As I'm getting ready to head out to worship with my brother this morning, I can't help but think of a conversation I had with someone last night about how the Church (UMC) is doing overall. This person isn't graduating from Course of Study yet, and I don't know his full history. What I do know is this -
He was about to make very general statements about the Church as a whole. Maybe he forgot that there were people in the room from a dozen different Conferences.
He said that he attended many seminars on church growth, but of all the seminars, he had never been to the UMC of the Resurrection (For those who don't know, just google "Adam Hamilton").
He described methods that might work, but when confronted with the "an idea from 'so-and so year'", he was unaware of it, as well as many common books that spoke of the same practices.
Finally, my favorite, he didn't know key people in his Conference that he should know to be an active, church-growing Pastor. And yes, I know these people through my family here in Ohio and in my past.
Granted, this person might be doing great things at his church. Maybe the people are lining up at the doors to get in every Sunday morning. Maybe the kids are busting down the doors to get into Vacation Bible School.
But as United Methodist, we have a connection with one another, not just within our Districts and Conferences, but around the world. So if I can mention a name of a Chairperson or past Chairperson in his Conference who help and connect with pastors like him, and his response his "I try to stay away from those people as much as I can", what does that mean for the connection of his own people to the UMC and to the world?
I know that this may sound negative. It's not meant to be.
It goes back to my original idea of journaling from last year - posting my thoughts and ideas. My thought is "please don't tell me how my church is or should be until you have sat in my pews, preached from my pulpit, and lived with my people, all for at least a year." My idea is "if you have great plans, then as the song says, "Go Tell It On the Mountain" and please don't complain about what the UMC is doing wrong. If something is working for you, it might be the key that someone else needs".
I pray that I continue to be a Pastor who is blamed for being pushy about why we (the local church) has to worry about what happens at another church. I pray that I keep educating the people every day about what it means to connect with everyone all the time. I pray that if I ever see myself slowing down, that I will use my connectional resources to get help and assistance to reach out and rejuvenate myself, the congregation, and/or the community.
With God's help.
