The Appointment Process

I've had a few people ask me about the appointment process in the United Methodist Church. It's a fairly involved process, so I invite you to read about it here.

Thanks to everyone at CCUMC who have wished us well. It's been an adventure, and we are humbled by your love and support.

Going with God

This week was a very busy week. Two funerals, a wedding, and seeing our new home !! :o

Yes, our new home!

Thursday night, Stephanie and I met with the PPRC of FUMC Winchester and District Superintendent Dale Mendenhall. Stephanie, myself, and the church agreed that we are a good fit, and the appointment became official.

This morning, we met with CCUMC's SPRC sharing that we will be moving. It will be announced tomorrow morning in both churches, but it is now official...and we can talk about it!

Stephanie and I are very excited, and we look forward to the ministry we join in Winchester. We are also sad to leave Columbia City, the church, and our friends.

This is the bittersweet experience of any move, and to be honest, I don't know what all I'm exactly feeling other than excited to go to a church and community with a lot of potential, nervous about being new, and missing friends already. This is the journey of missional life: Moving where God calls us...even when where we are is fun, good, and comfortable.

The Spanish have a saying: Vaya con Dios. Go with God. And so we do. We go where God directs us, and we pray that we always do...and that is my prayer for all of you as well.

Vaya con Dios.

What is a Pastor?

In several of the comments about the "Perfect Church," I noticed comments about the pastor. From a cursory glance, it seems that the perfect church needs a certain kind of pastor. From clergy and laity responses alike, I heard a vocal outcry that the pastor live up to his/her end of the bargain.

Perhaps another question is in order: What is the pastor's role in the church?

I personally believe the pastor, which literally means shepherd, is to lovingly lead the church. They are resident theologians that must administrate, train, comfort, and help guide the church.

One of my concerns is the "cult of personality" that exists in so many churches. Often "being fed" means that someone was entertained by music or someone's oratory skills. Rarely, if at all, have I heard someone say, "That sermon was really good, and God spoke through it...even though it was poorly given." Why is that? Has the USChurch programmed ourselves out of the Word of God into an hour of vocal and oratory entertainment? My fear is that it has.

Jonathan Edwards was one of the greatest preachers and theologians the United States has ever seen. His sermons are considered classics that gave birth to the Great Awakening. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is the most intellectually frightening piece of literature I've ever read. Contemporary texts said that his parishioners would be wailing and crying in response to his sermons. What few people now know is that Edwards would literally read from his text is a fairly monotone voice...He rarely raised his voice. He never used jokes. He didn't use movies to illustrate points. He also spent 8 hours EVERY day studying the text in Hebrew and Greek.

Is that the icon of the pastor? Or is the pastor who is always visiting, counseling, and holding hands the preferred? Maybe there shouldn't be a prefered!?! Perhaps, the pastor should be allowed to be who they are. Perhaps they should lead as God made them to lead.

One of my dreams for the Church is that it would be an egalitarian group of Jesus followers. No one would come to a church or leave a church because of the pastor. No one would ever leave on a Sunday morning saying "I'm not fed," instead they would be saying "I enjoyed bringing my praise to God today." I dream that one day people will be trimming an elderly persons hedges in an effort to say, "Jesus loves you, and so do I."

Then the Church will have shown up and worship was good.