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. :)

I recently finished building my first workshop in the laundry/storage space of our new house. This has been a dream of mine for quite some time. We finally have a) a house of our own, and b) a space where I can carve out a corner for my tools and workbench. My dream would be something like my dad’s garage. A full two car space, closed in, insulated, and filled with every tool and machine you would need to fix or build anything. I have many fond memories of us working late into the night in the garage. Changing a clutch, building bookshelves, removing mufflers on more than one occasion. Followed of course by a late night, loud drive through the neighborhood. I still love to see flames shooting out the exhaust pipe! I plan for my little workshop to grow through the years into a full, Ron Johnson garage. In the mean time, I am perfectly content in my 5’x5’ space. I even plan to do some seminary work out there on nice nights. Theology just seems right when studied on a workbench.

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