Daily Devotion for Lent 2023 - Day 35

Mercy triumphs over judgment.

                    James 2:13b

Today, I'm thankful that The United Methodist Church emphasizes grace over judgment.  

At some point fairly early in my career, I remember Oklahoma's resident bishop at the time, Bruce Blake, leading us in a series he wrote entitled, "What's Different about The United Methodist Church."

In particular, I remember his point that we lead with grace over judgment.  

I have experienced Christian judgment many times in my life.  Sometimes they have come from within the denomination and sometimes from without.  So it would be hypocritical to say that we never judge.  Rather, it is like the bar we raise to an impressive height.  We are working on clearing the bar but we recognize that we'll need some help.

If we don't continue to seek to employ grace, it is much too easy to fall into being judgmental.  I'm not sure why this is a fall-back position but it seems to be.  This may be due to the fact that secular life employs a lot of judgment.

As a district superintendent, this season of disaffiliation has been difficult to say the least.  My job is to hold pastors and churches accountable.  What does that look like in a season that allows churches the possibility of leaving?  Can clergy or lay leadership of a local church lift up options of other denominations as possible destinations or is this going against the vows we take?

Based on the inclusion of paragraph 2553 in 2019, this seems to be a gray area.

I've tried to lift the idea that true discernment should include self-critique.  But if it is only critique without lifting up the positive, it has become a sell-job.  This is where I try to hold the line.

Unfortunately, when I do try to hold this process to more of a discernment, I get accused of being too harmful to those simply seeking to leave.  If the church in question was going out at over 90%, I am more lenient.  But where there are a larger number of United Methodists, in a sense, I become their pastor if the appointed pastor is moving them to an exit.

This gets back to the accountability piece.  I do try to be gracious but at the same time, I also expect local leadership not to use manipulative tactics such as "United Methodists no longer believe in the resurrection" or "the conference is not being transparent with its finances."  These are both untrue statements.

The grace I try to employ at this point is that I've not filed charges against anyone.  You may not feel that this is a very high bar but there are times I would disagree.  I'm writing about this to try to show our very real struggle with the concept Bishop Blake has outlined.

As we enter Holy Week, where do your own points of grace and judgment intersect?

Maybe it will be helpful for us to remind ourselves how Jesus treated those around him this week!

My faith tells me that grace takes precedence

Photo by Tori Rector via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2023 - Day 34

"I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

                                                    Joshua 1:9

Today, I'm grateful that The United Methodist Church gave me the leadership tools to deal with change and the anxiety that comes with it.

These days, I often hear our United Methodist pastors say, "Seminary never had any courses on disaffiliation."  I may have even said it a time or two.

And while this is technically true, I was instructed in our church's polity.  I was also given tools as a leader to deal with change which is usually accompanied by anxiety from those impacted by it.

I remember vividly in my church administration class of a particular anecdote that was lifted up as a true story:

A pastor (this was in Georgia) was appointed to a new congregation.  He discovered that there was a tree that had grown so large that it effectively blocked one of the entrances to the church.  This pastor took it upon himself to get his chainsaw and remove the tree, thus allowing greater access to the building.  What could go wrong?  He found out after the fact that this particular tree was planted by John Wesley.

As students, we were to answer the question, "How would you handle this?"

I think my answer of "Ask for a new appointment" was probably the most logical!

But seriously, these kinds of exercises show us that we may run into all kinds of issues.  Most of them have to do with the local culture and history of a particular church.  How many times would it be better to listen and learn before rushing to action?

As the church deals with disaffiliation, this has a lot to do with identity.  As a connectional church, we have a lot of shared identity that is then shaped by local culture.  This is why United Methodist churches all have similarities but each have their own flavor as well.  Currently, many churches are feeling that their own flavor is sufficient for their identity and they are discounting or ignoring how the connectional identity influences them.  

These situations remind me of those who declare that they are self-made when in fact, they have received so much help along the way - even from the standpoint of having parents who taught them a work ethic.  If we see the gratitude from this person (or church) missing, it does cause us to wonder if they need more humility in their lives.

Having a strong sense of one's identity is good armor for the anxiety that emerges from our society today.  It allows us to see outliers as just that rather than normative.  It allows us not to panic when someone else makes a decision contrary to ours.  It allows us to be in relationship with those who disagree and still respect them as children of God.

One of the greatest advantages in being in a connectional system is that we don't face the changes (and the anxiety that comes with them) alone.  We have greater resources on which to draw.  This network includes leadership that has also been trained to look at larger systems.  Unfortunately, this is one part of our identity that is being overlooked by some.  I hope these don't end up like the pastor who unknowingly cut down the Wesley tree!

As we move through Lent, what are some of the basics of your identity in  Christ?  How do naming these help with stress or anxiety?

Humor is also a tool to lessen anxiety!

Photo by Oatsy40 via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2023 - Day 33

"Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding." 

                                                                  Jeremiah 3:15

 

Today, I'm grateful that The United Methodist Church has high educational standards for its clergy.

I think about my own education and I wonder if I would have gone on to get a masters degree if it were not required.  I was already working as a lay person in the church with an undergraduate degree.  But because this was a requirement for ordination, I went on to complete my degree.

Later, I went back to school to complete my doctorate of ministry degree.  If I was not in a church that valued education, would I have done this?

While I was in school this last time, I found that my preaching and leadership improved while I was pursuing this higher education.  

I believe that education is key to so many things.  

As we examine poverty, we discover that education is invaluable for helping people to escape this morass.  Our own Project Transformation program is designed to help children catch up to their age-appropriate reading levels.  This is shown to be a wonder in helping them throughout their classes for years to come.

Education helps us to overcome racism.  Last year, our cabinet went through educational opportunities regarding race.  We had readings but also immersion experiences that helped us to encounter different viewpoints.  When we discover the basics of the human experience as universal, it helps us to celebrate the differences that we each bring to the table and not be threatened by them.

For ordination, The United Methodist Church requires a Masters of Divinity degree.  This advanced degree averages around 80 hours in most institutions.  For licensing, we require an initial local pastor's school but also that they follow up with course of study taught by people with advanced degrees.  What difference does it make to be a part of a denomination that has this requirement?

It means that we take our spirituality seriously and we expect our leaders to have some knowledge and understanding before entering the pulpit.  Of course, we also have expectations of spiritual depth as well but we believe this is developed through regular study of the scriptures.  The pursuit of education can help us to be disciplined in our prayer life as well as our study of the Bible.

When you hold your leaders to higher expectations, this usually trickles down to the congregation.  We have expectations of our laity studying the word as well.  We want them to see the meaning behind the obvious that will add life to their lives.

What is something you've discovered about the Bible that has deepened your understanding and helped you as a person?  What standards do you hold for yourself about your own knowledge?

I probably wouldn't have achieved the education
I did without being pushed by my colleagues
and the expectations of The UMC

Daily Devotion for Lent 2023 - Day 32

I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

                                                             3 John 1:4

Today, I'm thankful that The United Methodist Church has helped raise my children.

Both are now adults and I'm thankful for the people they have become.

As they grew, both were baptized as infants at Piedmont United Methodist Church.  Kyla was baptized by Scott Sharp and David was baptized by Craig Stinson.  Neither remembers it but both know about it and have seen pictures of the people who came and promised to support them in their faith.  I was fortunate to preside at their confirmations when they were sixth graders.

Both were active in the children's programs and were in lead roles in children's plays we produced at the church.  They also performed in a Christmas play after we got to Edmond.

The church afforded both leadership opportunities that they wouldn't have had in school.  Both loved going to as many church camps as they could during the summer months.  These also included our leadership camps.  Kyla was the CCYM (Conference Council on Youth Ministry) youth chair her senior year and was then an adult co-chair in college.

Kyla has also led in worship each Sunday through singing and her violin since high school.  Kyla gets in two worship services each week as she also plays at Wesley Worship every Monday night at Oklahoma City University. 

David recently got back from helping to lead the youth on a mission trip to Texas while serving as an intern with Edmond First.  I continue to hear good reports on how he handles the youth and doesn't let them get away with all the things he tried when he was their age!

Both of them relate well to adults and can carry on a conversation with no difficulties.  David attributes this to being raised in the church where lots of adults regularly checked on him growing up.

Their faith in Christ through the church has made them kinder people who are more sensitive to the outsiders among us.  They both have really good senses of humor and while I would like to take credit for that, the joy also can come from being nurtured and loved. 

As they continue to move into adulthood, I hope that their faith continues to be a priority for them.  Sometimes we take for granted the things that helped shape us for who we are today.  

What are ways that the church has shaped your life?  As we reflect on our own identity, I think we can all point to special people and experiences provided through the church that have touched our lives.

Maybe today for Lent, you could send them a note, an email or a text message letting them know they made a difference!

Kyla and David are helping with our 
Skyline Urban Ministry collection at church circa 2005.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2023 - Day 31

Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the Lord!

                                   Psalm 134:2

Today, I'm thankful for United Methodist houses of worship.  Particularly, the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church of Duncan.

This may sound strange as I was not raised here, and I've never worshipped regularly here or been appointed here.  

I was married here though.

Duncan FUMC informed my spouse as she was raised in the faith and she blesses me all the time.

After we married, I received a scholarship for seminary from this congregation while I attended Candler School of Theology to become a pastor.  Someone in this congregation was forward-thinking in their support of the future.

I was also blessed by Rev. Phil Wahl who was Pastor Emeritus at this church.  If you never met Rev. Wahl, you missed out.  He has lots of great stories associated around his ministry.  A notorious speeder late in life, I was told that he would tell the secretary to call the Highway Patrol.  "Tell them not to stop me - I'm headed to the hospital!"

He established a Lenten series where they would bring in different speakers each year and he invited me to come and fill this spot while I was still early in my career.  

I was honored to do this but also a little intimidated.  But I was able to develop some teachings and lectures on the biblical exile and how this relates to our current faith.

This moved me into a greater confidence in developing the word for congregations.

As I mentioned, I've never served here or worshipped here regularly but Duncan First United Methodist Church has served me throughout my ministerial career.  That's just a part of the connection at work.

Where are those places that have impacted you along your journey?  Places that may be tangential to your life rather than directly associated with you?

I don't know why but it seems that God just works through some places for us more than others.

As we move through Lent, how can you invest in a place so that others might see God at work through this space?

Daily Devotion for Lent 2023 - Day 30

"God is our refuge and strength, a help always near in times of great trouble.  That’s why we won’t be afraid when the world falls apart"

                                                Psalm 46:1-2a

Today, I'm grateful for the worldwide disaster response of The United Methodist Church.  

In February, layperson Suzanne Parker while speaking at St Luke's United Methodist Church, reminded us that we had United Methodists at work on the disaster relief across the world recovering from earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.  The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is a proven network of global disaster relief.  Even where we don't have United Methodist churches, we have ecumenical partnerships that we work with to offer recovery.

On Friday, tornados devastated communities in Mississippi and Alabama taking the lives of over two dozen people.  Mississippi's governor communicated this to the world:

At least twenty three Mississippians were killed by last night’s violent tornados. We know that many more are injured. Search and rescue teams are still active.

The loss will be felt in these towns forever. Please pray for God’s hand to be over all who lost family and friends.

— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 25, 2023

UMCOR is already responding.  They have a way to contribute (you could have done so on Sunday morning at your local UMC - you can always earmark UMCOR or "disaster relief" on your check even when it isn't mentioned).  They are looking to mobilize for long-term recovery efforts using our connections.

When I was the pastor at Piedmont, we were on the receiving end of United Methodist disaster response.  While I was on the front-lines, I never felt as if I were in this alone.  I knew the Oklahoma Conference was behind me as well as countless United Methodists across the world.  

This is one of the best things we do.  It is also important to offer a theology that clearly states, "God did not do this to you because of something you have done."  Jesus reminds us in Luke 13 that people crushed by a falling tower were no more guilty than any of us.  

As we continue through Lent, one thing you might organize for your local church is to pack cleaning buckets.  These are utilized for natural disasters and offer God's love to people who are feeling lost.  It is powerful to offer this gift for someone you'll never meet.  In a way, this is what we do by putting money in the offering plate each Sunday.  God surely uses the power of the connection in ways we'll never see.

When we are on site, we offer what
we can for strength.  When we can't be there,
we have other ways to show we care.

Picture taken by Holly McCray.  Used by permission.