On Being Too Comfortable in Ministry

This week marks the second week of the 2012 General Conference for the United Methodist Church. The General Conference meets every four years and is the only body of the UMC that can establish polity (make rules) for the church as a whole.  The GC consists of about 1000 delegates elected from local conferences, about 50/50 lay to clergy proportion from all over the world.

One of the issues they tackled this year was security of clergy appointments (a.k.a guaranteed appointments).  Until this GC, every ordained elder in good standing must be appointed by a bishop.  Some say that this balances the fact that UM clergy promise that they will go wherever they are sent while the church promises they will always have a place to serve.  Others point to the fact that this guarantees a place for women, minorities, and prophetic voices within pastoral leadership of the local church. The problem is that both effective and ineffective clergy alike must be appointed under the previous rules.

Yesterday, the security of clergy appointments was eliminated from our polity; no longer are ordained elders guaranteed an appointment.  (For a detailed discussion of the specifics, I refer you to this interview with Rev. Ken Nelson of the SC Conference ).  To borrow from the Facebook post of another colleague, Rev. Michael Hood placed the following caption and picture together...

I felt a great disturbance in the Force... as if thousands of United Methodist pastors suddenly cried out in terror

 I agree that United Methodist clergy can become complacent and too comfortable with mediocre ministry.  There does need to be a system of mutual accountability to ensure that the mission of Christ is being fulfilled through the life and ministry of each pastoral leader. There should be a process in place where we identify and transition clergy into opportunities to recapture God's passion, God's Spirit, and God's vision for ministry in the always changing culture of today. Now that some accountability has been put in place for clergy, this begs the question, "Are there any other people within the body of the United Methodist Church that have become too comfortable in their ministry?"

I believe that the answer is "yes." As the General Conference affirmed a bishop's ability to appoint ineffective ordained elders in less than full time, transitional appointments, the Conference affirmed that episcopal office is for life.  Should we not have the same process for bishops that we do for clergy?  If a bishop is deemed ineffective in ministry, should that person be assigned an Episcopal Area or be placed into a process of transition? There should be a process in place where we identify and transition bishops into opportunities to recapture God's passion, God's Spirit, and God's vision for ministry in the always changing culture of today.

But before you think that I am picking on bishops, I wonder if members in the local church can also become complacent and too comfortable with mediocre ministry.  Should there be a process in place where we identify and transition laity into opportunities to recapture God's passion, God's Spirit, and God's vision for ministry in the always changing culture of today?  What might the church look like if we were all held accountable to holy living?  What if every part of the Body of Christ that we call the United Methodist Church were to burn with the fire that raged through the Church on Pentecost?

I agree that United Methodist clergy should be subject to accountability for their ministry. I welcome the opportunity to engage in true reflection of the effectiveness of my leadership within the Church.  The process can be helpful and insightful.  Mutual accountability is one of the founding principles of the early Methodist movement.  However, accountability that is not mutual and that is not done in the spirit of love is simply judgmental.

Dare I suggest that the same accountability for clergy be extended to all parts of the Body of Christ from laity to episcopacy? What about if general boards and agencies were also held accountable for effectiveness especially in reaching today's younger generations?  Only as we begin to hold every United Methodist accountable to the high calling to which we have been called will the Church be transformed into the active, vital Body of Christ for the world.  As we are reminded in the letter to the Ephesians:

 Therefore, as a prisoner for the Lord, I encourage you to live as people worthy of the call you received from God.  Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness, and patience. Accept each other with love,  and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together.                                  --Ephesians 4:1-3 (Common English Bible, 2011) 

 In the Name of the One who calls us,


James

   

Falling on the Way

          The expression "you are what you eat" applies to more than just that pizza with extra cheese or the super-sized candy bar. We are shaped by more than calories -- our choices are just as formative. Which is why it's so important that we not step outside a healthy diet when it comes to our inner lives. Feeling discontented with our portion of the world's blessings turns us inward on ourselves; gnawing on the bones of our unhappiness keeps us from seeing the healthy feast that is set before us.

          "The temptation to eat what we shouldn't eat, though, isn't anything new. As I said, even Adam and Eve faced it. And even though that forbidden fruit probably tasted delicious going down, don't forget they had to spend a lifetime working it off."

--Martha Bolton, When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Start Laughing (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), 22.

 This story made me think of a struggle that I had one week ago today.  It served as the inspiration, the "creative spark" for my sermon on temptation yesterday.  For those who missed it, or asked for a copy, here are my notes from yesterday.


Grace and Peace!
James

Monday morning I had a good, but long meeting with other pastors at Lee Road UMC.  I got in the car, and was hungry. At a traffic light, I saw some chocolate left over from Sunday in the seat next to me. (Did I mention that I have given sugar up for Lent?)  I knew that I shouldn’t eat it, but it was as if my “thinker” wasn’t fully engaged.  I was travelling down the road doing what I wanted rather than what I promised I would do. Before I knew what happened, the chocolate jumped into my mouth and forced me to chew and swallow – Okay, I wish that it had.  I would have felt less guilty if I had not broken my commitment without any outside interference.

    Brad Ronnell Braxton, pastor of the Douglas Memorial Community Church in Baltimore, contends that "most Christians pray a slightly expanded version of the Lord's Prayer. Instead of stopping with 'lead us not into temptation,' most of us add 'but at least let me flirt with it occasionally.'  A woman may have a talent to sing so beautifully that it makes the angels in heaven rejoice, but she may also have some temptations she is wrestling with. A man may have a good church attendance record, he may come to church regularly and show up early enough to find “his” seat, but he may also have some temptations he is wrestling with. A couple may give to their church every second and fourth Sunday plus to other special offerings, but they also have some temptations they are wrestling with. Your temptation may not be my temptation, but if we are honest, we know that we are dealing with temptation in some area of our lives."

    --adapted from Brad Ronnell Braxton, "The Greatest Temptation," The African American Pulpit, 1 (Winter 1997-1998), 31-39.

          This Lenten Season, we as churches are travelling on a Journey to Hope.  We are trying to be faithful, but have discovered that we may find difficulties along the way. 

          This week’s mile marker is temptation, where we consider building up resistance to those things that interfere with following Christ along the way. When we are worn-out spiritually, emotionally or physically, where do we turn to refuel? Too often we turn to quick remedies that numb the pain of what is actually happening. For many, God is the last resort – after we have tried all sorts of other painkillers. Those painkillers may be an extramarital affair, alcohol, excessive work, pornography, or gambling. Any one of those things is enough to make us stumble on our journey to hope.

          I brought with me some of the things that can tempt us to turn to them for comfort when we’re tired.  For some it’s food – whether we prefer sweet or salty.  For others it might be drugs – whether legal or illegal.  It could be something more innocent, like little rectangular pieces of plastic – Of course, when they are used for shopping [i.e. credit cards], that may tempt some of us. I am sure that I there are many other things that tempt us each and every day.

          It’s when we are tired on the journey that we are most susceptible to temptation. We may do something that will bring momentary pleasure but long-term pain. How can we stay true to the path even when we are tired, distracted or discouraged?

          One of the best places to turn on our Journey is to Jesus.  In today’s scripture (Mark 14:32-40) Jesus was at a point of tremendous pain, realizing how close he was to the agony that lay ahead. It could all be avoided if he would just leave town. He did not turn back. He did not run away.

          Instead, Jesus takes his closest friends with him and goes to the garden of Gethsemane. Often we focus our attention on the disciples – that they kept giving into the temptation to sleep.  Let’s look at this in another way.  Jesus, himself, was wrestling with temptation.  We know that he won this battle, because he continued from this garden on the path that led to his death.  How is it that he managed to resist temptation?

          The answer is quite simple. He stayed with his closest friends in faith and committed himself to prayer. We can see the importance of friends staying awake during a time of hardship – even for Jesus! Christians are not meant to be in isolation from each other, but we are meant to work together, to worship together, to serve together. Not once, not twice, but three times, Jesus returns longing for the disciples to stay with him and pray.  If Jesus needs the support of his friends in faith, then this shows the importance of community and supporting one another in the Christian life.

          But it wasn’t just “hanging out” with his friends that got him through.  He wanted them to stay up with him and pray while he prayed. When we hear Jesus’ prayer, we know that he would turn away from his journey if there were any other way.  Why else would he pray, “take this cup of suffering away from me?” We can hear his heartache as he tells the disciples that he is sad – feels like he is dying.  At the same time, he prays for God’s will to be done.  I believe that it was in his time of talking with God that he found the answers and the strength that he needed.

          In fact, I brought something with me today.  I know that many people would love to have the same access to God that Jesus did – to talk openly and freely about anything.  Well, I found God’s phone number and here it is: 772-9377…To help those of you who might be confused, I found the letters that you dial to talk with God…it just so happens that when you dial PRA-YERS … you have direct, immediate, 24/7 access to God.

          Prayer is a way of refueling – connecting us with our source of life – the One who knows us from the inside out and can help in a way no other can. Here’s the best way to deal with temptation: Praying personally—by ourselves and praying corporately – with others. Both are vital for the journey – forming a deeper bond connecting us with the help of God and the needs of each other.

          We are going to be tempted in life daily.  This means that as we continue on our Journey to Hope, we need to engage more and more in prayer.  This is our refuge when we are tired and weak. We need those private times of prayer…but remember that even Jesus needed to pray with others.  Take advantage of our Weekly Prayer meeting during Lent…join with the ongoing Wednesday morning devotion and prayer time.   We could even post prayers for the church or others online through Facebook. Individual encouragement could come through shared e-mail or phone prayers. Encourage the congregation to write letters to one another, sharing prayers and hopes.

          O how different my trip in the car might have been if instead of reaching for chocolate I had reached for the phone to call a friend to pray with me.  I know that would have made the difference.  It is the power of prayer – both individual and corporate – that enables us to be faithful and true on our journey to hope.

Chicken Chili Verde

 I don't usually post recipes, but I have received numerous requests for my Chicken Chili recipe.  I usually triple it for pot lucks.  It's not an exact science, and I do a lot of measuring by how it looks or how it smells.  Enjoy!

Chicken Chili Verde

1 ½  pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 ½ - 2 cups bottled salsa verde (medium or mild depending on your spice preference)

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 to 2 tablespoons jarred, sliced jalapenos (or more to taste)

1-2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (more makes it saltier)

1-2 cups water

Sour cream (optional)

Just place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker, and put the salsa verde, onion, bay leaf, cumin, garlic, jalapenos, and bouillon on top.  Pour the water until the chicken is almost covered. Put cover on the slow cooker, set it to Low, and let it cook for 9 to 10 hours.

When the time's up, take a fork and shred the chicken in the pot. I find that it is just as easy to shred with the side of a knife (i.e. not the sharp edge) and a fork on a cutting board.

Stir it up, and serve with sour cream if you made it too spicy.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Note: Leftover Chicken Chili Verde makes great burritos/soft tacos.

Stop Hunger Now

For those who are seeking a way to serve God in mission, here is a wonderful opportunity:

       The Greenville District UMC announces A Great Day of Service Stop Hunger Now packaging event on April 21, 2012 at Advent United Methodist Church, Simpsonville, 7:30 am to 4:30 p.m. Stop Hunger Now’s meal packaging program is a volunteer-based program that coordinates the streamlined packaging of highly nutritious dehydrated meals comprised of rice, soy, vegetables, flavoring and 21 essential vitamins and minerals. The meals are easily transported to crisis-burdened areas or supplied to school feeding programs around the world. The meals cost only $.25 per meal to create. The Stop Hunger Now information and how to register and/or contribute can be found on the following web site (linked below) www.stophungernow.org/upstate.

         This event web site is live for sign ups. The day will be 12 hours with 4 three hour shifts beginning at 7:30 AM. Everyone will have something that they can do! For questions you may contact Virginia Crews at vcrews@bellsouth.net.

 
Stop Hunger Now -- April 21, 2012

Twelve Days of Christmas

As we turn the last page of the 2012 calendar, many of us have long since put away our Christmas decorations. I have noticed many posts on Facebook where people are trying to decide what might be the best or most appropriate time to remove their lights and take down their trees.

In truth, the season of Christmas is still in full swing. It began on Christmas Day and continues until the day of Epiphany, January 6. Epiphany marks the coming of the magi (a.k.a. wise men) to see the Christ child. It also celebrates, quite literally, an epiphany – a striking appearance, an “aha” moment. This was God’s personal, self-revelation to us. “Do you want to know what I look like?” asks God, “look to Emmanuel, for I AM with you.”

Until the day of Epiphany arrives, we find ourselves in the Twelve Days of Christmas. This is a time of rejoicing, and the church is dressed in celebration white. I hope that we will enjoy Christmas as long as it is here, and then join the magi as they worship our Savior.

A Word of Comfort in Tough Times

To honor a request from a few people this Sunday, December 4, here are my sermon notes (yes, they are notes, not a full article) based on the Isaiah 40:1-11 lectionary text:

There is an old Renaissance poem called “Two Pictures.” It goes roughly like this: Two pictures hung on the wall of an old Florentine hall. One of a beautiful child with an angel’s face and golden hair; To look at those eyes made you think of the very best of heaven...The other picture was of a twisted face… filled with lust, greed, and hate.

They sat side by side and told a story.

A youthful painter found one day, In the streets of Rome, a child at play, and, moved by its beauty, “He painted its face with a master hand On a canvas, radiant and grand.” Year after year it hung on his wall; it could always lift his spirits, make him dream of younger days, make him bright and thankful.

Through the years, he looked in many faces to try and find someone whose portrait he could paint to contrast with this beautiful picture. HE went to some of the worst places in the country…looking in houses of ill-repute, in the faces of the homeless, and finally in some of the worst prisons he could find. Finally, he saw the face he had searched for years. “He painted the face with a master hand On a canvas weird and wild but grand.”

The story then takes a disturbing twist…That pitiful wreck of a person…whose life was filled with crime and hate…who was shunned and homeless…Was the child that had played in the streets of Rome.

Have you ever been at a place in your life where you knew that you never should have gone in the first place? Have you ever found yourself filled with guilt and shame over the things that you have done or have failed to do? If so, you are not alone. The people of Israel could easily identify with this young man…They had been called and blessed by God in the best of times, and found themselves suffering the terrible consequences of their sin in the worst of times. They were hurting, they were broken, they longed to come home, but they didn’t know where to begin.

A missionary visited the St. Louis Silver School in the Philippines, where silversmiths are trained. They admired exquisite handiwork in the workshop and gift shop, and took home a souvenir--a pure silver money clip embellished with a distinctive design. He carried that clip for the next 24 years. One day it finally broke as he slipped a few bills into it. He had an opportunity to take the two pieces of the money clip back to the silver school in Baguio. One workman, about his age, asked if he could help me. The missionary showed him the pieces in his outstretched hand.

After examining the pieces for a minute or so, he looked up and said, "I designed this clip. I was the only one to make this design. I made all of these that were ever made."

The missionary asked, "Can you fix it?"

He said, "I designed it. I made it. Of course I can fix it!"

The place the people of Israel could begin was with the One who made them, who called them by name. Isaiah tells us that God sought to comfort the people, to make the way for them to return home straight and flat. All that they had to do was to cry out to God, and they were answered with arms that carried them close and gently led them home.

What about God has changed in the last 3000 years? Nothing…the grace, the love, the forgiveness continue to be extended for all who will come…

Marti McDougal is a pastor in Pomona, Kansas. Her 5-year-old son Riley came running into the kitchen one day all full of excitement and discovery. A puzzle nut, he had just finished another of his puzzles when a "revelation" came to him. "I figured it out, Momma!" he announced.
"What did you figure out?" his mother inquired.
"I figured out that you use your hands to put a puzzle together, and you use Jesus to put your heart together."

God knows the hard places in our lives…God knows about all of the things that weigh us down, that we would be mortified if others knew about us…God extends an open invitation for us to return home…to be comforted…to receive the peace and joy that we celebrate this time of year.

What do we need to do…the answer is quite simple…so simple that even a young child can tell us…What do we do when we have hurt someone playing on the playground and want to make things right? We say that we’re sorry and work to show that we are sorry by the things that we say and do from that point forward.

Where do we begin to come home to God? We begin where we did on the playground…we say that we’re sorry and seek to change, and be changed, from this point forward.

The difference between us and the youngest ones on the playground is age…we know more, have more experience…we also struggle with why we have done things – it’s no longer a simple, oops, I didn’t mean to do that – now we sin intentionally…and the things we have done go far beyond a playground squabble. We have hurt, anger, grief and pain that are deep and that can stay with us for years. It makes it hard for us to come home to God…to return to the one that is calling to us…What will we do when we have to see God face to face? Will we find forgiveness or will God say, “I cannot forgive THAT!”?

Bill Welsh, a pastor in Desert Hot Springs, California, had a child in his congregation who was subject to sudden seizures. These seizures were violent and painful, not only for the child but also for the parents and those who witnessed the child's suffering.
"The father and child would come to church regularly and the father's practice was to hold the child. One Sunday morning in the midst of worship, the child was seized [and] writhed painfully ... The father lifted him compassionately, carried him ... to the back of the sanctuary, where he stood still rocking the child tenderly, speaking to him gently until finally the seizure relented ... There was no sign of embarrassment or frustration on the father's face, only love for the hurting child.

And then Welsh said, 'In that moment, while I was preaching, I was preached to. I heard God speak to my heart and say, "That's the way I love you through your imperfections. I'm not embarrassed to have people know that you are my child."'"

-Bob Olmstead, Reno, Nevada, 30 August 1992.

Our life’s journeys may embarrass us at points, but they do not embarrass God. We may feel like we are unlovable, but we are the ones that God loved enough to send Jesus to die on the cross.

Whatever our hurt,

Whatever our grief,

Whatever our burden,

Whatever our distress and pain.

God cried out to us to bring us comfort and healing.

And that’s the cry we all need to hear…

Christmas is not YOUR birthday

I know, it’s a little bit early to be talking about Christmas: it’s not even Thanksgiving yet…but I have a really good reason for being over a month early … because everyone knows that the Christmas shopping season kicks off this Friday (Black Friday) and continues through the end of the year where we swap around duplicates, unwanteds, and gift cards for the perfect gift.

I remember what this time of year was like growing up: I pulled out the Sears catalogue and began to make a wish list of all the things I wanted. I tried to have a good mix of things from quite a few things $5 under to a few big items that I knew just weren’t going to happen…even now, my kids love to pre-Christmas shop from American Girl dolls Toys-R-Us or LEGO catalogs. Even I have been asked to put a gift list on Amazon so that people can know what I want for Christmas.

Is my family alone? Any of you plan on shopping over the next few weeks for Christmas presents? Many of us do. Did you know that in 2010 adult consumers in the US spent an average of $830 on holiday food, decorations and presents? In a 2 parent household, that means the AVERAGE is about $1600 (many of my statistics and ideas came from Michael Slaughter’s book “Christmas is not Your Birthday.”) Many Americans add much of that $1600 to the average household credit card balance of $15,788 at an APR of roughly 14.67%. Merry Christmas everyone!

Now here’s the problem I have with all of this. Let’s imagine that today, November 20^th is your birthday and that I want to celebrate it. How might I do that? Throw a party? Buy gifts? Send a card? Nope--- this is not what I choose to do. Instead, I am going to have a birthday party for you today, but not send you an invitation. I am going to invite all my friends to give ME presents to celebrate the occasion. AND I am going to expect (and send) Happy Birthday cards from all of the people I know and haven’t written since last year.

Tell me: how might you feel about the way I choose to celebrate your birthday? Wouldn’t care too much for it. Well, I imagine that Jesus doesn’t care too much for the fact that this is EXACTLY the way we behave when we celebrate his birth.

Okay, here’s the truth: December 25^th is highly unlikely to be the day that Jesus was born. From the Gospel account of the story, the shepherds were keeping watch over their flock in the fields…not a winter-time activity. More likely in the spring when it was warmer and when they would have to be concerned about the little ones that had just been born.

December 25^th was just the day that the Catholic church would celebrate the Mass of Jesus Birth – you know the “Christ Mass.” But now we have chosen this day to mark the birth of Jesus, and I doubt that any amount of solid logic will stir people away from it. The problem is that we get so caught up in the “Christmas Spirit” that we lose sight of Jesus. Again, reality check: we really celebrate consumerism more than Christ at Christmas.

What do you imagine Jesus thinks about all of this? I think that we have a pretty good idea. So, before we jump headfirst into another spending season, I thought we might take a few moments to consider: What would Jesus want for his birthday?

How many of us struggle to find the perfect gift for someone else? Looking for that thing that is just the right size that shows that we are not stingy, but also shows that we aren’t foolishly spending money we don’t have? The hardest part is having to give a gift that is almost perfect: we hope it will be, but we just don’t know. Maybe that’s why we wrap our gifts. If the other person doesn’t like it, at least we gave them a sense of anticipation! But if we KNOW what the other person wants, then we can give it to them with confidence; we just know that they will love it!

What if we knew exactly what Jesus wanted for Christmas? Would we get it for him this year?? I believe that we have our answer in the scripture lesson for today (Matthew 25:31-46). In the day of final Jesus’ final return, everyone will be judged. Notice that the picture is clear: everyone will be divided into two groups, either sheep or goats. I want us to notice what the two groups have in common. Both groups were unclear as to when they did (or failed to do) the things that Jesus describes. It is because that they didn’t see a man with pierced feet and hands sitting in need and ignore him…they did not help that person down the street because they saw a crown of thorns on their heads. They didn’t realize that the way that they give to Jesus is by giving to the least of these. That’s it; no other commentary needed. If we want to give to Jesus, we must give to those in need. If we want to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, we have to do it with those who are hurting, lonely, overlooked and ignored.

And this is consistent with other teachings of Jesus. One day Jesus was teaching the people, and a crowd of about 5000 gathered to learn – bigger than any Occupy Wall Street crowd. As evening approached the Disciples said, ”send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and but themselves some food.”

Jesus responds: “They do not need to go away. YOU give them something to eat

Michael Slaughter says,

”The resources of heaven do not fall from the sky; they are released through God’s people! God creates miracles through the resources that you and I hold in our hands. Moses’ staff, David’s five smooth stones, the widow’s oil, six water jars at a wedding reception, another widow’s two small coins, an a boy’s lunch comprising five pieces of bread and two small fish – these are the resources that miracles are made of!

‘But we only have five loaves of bread and two fish’ the disciples answered.

‘But we are living in the greatest recession since the Great Depression,’ we might say today.

‘But you don’t understand Jesuss; we can’t afford to pay both the mortgage and a health care premium in the same month.’

But Jesus, we are just a small struggling church and we don’t have the resources.’”

Again, in the words of Rev. Slaughter, “

But…But…but…It’s time to commit to losing our big buts!”

Jesus asks that we bring what we have, where we are. It may not be much in our eyes, but in the hands of Christ it can be enough to make a difference to thousands.

For this reason, I want to challenge all of us to do something different this Christmas season. Let us plan to give a gift to Jesus – since it is his birthday! On Christmas Eve, as we celebrate our beautiful candlelight communion service, I want us to bring our gifts to the manger – not for our own benefit here at Antioch/ Dacusville church – but for the benefit of the least of these at Epworth Children’s home. The ‘how’ of the gift is much trickier than the ‘where.’ Here’s the challenge:

Pray for/Remember those less fortunate AND (choose one or more below)

1) Give some gift to Epworth by Christmas Eve

2) Reduce Christmas spending by 25% ; give that to Epworth Children’s Home

3) Give the same to Epworth as spent on Christmas gifts (50/50)

4) Ask that people make donations to Epworth in lieu of buying presents

Be creative! Let us celebrate the sacrificial gift of Christ at Christmas with a little sacrifice of our own – in this way we honor the one whose birth we say we celebrate and we remain his faithful disciples as well.