Sounding Off

A pastor just quit the United Methodist Church, and took "his" flock with him. Not me. I am not going to quit. But a pastor in Wichita quit March 1st. He conveniently took most of the 700 members of the Grace Point United Methodist church with him. The pastor claims to have no malice toward the United Methodist Church or it's leaders. You know, if you want to quit, fine, that is your choice. Go start your own church, but don't quit and take that which does not belong to you.

Well, let me take a break to say that I am going to say some things that I normally would not say. Tell me how you really feel Jeff.

The United Methodist people of Kansas started this church in 2003. They put up hundreds of thousands of dollars and untold effort to help get this new church off the ground. Now, without even talking with the Bishop, the pastor resigns and everyone goes with him. The plan for this departure was obviously discussed months in advance so that everyone was prepared for the announcement. All the staff and leaders went with him.

Now, I am all for churches of other denominations. But if that is what you want to have, just go start one. Get a school, invite your friends, receive your offerings. Don't use the good will and funding of the mainline church to get on your feet and then throw them away. Maybe that is what bothers me the most about this story. The throwing away.

The United Methodist Church has been thrown away. Wesleyan theology has been set aside for whatever views the now independent pastor wants to teach. Accountability is no longer in existence. The Bishop of Kansas has been disrespected as an Episcopal leader. Those whom God has placed in authority have been set aside.

Tell me how you really feel Jeff.

Leadership does not create schism. Leadership draws people together. Leadership does not act in secret, it communicates openly. Leaders do not walk away from challenge, they face it, deal with it, and overcome. Leaders do not create fracture, they heal.

I have always taught my children that they are brothers and sisters. They must stand together in this life. You don't throw away your brother or sister, ever, for anything. You are their wing man. They are your wing man. As Tom Cruise learns in the movie "Top Gun" you just don't leave your wing man. For the good of the whole, you just don't do it.

I want our church, Woods Chapel United Methodist Church to excel for the kingdom of God. I want it to reach new heights and fulfill it's potential. Some of that means that we are going to be involved in things that are not "Methodist." For example: we support an orphanage in Russia through a non-Methodist organization. Why? There is no Methodist counter part. Some of our classes use non-Methodist curriculum. Why? It is so good that Cokesbury sells it. We have an Adoption Resource group that has no Methodist roots outside of our church. Why? Because to my knowledge, there is no Methodist organization that is doing what we are doing. The prom dress ministry is a unique ministry to our church. It is Methodist because "we" are doing it. We are members of the Willow Creek Association. Why? Because it is an awesome thing.

Having said that, we are, and will continue to be Methodist. We are involved in Methodist missions in New Orleans, Greensburg, Newton, Jamaia, Liberia, Mozambique and other places. We pay our apportionments. We are building relationships with District and Conference leaders. Our culture is fraught with grace. We are activly reaching out to other churches to help them. Grant money from our last capital funds drive gave over $100,000 to other United Methodist Churches. We have a partner church in CVV and a sister church in Mozambique.

If you are a pastor or a church leader and you are reading this, the United Methodist Church is not perfect, but that does not give us the right to leave our wingman and take the congregation with us. You don't allow your parents to raise you and then decide to shoot them one day. Things get better when we work together. Marriages are healed and relationships are repaired when we care enough to keep working on things.

Every Methodist pastor, especially those in Kansas should go hug their Bishop. Tell them we are family. We may have lost one member, but the rest of us are still here and we believe in our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.