It's Great to Be A United Methodist

I've never been more excited about being a United Methodist than I am right now.  Sure, we've got a few problems. The political stuff never seems to go away, and the thoughts of demonstrations and power plays at the next General Conference make me cringe. But I really feel like I'm in the right place. I'll explain why.

For the past couple of months, I've visited a non-denominational charismatic service on Saturday evenings. I initially went because I was invited by a former youth group member who is enrolled at a music/arts institute that's connected with this church. The music there is very well done, and I can't help but get excited about how I see God moving in the services. Sunday worship at my own church seems to have been enhanced by my experiences on Saturday nights. I've also noticed something else... When I'm at my own church, I find myself longing for something more "charismatic", but when I'm at the charismatic church, I hunger for more liturgy, structure and tradition. (Can you imagine this coming from a low church Methodist?)

The UMC I'm part of in Austin is low church but we still have a fairly traditional order of service. My favorite part is after the sermon, when we have a prayer, ministry and response time. We invite people to come to the altar rail if they want to pray or receive prayer for any reason, including making a commitment to Christ. It amazes me because I see worshipers (including teenagers) being touched by God on a regular basis. Last week, a member of our youth group experienced a physical manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit. He was blown away by the experience, and talked about it afterward. I couldn't help but think how God's presence likely did more ministry in his life in a couple of minutes than anything we've done in the two years since we've known him. I'm thankful that I go to a church that is theologically and methodologically flexible enough for something like this to happen.

The joke goes that Methodists are "too Baptist for the Catholics and too Catholic for the Baptists".  That's our biggest strength if you ask me. Many people in my congregation have a Catholic background. Some even call the worship service "mass". Then there are those who could easily be in Baptist or Pentecostal churches, but for some reason, they made their church home with us. We have a "blended" service that makes everyone happy some weeks and no one happy other weeks, which I suppose is fitting since worship isn't really about satisfying us in the first place. But we've managed to carve out a niche right in the middle of the worship spectrum. Liturgical lite if you will.

If we embrace our heritage (and hopefully all UMC's will do this) we'll find that we're thinking evangelicals. We stress the importance of conversion, yet we still have rites of passage like confirmation. We baptize babies, but we do it with the hope (even expectation) that this faith will be fully owned by those infants someday. And if people weren't baptized as infants, we'll do it later. We can even dunk 'em if we want. You see, Methodists have lots of options.

Back to that charismatic church. I thank God for how he's moving there, and I'll likely continue to visit. There's so much to learn from other parts of the body. But what I've really learned is that the Holy Spirit wants to move in my own congregation, even through the liturgy. There's so much potential there, and he's already moving behind the scenes in so many ways. It's amazing how much our own attitudes and expectations affect our experiences with God. This week at youth group I taught from James 4. One verse really grabbed my attention: "Come close to God, and he will come close to you" (James 4:8a GWT). We have that promise no matter what part of the body we worship in, whether high church liturgical or free charismatic. If we come close to God, he will come close to us. Our Wesleyan heritage confirms this.

I love being a United Methodist.

Comments

[Larry McCallister]

The movement of the Holy Spirit is the legacy of Methodism, so called. We see it in the cardinal beliefs of a dynamic relationship with God that can wax and wane (Arminianism, if you will), Perfect Love and the Witness of the Spirit.

May God give us more Wesleyans!

[Jonathon Norman]

thanks shane. wonderful post. i too am excited about being part of this great tradition.

[Dave in Dallas]

Great post!
I'm all fired up about service this morning.

One way we can revitalize the "luke warm" parts of our church is by reclaiming, as Larry put it, our legacy of the Holy Spirit.

New UMC slogan:
"Open hearts. Open Minds. Open doors. Open dunking."

[Neil]

I'm jazzed about our local UMC because we now have a full pastoral staff of four who are all Bible-believing and doctrinally sound.

We have one apostate retired pastor who is still lurking around passing out New-Agey tracts and leading a Sunday School class, but I keep praying that we can get rid of him.

[beth]

Nice post Shane - I too think this is a strength of Methodism rather than otherwise. I'm glad we came into being the way we did - it certainly makes us an interesting mix!

[D Hall]

My husband and I were both were raised in the Assemblies of God. About 15 years ago my husband moved his ordination to the UMC. Our first church appointment was in a small, rural church that the conference was going to close if we "couldn't do anything with it". What a challenge! However, with the help of a handful of college students from a nearby AG college, this "nearly closed church" was re-energized and grew about 500%. The church became aware of the active nature of the Spirit and responded.
I write this only as a witness to the transforming power of the Spirit, both personally and congregationally. We consider it a blessing to have worked in both denomonations and want to draw from the best of both. May God's Spirit continue to blow across all of our churches!

[Jonathon Norman]

dixie, thanks for sharing that story. that's inspiring.

jonathon

[jason woolever]

I used to really feel the Holy Spirit in powerful ways at Parker Lane in Austin, expecially in the chapel services we used to have.

UMer's are really at a decent place in the middle. My favorite part is that I can question every doctrine and go back and forth on issues, and its all seen as part of the growing process. You can't do that in more right-wing denominations.

[Mark Winter]

Methodism: where ritual meets revival!

[Andrew C. Thompson]

Liturgy has a certain rhythm to it that helps me to tune in to the presence of the Holy Spirit during worship. It is also nice to know that I can visit any UM Church in the country and know that the familiar progression of greeting, confession, proclamation, response, and sending forth are going to be present.

At the seminary I am attending now, one of our weekly chapel services is always a Holy Communion service. I find that my soul is as nourished by the weekly sharing in the sacrament as it is in preaching.

[Ashlee]

I, too, love being a United Methodist. You don't know how surprising it is to hear me say that! :) Sometimes I'm even surprised myself. I grew up (American) Baptist (that was really closer to Southern) and got a call to ministry when I went to a UM college. I walked in faith into a call to ministry and even went to seminary, but resisted the idea of becoming UM (stubborn rebellion, I guess! I think I wanted to hold on to one thing to my life prior to the call to ministry). Finally, after 8 years of worshipping in UM churches exclusively, I "gave in" and "became" Methodist after sitting in a Spiritual Formation class and hearing about how the Methodist tradition truly holds together head, heart and hands. My earlier critques about the Methodist church settling for feeding the poor instead of sharing the gospel had been tempered as I realized that my own tradition (with the exception of Tony Campolo & Co.) had done a poor job of feeding the poor and that those whose stomachs were growling could not really hear what you have to say about Jesus anyway. And after studying about John Wesley and his methods, I finally realized that the UM church has a tradition and a history that is about as rich and robust as I could hope for! Now, 12 years after I started attending UM churches (and 6 years after first starting seminary) I find myself preparing for ordination in the UM church, something I never in my wildest dreams imagined was possible! So, I echo your post...I, too, love being a United Methodist!

[Marty]

Ashley,
While I hold no position as a theologian, or seminary student, just a 50 plus year old who became a Methodist on purpose, I echo your sentiments. Methodism is, for me, a method of lifting up Christ in our lives. I seek His wisdom daily, and His inspiration through the Holy Spirit in everything that I do.
If that makes me a better person, so beit. But, more importantly, if it makes me a better witness, I'm all for that! May God work through you, and give you what you need to witness more passionately for His greater good. In His name I pray...
Marty

[Timbo]

I'm a new Methodist and I like what I see. I've been reading up on John Wesley. He's very similar to myself. I agree with his church social structure of large meetings, smaller "class" meetings, small groups and one-on-one discipleship meetings. Amateurs can preach and people who want to coast are asked to leave.

His church structure conflicts with the traditional Constantinian church structure, which has a priestly (or pastorly) elite that lords it over the shamed down peons in the pews. This church structure stifles revival.

Since I joined, I have been praying deliverance for the entire Methodist denomination organization for a couple of months now with satisfactory results. UM communications especially needed it.

[J Scott McKay]

I share your excitement. I knew I was doing something right when years ago I got "too catholic" and "too charismatic" remarks about the same service.

[Mike]

Keep praying, Timbo. We need it!

senecasd

[Dave2]

I would agree that there are some really positive things about the Methodist Church. But please drop the "United" part. It ain't! I attend a UMC church, but am not a member. We have a terrific pastor right now, A lady, who is obviously a Christian. I'm not so sure about some of the others I see.

How can you contribute $$ to the national church without feeling that you are funding non-Christian causes - and yes, mainly leftist ideas that have little to do with religion of any type.

It's really confusing to me, to like and want to support the local church, but have such a negative view of other parts of the denomination.

[gb]

Even in the midst of the politics, I still stand firm as a United Methodist that was carried into a sanctuary in 1971 and, if all goes as planned, carried out when the Good Lord decides it's time. But being comfortable in my heritage is not why I'm here.

In fact, what I like about the UMC is the "uncomfortable-ness" that leads me to think a little more, reason a little more, experience a little more, and read my Bible a little more, before I make any theological decision.

Praise God there's no one in NY or TN telling me what to think...(although some have tried) that's my reponsibility as "I work out my own salvation with fear and trembling."

What Dave2 finds confusing, I find enlightening! I'm glad to be a part of a denomination that even in it's differences finds unity in the Gospel.

I like the term "thinking evangelicals." I would venture no other denomination could honestly make such a claim...

[Timbo]

Take the church survey to help keep the church the way you want it.
http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=11507

[jasonk]

I too am glad to be in the UMC. My life began here, but when I was a kid we moved to an area where there was no Methodist church, so we joined a Baptist church. For thirty years I was in the SBC. But in college, the BSU didn't seem interested in me being a part, so when strangers invited me to the Wesley Foundation, I found a home. The UMC was there when I needed them.
After college, it was back to the SBC. But last year, when my marriage ended, and my denomination wasn't interested in me any longer, I found myself in a Methodist Church. It was a soft place to land. Once again, the UMC was there when I needed them.
I am glad to be a United Methodist because of the firm yet gentle guidance I received when I was in the worst place in my life.

[Daniel]

I tend to think that at its best the UMC can be an Anglo-Catholic church in its structre and liturgy with a strong evangelical/charismatic emphasis in its worship and preaching. I hope more of our congregations will move in that direction, though I know alot are stuck in the "either-or" mode and are unaware of or afraid of some of the awesome stuff going on in Ancient-future worship services and in Charismatic Episcopal Churches where traditional liturgy and sacramental acts are combined with charismatic expectations and exciting music and and exciting worship environment. Great Post.

[Marty]

Shane,
Got another thought? Not that what you've posted isn't thought-provoking...it is....but your frequent visitors are wondering if you have time to post more. I know that I am not alone with this request. Share your thoughts, Brother!
Marty

[Mike Childs]

Well said. Very well said. Me, too.

[John Fleischer]

This is great. I read the article and some of the comments. It sounds like that there is a lot of diversity of ideas in the UMC where many people are welcome and can find a home.

[somename]

"I couldn't help but think how God's presence likely did more ministry in his life in a couple of minutes than anything we've done in the two years since we've known him."

God likely did more in a couple minutes than you did in two years? That's rather kind of you to give God such recognition.

[MuslimADay]

Its always great to see people excited about their faith. My favorite party, "The joke goes that Methodists are "too Baptist for the Catholics and too Catholic for the Baptists". That's our biggest strength if you ask me."