Response to "Living the Connection"

In her recent blog post on the United Methodist's Desert Southwest Conference's website, Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño wrote about her experience and frustration at the United Methodist Church's General Conference in Tampa, Florida.


She starts with a story about a little girl coming up to her near the information help desk and offering her a band-aid. Bishop Carcaño writes, "I realized that this child had sensed woundedness and was responding to it. It wasn’t my woundedness, it was our woundedness. Our 2012 General Conference showed the world our woundedness as United Methodists."


The bishop went on then to list wounded areas of our church that were evident at those sessions, such as racism, sexism, and, our "homophobia." Interestingly, homophobia means a fear of homosexuality. From everything I've read and heard there was no fear of it at all. Rather, there was a deliberate, fearless stand taken against the practice of homosexual behavior in the name of the church. United Methodists, it has again been reasserted, does not define itself by acceptance of homosexual behavior. Not even when childish protests are surrounding the U.M. decision makers in an effort to intimidate them (such as the blowing of whistles whenever something did not go the way the protesters wanted).


Bishop Carcaño relates that point in this way: "Our homophobia was blatant as we heard delegates compare homosexuality to bestiality, and voice other dehumanizing expressions against our LGBT brothers and sisters."

I encourage you to check out her original post, so that you're not just taking my word on it. Here is the response I left in the comment section (I'm not sure if the 'moderator' will post it or not).

Cute story about the little girl and her band-aids, although I'm not really convinced that her motivation was her deep sense of our woundedness. More than likely, some adult, pushing some agenda, put her up to it. So be cautious reading too much into it. 

Bishop, your comments about the African United Methodists needing to 'grow up' is way out of line. They are faithful people who were taught by us, and then went to their Bibles (provided by us), and read the same thing we had taught them. That's not immaturity, that's being faithful! O that United Methodists in the United States would be THAT faithful!
As for the bestiality comments and such, I was not there and had not read nor heard of those comments, so I'll take your word on that. I personally think that would have been overly inflammatory. However, the Bible does speak to bestiality and does so with the same language and in the same areas of the Bible as it does of homosexual behavior, so I can see how that jump could have been made.

Frankly, if we are to really go about this process of dealing with the LGBT issues the American way, then we need to acknowledge that we are NOT the only choice of churches in the U.S. any more than McDonalds is the only American restaurant. And if I were standing in a McDonalds, and saw that the lobster fest I really wanted wasn't offered there, I surely wouldn't keep standing in that McDonalds where they opposed every menu change attempt I suggested. No, I'd leave that restaurant and go find one that served what I wanted. Because I CAN have exactly what I want if I'm willing to go into the right restaurant. It is stupid for me to expect lobster in a McDonalds that will not change its menu.

The definition of insanity, I am told, is to keep doing the same things that don't work, and expect a different outcome. It's been 40 years. Same outcome every time. AND now the African United Methodists are growing and having more influence (in number of delegates). Is there really anyone who thinks the UM "menu" will change next time? or the time after that?
I personally have no problem with a person with homosexual urges or whatever attending our churches, but the church has, for the 11th time in 40 years, said 'NO, we will NOT change our stance on homosexual behavior.' Isn't it about time that someone, especially bishops who are to safeguard our Discipline and covenant, start listening and pay attention? 

Again, this is a conversation between this bishop and whomever reads her posting. Please read her post and then, if you have a comment, leave it in her comment section so that we can have real conversation with the one who started this particular conversation.

THANKS!

Call to Prayer for UM General Conference 2012

How many of us can we get to commit themselves to praying for this event where the future of the United Methodist Church is discussed and decided?

Read the actual article from the United Methodist Church's site here:

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2789393&ct=11635047&notoc=1

How To Spot A Christian

These were my sermon notes from Sunday morning. I don't guarantee spelling, grammar, etc. are used correctly since these were only my speaking notes.

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Gospel Reading:        John 13:31-35

Scripture Text:           1 Corinthians 13

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On June 13, 2003, I was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church.

A lot had to happen in order to get that far, but one of the tougher ones was the series of theological questions I had to give written answers for.

One of the questions:

“What are the marks of the Christian life?”

How will you know if someone else is an authentic, real Christian and not just faking it?

How will someone else know if YOU are an authentic, real Christian and not just faking it?

Scripture speaks of a multitude of “marks” signifying the authentic Christian life.

James 1:27...   keeping oneself ‘unpolluted’ is one mark of the Christian life that I see throughout Scripture… the idea of holiness.

“Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance,” Peter explains in I Peter 1:14-16, and then calls us all to “be holy.”

For me, holiness boils down to Christians making personal choices about their personal behaviors based on the choices God would make as described in the Scriptural record.

One mark of a Christian when they obey the principles of the Bible. I John 5:3  reads: “This is love for God: to obey his commands.” Jesus said “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).  

We also read that in Matthew 7:22 where Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord.’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.”

As a United Methodist, I believe other marks of the Christian life include meeting together in worship (Hebrews 10:25), active participation in worship by singing, praying, listening, giving, and such (I Cor. 14:26-27), baptism (Matt. 28:19), sharing Holy Communion (I Cor. 11:17-33), hearing the “instruction of the apostles” (Acts 2:42), studying the Scriptures (II Tim. 2:15),  discipleship (Matt. 28:19), and being witnesses of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).

But let’s take it a step further, shall we? 

Paul spoke of the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5: 22-23) that would be natural by-products of a Christian life:

·      love,

·      joy,

·      peace,

·      patience,

·      kindness,

·      goodness,

·      faithfulness,

·      gentleness, and

·      self-control.

Ultimately though, I think it boils down to what Jesus says in John 13:35, when he clarifies that love is the determining mark of who is or isn’t Christian… “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Years later, his disciples would reiterate that delineating mark of a Christian in passages like First John 4:7-8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

And the love that marks a Christian life is evidenced by our willingness “to lay down our lives for our brothers…” including sharing our material possessions.

HOW DO WE DO THIS?

HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE HAVE THIS KIND OF LOVE THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE TRULY CHRISTIANS?

John cautioned the church to “not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth” (I John 3:18).

James explained that this action- and truth-based form of love would be seen by believers caring for those in distress… even orphans and widows…. (James 1:27).

Peter encouraged the believers to “Live such good lives…” that “they may see your good deeds and glorify God…” (I Peter 2:12).

Jesus Himself spoke of the importance of action-based love when he explained that reward and punishment for those who claimed to be his followers would be based on what people had done “to the least of these” because that was the same as doing (or not doing) for him.

Therefore, If I am TRULY a Christian, then I “love my neighbor” (Matt. 19:19) in such a way that I reach out and help with what I have as much as possible to the hungry, thirsty, sick, imprisoned, orphaned, widowed, and needy… physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

HOW DO I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR?

I Cor. 13:4-8   Love is…

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever.

Not that any of us does this perfectly, but we know it's what we are to strive for.

O God, help us to love those you've put in our path... that we have the "mark" that shows others that we are YOUR disciples!

Three Simple Rules

This is my pastor's letter for the January 2012 edition of The Flame, Clarks Mills' UMC newsletter.

“Likewise, every good tree bears  good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit… thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”— Matt 7:17, 20 (NIV)

    Our bishop, Thomas J. Bickerton, shared a story a couple of years ago of being at a particular Council of Bishops’ meeting when a fight broke out. OK… it was only a conversation but there were several different points of view. Whatever you call it, there were various opinions being expressed over how they (the bishops) could help get our people, and our churches, to be more unified as United Methodists.

    It seems that we have learned how to debate well and disagree often. But if we are going to bear the word “United” in our name, ought there not be something about which we agree?

    So, the Council of Bishops was trying to formulate some plan, or statement, or idea that could help us refocus on our unity… on what it really means to be “Methodist” in our heritage and “United” in our practice of being the church. And there were apparently a lot of ideas that took a  L  O  N  G  time to discuss.

    But then Bishop Bickerton shared that the conversation sort of settled into silence as one of our older bishops, Bishop Reuben Job, stood up and reminded everyone that we already had a statement, an idea, a plan that ought to be uniting us and identifying us as Methodist… And it was summed up as Three Simple Rules.

    Dating back over 250 years to John Wesley himself, the “General Rules of the Methodist Societies,” already addressed these issues and, in essence, were part of the covenant every one of us United Methodists vowed we’d keep. While the wording is old-fashioned, the truth is still there… and still do-able.

     In the official text (from the Discipline, ¶103), we are introduced to the rules thusly:

There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies: “a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins.” But wherever this is really fixed in the soul it will be shown by its fruits.

    Basically, if you have repented of your sins and Christ lives within you, then you are welcome to “join” us Methodists. BUT, we also have an expectation that IF that’s really true, then people around you (inside AND outside of the church) will be able to tell that you have Christ living in you.

    With that in mind, the Methodists agreed that any of us who really had Jesus in our hearts, would agree to show it in three ways:

“First, By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind…”

“Second, By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all me…”

“Thirdly, By attending upon all the ordinances of God…”

    Bishop Job reworded those three General Rules, for today’s United Methodists, thusly:

1. Do No Harm,

2. Do Good, and

3. Stay in Love with God.

    To this day, the “General Rules” are printed verbatim in our Book of Discipline. They are meant to be a part of the daily lifestyle of every person who is a part of the Methodist heritage.

    We deliberately watch out so that we don’t cause harm to others with our words, our actions, or our silence.

    We consciously look for ways to do good to others any chance we get.

    And we intentionally, (in a methodical way) practice what has become known as the spiritual disciplines... faithfully attending public worship, carefully reading and searching the Bible, purposely praying, thoughtfully reading Christian authors and devotionals, and regularly participating in the sacrament of Holy Communion and the remembrance of baptism.

    Throughout this next year, we will regularly focus on ideas presented in this little book.

    Let’s show the world around us our fruit...

The HEART of the Team

These are my sermon notes for this past Sunday (January 1, 2012) at the Clarks Mills UMC. This is primarily an expanded outline from which I then preached. 

JUST A FEW WEEKS FROM NOW…

 

Super Bowl!

TEAMWORK…Establish a team that can work together and knows the same playbook…

AS CHRISTIANS……..

Christ wants to establish a team WITH US!

Not just those who SAY they’re Christian or those who go to church… but those who know the same playbook, have the same ground rules for working together with each other and with Christ.

 

1 Samuel 16:7

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

It is in our hearts that we will be Christian.

In our hearts we will make the choices to be a part of the team, set out to make disciples for Jesus Christ.

It is through our hearts that we will show

Matthew 7:16

“By their fruit you shall recognize them.”

What will people around us recognize by the “fruit” the grows from our hearts?

Dr. Roy Trueblood, in his book Partners in Ministry, used that word HEART as an acrostic to identify 5 key ground rules that teams, especially ministry teams, HAVE TO HAVE in order to be GREAT teams.

H

HEAR AND UNDERSTAND ME

Jesus said repeatedly, Let him who has ears to hear, hear.

Don’t let this message go in one ear and out the other….

PAY ATTENTION… HEAR ME AND UNDERSTAND ME!

Jesus showed us the importance of this and gave us the example…

John 4… Woman at the well.

He’s tired, and sits down to rest while the disciples go on…

He hears the woman… understands the rejection and pain that she’s operating out of, and meets her right there where she is.

So often we Christians look at where the world around us & the people around us OUGHT to be and get upset , angry, or depressed because they don’t seem to get it.

Jesus showed us the better way… Stop. Hear them and REALLY listen. Understand where they’re coming from. Meet them where they are.

E

EVEN IF YOU DISAGREE, PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME WRONG

Again, Jesus is our example:

John 8…woman taken in adultery…

Who accuses you?

Go and sin no more.

A

ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREATNESS WITHIN ME

Jesus affirmed the greatness and worth of those around him.

Example:

·       Ate & drank with sinners and even prostitutes mk 2.16

·       Nathaniel… I saw you under the fig tree… john 1:48

R

REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR MY LOVING INTENTIONS

John 12:1-18

Mary & Martha’s home

Mary broke box of ointment, disciples complained about impracticality. 

Jesus saw her loving intentions.

T

TELL ME THE TRUTH WITH COMPASSION

Ephesians 4.15

Paul teaches that it is as we speak “the truth in love” that “we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Truth, without love, without compassion, tears down and wounds the one to whom you speak.

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In many organizations, at their first meeting of the year, they install their new officers. And, in essence, so do we today. BUT, I want us to be MORE than just a roster of officers… It is my hope, my prayer, and my goal, that we be a MINISTRY TEAM.

Officers have authority to do their job and are responsible to go do their job and carry out their assigned tasks.

A Ministry TEAM, has team members who do have specific tasks and areas that are their responsibility, but they are dependant upon everyone else in the team doing their jobs as well.

So, I don’t talk about “officers” of the church “organization,” but rather we work as a “team” each of us doing our job but completely ineffective unless we’re doing it WITH the rest of the team as a part of that team.

One final word…

All of these things we’ve talked about today are built upon the assumption that you KNOW Jesus Christ first!

These are not qualities that you’re going to be able to work on alone. You MUST have Jesus Christ as your foundation you or it won’t make a difference.

That’s why one of the United Methodist Book of Discipline, (the “play book” if you will of the United Methodist Church) includes a requirement that those serving in positions of leadership and responsibility must have Jesus Christ as their Lord and their Savior first or else they are NOT eligible to lead in our church.

As we work together in 2012, let’s remember the HEART of the team!

--All Scripture references from The Holy Bible, New International Version, 1984 (NIV).