Quick Commentary on some UM Polity

As part of the structure of the United Methodist system, every four years Methodists from across the globe elect delegates (both lay and clergy) to attend General Conference. The next GC will be in Ft. Worth, TX in May 2008. During the year prior to GC, candidates who wish to be elected to GC "campaign" for their election, speak to various groups on different issues, and do some general "shakin' hands and kissin' babies" in an attempt to garner support.

In that light, I read two articles this morning about proposals for changing the way delegates are elected to GC. One of them (scroll to page 4) was written by a pastor that I used to work for and the other was written by I guy I have never met. I ask you to read both of them before continuing on with my comments as my thoughts will probably only make sense in light of what the authors said.

Gary (my former boss) acknowledges the politicizing of the elections, but is "convinced that the political process is the best way for those of us who are sinful creatures to order our collective life." He offers six suggestions for 'new ways' of approaching the elections held each quadrennium. His suggestions (posed as questions) made me stop and think about what I will be participating in (as a voting member of the Annual Conference) this June. I especially appreciate ways #1, 2, and 6 because they lead each voter to ask critical questions that supercede personal agendas, seek to dialogue with those who hold opposing view points (for growth and deeper understanding, not conflict), and personal responsibility for each vote we cast. He closes with this thought:

If, when all is said and done, we actually are willing to do things in a new way, I think we will be delighted at the outstanding leaders of different ages, theological perspectives, genders and places of ministry who emerge. Even more importantly, we will be amazed at the difference it makes in the United Methodist Church as we live out our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Eric (never met him) believes that the whole electoral system is in desperate need of repair. He says, "The present system of electing delegates to our General Conferences has degenerated to the point that little distinguishes it from the political processes in secular society." He further believes that some candidates are saying whatever they need to say to curry favor with whatever audience with which they are speaking. His proposal for reform includes asking each voter to consider two questions: 1)"What is my stake in this election?" and 2)"What would God call our denomination to do, and what leadership skills will it take to achieve it?" He further proposes that any candidate for GC have a proven track record of leadership ability in their local church. He closes his article by saying, "By achieving unity in doing, maybe we can find a renewed unity and purpose in being the Body of Christ."

Here are some of my thoughts...
I tend to agree that the political nature of our electoral system can lead to manipulation and lower-functioning as a whole denomination. From what I have heard about the electoral process, it is more about who has the most friends (or who is most charismatic or appealing) that gets elected, rather than the person who is going to speak for the whole church on important issues in our denomination.

I am going to do whatever it takes to inform myself about each candidate for GC because I feel that that is the only way that I can vote responsibly and in a God-honoring way. I know that it will be hard, but I am willing to have difficult conversations with people who differ from me theological, socially, racially, and ethnically in order to understand them better. I really feel that I must honor my calling to ministry by conducting myself in that manner.

I hope that others will follow suit, but if not, at least I will have done my best. I look forward to blogging about the whole process in June...perhaps even while it is going on (if the laptop is up and running).

What are your thoughts?

Grace&Peace

Much Needed Updates - Holy Week

Sorry for the long absence from the blogosphere...the week after Easter was a little crazier than I had anticipated...and this week is shaping up to be much of the same.

Ok...Holy Week:
Maundy Thursday was very cool once again this year. We did the whole experiential worship with 4 different stations. We had communion in tables of 12 (one of which I led). We had journaling stations (one with pen and paper and one with blogging (complete with new Trietsch blog - be sure to read the comments/prayer requests in the comment section of the Maundy Thursday post). We had candles for prayer requests and answered prayers. And we had a foot-washing station. Overall, this was a very cool way to remember Christ's last meal with his disciples.

Good Friday service brought us back to the reality of Christ's death. The Schubert Mass was both poignant and uplifting. And eventho it was all in Latin, the words went deep into my soul. As the altar was stripped of paraments and decorations, the finality of death really hit home. The complete darkness at the conclusion of the passion narrative brought chills and hammering a nail into the cross made me shudder because I realized once again what my sins did to my Lord. Powerful stuff!

Easter morning was fantastic! I was liturgist during the contemporary services and the attitudes were great and the air was electric! That's the best way that I can describe it. God was working in that place like we have never seen before. All the preparation we did...all the worrying we did over the weather...all the fretting about how many chairs were set up...all that went away when the sun came out and we knew that the Son had risen indeed. It was awesome! Praise God!

Grace&Peace

New Layout

Over the past few months I have increasingly felt weird about having a blog called "the gospel according to me" so I spent some time today changing the look and feel of my blog. What do you think?

I wanted to promote more discussion on this site, so I hope that the redesign will help promote that.

Grace&Peace

"Going Toward the Moon"

I just talked with the chair of Missions here at Trietsch and she made an interesting point about the progress we are making in reconfiguring the Missions Committee: "We are going toward the moon like the space shuttle does upon take off...a little correction to the right...a little correction to the left..., but we are making progress in our journey toward the moon."

I had not heard about the in-air corrections that the shuttle must make as it leaves earth's atmosphere, but I thought the image was quite appropriate for our journey to reinvent what Missions is about....a little correction here, a little correction there, but a general path toward the moon. We have our goal in focus and the bumps and blocks along the way will not keep us from getting to the moon. We cast the vision and we will see it thru to completion. We will make mid-air corrections and live with the difficulties of doing ministry enmeshed in the human condition.

We're going toward the moon...with God's help we are going toward the moon!

Grace&Peace

Wives: The Voice of God

Have you ever wondered why it is often difficult to hear from God in a real and tangible way? Perhaps it is because you are not listening to your wife. (If you are a woman, then please note that this post will likely boost your ego and solidify the case you've been arguing with your husband.)

Last night Deb and I had a great conversation surrounding our answers to one question posed by my Lay Ministry Committee: "What are the three biggest things you (Dean) need to work on in order to feel ready to handle your own church?"

Our answers were at opposite ends of the spectrum - or should I say opposite heights of the atmosphere. My answers were very "task-oriented" and focused more on skills and experiences I need to have before feeling comfortable as the solo pastor in a church.

1) Learn more about the high-level committees in the UM system (SPRC, Trustees, and Finance)
2) Get more preaching experience
3) Work on the social skill of small talk - both on the phone and in person

Debbie's answers were more at the "30,000 foot" level and focused more on leadership and vision casting.

1) More consistently think "big picture" and how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together in the church (from worship to preaching to education to missions, etc.)
2) Be fully convinced of the vision God has given me for the church (thus being able to clearly communicate that vision to others)
3) Practice financial acumen in all areas of my life by making wise spending choices (personally and in the church)

See the difference! What an amazing wife God has blessed me with! I have lots of work to do!! I think she correctly identified my weaknesses in leadership. I think I have potential to succeed in those areas and be a real leader, but it will take focused energy and constant work to make it happen.

For those of you who are pastors: How would you answer the question posed by my Lay Ministry Committee? How would your spouse answer? Give it a try and see what happens!

Jesus, you provided me with a wonderful partner for my life and I thank you for her. She challenges and stretches me each day, and I love her for that. Help me to return the favor with some high-level thinking. Amen.

Grace&Peace

I just love what Perry Noble has to say each time I read his blog. I think I need to make plans to attend the Unleash Conference in '08 after reading all the great things about the '07 one and a trip to his church wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Finishing well is an important job for all leaders...especially church leaders. Read Perry's thoughts here.

Grace&Peace

Cleaning Ears and Facing Fears

Last night I spent a few strained minutes trying to clean out Caitlyn's right ear because it was draining thru her tube. As she kicked, cried, and squirmed I tried to use the safety Q-tips to clean out the gunk. After successfully cleaning out the canal, a thought occured to me...

How often do we kick, cry, and squirm as God cleans up the messes that we make? How many times do we make a big stink about God disciplining us (for no good reason)? Aren't we better off after the cleaning?

Then this morning I read another chapter in In a Pit and found Mark's take on facing fears quite refreshing. I remember a time when a project I was working on failed miserably and I was fearful of going to my senior pastor to talk with him about it. I was literally shaking. When I finally mustered up the courage (two days later) to talk to him, he was understanding about the whole thing and told me that I had just learned a very valuable lesson. Mark said it this way, "Your fear is worse than the actual thing you're afraid of. And if you learn from every mistake, then there is no such thing as failure anyway."

Thank you God, for the times when all I can do is face my fears and come out ahead on the other side. Thank you for cleaning me up when I gunk up my life. And thanks for putting up with my kicking and crying as you disciple me. Amen.

Grace&Peace

The iRack

I just found this video and felt that I had to share it with my readers. Enjoy!

Grace&Peace

Hat tip: YSMarko

Paul, Benaiah, and Leadership

I was reading 1 Corinthians 6 this morning and I asked these questions:

Why do we have such a hard time being satisfied in God? What makes us want more of what we already have enough of? Why do we look past God's provisions for what we think we need?

Then I read chapter 2, "The Odd Thing About Odds" in In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson and came across these thoughts:

*Lion chasers know God is bigger and more powerful than any problem they face in this world....That is how God reveals his glory - and how He blesses you in ways you never could have imagined.

*God has no dimensional limitations, and if we could wrap our minds around that truth, it would transform our outlook on life.

*Maybe it's time to stop creating God in your image and let Him create you in His. The more we grow, the bigger God should get. And the bigger God gets, the smaller our lions will become.

*God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go.

*Lion chasers aren't afraid of doing something that seems ridiculous to others - because they know anything is possible with God.

Although my questions came from Paul's dialogue about sexual immorality and Mark's thoughts spring from Benaiah's tussle with a lion, my mind makes a connection between the two. Both concern our connection with God and how well we are keeping that connection healthy. Paul wants the Corinthians to know that those who are united with the Lord are one with him in spirit (6.17) and no longer need to look elsewhere for fulfillment, affirmation, or encouragement. Mark draws the conclusion that when we believe in God, we should believe that our God is big enough to defy any odds and defeat any lions.

So where are you seeking fulfillment and acceptance? What lions have you told God are too big for him to handle? Why?

I know that as a pastor I want the people in my church to like me and to think that my teaching is good, but then I read Paul's words and wonder why I don't trust God to be everything that I need. As a husband and father I want to be an asset in my household, not a liability, and I wonder how I could get a better grip on the priorities of my life.

Three "lions" in my life: preaching relevant, thought-provoking sermons; connecting with non-Christian 20-somethings; and balancing time for family and work.

As I spend time leading and as I study leadership, I am continually amazed at the amount of personal reflection I need to do along the way. I have to remind myself that I am nowhere near an expert on the subject (nor do I pretend to be), but I do want to pass along the things I am learning. But to do that I must process what I read thru my contextual lenses in order to successfully and coherently pass along the great wealth of information available. Leadership is never the same from one day to the next and that means I will always have something to read, learn, and digest. Praise be to God!

Grace&Peace

PS - If you don't own a copy of In a Pit, get one HERE!

Weekend

Ok, so this post didn't exactly happen as promised, but it is here nonetheless.

Deb and I had a great weekend visiting friends and family in Austin and San Antonio, but like always, the trip was too short.

On Friday we left early in the morning and stopped in Austin to visit Caitlyn's godparents, Rachel and Morgan. We enjoyed catching up with them, seeing Caitlyn play with their daughter, Haley, and eating a great lunch. We headed from there to Deb' folks house (where we always stay) for the rest of the weekend.

On Saturday morning we drove to the other side of SA to visit Holly, Tres, and Bella. Deb and Holly have been friends since kindergarten and it is always fun to reconnect with them. When we got back to my in-law's, Debbie's brother Mark was there. We watched the Aggies beat Louisville to advance to the Sweet 16 - Whoop!

Sunday took us to mass at my in-law's church, then to Target (for my first cup of coffee all weekend), and then to Alamo Cafe for lunch. I spent the rest of the day working a "challenger" sudoku and the NYT crossword puzzle (I finished the sudoku, but not the crossword).

We headed out about 9:30 on Monday morning and arrived safely back in Dallas in the early afternoon. All in all it was a great trip. I sure wish Caitlyn would have coughed a little less and slept a little more in the car, but such is life.

BTW, we purchased a portable DVD player for the Highlander to take on trips such as this. I must say that it was definitely a good purchase (not to Caitlyn just yet, but for Deb and I...Caitlyn will grow to like it, she just does not have the attention span for it yet).

Well, that's our weekend. Now I think I would like to post something on leadership.

Grace&Peace

Updates Coming Soon

I know, I know...I haven't been as faitful to blogging as I should be, but with my out of town trip this weekend I have lots of good stuff to talk about. Look for a post this afternoon.

Grace&Peace

Things You Should Read

Thanks to Bloglines I can now keep up with a dozen or so blogs that I follow with relative ease (one in particular is a blogging fiend and requires multiple checks in a single day). And because I can keep posts for later reading, I have a nice collection of posts that have been especially meaningful for me. Enjoy!

Perry Noble discussing the potential just waiting to be unleashed inside the church and the challenge to face problems head on.

Mark Batterson discussing how to avoid the revolving door of meetings and the great asset that churches can be to one another.

Tim Stevens' take on time management.

Grace&Peace

Similarities Unite

I am really enjoying what God is revealing to me in my study times. Here's another I would like for you to reflect upon.

"It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you..." (Deuteronomy 9.5, TNIV)

As the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land, Moses takes the time to recount what God has done for them since they left Egypt (the book of Deuteronomy). Along the way he encourages them to remember that it is God's faithfulness - not theirs - and God's righteousness - not theirs - and God's integrity - not theirs - which is providing them with the land. God tells Moses to remind them because they are prone to forget, just as most humans are.

I believe Christians have many things in common with the Israelites:
(1) We often get caught up in the blessings and forget the blesser
(2) We often get caught up in the struggles and forget the one who releases us from struggles
(3) We fear the unknown
(4) We are slow to take action
(5) We forget to rely on God's power and lean on our own instead

These commonalities get lost in the shift from OT reading to NT reading, but they are there and must be recognized as a blessing, not a stumbling block. When Christians and Jews realize that often we have more in common than we have historically paid attention to, there is great freedom that can enter the picture.

I need to empower people in my congregation to engage in acts of healing and aid with members of the Jewish community - not for evangelistic reasons, but because we serve the same God. A God who wants his children to work together to provide solutions to global issues.

Creator God, you care for all humanity - let's start acting like it in our community, neighborhood, and world. Help me to work outside conventional boundaries to make a difference in the world. Amen.

Grace&Peace

New Awareness

I spent some time today researching what is going on in Darfur, with prisoners, and in the global fight against AIDS. I had no idea what injustices were happening across the globe and what little hope some people are forced to live with.

Jesus, I repent of my ignorance. I can no longer live as a responsible Christian without doing something to help care for those whom you love and died for. Engage me with efforts that are beneficial to those who are in the deepest need.

Grace&Peace

Don't be Impotent

Perry Noble is pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina and I have recently begun to follow his blog and his ideas, this post is one of the reasons that I am ready to hear more of what he has to say. Thanks for bringing it, Perry!

Also check out Tony Morgan's synopsis of Perry's talk at a recent conference.

Grace&Peace

Can Denominational Churches be Relevant?

As Willowcreek prepares for this year's Leadership Summit, they invited the host site pastors to spend some time with each of the speakers that will be featured during the 2.5 day event. Tim Stevens has a great synopsis of some comments made by Bill Hybels and John and Nancy Ortberg.

I wanted to draw your attention to one thing that John Ortberg said: "Leaders want three things...Freedom, Opportunity and Challenge. They want these three things way more than money or security. However, deonominations are set up to repel leaders."

John serves a Presbyterian church in California, so he knows about denominations. I serve a United Methodist church in Texas, and I know a little about the power that denominational structures have to quell creativity and experimenting. Can the UMC crawl out from under that structure to make a meaningful impact on the kingdom of God? Can we be both relevant and faithful to our denominational heritage? Or are we doomed to be enslaved to the system that keeps things the same?

NB - Trietsch is not a typical UMC, so most of the previous rant about the UMC does not apply to my current appointment.

I don't have all the answers, but I hope that the next 10-15 years of my ministry are creative, relevant, and transformational to a generation that despises organized religion and fake Christianity.

Grace&Peace

February Staff Mission Project

This morning most of the Trietsch staff went down to CC Young to celebrate February birthdays and Valentine's Day with the residents. It was an amazing hour of serving those whom Christ loves dearly and the world often forgets.

As we served those beautiful people cookies, juice, crackers, and mixed nuts I wondered how I am going to live out the last years of my life. Will my children put me in a "home" to be forgotten? Will my family take me into their home so that I can live with them? How will I deal with the constant loss of life-long friends?

The residents at CC Young seemed happy and well taken care of and I am proud to have this facility as a part of the United Methodist connectional system. I even met the grandmother-in-law of one of the elders in our conference. Louise was such a great woman to talk to and I promised her that I would say hello to Kathleen for her. I know that you will probably never read this Louise, but I am very glad to have met you and to make a connection with you thru Kathleen - God's peace be with you Louise!

Well, our team has been charged with the April Mission Project, so I hope we head to Starbucks soon to begin planning! Especially after reading Mark's post about his recent trip to the drive-thru!

Grace&Peace

If you would like to support CC Young financially, click here. If you would just like to find out more about the facility, click here.

Eradicate Poverty

Today I met with a small group of college students at the Denton Wesley Foundation to talk about Tony Campolo's new book, Everybody Wants to Change the World. My devotional time this morning brought this verse and these thoughts. Praise God!

"Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God." (Lev 19.10, TNIV)

When did profit become more important than protecting humanity? When did making a buck begin to supercede saving a life? It seems that God's provisions and instructions are clear enough so that we can create a sustainable economy.

Why did we stop caring for the less fortunate? Why does it take a government program to feed people in this country when the body of Christ should be on the front lines? If we all just followed the guidelines set out for a healthy world, then hungry people would be fed, sick people would get medicine, and homeless people would have a roof to call their own.

This doesn't seem all that hard. I can go without a $4 mocha each week. I can buy smaller portions of food. I can cook more meals at home. I can do my part to share what I have been blessed with in order to bless those who have not. If every Christian consciously took the time to understand more about what we can do to combat poverty, then we could make major changes around the world.

I need to preach this message to as many people as possible. I need to make sure that those around me are consciously aware of what they can do to combat poverty in our world, our neighborhoods, and across the globe.

Jesus, you love everyone - even those who have too much. I pray that you can take this spark and fan it into a flame that spreads throughout the Christian church. We, as Christians, need to respond to the plight of the poor with dollars, bodies, and fresh ideas - give us those resources O God, and allow us to spread you love. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Preaching on Sunday

I preached this weekend at one of Trietsch's sister churches, Chinn's Chapel UMC. It was quite a different experience from preaching at Trietsch because the crowd was smaller, the sanctuary was much smaller, and I didn't have to wear a lav or speak into a mic at all (that's how small their sanctuary is).

I preached about Jesus calling his first disciples in Luke's Gospel (ch 5) and how living in the deep water was the best way to make major strides for the kingdom of God on earth. As I was preaching, I realized that I was challenging a church of less than 100 people to reach out their new neighbors, whom they have been avoiding like the plague, with the message that God loves them and that they matter to God. I wondered how wise it was to issue such a challenge, but that's one of things about ministry - I have been called by God to push buttons, poke, prod, and stir the people of God as much as I can in the name of kingdom advancement. It's my mission. It's my calling. It's my goal.

I guess, deep down, there is this longing inside of me to want to see people who have been passive in their faith take a big step out of their comfort zone and make a difference for Jesus in our world. I really believe that Jesus did not call us to be consumers of Christianity, but to be investors in Christ. And part of making that investment, is turning what you start with into more ... taking what you are given and doing all you can with it ... I think I read that somewhere.

What big steps have you taken lately?
How are you living in the deep water?

Grace&Peace

Recent First Impressions

I wanted to share a few stories about some recent businesses I have worked with and how they made an impression on me.

Bickner Dance Floor Rentals
I used this company to rent a wooden dance floor for the Elevate Christmas party. I spoke with Jonathen Warren to set up the rental and met him in person because he delivered and installed the floor I rented. He was personable, friendly, timely, and shared some funny stories about other jobs he had worked.

Jonathen worked quickly and made sure that everything was just right before he left from installing the floor. He was prompt in returning to pick up the floor and his crew wasted no time getting the job done. Thanks Jonathen!


Chick-Fil-A on 407
I stopped by this Chick-Fil-A about a month ago because I needed to get out of the office and just be somewhere else for a change. I went and ordered a large lemonade and found a table where I could sit, read my Bible, pray, and journal. After being there for about 20 minutes or so, the girl who took my order walked around the lobby to clean tables, etc. and she offered to refill my drink without my prompting. I was caught a little off-guard, but agreed because I did indeed need more lemonade. She brought back my cup full of lemonade with a smile. About 20 minutes later, she came by again and offered me another refill with a smile.

I didn't catch the girl's name, but I know one of the managers over there, so I will try to find out from him. I am continually impressed at the level of quality service that Chick-Fil-A is dedicated to offer using teenagers and 20-somethings in their day-to-day operations. And I am doubly impressed that they still close on Sundays in order to provide their workers with the opportunity to worship and spend time with their families. Kudos!


Kwik Kar on Preston in Plano
One Saturday afternoon, Debbie, Caitlyn, and I were out running errands and my wife needed the oil changed in her Highlander. She had been to this Kwik Kar location previously and had a good experience, so we drove over there because it just happened to be on our way to another destination in our errand run. From the outside, everything looked like the typical Kwik Kar location, but once we stepped into the waiting area I knew this place was different.

The lobby had stone tile flooring, leather couches, glass top coffee tables, a massage chair, CURRENT magazines, a collection of antique model cars, flat screen TVs, and not a drop of oil anywhere. Debbie and I sat down with Caitlyn and immediately marveled at the attention to detail that the owners had placed on their lobby/waiting area. We struck up a conversation with a fellow patron about kids and families and how ignorant we all are about cars. We felt very relaxed and comfortable. Deb's car was ready to go before we knew it and we didn't even need to use a shower of anti-bacterial sanitizer upon exiting. Great job guys!

So, what places have made an impression on you lately?

Grace&Peace