Deeply Committed Has Moved to Wordpress

Deeply Committed has moved to word press. Please go to deeplycommitted.wordpress.com to read the most recent posts and updates. I will talk about some of the changes that will happen at deeply committed 2.0 in the future.

If you have subscribed to deeply committed either via email or through a reader, you will need to re-subscribe. The new feed address is: feeds.feedburner.com/DeeplyCommitted

You can still subscribe by clicking on the subscription links on the new wordpress site (note, subscribing on this page will subscribe you to this page, which I will no longer be updating.)

Also, if you have graciously put deeply committed in your blogroll, I would appreciate your updating the link in your blogroll as well. Again, the new address is deeplycommitted.wordpress.com.

Finally, I will monitor this post for a few weeks, so if you have any questions about this, or any problems getting to the new site, feel free to post them, and I will do my best to sort out any possible difficulties.

The wordpress version will have all of the old posts and comments, as I imported this blog to wordpress at 10:45 am (CT) on June 13, 2007. Comments made from the time that this is posted on will not show up on the wordpress site.

Thanks for taking the time to update your info and for continuing to read deeply committed!

In This Together

This past Sunday was the first sunday of my third year here in Lamont. I tried to start this next year off by first taking a look back. I highlighted some of the ways that we have seen God at work in the past and drew attention to some of the areas where we have room for improvement. If you are interested you can listen to the sermon by clicking on the deeply committed sermons link on the right, or by clicking here.

The Scripture passage I focused on was Romans 12:3-8. This part of the passage really grabbed my attention:

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.

I believe that the best is yet to come for Lamont United Methodist Church and for the United Methodist Church in general if we take this passage seriously. To me, it says that we are not called to some generic form of Christianity where faithfulness will look the same for every one of us. Instead, it says that God has created each of us with a unique combination of gifts and grace. Each one of us can make a contribution to the church that no one else can match.

That means that we have a freedom to exercise our gifts with passion and enthusiasm. I think it also means that we don't have to spend a lot of time pretending to have gifts that we don't have. It also means that if we refuse to exercise our gifts within the church, the church will be missing a key contribution, the church will not be all that God is calling it to be.

Since Sunday, I have found myself wondering what the UMC itself would look like if we were all faithful in exercising the gifts that have been given to us. I sometimes wonder if we value certain gifts above others in the way things play out within the institutional UMC, and as a result we unintentionally encourage members and pastors to try to have these "ideal" gifts, rather than simply using the gifts that actually have been given to them, and trusting that God has given those gifts for a reason.

Derek Webb in Christianity Today

In light of last week's post about Derek Webb's music, I thought I would draw attention to the article in the current issue of Christianity Today that discusses Derek Webb's new CD, The Ringing Bell. You can read the article here.

I found this quote to be particularly insightful:

Webb is the rare Christian songwriter who calls us to conversation. Rather than merely reciting timeless scriptural truths, he asks listeners to use God's Word to examine current events. More importantly, he does so without pushing an overtly political agenda. Rather, he asks questions.

By the way, as you might guess, I would recommend The Ringing Bell!

Blogger vs. Wordpress

I am thinking about moving deeply committed to wordpress. I like the option that wordpress gives me to have pages and the ability to upload documents without having to include them in an immediate post. Advantages I see of this are being able to upload sermon texts or other documents.

I am looking for advice from those of you who have more experience than I do with either blogger or wordpress. What do you think are the advantages/disadvantages? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Derek Webb Is Crooked Deep Down

If you are like me, there are albums or songs that you listen to when you want to turn up the volume and sing along because life is good. Then there are songs that you crank up and listen to because they help you to feel the pain that you are trying to find a way to let out. And then, there is, at least in my experience, the hardest to find variety... the music that you listen to because it is actually a conversation. The lyrics resonate with you in many ways, challenge you in others, and help you think through the same old ideas in new ways.

In some ways Derek Webb's music has played all of those roles in my life. Center Aisle and Table for Two from his Caedmon's Call days helped me to wrestle with the loneliness that I occasionally wrestled with in college. I have also been known to just turn up the volume and sing along to Daring Daylight Escape and Thankful (also from Caedmon's days).

But then in seminary I went to a concert to hear Caedmon's Call. I was honestly going to hear Derek Webb sing the songs that were almost all of my favorite songs by Caedmon's. Except he wasn't there. After the concert I learned that he had left Caedmon's to start a solo career.

And then came album after album that have brought both good music, and challenging, edifying lyrics. Each album has had different themes, but they have all had songs on them that were profound. "Crooked Deep Down" was my favorite on his first solo album, "She Must and Shall Go Free". He sings:

my life looks good i do confess, you can ask anyone
just don’t ask my real good friends
because they will lie to you
or worse, they’ll tell the truth

because there are things you would not believe
that travel into my mind
i swear i try and capture them
but always set ‘em free
it seems bad things comfort me

chorus: good lord, I am crooked deep down,
everyone is crooked deep down.

and then there are the occasional lyrics that are just awesome, like at the end of "Crooked Deep Down" when he admits to having one thing on his mind, "squeezing me and my camel through the needles eye."

And then there are the lyrics that just make you stop and think, because they are so powerful and so confrontational. A great example is from "My Enemies Are Men Like Me" from the album "Mockingbird":

peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication
it’s like telling someone murder is wrong
and then showing them by way of execution

He is one of the few people who I do not know who has helped me to grow in my faith. I am grateful for his music and his ministry. If you have not heard the music of Caedmon's Call or Derek Webb, I would recommend them both to you. You can see the full listing of Derek Webb's albums here.

What Are You Reading?

Last night I realized I need to update my "currently reading" list. I recently finished Free of Charge by Miroslav Volf and was wondering what to read next. I thought, hey why don't I go and check out what I'm currently reading on my blog. And there was one book left. Then this morning I thought, why don't I ask for help from the blogosphere...

So, what are you reading? Or, what have you recently read that you would highly recommend?

Excellent Sermon by Philip Yancey

The June 2007 issue of Christianity Today has an excellent sermon by Philip Yancey that he preached on the Virginia Tech campus two weeks after the massacre. His pastoral sensitivity in preaching to students whose lives have been changed forever by this tragedy is amazing. This is one of the best pieces of writing that I have ever read that attempts to provide something for Christians to cling to in the midst of events that turn one's life upside down. I can't even describe it with justice, I found it to be very well said. You can read the sermon here.

The Blogging Church

My friend, Andrew Conard at Thoughts of Resurrection recently posted a review of The Blogging Church by Brian Bailey and Terry Storch. You can read Andrew's review here.

Based on Andrew's recommendation, I picked up a copy of The Blogging Church at Annual Conference. I found it to be a fairly quick and easy read. It provides some very practical and helpful suggestions, like putting a picture of the book cover of The Blogging Church in the post where you review The Blogging Church. Check.

I found its biggest strength to be that it helps people who are blogging from within the church to think through some of the things that are at stake in how you present yourself through your blog. It reminds you that you have no control over who reads your blog (hi mom!). And it encourages you to avoid building a home in the "Town of Acrimony." Rather, Bailey and Storch encourage bloggers to focus on what they are in favor of in relation to ministry. I.e. don't turn your blog into one big rant about what is wrong with everybody else in the church.

If you are thinking about starting a blog, or if you are relatively new to the blogosphere, this book will likely provide some helpful direction and even give you some confidence that you have some idea of what you are doing.

If you are a blogging veteran, this book will probably not teach you anything new as far as the technical aspect of blogging, but my guess is it might provide some very helpful reminders about why you started blogging in the first place.

Finally, when Andrew reviewed this book, Terry Storch left a comment. I'm not trying to say that I expect Terry to stop by at deeply committed and leave a comment or anything... but I did include a picture of the book cover like they suggested. I'm just saying...

What Children Need from Their Parents

I just uploaded the last sermon of the "Family Matters" sermon series to my podcast. I apologize for not getting it up sooner, but last week was a very busy week with Annual Conference and I wasn't at the office much. You can listen to this sermon by clicking here or by clicking on the link on the right side of this page "deeply committed sermons." Then, simply click the green play button that is under the heading What Children Need from Their Parents.

Once you are at the main podcast page you can also scroll down and listen to any or all of the sermons from the Family Matters series, again by clicking on the green play button under the title of the sermon you want to listen to.

This sermon series had some of the most difficult sermons I have ever preached, but I can say that I learned a lot and it was very good for my prayer life! It is also humbling to attempt to preach on a subject that you are aware that your audience has so much more experience than you do. I deepy appreciate my congregation's patience with their very imperfect pastor and their encouragement and support.

Restoring Methodism (Part 2)

This is a continuation of a previous post on the book Restoring Methodism. This book, at 163 pages, is a very quick read. In fact, the danger is that one may read it all in one sitting and not allow the depth of each decision to really sink in. All in all, I found this to be a thought provoking book that I would highly recommend to anyone who is passionate about the United Methodist Church and wants to see it reclaim its spiritual vitality. Continue reading for some more specific thoughts about the content of the book.

Decision #8 notes the lack of doctrinal consensus in the contemporary UMC. The authors suggest that one helpful way to return to a common doctrinal understanding would be by reminding ourselves of the UMC's Wesleyan foundation. They suggest focusing on the following four elements:

1. Scripture
2. History and Tradition of the Church
3. Wesleyan roots
4. Wesleyan essentials

The discussion of Wesleyan essentials is important, especially if the goal is to have some sort of consensus. We are reminded that there are three main doctrines: repentance, faith, and holiness. They also include these as Wesleyan essentials: original sin, atonement of Christ, resurrection of Jesus, justifying faith, Holy Spirit, new birth, Christian assurance, holiness (sanctification), Sacraments, stewardship, and the Church (43).

The authors summarize what is at stake wonderfully: As Mr. Wesley said, after we agree on the essentials, we think and let think. Many United Methodists today can quote the "think and let think" idea, but they have forgotten that it was preceded by an agreement on the essentials. And the vast majority of United Methodists are not clear on what the essentials are (43). In other words, I am sure that Wesley would be appalled by some of the things that we spend so much energy arguing about, yet there would also be many things that not all Methodists today agree on that he would refuse to compromise on.

Decision #7 discusses the need to reinstitute a discipline that resembles that of the early Methodists.

In early Methodism, Every person was held accountable. It was not unusual for Mr. Wesley to examine a Society with eight hundred members and leave them with four hundred members (53).

I could write a whole other post about this... and maybe I will, someday.

Decision #4 focuses on restoring the purposes of the local church. The discussion that most caught my attention in this decision was the need for fellowship that "is intimate, warm, and family." The Scotts write, "Worship and large congregational gatherings have never been where this particular kind of fellowship occurs. It was in the Classes, the Wesleyan Class Meetings. These need to be reestablished in an updated, relevant application for today's church" (88).

This caused me to wonder: Could it be that the deepest problem facing the UMC isn't that we don't have enough members, but that the members that we do have aren't committed to holiness and growing in their faith? I strongly agree with James and Molly Scott that a reclaiming of the Wesleyan practice of meeting together for accountability in growing in our faith will be absolutely essential to the revival of United Methodism. I am not sure that this can be overstated.

Decision #3 begins a much needed discussion about the role of the laity. The Scotts make some interesting and creative suggestions that are contextual solutions to the current difficulties that face the UMC. I found that I agreed with their analysis, but wanted them to go a bit deeper in the ideas that they were discussing.

Decision #2 argues for the need to reclaim both a belief in sanctification and a determination to become more and more holy. A fairly disturbing statistic that they sight is that "90 percent of United Methodist laypeople cannot give a clear definition of the word sanctification. And when they are given a clear understanding - through the power of the Holy Spirit, growing in the image of Christ and becoming holy as God is holy - the initial response is often disbelief in its possibility or insult at having been offended by the thought that this is a necessity" (115).

For the Scotts, what is ulimately at stake for Methodism in relationship to sanctification is fairly straightforward: "The answer for us Methodists is profoundly simple: We must reaffirm sanctification as part of the salvation process and recognize and act on Mr. Wesley's observation after sixty years of ministry that where sanctification is preached, taught, and observed as lifestyle, the churches grow; but where it is not, the churches do not grow" (118). Many Christians chaffe at this suggestion, but to non-Christians it seems obvious - Christians ought to practice what they preach. The world really does seem to be watching and asking: Is this making any difference in the way that they live their lives? Far too often, the answer seems to be that it does not.

The final decision is a very helpful reminder that the UMC will grow only by the power of the Holy Spirit. They remind us that we have too often, and for too long, tried to make our churches grow by our own effort. It is ironic that we seem to fairly easily understand that works righteousness does not work in our individual relationships with God, but we seem to forget that it won't work on an institutional level either.

Well, even though this has been a ridiculously long post, there is still more to this relatively brief book than I have been able to include. As you can see, James and Molly Scott provide quite a bit of food for thought. It is a great book. Have you read it? What are your thoughts?

Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

This morning I heard a great story that reminded me of how often I miss out on God's presence simply because I am not willing to go where the Lord wants to send me. Especially when it comes to going on mission trips, it is amazing how often we are initially reluctant, or unwilling, to go. Yet, often times, if I decide to take a step in faith, I find that God is already there.

Have you ever experienced something like this? I will never forget the first short-term mission trip I went on. I thought I was doing something really special. But what surprised me the most about the trip was that I found that serving God was more fulfilling than anything else I could do. That first trip was more fulfilling, more rewarding, and more fun than anything else I could have done during Spring Break my sophomore year of college.

I guess I need to be honest enough to admit that every mission trip I went on was not a mountaintop experience. There were trips that were not nearly as memorable. But looking back, I think that was because by then I thought I knew what to expect. Going on a one week mission trip had become rather, well, comfortable.

Is there something that has been in the back of your mind for awhile? Something that keeps coming up, but maybe you are afraid to try? What if that is the voice of the Lord, calling you out of your comfort zone? Are you willing to take a risk for your faith?

Top 10 Highlights of Annual Conference

When I first began this blog I asked Andrew Conard of Thoughts of Resurrection for his advice. He provided several helpful suggestions, one of which was to check out a post called Blogging 101 for Pastors by Church Communications Pro. This is a helpful series of blogs if you are thinking about starting your own, or even improving the one you've already got. One of the things that was highly recommended was making lists.

So, taking that advice, here are my Top 10 Highlights of this year's Oklahoma Annual Conference:

10. One precious hour spent in Barnes and Noble.
9. Reconnecting with colleagues and friends.
8. Lots of great food.
7. The Africa University Choir
6. Gloria Jean Fenn's election as an alternate lay delegate. (She is the wife of Phil Fenn, who was the first person to take the time to talk to me about my calling to ministry, and she is also very important to my wife.)
5. Lunch with Matt Judkins and Randy Shrauner.
4. Father/son time with my dad, who was one of the lay delegates representing New Haven UMC.
3. Hearing that, as a Conference, we raised over $77,000 to be divided between Africa University and Nothing But Nets.
2. Bishop Palmer's sermon at the Commissioning service.
1. Finishing!

The Last Ballot

The following laity were elected as alternates:

1. Sam Aguirre
2. Janet Boone
3. Kristin Terrel-Wilkes
4. Mytrtle Clingenpeel
5. Gloria Jean Fenn

Ballot #...

The lay delegation to Jurisdictional Conference has been set:

1. Kent Fulton
2. Paula Severe
3. Coleman White
4. Aubrey Wells
5. Carl Young
6. Fred Sordahl
7. Mona Waymire
8. Katie Mayes
9. Joanne Kurlin
10. Mary Ann Smith

A Balloting We Will Go...

The final lay delegate to Jurisdictional Conference has still not been elected.

The following five clergy have been elected as alternate delegates.

1. D. A. Bennett
2. Michael Chaffin
3. Ray Crawford
4. Craig Stinson
5. Twila Gibbens-Rickman

That concludes the election of clergy delegates.

Another Ballot...

In this round of balloting the following clergy were elected to Jurisdictional Conference:

1. Tom Harrison
2. Grayson Lucky
3. Sam Powers
4. Wade Paschal
5. Tino Espinoza
6. Robert Feist
7. James Kim
8. David Burris
9. Stan Basler
10. Patricia Malloy

This completes the clergy delegation to Jurisdictional Conference.

In this round of balloting no lay delegates were elected.

Another Ballot...

There were no more clergy delegates elected.

The following lay delegates have been elected to Jurisdictional Conference:

1. Kent Fulton
2. Paula Severe
3. Coleman White
4. Aubrey Wells
5. Carl Young
6. Fred Sordahl
7. Mona Waymire
8. Katie Mayes
9. Joanne Kurlin

Jurisdictional Ballot #6

On the 6th clergy ballot for Jurisdictional Conference, the following clergy were elected:

1. Tom Harrison
2. Grayson Lucky
3. Sam Powers
4. Wade Paschal
5. Tino Espinoza
6. Robert Feist
7. James Kim
8. David Burris
9. Stan Basler

The following lay delegates were elected as lay Jurisdictional Conference delegates:

1. Kent Fulton
2. Paula Severe
3. Coleman White
4. Aubrey Wells

Africa University and Nothing But Nets

It was just announced that over $77,000 were raised during this conference at worship services to be divided between Africa University and Nothing But Nets! Praise the Lord!

Jurisdictional Ballot #5

No new clergy were elected on the 5th Jurisdictional Ballot.

On the first laity Jurisdictional Ballot the following were elected:

1. Kent Fulton
2. Paula Severe
3. Coleman White

Jurisdictional Ballot #4

The following clergy were elected on the 4th Jurisdictional Conference Ballot:

1. Tom Harrison
2. Grayson Lucky
3. Sam Powers
4. Wade Paschal
5. Tino Espinoza
6. Robert Feist
7. James Kim

Ballot #10

On the 10th laity ballot the following were elected as lay delegates to General Conference:

1. Judy Benson
2. Frank Denny
3. Bill Junk
4. Donna Roberts
5. Bob Anthony
6. Harold Wright
7. Herschel Beard
8. Sarah Malloy-Nichols
9. Tom Junk
10. Tal Oden

This fulfills the number of lay delegates that need to be elected to represent the Oklahoma Annual Conference at the 2008 General Conference.

Jurisdictional Ballot # 3

The third clergy ballot for Jurisdictional Conference elected the following clergy as Jurisdictional Conference delegates:

1. Tom Harrison
2. Grayson Lucky
3. Sam Powers
4. Wade Paschal
5. Tino Espinoza
6. Robert Feist

Ballot #9

The second clergy ballot for Jurisdictional Conference elected the following clergy as Jurisdictional Conference delegates:

1. Tom Harrison
2. Grayson Lucky
3. Sam Powers
4. Wade Paschal

No new elections for lay delegates to General Conference were made in the ninth laity ballot.

The Oklahoma Annual Conference

I am posting updates on the balloting process as soon as the ballot results are in. However, I wanted to take a minute to remind us that Annual Conference is about much more than just electing delegates to General Conference. We have heard many, many powerful testimonies to how God is using our Conference to transform lives. It is perhaps helpful to stop for a minute and remember that above all the mission of the United Methodist Church, and therefore of this Annual Conference, is to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

From my perspective, the highlight and the most important purpose of Annual Conference is the gathering together of clergy and laity from all across the denomination to worship the Lord. The worship services have been filled with the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit. We have also bathed all that we have done especially our balloting with prayer and worship. For me, it was the sermon at the Commissioning service Monday night by Bishop Greg Palmer that spoke most powerfully to me.

What has been the best part of this Annual Conference from your perspective?

Ballot #8

On the 8th laity ballot the following were elected as lay delegates to General Conference:

1. Judy Benson
2. Frank Denny
3. Bill Junk
4. Donna Roberts
5. Bob Anthony
6. Harold Wright
7. Herschel Beard
8. Sarah Malloy-Nichols
9. Tom Junk

On the 1st clergy ballot for Jurisdictional Conference (5 clergy delegates to be elected) the following was elected as a clergy delegate to Jurisdictional Conference:

1. Tom Harrison

Ballot #7

On the seventh clergy ballot the following were elected as clergy delegates to General Conference:

1. Robert Long
2. Guy Ames III
3. Brian T. Bakeman
4. Margaret Ball
5. Linda Harker
6. Frankye Johnson
7. Darrell Cates
8. Mouzon Biggs
9. Joseph Harris
10. Jessica Moffatt Seay

This fulfills the number of clergy delegates that need to be elected to represent the Oklahoma Annual Conference at the 2008 General Conference.

On the seventh laity ballot the following were elected as lay delegates to General Conference:

1. Judy Benson
2. Frank Denny
3. Bill Junk
4. Donna Roberts
5. Bob Anthony
6. Harold Wright
7. Herschel Beard

Ballot #6

On the sixth clergy ballot no clergy were elected.

On the sixth laity ballot the following were elected as lay delegates to General Conference:

1. Judy Benson
2. Frank Denny
3. Bill Junk
4. Donna Roberts
5. Bob Anthony
6. Harold Wright

Ballot #5

On the fifth clergy ballot the following were elected as clergy delegates to General Conference:

1. Robert Long
2. Guy Ames III
3. Brian T. Bakeman
4. Margaret Ball
5. Linda Harker
6. Frankye Johnson
7. Darrell Cates
8. Mouzon Biggs
9. Joseph Harris

On the fifth laity ballot no new laity were elected.

Ballot #4

On the fourth clergy ballot no new clergy delegates were elected.

On the fourth laity ballot the following were elected as lay delegates to General Conference:

1. Judy Benson
2. Frank Denny
3. Bill Junk
4. Donna Roberts
5. Bob Anthony

Ballot #3

There were no clergy or laity elected in the 3rd ballot.

Ballot #2

On the second clergy ballot the following were elected as clergy delegates to General Conference:

1. Robert Long
2. Guy Ames III
3. Brian T. Bakeman
4. Margaret Ball
5. Linda Harker
6. Frankye Johnson
7. Darrell Cates

On the second lay ballot the following were elected as lay delegates to General Conference:

1. Judy Benson
2. Frank Denny
3. Bill Junk

Ballot #1

On the first clergy ballot the following was elected as a General Conference Delegate:

1. Robert Long

On the first laity ballot the following was elected as a General Conference Delegate:

1. Judy Benson

Why Can't Local Pastors and Probationary Elders Vote?

It is interesting being at Annual Conference and not being able to vote on General Conference delegates. This issue had not previously occurred to me, because I hadn't thought about it. But now that I am here, it is a weird feeling. In case you don't know what I am talking about, every four years annual conferences throughout Methodism elect lay and clergy delegates to represent their conference at General Conference, which is the official voice of the United Methodist Church. Lay members of Annual Conference vote for lay delegates. Clergy members of Annual Conference vote for clergy delegates. The catch is that probationary members and local pastors are not members of Annual Conference. Therefore, they have no voice in who represents the church and they also cannot be elected to go to General Conference.

Why can't people who are pastoring churches vote on General Conference delegates? We are the only group of people who officially have no say in the future of the church, at least for the next 4 years. This year it has really felt like probationers and local pastors are second class citizens. It it hard for me to understand why retired ministers have more of a say in the future of the church than do the pastors who are struggling along the road to ordination and are literally the future of the church.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this or your explanation of why this is an important policy.

Review of Restoring Methodism (Part I)

I have found Restoring Methodism to be an important read. The authors (James B. Scott, and Molly Davis Scott) present 10 Decisions that they believe United Methodists in America should make in order to restore the UMC. I found the discussion in Decision # 9 to be particularly thought provoking.

Here are some excerpts from the chapter:

In the 1940 the average age of a Methodist was approximately thirty; in 2000 it was approximately sixty (25).

The Scotts highlight that W.E. Sangster as long ago as 1938 highlighted four essential characteristics of Methodism which he proclaimed were already lost in 1938: fellowship, assurance, holiness, and personal evangelism (27).

They also include this powerful quote from Dr. Albert Outler: One of the rarest things one runs across nowadays is a Christian layman who can give an articulate, comprehensive, self-tested account of the Christian faith that is in him (30).

The Scott's argue that the importance of Wesley for American United Methodism is because: To experience Mr. Wesley and the saints of early Methodism is to be directed to travel with light speed back into the New Testament and the early Church and into the tradition of the historical Church, where we will find the passion and the power of the Trinity. That is where our future is waiting for us (33).

The contemporary UMC would do well to focus on what the essentials are that God wants us to pour our energy into. The four essentials that W.E. Sangster argued for provide a good starting point. Methodism would be strengthened by improving in any of those four areas. In our current context, fellowship has become a fairly watered-down word, so I would argue for changing that word to accountability.

Which of those four characteristics do you think would be most important to the renewal of the church? Or what other area do you think needs to be strengthened?

Restoring Methodism

I have been reading so much for the sermon series on Family Matters that I haven't been able to read as much outside of those specific topics. I am looking forward to reading a bit more broadly after this week's sermon is in the books.

I did read the first few pages of Restoring Methodism: 10 Decisions for United Methodist Churches in America this morning. It looks like it is going to be a very interesting, worthwhile read. The list of recommendations is certainly interesting and impressive with 5 bishops, Dr. Lovett Weems Jr., Dr. William J. Abraham, Adam Hamilton, and others.

Here is the quote that grabbed my attention, and convinced me to read the entire book:

John Wesley can continue to change your life for the better.

It is not that Wesley himself changes us; it is that he continually points away from himself to the Trinity... Wesley is not the answer, but he takes us to the answers.

The Wesleyan doctrine (teaching) and discipline (rules and forms of ministry) create the vehicle to take us, individually and corporately, to the life and power that is promised in the faith (xiii).

I am planning on blogging my way through this book. Have you read it already, or heard anything about it? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Family Matters: What Husbands Need from Their Wives

The latest sermon in the "Family Matters" sermon series is now online. You can find it by clicking on the deeply committed sermons link on the right side of this page, or you can click here to go directly to the podcast.

Also, a few folks have mentioned some problems with hearing the podcast. When you go to the podcast page, the latest sermon may automatically begin playing. If you are wanting to listen to an older sermon, click the pause button under the heading "revkevinwatson's podcast." Then scroll down and find the sermon you want to listen to, and click the green play button. A new window should open and begin playing the sermon. If you still have problems, please post a comment or email me.

As always, this sermon will soon be on the lamontumc.org page soon as well.

Whatever Happened to the Methodist Method?

This past March I presented a paper at the 42nd meeting of the Wesleyan Theological Society. The title of the paper was "The Form and Power of Godliness: Wesleyan Communal Discipline as Voluntary Suffering." This paper discusses the crucial role that small group accountability played in early Methodism. The paper argues that the contemporary United Methodist Church has almost entirely abandoned the discipline that the early Methodist believed was so important to the movement's success. It further seeks to look at the implications this has for the revival of the UMC today. You can read the paper here. I have submitted the paper for publication in the Wesleyan Theological Journal.

Andrew Conard, an associate pastor at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, has written a review of the paper that he posted on his blog, Thoughts of Resurrection. You can read his post here and you can read the review here.

If you have the time to read the paper, I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks to Andrew for taking the time to review it.

The Unity Candle

I honestly don't know where this came from. But I was jogging today and I started thinking about the use of unity candles in weddings. In seminary I remember hearing an interesting argument related to unity candles that went like this:

If you are going to use a unity candle in your wedding, you at least shouldn't blow out the two candles that are used to light the unity candle. The reason is because though two people are becoming one, they also remain two unique people. If you blow out both of the original candles that were used to light the unity candle, it is kind of bad symbolism that is sending a subtle message that the two people are losing their identities and becoming absorbed into each other.

I found this argument fairly convincing at the time. To my way of thinking it is kind of like the Trinity, God is 1, but God is also 3 unique persons.

But today, I thought, maybe there is another way to look at it. Maybe in a time where divorce is all too frequent, blowing out the two candles that light the unity candle can remind the church and those who are getting married of Genesis 2:24 (which Jesus quotes in both Matthew 19 and Mark 10) For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

In other words, maybe in blowing out those candles we are not saying, I renounce my individuality, but rather we are saying, I give up all that would threaten to separate what God has joined together. Maybe in our context, it is more important to emphasize the new "one" thing that has been created in a marriage, than it is to emphasize the fact that we are still individual people.

That is just what I was thinking about today as I was trying not to pass out while jogging. What do you think?

What Husbands Need from Their Wives

Today I am working on the fifth sermon in the sermon series I have been preaching, "Family Matters." Sunday's sermon will address what husbands need from their wives. I have read a lot of books and articles, but I thought it would be great to hear from some real live husbands. So, husbands, this is your chance to make sure that your voice is heard. What do you most need or want from your wife?

Distinctives of Wesleyan Worship

A recent post on Andrew Conard's blog Thoughts of Resurrection discusses worship in the Wesleyan tradition. He asks some great questions. I would encourage you to visit his blog and be a part of this discussion by clicking here.

Here are my two cents:

I think Andrew is on to something when he mentions the means of grace as something that is distinct to the Wesleyan tradition. The main thing that I think comes from thinking about the means of grace as it relates to worship is the Eucharist. In other words, I think if John Wesley walked into your average UM church and sat through worship next Sunday, his first criticism would be, why didn't you take Communion? (Most UM churches take Communion only on the first Sunday of the month, thought I am aware of their being exceptions to this.)

In his sermon "Upon our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Discourse the Sixth," Wesley referred to Communion as the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God (Bicentennial Ed. of the Works of John Wesley, vol. 1, 585). For Wesley, Communion, was the most obvious way that people could expect to receive God's grace. Worship that is centered in the Wesleyan tradition, then, would take advantage of every possible opportunity to receive this means of grace.

I am aware that many churches have a sort of separate, optional Communion service. That is probably better than not offering Communion at all, but I still think that is missing the tenor of our tradition.

The second distinctive mark of Wesleyan worship that came to my mind is the love feast. This is a specific service of worship (a description of this service can be found in The United Methodist Book of Worship) that the early Methodists used on occasion to come together in fellowship and to give testimony to how God had been at work in their lives.

The third distinctive mark of Wesleyan worship that I thought of is accountability. This post will get way too long if I go into the Methodist structure (society, class, band) but Methodists were, well - methodical, about holding each other accountable for growing in their faith, for making progress along the way of salvation.

A final mark of Wesleyan worship is singing great hymns. Charles Wesley wrote literally thousands of hymns. His hymns used music that people of the time could relate to, they had profound, solid lyrics that told the story of the salvation that comes through a relationship with Christ. Wesleyan worship today will have hymns that are sung in a way that speaks to the people singing them, and they will have lyrics that make the gospel come to life in people's souls.

Family Matters: What Wives Need from Their Husbands

I just uploaded this Sunday's sermon, the fourth sermon in the "Family Matters" sermon series, "What Wives Need from Their Husbands." You can subscribe to my podcast or listen to the sermon by either clicking on the link "deeply committed sermons" under "deep links" or you can click here.

You can also listen to the first three sermons from this series:
Week 1: Laying the Foundation for a Healthy Family
Week 2: Sex: God's Gift for Marriage
Week 3: Divorce: Separating What God Has Joined Together

This sermon will also soon be on the lamontumc.org website, along with the many other sermons that are already published there.

Baptism: My Favorite Thing about Being a Minister

Sunday May 13th, 2007 I had the privilege and blessing of baptizing Treven. I always use the same hymnal (which has the baptism liturgy in it that I use) and I love the way I always get at least a few drops of water on it when I am involved in a baptism. So, now those pages are kind of crinkled and not as smooth. Every time I open my hymnal and notice those pages, I am reminded of the promises that God has made to Treven and all who have put on Christ through the sacrament of baptism.

Being involved in the sacrament of Baptism is my favorite part about being a minister because it is the time when I feel the closest to God's love and faithfulness. Especially in infant baptism, because it is just so obvious that God is the one whose power is at work. I am not sure there is ever a time in the life of the church where the gracious nature of salvation is more evident than in infant baptism.

No matter what we do, from the time we are baptized on, there is nothing we can do to cause God to let go of his end of the promise. To be sure, this is not a permission to sin without consequence. God expects us to be obedient and faithful to keeping our end of what we have promised. But isn't it incredible, in a world so full of conditions, that God has shown us his love for us, without condition?

Remember your baptism and be thankful!

An Emergent Manifesto of Hope (Part 4)

I just finished An Emergent Manifesto of Hope. Here are my final thoughts:

The last several chapters were, for the most part, very good. Dan Kimball's "Humble Theology: Re-exploring Doctrine While Holding On to Truth" was excellent! Is he United Methodist? We should be able to continually think and learn about theology with open hearts and open minds (216). Either he is, or he helped come up with the UMC's slogan: Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors.

Kimball is becoming one of the people that I really resonate with from Emergent. I think it is because he seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to speak to people about the gospel in a way that they can understand. Yet, he seems to be a bit more concrete in what he is saying than some of the other folks I have read. If I could have lunch with someone from Emergent today, it would be Dan Kimball.

Disturbing thought from Tim Keel's chapter "Leading from the Margins: The Role of Imagination in Our Changing Context":

Our serminaries have entire ministry and theological training programs designed exclusively around the left hemisphere of the human brain. They are training men and women for a world that no longer exists (232).

Part 5: Hopeful Activism: The Jesus Way in the Realities of Life contained 5 thought-provoking essays which were focused beautifully by Tony Jones' introduction. What I found to be very interesting about these chapters was that, to me, they provided a much more helpful way forward than some of the compilations of liberation theology I have read. In other words, these seemed to get beyond the problem to actually showing an example of how to do something about it (see especially Rodolpho Carasco's "A Pound of Social Justice: Beyond Fighting for a Just Cause" and Deborah and Ken Loyd's "Our Report Card in the Year 2057: A Reflection on Women's Rights, Poverty, and Oppression").

The need for accountability in the Christian life was featured again in Karen E. Sloan's "Emergent Kissing: Authenticity and Integrity in Sexuality."

Even more disturbing quote from Sloan's chapter: Collecting data over a span of years, the studies suggest about two-thirds of pastors while in ministry will be sexually intimate with someone other than their spouse (265).

My overall feeling about this book. My main criticism would be that it is difficult to see a common theme that brings all of these essays together. It felt like at times the plan was some like: get together as many different voices from this movement and have them write about whatever is on their hearts at the time. This is not a big issue for me because the vast majority of the essays are well-written and thought provoking. On the other hand, and maybe ironically, I feel like this book has given me a better feel for the pulse of the emerging church than anything else I have read. In reading from 25 different voices, engaged in ministry in different ways, you really get a feel for how diverse the movement is. You get the feeling that not all of the authors are coming from the same place, that they don't agree on everything. I can see this as an encouragement, because it is similar to the reality that if you get enough United Methodist pastor's together, they are going to have some pretty substantial disagreements too. Ultimately, I am definitely glad I found this book and bought it. It was worth the read, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the emerging church. I have a feeling I will be referring back to a few of the chapters in the future.

An Emergent Manifesto of Hope (Part 3)

I am definitely enjoying this book. It is providing lots of food for thought. There have been some chapters that I really agree with and there have been others that I disagreed with (or maybe just didn't get it).

One of my favorite chapters so far is Adam Walker Cleaveland's "Presbymergent: The Story of One Mainliner's Quest to Be a Loyal Radical." From my perspective as a young United Methodist pastor, Walker Cleaveland does a great job of providing insight into what many young mainline pastor's are struggling with. He is honest and vulnerable in his essay, and his analysis of the strengths and struggles of staying grounded in a mainline tradition is insightful.

He writes: Being part of a denomination that has significant historical roots gives one a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself. When people realize their faith in God is much more than just a personal, individual decision, that they belong to a great "cloud of witnesses" of those who have gone before them, their vision of the church is both deepened and enlarged (123).

In my own faith journey, it was learning about John Wesley's life and theology that really began to help me set down deeper roots in the United Methodist Church. It was in looking to the past and to our Wesleyan heritage that I began to find that there was a place I could stand with conviction and hope.

One of the most valuable contributions of "Presbymergent" is simply that Adam Walker Cleaveland is willing to be vulnerable and honest about his journey towards ordination in the PC (USA) with the excitement and ambiguity that he feels towards the church he is currently a part of. In conversations that I have had with young pastors moving towards ordination, there seems to be a fear of being completely honest about who I am, or "they" might not let me in. I appreciate what I see as Walker Cleaveland's faith in God that enables him to not focus too much on the institutional boogey-man that is trying to keep him out of the denominational club. My experience in seminary, getting to know many young pastors, definitely corresponds with his assertion that: Future pastors are yearning to be given permission to be loyal radicals within their respective denominations (126).

I am surpirsed at how often the importance of small group accountability has come up in this collection of essays. It may be it seemed more frequent than it was, given my personal interest in the subject, but it does seem like it has come up in several different essays.

Sally Morgenthaler's essay "Leadership in a Flattened World: Grassroots Culture and the Demise of the CEO Model" is one of the essays that has made me think the most after having read it. I have continued to chew on her idea of the importance of collective intelligence, and the way that eBay, Google, Amazon, Starbucks, Netflix, Apple, and others have understood this and applied it to their way of doing business. What stuck with me was her argument that: Western Christendom seems oblivious to its implications. But it is the entrepreneurial church (congregations of roughly one thousand and above) that seems particularly clueless about the shift from the passive to the reflexive. And this, despite all its posturing about cultural relevance (180).

The main idea from this quote is probably the main thing from this book that I have read so far that I would love to hear a broad group of Christians discuss. I found myself wondering how would Craig Groeschel at Lifechurch and Adam Hamilton at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection respond to this article, among others?

The essays that didn't really connect with me were Barry Taylor's "Converting Christianity: The End and Beginning of Faith," Samir Selmanovic's "The Sweet Problem of Inclusiveness: Finding Out God in the Other," and Dwight J. Friesen's "Orthoparadoxy: Emerging Hope for Embracing Difference." Selmanovic seems to want to coronate everyone an anonymous Christian, which seems ironic. Friesen lost me with this statement: Here is my working maxim of a theology of orthoparadoxy: the more irreconcilable various theological positions appear to be, the closer we are to experiencing truth (209). Off the top of my head: God is dead. Or, God is alive. I guess, that statement just seems to me to be trying a little too hard to say something new or profound.

But, I have to admit that some of these essays I read more carefully than others... so I may not have given them as fair of a hearing as they deserved. Ultimately, in a book with this wide of a scope, it would be amazing if one reader really connected with every chapter. (In fact, I don't have the impression that this was ever even a goal that Jones and Pagitt had for this project.)

Thoughts? Reactions? Disagreements?

An Emergent Manifesto of Hope (Part 2)

I just came across this great quote by Brian Mitchell in An Emergent Manifesto of Hope:

Any church that hires people to serve itself is a dying church. It is dying because nobody joins a church to maintain a building. People join churches because they believe they can walk the journey of faith more fully within a community that is making a difference (117).

What is the pulse of your church?

An Emergent Manifesto of Hope

One of my favorite things is going to a book store to look for a specific book, and then stumbling upon a book I never knew existed. That happened a few days ago when I found An Emergent Manifest of Hope. Of course, I immediately bought it. I am just over 100 pages into it, and am enjoying it so far. If you have read this book, I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Thomas Malcolm Olson's "Jailhouse Faith: A Community of Jesus in an Unlikely Place" especially made me think. I am very interested in the importance of accountability for growth in the Christian life, and I was fascinated to read about Olson's experience in prison ministry. He seemed to find that people in prison were more aware of their need for accountability than were people who were outside the walls of prison. Why is it so hard for us to humble ourselves enough to admit that we need help? Why do we have so much trouble being honest with others about what is going on with our faith?

This quote alone may have been worth the price of the book:

It would be good for Christianity if churches imitated penitentiaries and encouraged their parishoners to act more like prisoners. (It took me three decades of being a Christian to come up with that one, which explains why I make my living as an addictions counselor instead of a church growth consultant.) But I think I'm on to something. Every person needs one safe place where he or she is able to stop pretending, a place of ruthless honesty and unconditional love where no one is allowed to fly underneath the radar (95).

Amen to that! Do you have a safe place where you are able to just be real, to be completely vulnerable to someone else. Where you know that they are not standing in judgment of you, but they are standing with you, praying for you, seeking your good in all of the seasons of the soul? In my life, this kind of place has helped me grow in my faith more than any other.

Do You Want a Revolution? (Part 2)

So, I couldn't put Revolution down yesterday. It was a very thought provoking book. My main lingering concern/criticism is that he seems to make a lot of general assertions about what the Bible does or does not say without really going into it in much depth. He also doesn't cite the research data that he talks so much about in very much depth. I was definitely interested, but I would have liked for him to have gone deeper.

Here are a couple of the quotes that particularly caught my attention:

- They (Revolutionaries) are seeking a faith experience that is more robust and awe inspiring, a spiritual journey that prioritizes transformation at every turn, something worthy of the Creator whom their faith reflects (14).

- One of the most important lessons I've learned from studying the words of Jesus is that He loved fruit. Not the kind you pick off trees or vines, but the kind that's evident in the life of a person whom He has changed. He made very clear that the proof of people's faith is not in the information they know or the religious gathering they attend, but in the way they integrate what they know and believe into their everyday practices (25).

- being part of a group that calls itself a 'church' does not make you saved, holy, righteous, or godly any more than being in Yankee Stadium makes you a professional baseball player. Participating in church-based activities does not necessarily draw you closer to God or prepare you for a life that satisfies Him or enhances your existence (36-7).

- Americans are used to controlling their lives. What makes Revolutionaries so bizarre is that they admit they do not have control of their lives and they are not seeking to attain control. Who else would you want controlling your life besides the God of Creation (82)?

- Let me also point to a major reason why most local churches have little influence on the world is that their congregants do not experience this transformation in identity. Our research indicates that churchgoers are more likely to see themselves as Americans, consumers, professionals, parents, and unique individuals than zealous disciples of Jesus Christ. Until that self-image is reoriented, churches will not have the capacity to change their world. After all, a revolution is a dangerous and demanding undertaking; it is not for the minimally committed (87-88).

Barna makes some powerful arguments. He also raises some disturbing questions for local churches. The first question that comes to my mind is: Why are local churches no longer helping people who make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ become deeply committed Christians? Or, is Barna even right in arguing that local churches typically are not leading members into deeply committed faith?

What should a local church do to address the committed members of the congregation who may not be living lives that reflect that their faith is their number one priority?

Do you think Barna is right, will more and more people leave the local church in favor of the "mini movements" that he writes about?

What do you think?

Do You Want a Revolution?

"The United States is home to an increasing number of Revolutionaries. These people are devout followers of Jesus Christ who are serious about their faith, who are constantly worshipping and interacting with God, and whose lives are centered on their belief in Christ. Some of them are aligned with a congregational church, but many of them are not. The key to understanding Revolutionaries is not what church they attend, or even if they attend. Instead, it's their complete dedication to being thoroughly Christian by viewing every moment of life through a spiritual lens and making every decision in light of biblical principles. These are individuals who are determined to glorify God every day through every thought, word, and deed in their lives" (Barna, 8).

The above quote comes from the book Revolution by George Barna. I have just started this book. In fact, I am currently literally just a few lines past the above quote. But, it is already making me think. Barna hits on something that is very close to my heart: the importance of being a deeply committed Christian. A deeply committed Christian is definitely someone whose life is "centered on their belief in Christ" and who makes "every decision in light of biblical principles." But is it possible to be a deeply committed Christian without being deeply committed to Christ's church? And what is going on with the church that so many deeply committed Christians can't find a church that encourages them in their desire to live lives dedicated to serving and following the Lord?

Your thoughts?

Family Matters

Family Matters is a sermon series that atttempts to give positive advice to people seeking to strengthen their families. It also seeks to explain what the Christian Scriptures have to say about some of the most important issues that face 21st century families, like sex and divorce. The first two sermons of this series are already posted on our church's website: lamontumc.org Please post your thoughts or comments about these sermons here.