“The Spirit is like seeing a friend at a party and saying to him, “Oh, I didn’t even know you were here.” and He responds with a smile, “Yea, I’m hosting the party.” — Dr. Thomas Buchan
“The Methodist movement started on a college campus.” — Will Willimon. Studying the Bible as Wesleyans. Podcast.
Willimon was not directly talking about campus ministry, he was preaching on the success which started the Methodist movement and carries it to today. It was at the University of Oxford, where John Wesley was preparing for the priesthood, where the Methodist movement started. Wesley noticed the common people were not welcome in the Anglican Church. His work grew out of his great love for his fellow country men and women. It is interesting to note that Wesley was not interested in starting a new denomination. He died as a Anglican priest, Methodism sprang up later. Wesley aimed to build up the established church, not tear it down.
The college campus needs to be (re)realized as a key place of revitalization of our denominations. College students have a keen sense of idealism, motivation, and enthusiasm to reform the church. They want to see their denominations be God’s agent in the world. Unfortunately, many denominations are reporting a staggering downturn in the number of young people entering ordained ministry. One of several reasons is the lack of voice young adults are allowed. Think about it, do you continue to share your ideas with someone who brushes you off/shoots you down every time? Yea, me neither. I am encouraged by the work of denominations, especially my state conference who is making efforts to create space for youth and young adults to voice their thoughts. Allowing open dialogue between churches and college campuses will foster a powerful combination of idealism and life experience. The combination will prompt change, with the knowledge of how to carry it out. The acceptance of the voices of college students as critics of the church will dissuade them from jumping the denomination ship. This is one way we provide our denominations a steady source of strong leaders for generations to come.
“Pulled Up Green” —
Dr. Steve Harper, Professor of Spiritual Formation at Asbury Seminary Florida Campus
Steve preached a sermon last year which he prefaced by saying he “Pulled it up Green.” What he meant was the idea had not yet fully formed. It was not 100% worked out. In spite of its “greenness” the message was quite powerful. I share this for two reasons. First, I enjoy pulling one up green every now and again. Sure, I like most ideas to be fully formed before presenting them others, especially when working with scripture. However, there are occasions for putting a thought out there when it is still developing for others to collaborate on. Secondly, my “green thoughts” hope one day to be as transformational as Dr. Harper’s. :)
It’s official, I just left the District Committee Board of Ordained Ministry (United Methodist) and I am officially a certified candidate. You cannot even begin to imagine how exciting this if for me! For those of you familiar with the UM process you understand how much blood, sweat, and tears have brought me this far! Literally, I have experienced all three in the process. The blood was given in a health physical. For those not as familiar with “the process”, allow me to share.
The process to ordination as a UM pastor is quite long and tedious. The UM church takes seriously those whom will be placed as pastors in their congregations. I am thankful for the process and its many hurdles because it has reaffirmed my calling to ministry, and connected me with a group who really cares about God’s work in my life. Over the past year I have spent a good deal of time working with a mentor, reading and reflecting on ordained ministry, taking psychological tests, and more. All this is on top of my work in seminary. By reaching this level, the board recognized my call and gifts (from God) while setting me on a track to continue to grow. The next steps are to begin working on my paperwork for the state level ordination, which will come after graduation. This will basically be a thesis, as the total page count should be in the 90s.
I still have a ways to go, but feel very affirmed in the journey. I was worried the committee would be a bunch of grouchy old preachers who were looking to trip me up on theology and question my intentions. But I knew the people of the Florida Conference would not be this way. I found a group of warm individuals who wanted to see me succeed. They were grace-filled, encouraging, and loved me enough to share some perceived areas for continued growth over the next year.
The Methodist church may not be perfect, but they are solid in the process of ordaining their ministers and pastors. I have some many people to thank for their help and work in my life to walk with me to this point. However, I have to mention my wife, Melanie. She has been a constant support when it would have been easier to walk away from the frustrations of the process. God has, and is still, using her in many ways to speak His truth, encouragement, and guidance into my life. God sure made a good match here. :)
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“You have to have your imagination engaged when doing theolgy. It’s the only way to see the world as scripture discloses it.” — Thomas Buchan
“If God is really the God revealed in scripture, it is more likely we are a thought in His mind than He is a thought in our mind.” — Dr. Thomas Buchan, Basic Christian Doctrine Course at Asbury Seminary
Our pastor is doing a series around the mission of the church. In light of necessary budget cuts, the church is reevaluating our mission statement. Unfortunately, when the economy recesses, giving levels decrease, and thus, churches can’t spend as much. It’s the negative side of “trickle down” economics.
While I am fully behind our church’s mission, I got to thinking about missions statements. Every church has a unique and individualized statement. You will see them plastered on signs, bulletins, website, walls, etc. However, couldn’t every Christian church simply say, “We are about the Missio Dei.”
“Missio Dei” is Latin for “Mission of God,” and speaks about the work God is already doing in the world. The individual believer, local church, and denomination need not worry about what ministry they can do. Instead, the prayer becomes, “What is God already doing in me, my neighbor, this city, and the world.” Secondly, we ask, “Where can I join into your work in progress?”
A shift to a Missio Dei model for ministry could help struggling churches to reconnect with their community and local neighborhoods. The model would help large churches with budget issues to really focus their work. The inherent success of the Missio Dei lies in Christians leaving behind their desires for ministry and taking up what God is interested in doing. The model also brings balance. God does not work frantically. He is paced, focused, and takes breaks (see the Creation narrative in Genesis).
“It is not the church that has a mission of salvation to fulfill in the world; it is the mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father that includes the church.” -Jurgen Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the Spirit
“God has no trace of decay or death at work in Himself” — Thomas Oden, Systematic Theology Vol 1: The Living God