church,
pp. 104-105

Western PA Annual Conference 2011 in Review

We had a fine Annual Conference last week. From June 9-12, the people called United Methodist in western Pennsylvania gathered at Grove City College in Grove City, PA for our annual gathering. It was a time filled with grace, peace, and joy. For me, it was once again a time of challenge, renewal, and great affirmation. The week was unusual for me in that I left Conference for about a day and a half in order to preside at a wedding in Pittsburgh, but the overall feeling in my view was still positive.

Clergy session saw the approval of some fantastic colleagues in ministry, which is always exciting. Once again, I am blessed to call most of this year's Elders class friends, and I am grateful for that (the few I haven't met, I hope to meet soon!). There were also some painful moments in our clergy session, as sometimes happens, which demonstrated for me afresh the great integrity of Board of Ordained Ministry chairperson David Morse and the members of the board, who seemed to prayerfully and diligently struggle over serious issues in a sincere effort to be fair, just, and faithful. Navigating troubled waters while seeking grace is not easy; they lead us in remarkable fashion and I am blessed by their efforts. I am also renewed in my love and appreciation for my clergy sisters and brothers in our Conference, who continue to be women and men of extraordinary character and steadfast passion. It is without question one of the great honors of my life to be counted in their hallowed ranks, unworthy sinner though I am.

The primary feature of this year's session was the election of delegates to the 2012 UMC General Conference in Tampa, FL and to the 2012 Northeast Jurisdictional Conference in Charleston, WV. The voting went relatively smoothly, and great credit is owed to Conference Secretary John Wilson and his staff as well as to the patience and calming nature of Bishop Tom Bickerton. It is difficult to understand, however, in this age of technology, why we still cast our ballots using 1970s era Scantron cards; surely in future years we can find faster, more efficient ways to perform this simple task. (The EmergingUMC blog has a few suggestions here.) Several good friends of mine were elected as delegates, and I rejoice, even as I begin to pray for their stamina and courage as they face the mountains ahead of them.

If I have one criticism of this year's session, it has to do with the way we elect our delegates. No speeches are permitted, no campaigning of any kind is allowed, and the sharing of any information is to be kept to a minimum. Our well meaning Bishop frowned on any efforts of voters to coalesce around a slate or any pertinent issues. His rationale was that by removing this kind of conversation and dialogue from the process, we might be more open to the movement of the Holy Spirit and less attuned to the politics of the day. This is puzzling in light of moves at the General Church level to encourage campaigning and organizing, as evidenced in this UMNS story, which - ironically - shows a picture of our Conference delegation in years past. I'm not quite certain why we're so out of step with the denomination on this one.

The result of all this, sadly, is in my opinion to create a hyper-political atmosphere in which everyone knows the issues but no one talks. It means that our laity delegation - good people all - is composed primarily of names who work for the Conference, not necessarily a more diverse group of leaders from across the region. It means that for laity and clergy important issues of justice, holiness, and inclusiveness are ignored in favor of fame and popularity. My honest prayer is that in future years our Bishop does not stifle conversation, but is more open to loving dialogue and the challenging means of grace that is real "Christian conferencing".

I often complain about Annual Conference and, to be fair, there are some things we could do better. The endless "commercials", both onscreen and onstage...the tremendous area of opportunity that is "time management"...the failure year in and year out to raise up leaders of color...all of these are areas in which we must improve. I often dread spending a week in Grove City. I've come to the realization, however, that I need to reject that sense of dread. Annual Conference for me has been for several years now an amazingly affirming time, as I reconnect with colleagues, laugh with them and break bread with them. I leave physically worn out but emotionally and spiritually energized, and that is really at least part of why we gather.

So I am thankful to God for Barb Moore, Mark Goswick and the Sessions team, for their commitment to service and excellence each year...for Renaye Hoffman and the Youth Ministry Team for their tireless efforts to minister to the rest of us...and to Bishop Bickerton, for whom Annual Conference is like Christmas; may the joy that he holds for God's people remain with all of us throughout the challenging days of ministry ahead.

On the Lenten Lectionary

"The temptation for this Sunday and the next several Sundays will be to omit readings and/or to shorten the lengthy gospel readings. Resist that temptation. These are the church's stories. They are not yours to dismiss because they are inconvenient and invade the time concerns you have. When you entered the covenant of ordained as deacons and elders or when you signed your paperwork as a local pastor or pastor from another denomination, you affirmed that you were persuaded 'that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary for salvation' and you promised loyalty to The United Methodist Church, 'accepting its order, liturgy, doctrine and discipline . . .' (United Methodist Book of Worship, 689, 695). Therefore, read the entirety of these readings out of your persuasion and your acceptance of the liturgy, trusting the Spirit of God to do what God wants to do in the hearts of the people."

- Taylor Burton-Edwards,

Director of Worship Resources for the

General Board of Discipleship of
The United Methodist Church

Advent Blog Tour 2010

The season of Advent is underway, a holy time of year in which the Church prepares herself for the celebration of Christmas. Advent is a wonderful opportunity for growth in piety and mercy, and it should not be "skipped over" or ignored by Christians. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit!

This year, I have been asked to participate in the Advent Blog Tour, a link to which can be found here. I am humbled by the request and look forward to posting on the Common English Bible translation of Luke 2:34-35 on December 18. Until then, I encourage everyone to follow the tour and meditate on what the Spirit might reveal to us and among us in the coming weeks.

My Tweets from Wesleyan Leadership Conference, Day 3 (10/16/10)

Day 3 featured a roundtable discussion with Taylor Burton-Edwards (@twbe), Sandy Jackson, Scott Kisker, and Don Woolley, mediated by Steve Manskar of GBOD.


"There's something about a story..." Rev Katie Wilson of West OH Conf, during a breakfast conversation (love the quote!)

Don't try to fix the UMC...love God & your neighbor. @twbe

Discipleship begins with humility. Sandy Jackson

Re: Discipleship in a Wesleyan context: There are standards. There are expectations. Meet them. @twbe

We can't manufacture the fruit of the spirit...but make yourself as vulnerable to the Holy Spirit as you can. Scott Kisker

Be relentlessly committed to the mission. Don Woolley

Working theme for UMC 2012 General Conference in Tampa, FL: Dicipleship by the Sea. (Not yet approved by Council of Bishops)

Unfortunately, the UMC has reserved Wesley's historic questions for the clergy; they're for ALL Methodists. Steve Manskar

What are your gifts? What is your passion? Practice it...use it to the utmost. Sandy Jackson

Church as we have it now is largely NOT set up to make people more like Jesus. Scott Kisker

My Tweets from Wesleyan Leadership Conference, Day 2 (10/15/10)

Day 2 speakers included Taylor Burton-Edwards (@twbe) of GBOD, Alabama pastor Don Woolley and Sandy Jackson of GBOD (and a native of the Western PA Conference!).


The UMC is suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder. @twbe

We don't call him the HOLY Spirit for nothing. @twbe

The Church is a network, not a congregational unit or Conference unit. @twbe

Research shows that most UM clergy & laity do not take time to pray daily. Most do not know how to pray. @twbe

Our system is designed to reward non-performance of holiness. @twbe

Among people on the margin, there's not just apathy toward the Church out there; there is outright hostility. Don Woolley

Church "success" repels the unchurched. Don Woolley

Jesus Tribe was not a traditional "church plant" & got discontinued because it wasn't a congregation.

Mobile, AL is the place where Christendom will breathe its last breath. Don Woolley

God is a missional God...a sending God. Don Woolley

Methodism 1.0 was movement; Methodism 2.0 institution; Methodist 3.0 reclaiming the missional, movement identity. Don Woolley

This is a chance to rediscover who we were always meant to be. Don Woolley on the end of Christendom

Being missional = being in relationship, long term, on their turf. Don Woolley

If we put on the best show then we get the best market... consumeristic. You can't move beyond that. Don Woolley on the "attractional church"

The megachurch is a Baby Boomer phenomenon...it has plateau'd...younger people need a new model. Don Woolley

2nd reference to the Borg today. We are all Trekkers now.

Many of the cages pastors live in have been built by their own hands; we have great freedom to do what we have to do. Don Woolley

Being missional would change UM appt process; "what does this community need to share Jesus", not focused on pastors or congregations needs. Don Woolley

"It's not our job to survive. It's our job to serve, even if it means we don't survive." Don Woolley

What if we measured success by how many 3rd graders in community can read @ a 3rd grade level, not how many people in pews? Don Woolley

What we count/measure (attendance, apportionments, etc) has more to do with institutional survival than mission. Don Woolley

There is no such thing as Christian community outside of mission. Don Woolley

It's easier to learn than it is to apply. Don Woolley // Amen.

Jesus came to us as a missionary; if we're to follow him, we must be a missionary people. Don Woolley

If you're only 5 people, go make a difference in 5 lives. Don Woolley

Instead of being the "aroma of Christ" we (UMs) smell like everyone else. Don Woolley

I'm very influenced by N.T. Wright. Don Woolley

There is a disconnect between Sunday morning life & Monday life. Sandy Jackson

Sandy Jackson talking about the doctrine of the Priesthood of All Believers. 1 Pet 2:9

There are some good things in the Book of Discipline...mostly in the front part. Sandy Jackson

Sandy Jackson referring to Philippians 2, having the mind of Christ...holiness...discipleship.

If we're not careful we find ourselves following the teachings of Jesus that suit our temperament & avoiding those that don't. Sandy Jackson

Love that Sandy Jackson pauses to pray after making a point. Shows her humility & desire for obedience.

When you make dinner, make the best dinner you can (Col 3:23)...but sometimes you get burned. Sandy Jackson

Sandy Jackson has now referred to the doctrine of Christian perfection 3x in presentation. Our ignored UMC doctrine! Kudos!

The Holy Spirit will do what the Holy Spirit does...sometimes unexpectedly & quite inconveniently. Sandy Jackson

My Tweets from Wesleyan Leadership Conference, Day 1 (10/14/10)

Most of these are from Dr Scott Kisker, professor of history @ Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC. He was the conference's keynote speaker and his book Mainline or Methodist?: Rediscovering Our Evangelistic Mission was in large part the inspiration for the conference.


The hope is to develop a network of leaders who are committed to the Wesleyan way. Steve Manskar

"We are about people being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit...and that means an encounter with Jesus." Scott Kisker

The church's main job is to be the aroma of Christ...but too often we smell like everyone else. Scott Kisker

People in a consumer capitalist society generally don't wonder how they can win the approval of an angry God. Scott Kisker

Our love of God & neighbor is a direct reflection of whether or not we are saved. Scott Kisker

God made you & he made you to be happy in him & nothing else can make you happy. Scott Kisker quoting John Wesley

According to Wesley, the love of God & the grace of God are the same thing; grace is God's love. Scott Kisker

Before we do ANYthing, the love of God runs out to meet us. Scott Kisker on prevenient grace

Methodism has backslid. Scott Kisker

There is a real danger in thinking we can have a holy society w/o having a holy people...Methodism has lost that vision. Scott Kisker

Instead of spreading scriptural holiness, the UMC has focused on building a denomination with influence in society. Scott Kisker

We have allowed ourselves to be co-opted by the issues in the culture. Scott Kisker

The American dilemma: we have both malnutrition & obesity. Scott Kisker

We're the Church of England now..."state church mentality" Scott Kisker

You DO have something to offer; it's JESUS! It's not about having a better cinnamon roll than the next guy. Scott Kisker

The lie of the world is that we're OK. We're NOT OK; we're utterly dependent on Christ. Scott Kisker

Wesley said nothing original his entire life; praise the Lord! Theology that's original is heresy. Scott Kisker

Sanctification is about complete dependence on God and NO dependence on yourself. Scott Kisker

Consumeristic marketing is not evangelism. Scott Kisker

"I submitted to be more vile..." Wesley on field preaching, which he learned to love.

Wesley believed that if field preaching ceased, so would revival. Scott Kisker

The very nature of grace is that it always invites us into deeper relationship with God. Scott Kisker

"Attend upon all the ordinances of God" is not necessarily the same as "stay in love with God". We've lost something. Scott Kisker

The class meeting is little more than a memory for most of Methodism. Scott Kisker

Being in a Methodist band meant being priests for one another. Scott Kisker

It is amazing what power confession can have with human beings. Scott Kisker

The road to holiness is through confession. Scott Kisker

Class mtgs weren't for Christians but for servants of God..."good Pharisees". These are the Methodists. Scott Kisker

You cannot love God & neighbor without a neighbor; we need community. Scott Kisker

Unless you understand the gravity of sin, you don't know the full power of the love of God. Scott Kisker

If we're only meeting physical needs, we're not meeting needs. Scott Kisker

God's love was incarnate so that we might become God's love incarnate. Scott Kisker

Holiness means forsaking one's woldly identity & accepting Christ's identity. Scott Kisker

Contemporary mainline Methodists have become Pelagian. Scott Kisker

The education standards for Methodist ministers are too high...it deforms people. Scott Kisker

Broadening & Focusing the "Bullying" Conversation

There has been a good deal of discussion on the social networks and in the media recently about bullying. The conversation, while appearing sporadically in the last few years after various incidents, really took off after the tragic suicide of a young man at Rutgers University, whose homosexual behavior was revealed by his roommate via an inappropriate video of the victim engaging in the behavior.

Wikipedia defines "bullying" as:

"...a form of abuse. It comprises repeated acts over time that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power with the more powerful individual or group abusing those who are less powerful. The power imbalance may be social power and/or physical power."

Without question, bullying is a terrible "form of abuse", and can scar people for life. People are bullied for all sorts of things, at many times in life. It's never good, and it hurts.

As a child and well into my teenage years, I was a victim of bullying. I was generally much smaller than most of my classmates, and was, in many ways, very, very different from most of them; I wasn't athletic in any way and preferred music and reading to physical competition. I was shy and extremely introverted; I was socially awkward and uncomfortable around strangers, and had a real problem with self-esteem. As a result, I was often a target of both physical and verbal abuse, and it hurt deeply. I often felt isolated and alone. My sixth grade year was particularly painful. In so many ways, I still see myself as that bullied young boy who doesn't quite "fit in" (feel free to psychoanalyze now!).

Bullying is real, and though it likely has been around as long as humanity itself, it continues to be a real issue for people of all ages.

It is a real tragedy that the bullying of the Rutgers student resulted in his suicide. We should not take this death lightly, and if this event can be used to jumpstart real conversation, then perhaps this young man's life will be honored in some way.

But I have serious concerns about how the conversation has been going.

First, the primary tragedy is not that a closeted homosexual was cruelly "outed"; it is that a young man is dead. Reducing any person to their sexual choices or opinions masks the worth of each human life. This young man was of infinite value in the Kingdom of God, and his untimely death is a catastrophe for all of us, for many, many reasons. My fear is that we incorrectly see this as a "gay issue" and not as a "human issue", which is far broader and even more painful. My friend Joe Miller boldly discusses this issue on his own blog; it's worth a look.

Second, I have been somewhat taken aback by the way many United Methodist Christians have approached this conversation. Too many United Methodists seem to have embraced this death as a "gay issue" (I mean no disrespect by the use of this phrase; it just seems the most concise rendering). This bodes badly for us all. Aside from the fact that it looks as if many of us may have missed the dehumanization of the victim in reducing this to a "gay issue", we may also be failing many people who still suffer from bullying, and others who are engaged in sexual behaviors which the Church does not condone.

The United Methodist Church, for good or ill, has a position on human sexuality. While it may not be a perfect statement, it nevertheless communicates to the world who we are and how we as a Church view these issues. While the entire statement from our Book of Discipline can be viewed here, pertinent pieces for this post include:

"We deplore all forms of the commercialization and exploitation of sex, with their consequent cheapening and degradation of human personality...We insist that all persons, regardless of age, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation, are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured. We recognize the continuing need for full, positive, age-appropriate and factual sex education opportunities for children, young people, and adults. The Church offers a unique opportunity to give quality guidance and education in this area.

"Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. All persons need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God's grace is available to all, and we will seek to live together in Christian community. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons."

An additional statement (which can be read in full here) makes clear that United Methodists are to stand against practices of fear or prejudice toward those engaged in homosexual behavior.

United Methodists (particularly clergy) need to live into these statements as best they can. This means, in my view, standing against the bullying of persons engaged in homosexual behaviors. These are persons to be loved, not feared or harmed.

Additionally, however, we are to help folks engaged in all kinds of behaviors - sexual and otherwise - to recognize that they can know redemption and deliverance in Jesus Christ. I'm reminded of something shared by Bishop William Willimon during a visit to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2007, in which he shared with those present some words we will never hear from God: "I love you just the way you are; promise me you'll never change." While we are to unequivocally stand against the bullying of persons who are targeted because of their sexual choices, this does not mean we should simply affirm their choices or behaviors. We should show them through love that Jesus has a better way for us. To do otherwise is to not only fail to live into our United Methodist covenant, but more importantly to miss an opportunity to share the unbounded grace of a merciful God who desires the best for each of us.

It is my sincere prayer that as the conversation in social media and the media continues regarding this subject, that we who are blessed to call ourselves United Methodist Christians will do our best to fully communicate the tragedy and hope surrounding the sad death of the Rutgers student and the blight that is bullying.

5 Reasons Teens Are Avoiding Church

The daily newspaper USA Today recently published an article detailing why teens generally don't "go to church". While the article makes some good points, Shane Raynor disagrees with the article's take and offers five additional reasons why many teens have failed to make "church" a priority. In my opinion, Shane hits the nail on the head.

Shane's suggestions:

* Teens don’t show up because they don’t think God is showing up.
Our desperation to be "hip", "current", and "relevant" has often resulted in a shallowness that must be offensive to Jesus...shallow preaching, shallow music, shallow language, etc. The truth is that depth matters; relationships matter. Ministry is more than simply pizza and volleyball...

"Sooner or later, everyone wants substance, and if it isn’t there, they’re going to bail. There’s always going to be a church (or someplace else) with better pizza, a more talented band, a better gym and bigger crowds with hotter people. It’s okay to use draws, but you’d better have a good foundation for your ministry and back up the draw with something real."

* Teens don’t make church a priority because their parents don’t make it a priority.
As in every aspect of life, we lead by example. It is crucial for parents to be involved in worship and ministry if they desire to see their children involved in worship and ministry....weekly...daily.
Additionally, parents must begin to say, "Sorry; worship of Almighty God is more important than soccer or basketball or sleeping in. You can't participate in that league if they require Sunday morning participation." Shane adds, "I’ve realized that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making teenagers go to church."
That's Christian parenting. It's a shame if the kids have to miss out on sports or other activities, but what if...what if their souls are at stake? Is that a possibility? Parents ignore this piece of parenthood at their own peril, and at the possible expense of their children's spiritual walk. Priorities matter, and your children are watching...and learning.

* Teens are very connected to each other now and don’t need church to hook up anymore.
More could be said about this. We have largely forgotten in the church what real, authentic "community" is all about and why relationships founded on Jesus are far deeper than others. Shane makes the point that, "...there’s probably somewhere or something else that does community better than church." Penitence is needed on the part of the church. We need to be in prayer about this one.

* Unchurched teens see no significant difference between church kids and everyone else.
This was certainly true when I was a teen. The cruelest kids in my high school were often myself and other members of my church youth group. That isn't to say we didn't take Jesus seriously, but living that out is extraordinarily difficult.
As a parent and as a pastor, I see that teen members of the church I am serving are often just as drama-driven and hormone-driven as those who are "outside the church". It's heartbreaking but it's true. I certainly need to be more intentional about mentoring these fine young people, whom I truly love. We all need to do better and be more more faithful.

* Many teens get impatient with churches that major on the minors and try too hard to seem relevant.
Welcome to life in The United Methodist Church, where we have made this into an art form. We often teach our young people - either directly or indirectly - that aspects of the faith such as Jesus, his Lordship, Biblical study and reflection, and/or doctrine are secondary to ridding the world of malaria or to having an open heart, an open mind, and an open door.
Please don't misunderstand me. Fighting malaria is a noble cause, and if a pastor or congregation is passionate about it, then I am all for it. Likewise, it is appropriate to be available to discuss "out of the mainstream" ideas and approaches to life.
But these ministries should not be emphasized at the expense of other pieces of our journey in faith. Teens are not stupid. They can see when we are "majoring on the minors" and, if necessary, they'll find a community where all the means of grace are taken seriously, rather than just a few which have been carefully selected to be as least offensive as possible.

I commend to you Shane's original post, and urge prayerful reflection on this important subject.

Western PA Annual Conference 2010in Review

We had a tremendous Annual Conference last week! From June 10-13, the people called United Methodist in western Pennsylvania gathered at Grove City College in Grove City, PA for our annual gathering. It was a time filled with grace, peace, and joy. For me, it was a time of challenge, renewal, and great affirmation. The "best" Annual Conference session in which I've been a participant was likely 2005, our first with Bishop Thomas Bickerton. This year will rank for me as a close second.

Some highlights for me:

(Pictures courtesy of Richard Pearson)

The pre-Conference healing service was wonderfully affirming (and healing!) for me as I saw and connected with several folks I've met in my ministry journey who have gone on to great ministries. If I share in the smallest part of their own journeys, I am thankful and thrilled. It was great to worship Almighty God led by Jeff Painter, an outstanding musician who was a vital part of my initial commitment to Jesus in 1980s at Jumonville.

It may have been the best, most positive Clergy Session in which I've ever participated. The 2010 Class of the Order of Elder is one of the finest I've seen, and, having worked with them as a retreat leader for the provisional program, I was very, very proud of them. They are an oustanding bunch.

We also nominated folks from among us to serve as candidates for election to the 2012 General & Jurisdictional Conferences. While I was honored to be one of 41 nominees, I was even more proud when every eligible Elder was nominated by motion from the floor. I love these people!

Additionally, there was a "painful moment of grace" when a former Elder, who had resigned due to legal trouble stemming from inappropriate conduct, joined us to apologize for his behavior. We prayed for forgiveness and healing; may that continue to be our prayer.

Annual Conference then started in earnest with prayer, worship, and work. The signing of a covenant between our Conference and the two Annual Conferences in Zimbabwe was a beautiful highlight of the week. Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe was a powerful, inspiring speaker. This relationship will, in my opinion, bear great fruit for the Kingdom of God. We will help Zimbabwe with material goods and resources; they have much to offer us in terms of mission and renewal. Kudos to Bishop Bickerton and all who helped put this agreement together; it's a great thing.

Each morning, we started with Bible study as Rev. Steve Cordle took us through some of Luke's Gospel. Steve serves as senior pastor at Crossroads UM Church, a multi-site community of faith which Steve started in 1991. Steve, his associate pastor Rev. Jonathan Fehl, and their team are doing phenomenal, transformative work throughout the Pittsburgh area (and the world), and it was fantastic to hear from one of our own who is doing things well. The Bible studies challenged me a great deal. I can't wait to take my family to worship the Lord at Crossroads in a few weeks when we're on vacation!

There were, of course, many other highlights...connecting with sisters & brothers I don't see often enough...three youth pages from JUMC, all of whom did a terrific job...enjoying the USA vs. England World Cup soccer game @ a local tavern with some friends...challenging speakers...a good bit of "down time" to enjoy fellowship...praying for folks and being prayed for...budget discussion that was murky at times but ultimately fruit-bearing...the always amazing Youth Ministry Team...some good legislation passed...keeping pension benefits for clergy widows, largely thanks to Youth delegate Joel Peterson...on and on and on.

Like every Conference, this one had its moments of chaos, confusion, and concern, such as the bizarre new security procedures, too much on the "Imagine No Malaria" campaign (it's a good thing, but it's just become such a dominant part of our conversations, sometimes at the expense of other urgent issues...overkill is not far away), a grotesque rewrite of the Drifters' classic "Under the Boardwalk" which ably demonstrated all that is wrong about "contemporary worship", and the completely out-of-touch "Rethink Church" commercial, which sounded like a lost cut from Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em (I kept waiting for my brother Greg Cox to hold up his uninjured hand and yell, "Stop! Rethink time!").

But, all in all, our gathering in Grove City was a great gathering; I was extraordinarily blessed. May the positive spirit we enjoyed last week carry us through the year ahead, which holds many challenges and opportunities. Thanks to Bishop Bickerton and our Conference Sessions Team for a job very well done. Annual Conference 2010 was certainly a means of grace.

William Abraham on the Importance of Doctrine

"In the end, the church cannot endure without a body of systematic and coherent doctrine. This was not the problem Wesley faced two centuries ago. His challenge was to take the doctrine the church already possessed in her canonical traditions and make it accessible to the masses of his day. Hence, he did not make doctrine a high priority in his efforts to renew the church of his day.

"Two hundred years later, the situation is radically reversed. We have become so doctrinally indifferent and illiterate that the church is starved of intellectual content. Indeed in many quarters the church has become internally secularized. It has no shared public discourse of its own, other than that borrowed from the secular world, to think through its pastoral care, its mission in the world, its evangelism, and its internal administration. Hence pastoral care is reduced to therapy, mission to sociopolitical action, evangelism to church growth, academic theology to amateur philosophical inquiry, and church administration to total quality management.

"To be sure, only a fool would claim that we cannot learn from the best secular inquiries of our day...Yet it is patently obvious that the Christian tradition has its own special way of thinking about its healing care, its mission, its evangelism, its internal structures, and the like. That special way of thinking is inescapably doctrinal...

"The recovery of doctrinal identity is not then some abstract exercise in constitutional archaeology; it is integral to the deep renewal of the life and work of the church in the current generation."

(William Abraham in Waking from Doctrinal Amnesia: The Healing
of Doctrine in the United Methodist Church, pp. 104-105)

thx to Jonathan Marlowe

Thomas Oden on Inclusivity & Christian Tradition

"That word ('inclusive') remains the key shibboleth of my hyper-liberated generation. We sought to be inclusive but managed to be so only within the strict limits of modern ideologies trapped in secular premises. In this captivity we systematically excluded most premodern wisdom. Now I experience a gracious sense of multigenerational inclusion in the communion of saints. Those saints precede and transcend modern life and will survive its death. The faithful belong to a much more inclusive communion than is even conceivable within the limits of modern ideologies...

"Now I revel in the very premises I once carefully learned to set aside: the triune mystery, the preexistent Logos, the radical depth of sin passing through the generations, the risen Lord, the grace of baptism...

"Rather than interpreting the texts, I found the text interpreting me...

"It is the winter season for rigorous Christian teaching. Modernity is a winter season for classical Christianity. Spring will come, but only to those who have survived the winter."

(quotes taken from various places in The Rebirth of Orthodoxy
and Agenda for Theology, both by Thomas C. Oden)

thx to Jonathan Marlowe

Pre-Annual Conference Prayer list

As we prepare for Annual Conference, there are a few important items about which those of us in Western PA should be praying diligently.

* Bishop Bickerton, who will again be presiding over our Conference...pray that the Spirit would guide him, protect him & his family, and fill him with wisdom & joy;

* The Cabinet, which has done much appointive work in recent months (led, of course, by our Bishop), and which still has work to do...pray that the Cabinet will also have wisdom & an attentiveness to the Holy Spirit;

* The Conference Sessions Team, led by Barb Moore & Mark Goswick; these wonderful folks work tirelessly to make everything function in Grove City for us...pray that they would have the strength & stamina to finish their work for (and during) our 2010 session;

* Our Youth Ministry Team, led by Renaye Hoffman; one can hardly imagine how our Conference gatherings would look in any meaningful sense - functionally & spiritually - without the youth, who help with the proceedings and bring so much to the table in terms of mission & focus...pray that they are blessed & that the Spirit speaks to them & through them in Grove City;

* Our 2011 Conference Budget...pray that a missional heart will fill us all and that the Lord's will prevails;

* Prep for the 2012 General & Jurisdictional Conferences...pray that our work would bear good fruit & that those ultimately elected to represent Western PA will be filled with the Holy Spirit in every way;

* Legislation presented...pray that God will guide us & that every item passed would further Kingdom work in our region and around the globe.

* Additionally, we will likely begin work on a restructuring of our Annual Conference, as our Connectional Table is requesting permission to form a task force to present a plan possibly as early as 2011. Pray for the Connectional Table, chairperson Greg Cox, and the task force which will be formed, that the Lord will speak his vision to them.

Click here to view our Pre-Conference Journal .

Click here to see my friend Bob Zilhaver's take on our possible new staffing structure.

Click here to see Bob Zilhaver's take on the possibility of reducing the number of District Superintendents.