De-Stressing Charge Conference

Another natural corruption reflection, this one on the stress response.

Gil Rendle on discipleship

Gil Rendle spoke to the Missouri River District clergy today about the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  Here's what I took away from the meeting--

• For decades American UMCs have focused on making members not on making disciples.
• Pastors must lead their congregations in the task of disciple making.
• The Bishops and the DSs agree that this should be the missional priority of every congregation.
• The Bishops and DSs do not have a working definition of how pastors should go about making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
• The seminaries have not trained pastors to make world-transforming disciples.
• Pastors and laity must figure out what the mission statement looks like in their context.

Does this spark your imagination?  Are you energized by the challenge to come up with your own working definition of the mission statement?

The mission statement at charge conference, part 2

My second sermon on the United Methodist mission statement.  I read the phrase "for the transformation of the world" through the lens of the analogy of faith (Repentance-Faith-Holiness) and doctrinal sermon #4, "Scriptural Christianity," in which Wesley argued that an individual's experience of inward holiness will inevitably inspire one to practice acts of outward holiness.

What is helping your church review their ministry and plan for next year?

The mission statement at charge conference, part 1

Part one of a two part sermon that reads the United Methodist mission statement through the lens of Wesley's analogy of faith and Instituted Means of Grace.  (The document begins with the bulletin cover.)