Pride - One of the Seven Deadlies

"It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes [us] as angels." - Augustine.

To be sure, there are things that I don't mind saying I am proud of: I am proud of my daughter, I am proud of the pastors and churches in the district I serve, I am proud of the way my wife is trying to handle a parent in a nursing home along with an older brother who needs family help, I am proud of the staff that I work with every day. In that sense, "being proud" means being pleased for and about the actions and achievements of others.

When it comes to pride equating to vanity or excessive assurance in one's own gifts or abilities, then we have a problem, because pride inherently discounts God's grace. One could say that all of our sins arise from pride, one of the "seven deadly" sins. I am entering a season of my life where I will place myself in front of, and at the will of, the Church in a way I never have before. I know that the temptations of pride and arrogance will rear their heads to sway me to their bidding, and I pray that my arms might remain open to grace.

I received a life lesson the other day. It was a bit painful to the body, but much more painful to my pride: I had a motorcycle spill (to call it a wreck would be hyperbole). After a 20+ mile ride from work, about 500 feet from my house I had a spill. A squirrel was in the street and I slowed down, almost to a stop. The squirrel couldn't make his/her mind up which way to go. My head didn't overrule my heart and I swerved to miss it, lacking enough speed to maintain the bike upright. So the bike and I went down, both sliding on the pavement.

Crash bar and resulting road rash.

I was mad. Mad at myself for the mental error. Mad at the squirrel. Mad about the few hundred dollars of damage to the bike. Mad about the skin missing from my elbow. A guy behind me witnessed the whole thing (was a motorcycle rider himself), stopped, helped me and the bike up, and helped me bend the crash bar back so I could ride it home.

This guy was a little earthy looking, said a few choice words about the people who drove by and didn't help, but he put it all into perspective: "I saw the whole thing. I'm glad you're walking away from it." Then he looked at my bike, saying, "Those crash bars worked like they're supposed to. You know, any of us who ride are gonna do this before it's over with. Looks like you're good to go, brother." Then he slapped my shoulder and winked: "Next time, run over the damned squirrel."

He was right: I walked away with minimal damage to me or my motorcycle. A stranger reminded me of the grace that I should have felt instead of the pride that I thought had taken a beating. The bottom line was I was more worried about what people would think instead of being thankful I was okay.

Grace is a gift that we often aren't willing to receive, mainly because pride gets in the way. This quote brings it home to me: "Life makes fools of us sooner or later. But keep your sense of humor and you'll at least be able to take your humiliations with some measure of grace. In the end, you know, its our own expectations that crush us." (from Skippy Dies, by Irish author Paul Murray).

Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within...

Pax,
Sky+

Fond Memories, Not So Fond Memories, and Faith

My brother Johnny Jeffords' recent blog reminds me not just of the ties that bind, but the memories of that which have formed my faith. It's no mistake that music provokes the most of those memories.

I don't go to many concerts these days - the folks I'd want to see are expensive tickets to score and usually a long drive away. But last weekend my wife and I, along with her sister and brother-in-law, went to see Deep Purple at the Ryman Auditorium. It was a GREAT concert. Ian Gillan's voice is still awesome, Ian Paice hasn't lost a beat as drummer, and while I mourn over Ritchie Blackmore's leaving, Steve Morse is certainly no slouch of a guitarist. Don Airey took over keyboards when Jon Lord retired and I love that old Hammond-organ-with-a-Leslie-speaker sound. These guys are in their 60's, and still getting it done. I got my money's worth. Moreover, I got to hear Jesus sing.

No, I'm not equating Ian Gillan to Jesus in a rock star sort of way; Ian Gillan sang the part of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. NOT the movie, but the original recording with some of the best musicians in the world playing rock instruments as well as classical symphonic instruments, with Andrew Lloyd Webber (21 years old) and Tim Rice (25 years old) writing the music and lyrics. It was truly a rock opera, and I probably learned as much about the Gospel playing those albums over, and over, and over as I did reading the bible. My dad had bought the two-album set amidst Southern boycotting of it (in fact, probably bought it BECAUSE of that), and told me not to play them when I had friends over: "We wouldn't want to get them into trouble." While I could probably sing the whole album without any lyrics in front of me, the songs I remember most are "Judas' Death" and "Trial Before Pilate." Judas' frustration, Pilate's words to Jesus, hearing the crowd yell "Crucify him!," hearing the thirty-nine lashes; it certainly wasn't described - much less sung & played - the way I heard it in Sunday school. The music made it real. I can still hear those lashes (you can hear these two songs clicking here).

Johnny Jeffords, Ed Kilbourne

So while watching Deep Purple last Sunday night certainly brought back great memories of growing up, it also reminded me of my wearing out those two albums listening to Jesus Christ Superstar. While the memories are sharp, some things have changed: Jesus - that is, Ian Gillan - has his hair cut as short as mine now. And I think about other music that has shaped me: classical music from Bach, Brahms, and Beethoven, to the classic rock of Beatles, Boston, and Bachman Turner Overdrive. Choral works by Morten Lauridsen. Music from people I've been blessed to become colleagues with, like John Kilzer. Music from my brothers Johnny Jeffords and Ed Kilbourne (who will be in worship and in concert at St. John's UMC in Memphis this Sunday). Ed can sing "Common Bread" and you'll think you're having Holy Communion... because you are. As Augustine said: when we sing, we pray twice. When I am feeling low, music helps pick me back up so I can communicate with God - in which I mainly need to listen.

We, and our faith, are the products of our past and the memories of our past: good, bad, ugly, times when we've been 100% assured, and even times when we 100% doubted. Mysteriously and wonderfully, God uses the good and redeems the other. And doubt? Frederick Buechner once said that "doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving."

Yep.

Sky+

Our Future Might Be Unforgetting the Past.

I know "unforgetting" is an awkward word. I borrow it from sacramental theology: when we try to define ἀνάμνησις/anamnesis in the communion liturgy - "do this in remembrance of me," it's probably better to place the emphasis on "unforgetting" rather than simply "remembrance." We who are Christians know what Christ did for us... but sometimes, we take it for granted and forget. So, we occasionally need to UNforget.

I occasionally get asked as a district superintendent and someone who is involved in the larger Connection of United Methodism, "What do you think will happen in the next 10-20 years with the Church." I am cautious to be a predictor of the future, because a lot of people who have done so have missed, and missed badly. One prediction I remember well: "There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share." (Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, in the 4/30/07 edition of USA Today). I bet he'd like to have THAT one back. However, I'll chance having egg on my face - it will wash off if I'm wrong.

1. Pastors and churches are going to have be converted to be more than just flexible - we're going to have to be adaptable. It is obvious that collectively, the UMC is failing to make disciples in the U.S., and we have been failing for a very long time. The urgency is quickly coming before us as we will see churches close, resources dwindle, and our ability to do ministry on a global or even national level is going to force us to be a lot more creative. We'll have to make some very difficult decisions about what we can sustain versus what we will have to let go. My fear is that sexuality is going to continue to take up precious time and energy at General and Annual Conferences, and very little will be devoted to mission, discipleship, and clergy and lay leadership. Sexuality is important, but regardless of whether we change our stance or keep the stance we have, it will make little difference to the Kingdom of God if we fall apart as a denomination. The outside world could care less about our internal squabbling, but it does take note of our absence in making a difference in the world. Any outsider who might have watched the last General Conference online probably didn't watch for long; if they wanted to watch a good fuss they'd tune to CSPAN instead: their audio is better, the video resolution much tighter, and the connection more reliable. We are not making a good impression on the world when they watch us fight amongst ourselves - why would anyone want to join us?

2. Leaders are going to have to lead. To quote Bob Farr: "The church isn't going anywhere if the pastor is not willing to lead... You were not ordained and sent so that you can follow that congregation wherever it wants to go." (from Renovate or Die, p. 17). The other thing is that clergy and laity have to see themselves as co-leaders. Methodism started as a largely lay-lead movement. Circuit riders made their rounds, but it was lay leadership that directed each small community/church/society to grow in faith, discipleship, and number. Farr reminds us of the basics: (1) Radical hospitality, (2) Passionate Worship, (3) Intentional Faith Development, (4) Risk-Taking Mission and Service, and (5) Extravagant Generosity. Lay and clergy have to do those things together and practice them well. Being pastor-led and lay-led doesn't mean we need to pastor-centered or lay-centered; we need to be Christ-centered. It ain't about us. Jesus spent three years teaching the disciples just that. Wesley made that clear to the first Methodists that we are to serve instead of being served.

3. We need to "unforget" our past. Methodism began as a movement within an already-organized church, based on the basics: holiness, piety, grace, discipleship, mission, relationships, spiritual direction, covenant, and accountability. They relied on these more and relied less on buildings, business meetings, and trying to be all things to all people. They developed leadership. They embraced discipleship because they knew that disciples are made through being formed, not just by showing up. That's how we began as a movement. As I've shared before, John Wesley envisioned this movement doing a 180º from the way the Anglican Church was doing (or more accurately, NOT doing) church and discipleship. Unfortunately, I think we've done a 360º - and we're right back where we started.

The work that Elaine Heath and Bishop Ken Carter have done for us to think out of the box in planting new faith communities that might not have buildings, but nonetheless take the timeless message and mission out into the world into new places with new people "on the ground" in ways that defy traditional ways of doing church, bear looking at and thinking about. Several from the Florida conference were in England last week observing the work of "Fresh Expressions," a process that helps transform communities and individuals through resourcing and multiplying new ways of being church. We United Methodists have the structure and connections to do this better than anyone! Are we willing to do it, and make the needed shifts, for the sake of making more disciples? It reminds me of another Bob Farr quote: "Successful churches do what unsuccessful churches refuse to do." Ouch.

The early church was extremely counter-cultural. So were the early Methodists. We might consider being crazy-weird for Christ instead of being lockstep with society.

4. At the same time we need not trash everything we're presently doing, because some leaders and churches ARE thriving and growing. Instead of scoffing and being critical, we ought to be sharing our best practices with each other. This is when we United Methodists are our own worst enemies - we ought to have a franchise mentality instead of a rugged individualism mentally; if someone at another church is doing something better than we are, maybe we ought to embrace it! And if we're doing something well, we need to be willing to share it with others. Some in-depth prayer as a local church might help us understand what God wants us to do in this place, at this time, for this neighborhood... even if that means ditching what we might love so much but doesn't really do anyone else any good. Jesus warned us about being salt with no flavor. Wesley feared us becoming a dead, lifeless sect.

5. Ordained Clergy are going to have to set clericalism and educational bigotry aside, both in how we view lay leadership as well as view our colleague pastors who are licensed local pastors. Our "experiment" with requiring a master of divinity degree to become an elder (only in place since the late 1950's) may be an experiment that has not yielded the results we hoped. While the analogy was once made that "we want our doctors to have a medical degree, why wouldn't we want our pastors to have a divinity degree?", that analogy has of late fallen apart, as the medical community has shifted primary care to nurse practitioners and physicians assistants, who can diagnose, treat, prescribe medicine, etc. It's not about dumbing down, but realizing that requiring an M.D. may be overkill for much of what most of us expect and need when we're sick. We are in desperate need of "primary care" pastors, who can lead congregations to be formed and transformed.

Complicating this for ministry is the fact that the costs of a seminary education are getting to the point where only the upper-middle class to upper class will be able to afford it, while those of lesser means will have to carry an indebtedness that is irresponsible stewardship. And as we've also come to realize, there is no correlation between a master of divinity degree and pastoral effectiveness or a work ethic that is required in this season. Some licensed local pastors have proven just as capable of growing dying churches into medium and large membership churches, who are vital and effective in making disciples. We may need to revisit clergy education in this new season - and may find that the old model of mentor/apprentice may be more appropriate than the present pedagogy of an academic environment. This is NOT to be construed as anti-intellectual, but rather calling for a shift in HOW we educate our clergy in this season. At the present rate of tuition inflation, fewer will be able to afford to go, and a dwindling student enrollment will cause seminaries to shut down if they are not adequately endowed; it simply cannot be sustained. We are going to have more and more pastors, first- or second-career, who answer the call but go the local pastor route. Jesus asked simple fishermen to drop their nets and follow him. Wesley said, "Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergy or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth." (That goes for clergywomen and laywomen too).

Amidst these foretellings, I am more hopeful than ever about the future of the Church because I believe we are going to be forced to focus on the majors and essentials of the faith - rather than the minors - and to unforget our past. Experience tells me that there are many, many people who are hurting and NEED what we have as Christians that we take for granted: assurance, hope, love, peace, and healing. While I've seen churches close in the district I serve, I've also seen transformation happen in people and in churches, who are embracing (1) what they were made to be, and (2) why they are located in the places they are located.

God is not done with us - we just have to be willing to accept and engage the present reality toward the future: Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.

Pax,
Sky+

Illusion and Denial

I am a shade-tree mechanic, and occasionally wrench a little on my motorcycle and old BMW convertible. My first car was a 1967 VW Beetle, and it was easy to work on: a flat-blade screwdriver and an adjustable crescent wrench would take care of 85% of the repairs needed. One day I was driving it and the accelerator cable snapped near the pedal. I didn't have what I needed to repair it, so I looked and found an old flashlight on the shoulder of the road. I took a battery out of it and propped the throttle open with it in the engine. While I burned some of the clutch out of the car, I managed to get home, where I fixed it easily.

Today, there's no such thing as an accelerator cable. It's been replaced with electronic throttle control (ETC). There's no mechanical connection between your accelerator pedal and the throttle in the engine. Even my motorcycle has ETC. Your pedal (or on a motorcycle, the throttle handle) has a sensor module, which sends a signal to an electronic control module (ECM) that has a computer chip in it, which then, after going thru several algorithms taking in consideration temperature, altitude/barometric pressure, oxygen, and how much load is being pulled, finally sends a signal to the throttle valve to open and close.

The illusion is that when you press down on the gas pedal, it pulls some cable that goes straight to the engine and speeds the car up. But in actuality, a control module does all that. We are not as in control as we think we are.

I recently watched one of the most interesting movies: "Pieces of April." A wayward daughter (Katie Holmes) invites her dying mother (Patricia Clarkson) and estranged, dysfunctional family to her Lower East Side of Manhattan apartment. It's a short movie, premiered at the Sundance Festival in 2003, and filmed on a budget of $300k... with an all-star cast. It's earthy and not for the faint-of-heart, but it does not disappoint. I won't ruin the movie for you, but in short: it's about a dysfunctional family and estranged daughter who's trying to redeem her life and relationships amidst long memories and short tempers. It was a strong reminder to me that all families and relationships have elements of dysfunction and scarring. Perfect families, perfect churches, perfect denominations, perfect governments - all an illusion. To think otherwise is denial.

It might be a good idea for all of us to be reminded of this from time. We're all dysfunctional. Our

families, our churches, our relationships - none immune from dysfunction. And to compensate, we tend to live in various states of illusion and denial. The cure for a hurting world isn't critique and bashing - it's the love, grace, and peace of Jesus Christ. It may not always be returned, but it must always be given. You don't have to compromise your beliefs to live charitably and lovingly.

One of the things I've learned through spiritual direction and counsel is this: you've finally grown up when you can love - and forgive - your parents and family. God knows we probably need their love and forgiveness for stuff we did and do. What would it hurt to extend such to the family of God?

I mean, Lastly, love me not in word only, but in deed and in truth. So far as in conscience you can (retaining still your own opinions, and your own manner of worshipping God), join with me in the work of God, and let us go on hand in hand. And you may certainly go at least this far, that you speak honorably wherever you are of the work of God by whomever he works, and kindly of his messengers. And, if it be in your power, not only sympathize with them when they are in any difficulty or distress, but give them a cheerful and effectual assistance, that they may glorify God on your behalf. - John Wesley, Sermon, "On a Catholic Spirit," 1771.

Pax,
Sky+

Priorities and a History Lesson - Repost

Just seemed timely to repost this, given discussions on the blogosphere.

Be blessed,

Sky+

--

An earlier blog ("Priorities") dealt with some of the issues that most people in United Methodist pews (not to be confused with UM pundits and caucuses and extreme voices) believe to be most important issues facing our church today. Creating disciples of Jesus Christ was at the top: 39% of those polled. Sexual orientation/same-sex marriage was 11%. I'm glad that most people in the pews think that making disciples is our most important issue - it certainly is where the Gospel is concerned.

I wish everyone could be convinced of that. It seems that, based on energy, fervor, Facebook posts, blogs, and the media, that same-sex marriage and plans of separation/reorganization/schism are the most important issues facing the church.

To be sure, these more recent wrestlings (more recent in the history of Christianity, that is) with sexuality are important. They are especially important to those who feel that they are justice issues, and to be sure all of us should be concerned with sexuality and justice. But in the grand scheme of Christianity, these issues do not take precedence over the emphasis of discipleship and mission - of which sexuality and relationships are certainly a part. And in a season when our denomination is in decline, making topics other than discipleship and mission a priority when the Gospel certainly makes them a priority is to doubly neglect our baptismal call as Christians. It is akin to putting lotion on a skin cancer: you might temporarily ease the skin irritation, but you have not gotten to the root cause that needs healing.

At present, the UMC is hemorrhaging. If it were about having a definitive stance on sexuality or same-sex marriage, the Episcopal Church or the Southern Baptists would gaining members. Yet they are in decline, too.

In this season, it seems clear: The most important issue in the UMC should not be same-sex marriage. It should be about making disciples. That's the Great Commission. That's who we are.

Making disciples of Jesus Christ is primarily about hope. It's about grace. It's about truth. It's about love/ἀγάπη. If we were getting these things right, we might have the conversations we need to have about sexuality, marriage, and relationships. When we don't get discipleship and hope right, we will resort to name calling, accusations, legislation, legal gerrymandering, and other actions of distrust.

And when none of these work, then we'll take someone to court. By God. It's the American way. Others say, "It's time for a divorce." (strange language for Christians to use).  In the UMC, both the left and the right have been guilty of such threats. Both sides have been guilty of violating covenant of trust and boundaries. The fact that we even define ourselves, sometimes proudly, by sides makes it difficult to trust, difficult to live together, difficult to talk. We seem to take our cues from our politicians rather than Jesus.

All which dismiss the basics that discipleship instills: hope, grace, truth, unconditional love. It seems to me that if we got discipleship right - that Jesus Christ is the hope of the world - we would get the rest right. That's my hope and dream, and perhaps a hopeful but naive one. But of this I am sure: UNTIL and UNLESS we get discipleship and hope right, we are simply playing Church and not being the Church - the hope of the world.

Some want us to subscribe to plans of separation (more accurately, divorce), schism, or unity (Jeremy Smith has compiled a good list and description of them here). The problem with schism, it seems to me, is that our history of such in Methodism is not just bad, but a recipe for disaster. Southern Methodists drafted a "plan of separation" during the Civil War over slavery (something John Wesley was staunchly opposed to). Partly as a result, despite our church standings on the matter, we are still a very white church in America. Still. Only 6.1% of U.S. United Methodists are African American (compared to 90.1% who are white).

Historically speaking, schism (plan of separation if you prefer) is a very very bad idea. Playing church, and not being the Church, is not something God will bless. The world certainly doesn't need ANOTHER denomination... or two... or three. The fallacy is that people believe if the UMC splits it will be a 50/50 split. Opinions aren't split that evenly and go beyond an either/or stance on "the issue." I share the opinion of others that it will be more like a 30/20/10/20/20 split. Everyone will want to take their piece of the pie. People forget that before the North/South split over slavery, the Methodist Protestants split off in 1830 over the episcopacy.

Politics won't solve what ails the UMC - it will only cause more harm than healing. General Conference won't solve it (which is precisely why some are beginning to give up on General Conference). Our attitudes about discipleship and hope will help solve it. Grace will help solve it.  Love/ἀγάπη will help solve it. Playing church will not. Before anyone can say, "We've tried that," it is obvious that we haven't - because we don't have the fruit as a denomination to prove that we've tried it.

What gives me hope is seeing what some individuals, local churches, conferences, and bishops are doing. Despite what our general church is (and isn't) doing, folks are living by and in hope. Many UM's are living by faith and proclaiming hope, and it seems obvious that the 80% in the pews are hungry for it. There are local churches who are making disciples and being generative in doing so. There are districts and conferences doing the hard work of retasking mission and ministry. There are bishops and superintendents developing strategies and enabling lay and clergy leaders instead of just being personnel managers. These are the things that matter, because it looks toward the THINGS that matter: Faith, hope, love.

With apologies to G.K. Chesterton: Discipleship has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried. We get discipleship right, we get everything else right.

My prayer is that we'll get it right.

Pax,
Sky+

Priorities and a History Lesson

An earlier blog ("Priorities") dealt with some of the issues that most people in United Methodist pews (not to be confused with UM pundits and caucuses and extreme voices) believe to be most important issues facing our church today. Creating disciples of Jesus Christ was at the top: 39% of those polled. Sexual orientation/same-sex marriage was 11%. I'm glad that most people in the pews think that making disciples is our most important issue - it certainly is where the Gospel is concerned.

I wish everyone could be convinced of that. It seems that, based on energy, fervor, Facebook posts, blogs, and the media, that same-sex marriage and plans of separation/reorganization/schism are the most important issues facing the church.

To be sure, these more recent wrestlings (more recent in the history of Christianity, that is) with sexuality are important. They are especially important to those who feel that they are justice issues, and to be sure all of us should be concerned with sexuality and justice. But in the grand scheme of Christianity, these issues do not take precedence over the emphasis of discipleship and mission - of which sexuality and relationships are certainly a part. And in a season when our denomination is in decline, making topics other than discipleship and mission a priority when the Gospel certainly makes them a priority is to doubly neglect our baptismal call as Christians. It is akin to putting lotion on a skin cancer: you might temporarily ease the skin irritation, but you have not gotten to the root cause that needs healing.

At present, the UMC is hemorrhaging. If it were about having a definitive stance on sexuality or same-sex marriage, the Episcopal Church or the Southern Baptists would gaining members. Yet they are in decline, too.

In this season, it seems clear: The most important issue in the UMC should not be same-sex marriage. It should be about making disciples. That's the Great Commission. That's who we are.

Making disciples of Jesus Christ is primarily about hope. It's about grace. It's about truth. It's about love/ἀγάπη. If we were getting these things right, we might have the conversations we need to have about sexuality, marriage, and relationships. When we don't get discipleship and hope right, we will resort to name calling, accusations, legislation, legal gerrymandering, and other actions of distrust.

And when none of these work, then we'll take someone to court. By God. It's the American way. Others say, "It's time for a divorce." (strange language for Christians to use).  In the UMC, both the left and the right have been guilty of such threats. Both sides have been guilty of violating covenant of trust and boundaries. The fact that we even define ourselves, sometimes proudly, by sides makes it difficult to trust, difficult to live together, difficult to talk. We seem to take our cues from our politicians rather than Jesus.

All which dismiss the basics that discipleship instills: hope, grace, truth, unconditional love. It seems to me that if we got discipleship right - that Jesus Christ is the hope of the world - we would get the rest right. That's my hope and dream, and perhaps a hopeful but naive one. But of this I am sure: UNTIL and UNLESS we get discipleship and hope right, we are simply playing Church and not being the Church - the hope of the world.

Some want us to subscribe to plans of separation (more accurately, divorce), schism, or unity (Jeremy Smith has compiled a good list and description of them here). The problem with schism, it seems to me, is that our history of such in Methodism is not just bad, but a recipe for disaster. Southern Methodists drafted a "plan of separation" during the Civil War over slavery (something John Wesley was staunchly opposed to). Partly as a result, despite our church standings on the matter, we are still a very white church in America. Still. Only 6.1% of U.S. United Methodists are African American (compared to 90.1% who are white).

Historically speaking, schism (plan of separation if you prefer) is a very very bad idea. Playing church, and not being the Church, is not something God will bless. The world certainly doesn't need ANOTHER denomination... or two... or three. The fallacy is that people believe if the UMC splits it will be a 50/50 split. Opinions aren't split that evenly and go beyond an either/or stance on "the issue." I share the opinion of others that it will be more like a 30/20/10/20/20 split. Everyone will want to take their piece of the pie. People forget that before the North/South split over slavery, the Methodist Protestants split off in 1830 over the episcopacy.

Politics won't solve what ails the UMC - it will only cause more harm than healing. General Conference won't solve it (which is precisely why some are beginning to give up on General Conference). Our attitudes about discipleship and hope will help solve it. Grace will help solve it.  Love/ἀγάπη will help solve it. Playing church will not. Before anyone can say, "We've tried that," it is obvious that we haven't - because we don't have the fruit as a denomination to prove that we've tried it.

What gives me hope is seeing what some individuals, local churches, conferences, and bishops are doing. Despite what our general church is (and isn't) doing, folks are living by and in hope. Many UM's are living by faith and proclaiming hope, and it seems obvious that the 80% in the pews are hungry for it. There are local churches who are making disciples and being generative in doing so. There are districts and conferences doing the hard work of retasking mission and ministry. There are bishops and superintendents developing strategies and enabling lay and clergy leaders instead of just being personnel managers. These are the things that matter, because it looks toward the THINGS that matter: Faith, hope, love.

With apologies to G.K. Chesterton: Discipleship has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried. We get discipleship right, we get everything else right.

My prayer is that we'll get it right.

Pax,
Sky+

More Observations and Random Thoughts from a D.S.

I posted a similarly-titled blog while attending General Conference in 2012, based on feelings and observations in the moment. What follows today are more detailed feelings and observations based on longer experience.

I've been a superintendent since March 2011. In calendar years, I will soon approach four years doing this work in March. In Book of Discipline years, however, I will be begin my sixth time to be appointed to this work in June. I have fewer years ahead than I do behind in this work. That applies to my time on earth, too.

Being appointed as a superintendent has been the hardest work I've ever done, but it's also been the most fun. Ninety percent of what I do is engaging, challenging, and meaningful - and I pray others have received it so. And even the ten percent that is life-sucking, gut-wrenching, and distasteful still has purpose and serves the Kingdom. Being a D.S. is, for me, an opportunity and a blessing. However, if I had been a DS ten-twenty years ago, I might not have said so. Being the chief missional strategist for a district and a shepherd of its laity and clergy? Awesome. Being a bureaucrat and personnel manager? Not so much.

Conversations and relationships from the past and of late, as well as my own experience, lead me to be convicted about these things. They are certainly up for conversation and coffee.. and I realize that some of them may need more than coffee to swallow and digest.

1. In United Methodism - under present polity and practice - the district superintendent is in the greatest vantage point to affect needed change in our denomination. While a bishop makes and fixes appointments, the DS advises, knows (better: should know) the local context of each church/charge, and has the local authority to shepherd clergy and laity as well as to guide both in missional strategy and foster discipleship. A DS can get behind a pastor and a church's visioning team and lend it support - or point out places where such needs shoring up and retooling.

Randy Cooper, who pastors the church of my youth and was my father's pastor when Dad died, reminded me, "You know, you are the bishop of the Paducah District." It scared me. Yet historically, traditionally, and functionally, he's right; there are catholic dioceses the size of districts in United Methodism. Our superintendents essentially function as suffragan bishops, while our bishops are akin to archbishops. For a DS to diminish this is a major opportunity missed. For a DS to allow this to go to her/his head is damning. The responsibility is grave, but the opportunities are incredible and the role is pivotal.

It means being out of your office and being in your car and in churches. A lot. It means delegating responsibilities and less time behind a computer organizing spreadsheets and "plans." Relationships take time and work. with less politicking and more "realness." To paraphrase Dickens' Jacob Marley to Scrooge: "People are our business."

2. We can't assume anything about discipleship anymore. We can't assume it is being taught, and we can't assume people - in the pews or the unchurched - even know what it is. While it is at the basis of the Great Commission, it is not automatically bestowed upon baptism: disciples are made. More accurately: they are apprenticed. We teach disciples. We journey alongside new disciples. And it isn't enough to just make disciples: we have to be able to make disciples who can, in turn, make other disciples. If we are not generative, if we do not think about legacy, in one generation the message of the incarnate God in Christ is lost to being an esoteric faith, full of meaningful ritual and nice people, but devoid of the power of transformation to change lives and affect souls. We become John Wesley's worst fear: becoming a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power.

I fear what I'm about to say comes across as bragging, but I pray it's bragging on God and not us: since the district developed a strategy team and enacted the Generative Leadership Academy (more about that here), we've seen transformation come across the district: more local missional involvement, substantial emerging lay leadership, and many coming forward articulating a call to ministry: some to more involved lay ministry, some to discern about pastoral ministry. I don't think it's a coincidence - I think it is fruit borne from awareness, catechesis in a Wesleyan ethos, and intentional discipling.  I couldn't have done this without a team of laity and clergy, who removed titles, status, and academic pedigree, and instead focused on our baptisms as our ordinations to ministry. Laity were so very hungry to hear this, and heard (and responded!) with willing and grateful hearts. More to the point, it is prodding people to personal and corporate action.

3. We have to educate clergy better and differently. I am more than thankful for my undergraduate and seminary education. It was a sacrifice for me and for many who contributed to it, and I firmly believe such sacrifices make us better people and serve the Church well. However, a seminary education is moving from the realm of sacrifice to unrealistic expectation. The financial costs alone, where increases in tuition far surpass yearly inflation rates, are about to make a seminary experience available only to those who (a) are upper-middle class to upper class, or (b) to those who receive scholarships/fellowship to attend. Otherwise, we will require people to assume an amount of debt that is not only crippling to individuals, but downright sinful from a stewardship point of view. This has been studied and is verified, not just idle speculation (see the Auburn Seminary report here). The medical profession is encountering the same problem: the increases of tuition surpassing yearly inflation rates leads to a horrible ratio of amount of debt accrued vs. earning potential, and makes pursuit of an M.D. a challenge that students 20 years ago did not have.

Dr. Randy Maddox of Duke University shared at the recent Mid-Quadrennial training event for Boards of Ordained Ministry (his opening lecture is here) that the default standard for Methodist clergy training/education before 1956 was not seminary, but course of study - similar to what we require of licensed local pastors now. The change to making a seminary degree the minimum standard came about this way: the class status of Methodism was mainly white, professional, middle-to-upper class folks, and a Bachelor of Divinity degree would make their clergy more in-line culturally and educationally with their congregations (in retrospect, the antithesis of the mission field Wesley envisioned!). The B.D. degree was soon after renamed a Master of Divinity degree.

In this season, we need a lot of depth in spiritual formation & guidance and discipleship - and not just exposure to it, but to be able to lead/teach it. Few seminaries to do this to the level it is needed for today's clergy, and many of our laity - through Emmaus walks, the Upper Room's Academy for Spiritual Formation, and individual spiritual formation - far surpass their own pastor's depth in these areas. In defense of seminaries, an M.Div is necessarily heavy on the academic and theological, and it may be too much to ask for the academy to take on spiritual formation, too.

In retrospect, we may have lived out Wesley's fear of "professionalizing" clergy into the social class of professionals. Wesley placed a premium on education and having educated clergy, but many of those early Methodist clergy came from gifted laity who were mentored/apprenticed into pastoral work, and not classically trained in the academy. Early Methodism was flexible with educational expectations and used the itinerancy to deploy clergy who had the gifts to do such ministry in missional contexts. Today's United Methodism finds itself in a similar plight - we are back to more of a missional context instead of being an established church (or we should be!). I am no longer convinced that an M.Div is the best or only way to educate our clergy; to quote Dr. Maddox, we have reached a point in many contexts where it is not economically or culturally prudent to fully rely or require leadership in ministry that carries the expenses involved in a Master's-level education (and it's probably important to note that while most master's programs in other disciplines require 35-50 semester hours, an M.Div requires 80-90 semester hours).

We still need an educated clergy, and should insist upon it. But the seminary model need not be the only model - and I pray our current denominational Study of Ministry thinks about the present AND future of our denomination. What I have learned in doing the Generative Leadership Academy is that there is a lot of giftedness - at the conference and district level - of people who can lead, educate, mentor, and apprentice new leadership at any level, be it for someone leading a Sunday school class or someone leading a congregation. Rather than turn to outsiders, part of our solution may be in our midst.

4. We have to separate conference membership and ordination for clergy. This is nothing new if you know our Methodist history or read my other blogs on this subject, but our poor theology of ordination is catching up with us.  While Wesley certainly had a theology of ordination, it is not clear that present United Methodism does, outside of the Ordinal. As Maddox reminds us, if our mission in United Methodism remains to spread holiness to the world and make disciples for the transformation of the world, we will need to broaden, not narrow, our pastoral pool of leadership for small, medium, large, part-time, full-time, and over-time churches and settings. All of them need ordained folks around for things pastoral and sacramental, from the smallest church to the largest, if we truly believe the word AND the table are of equal importance. Not all of them need master of divinity degrees or full-time salaries, but they will need our wisdom, experience, mentoring and apprenticing, and most of all: our blessing and support.

Before you say, "We've never done it that way before," we ordained local elders (who were analogous to what we now call local pastors) before 1968, and as our sister AME, AME Zion, and CME churches still do. That doesn't mean they itinerate, nor does it mean they are "full connection" or all full-time, and the exercise of their ministry is limited to the charge in which they are appointed as opposed to full connection (i.e., itinerating) elders. But they are ordained to do ordained tasks, not licensed. It is important to note that Wesley viewed ordination as neither functional nor ontological change, but as pneumatological change, which only makes sense given our weird and accidental - yet providential - beginnings as a denomination.

5. Church leadership has to be shared between clergy and laity. We are guilty of clericalism on many fronts; some of it borne from laity having a "paid/hired hand" mentality about clergy, some of it borne from clergy who have an "I'm the professional here" attitude. Neither are conducive to missional ministry or discipleship, particularly in this season. Our baptism is what qualifies us for ministry and gives us our identity as Christians; ordination is a subset of our baptism and giftedness. We need to give careful care and greater attention to identifying the spiritual gifts in all the baptized, not just the few who feel a call to ordained ministry.

We are also guilty of how we think leadership should look and act, where it comes from, etc. As we (hopefully) expand our local church ministries to the least and the lost, we are going to encounter people's lives changed by transformation, and many of them will feel called to lay and clergy ministry. Some of them will come from hard-living contexts, multiple marriages, incarceration, run-ins with the law, etc., will have experienced recovery and transformation, and be ready to be disciple-makers... and will be a challenge to our present local church and Board of Ministry assessments and background checks. Yet we also know from some of our spiritual giants of the faith that woundedness often leads to wholeness, and is an education and experience that few of us United Methodists currently possess or could ever hope to gain. Tattoos, piercings, and bluejeans may be signs of the faith. District and conference boards of ministries need to be prepared for these folks that God sends our way.

6. Replace our fervor and controversy over same-sex marriage and replace it with discipleship. Yes - I am dreaming and hoping. Call me a dreamer and hoper.

If we were growing in faith and in number, we could afford the luxury of the fight and accompanying rhetoric (from both sides). At present it resembles the political rhetoric of the United States and accomplishes the same goal of division. For faithful and lasting change on the issue, the shape and tenor of the conversation has to change. Outside of the extreme voices on this matter, most people in the pews see this as important - because people are important - but they do not see it nearly as important as the matters of discipleship, youth involvement, spiritual growth, and decline in membership (as stated by a poll done by United Methodist Communications). As I shared in a previous blog:

The most effective pastors and churches that I know have made discipleship a priority, and they have done it by making the Great Commission the top priority. Adam Hamilton (at best an acquaintance, certainly not on speed dial) and the church he serves know how to do discipleship. We've shared an email or two between us. Do I agree with every social and theological stance he takes? No. But neither does he make those stances the main thing; discipleship is the main thing. Jorge Acevedo and Shane Bishop (people I know a little better than Adam) and the churches they serve know how to do discipleship. Their social stances are different than Adam's.  Do I agree with every social and theological stance they take? No. But neither of them make those stances the main thing either. It's all about Jesus. ("Priorities," Oct. 14, 2014).

We can't afford to waste another 10 days and $11 million at General Conference doing nothing other than fighting. The Kingdom deserves better. Discipleship, not family feud, has got to be the priority in this season. And I pray it will be. I pray, I pray, I pray.

Pax,

Sky+