Question #16

One at a time for the last 3 questions.
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16.      You have agreed as a candidate for the sake of the mission of Jesus Christ in the world and the most effective witness of the gospel, and in consideration of their influence as ministers, to make a complete dedication of yourself to the highest ideals of the Christian life as set forth in Para. 304.2, and to this end agree to exercise responsible self-control by personal habits conducive to bodily health, mental and emotional maturity, integrity in all personal relationships, fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness, social responsibility and growth in grace and the knowledge and love of God (Para. 304.2,3)  What is your understanding of this agreement?

John Wesley spoke of the concept of “holiness of heart and life.” Article XI of the Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church states that “those who have been born again” are called to “strive for holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Discipline ¶103). In other words, all Christians are called to holy living. As a candidate for ordained ministry, this calling applies to me to a higher degree than to the laity. Given this calling, it is imperative that I, and all other clergy, sustain “the highest ideals of Christian life” in both word and deed.

Methodist tradition holds to the concept of the “priesthood of all believers.” God calls all Christians to minister to the world. “All Christians are called through their baptism to this ministry of servanthood in the world to the glory of God and for human fulfillment” (Discipline ¶125). As such, the clergy are not set apart from the laity in the sense of being a higher class or live out a higher calling. They are called, instead, to “specialized ministry.” To put it plainly, the clergy are no better or more important than the laity. Similarly, they are no worse than the laity either.

The clergy, though, are held to a higher standard of holy living than is the laity. One standard for seeking ordination is an expectation that the candidate will “nurture and cultivate spiritual disciplines and patterns of holiness” (Discipline ¶304). Again, this expectation does not differ from what is expected of laity. The required, if unspoken, higher standard arises from the position of leadership in the church. As the leader of a local charge, the pastor is often seen as the face of the church. The level of visibility and scrutiny inherent to the position of ordained clergy necessitates a higher level of higher living. Clergy, rightly or not, are seen as representatives of the church and of God. Therefore, the appearance, behavior, and lifestyle of clergy reflect on both the church and God.

The role of pastor also puts the clergy in a position of role model for the laity. Many of the laity observe the actions and lifestyle of the pastor as an example of Christian living. A pastor who regularly practices spiritual disciplines, who treats others with love and respect, and who practices responsible living sets a high standard to which the laity can look for inspiration and example as they pursue holiness. Conversely, a pastor who does not uphold those standards gives the laity no reason or inspiration to move toward sanctification. As Christians, we are called to proclaim the gospel in word and deed. In the reality of life, deeds are evident before, and even in the absence of, words. To live a life led by the Spirit is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Behavior affects ministry. Beyond the issues of lifestyle and actions reflecting on the church and God and of being a role model to the laity, as well as young clergy and/or candidates, personal habits and actions affect the physical, mental, and spiritual abilities to perform ministry tasks. A pastor who does not take time for Sabbath rest in order to recharge spiritually will quickly burn out and become ineffective. A pastor who does not regularly pray and study scriptures, apart from teaching and sermon preparations, cannot uphold their responsibility and vow to move on toward perfection. Clergy who are not faithful in marriage or celibate in singleness are separated from God in their sin. A pastor who does not maintain mental and emotional health risks numerous hindrances to effective ministry, including depression, bitterness, jealousy, and apathy toward congregants and the community. A pastor who does not maintain their physical health chances an abundance of missed time due to illness, disability due to disease, and early death.

By agreeing to uphold these standards of personal behavior and lifestyle, I am committing to making every effort to maintain physical, emotional, and spiritual health. This means that I will need to take steps to ensure health, as opposed to leaving it to chance. I know that this will take a concerted effort on my part. This means prioritizing my life and managing my time well. It means dedicating non-negotiable time to my marriage and my family. It means committing to a regular regimen of exercise. It means devoting time to personal study and prayer. It means remaining conscious of my diet and maintaining healthy eating habits. It means not ignoring signs of mental strain and stress and seeking counsel when needed. For me, it means finding and remaining committed to a group for support and accountability in ministry and in life. Each of these steps must remain intentional.

The busyness of ministry will consume as much time and emotion as you give it. It is critical that those in pastoral ministry establish and maintain healthy boundaries with their congregation. That means boundaries of time, boundaries of emotion, and physical boundaries. It is imperative that I prioritize the commitments in my life and, in turn, honor those priorities. I have pledged that my family will always come before church matters, barring a true emergency. This is one example of a priority I must preserve in order to maintain my own spiritual and mental health.

Although I hope I will always be seen a person as imperfect and fallible as any. I realize the level of esteem to which many hold the office of pastor. I also realize that by my position I must remain diligent in maintaining my emotional, spiritual, and physical health. By virtue of the office to which I aspire, I must commit to a higher level of integrity and moral purity. Through setting boundaries and prioritizing my life, and by the grace of God, I will honor that commitment.

Questions 14 & 15

Only a few more questions to go. They get more interesting as they go from here.
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14. What is the meaning of ordination, in the context of the general ministry of the Church?
“All Christians are called through their baptism to this ministry of servanthood in the world to the glory of God and for human fulfillment” (Discipline ¶125). All Christians are called into ministry in the world, as supported by the preceding statement from the Book of Discipline. The United Methodist Church recognizes, as do most other denominations and faith traditions, that some are set apart for ordained ministry. “Within the community there are persons whose gifts, evidence of God’s grace, and promise of future usefulness are affirmed by the community, and who respond to God’s call by offering themselves in leadership as ordained ministers” (Discipline ¶301.2). 

Ordination is not unique to the United Methodist Church. In fact, this setting apart of some for specialized ministry dates to the early church. “The early church, through the laying on of hands, set apart persons with responsibilities to preach, to teach, to administer the sacraments, to nurture, to heal, to gather the community in worship, and to send them forth in witness” (Discipline ¶302). The early church also recognized the context of these “set apart” ministers. “These functions, though set apart, were never separate from the ministry of the whole people of God” (Discipline ¶302). This shows that the ministry of the ordained is but a single part of the ministry of the church.

Discernment of a call into ordained ministry takes two forms. First, there is the inward call. That, though, is only the first step. “United Methodism understands all baptized persons to have a call to ministry through their baptism (¶¶127, 305). But a person who recognizes an additional call to leadership in the community of faith must submit that call to be tested and confirmed by the community” (Frank 199). The inward call must be met with an outward confirmation. “Those who the Church ordains shall be conscious of God’s call to ordained ministry, and their call shall be acknowledged and authenticated by the church” (Discipline ¶304). Frank points out that this discernment begins in the local church. “There among people who know the person best, the church begins to determine what the gifts and graces of a called person may be, and whether the person has the integrity, understanding, and discipline to lead the community effectively” (Frank 199).

Ordained ministry is a vital part of the church’s ministry. Therefore, it is essential that the candidates not only recognize and confirm their call, but also undergo a thorough period of examination and education. Following an appropriate theological education, the candidate must undergo a period of examination designed to confirm the candidate’s readiness for ordained ministry. Only after these requirements are met can ordination take place.

Ordination has two essential elements. The first is the reception of the gift (charisma) of ministry. This is an internal element of ordination. It is an act of grace by God. This giftedness qualifies a member of the body for ordained ministry. The second element is the rite of induction – the external element. This rite consists of prayer and the laying on of hands. The prayer comes from the entire church. It is an intercessory prayer on behalf of the ordinand which commits the individual’s ministry to God. The laying on of hands is a symbolic action meant to echo the commissioning of the apostles as well as connect the ordinand to that apostolic tradition. This rite gives authorization for ministry to the ordinand from the church and legitimizes their call to ministry. The laying on of hands also offers the church an opportunity to extend their blessings.

The United Methodist Church recognizes two orders of ordained ministry. The Order of Deacons are “called to ministries of word and service,” while the Order of Elders are “called to ministries of Service, Word, Sacrament, and Order” (Discipline ¶138). According to the Book of Discipline, Ordained Deacons “fulfill servant ministry in the world and lead the Church in relating the gathered life of Christians to their ministries in the world, interrelating worship in the gathered community with service to God in the world” (Discipline¶329). The ministry of Ordained Elders “is expressed by leading the people of God in worship and prayer, by leading persons to faith in Jesus Christ, by exercising pastoral supervision, and by ordering the Church in mission in the world” (Discipline ¶331).


15. Describe your understanding of an inclusive church and ministry.

My understanding of an inclusive church and ministry is a church that is open to anyone and everyone. According to the Discipline, “Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enables all persons to participate in the life of the Church the community, and the world; therefore, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination” (¶139). In my opinion, that is an easily translated statement. The church is open to all who would come, and the church should be welcoming to all who would come.

“The mark of an inclusive society is one in which all persons are open, welcoming, fully accepting, and supporting of all other persons enabling them to participate fully in the life of the church, the community, and the world” (¶139). In other words, being inclusive means welcoming “the other.” In order to be inclusive, the church must sound the message that God’s grace is for everyone. Free grace means free grace – grace available to all. Not just to the “saved;” not just to those who look like me; not just to those who think like me; not just to those I feel like I can mold into the image of God as I perceive. God’s grace is available to all! Therefore, “The services of worship of every local church of The United Methodist Church shall be open to all persons” (Discipline ¶139).

Free grace, of course, does not equate to cheap grace. Grace is offered freely and lovingly to all people. To accept God’s grace, to respond in faith again and again, comes at a cost. Accepting God’s grace means entering into a covenant with God. This covenant requires faithful response and action on our part (ironically enough, response and action are not possible without God’s grace). Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate” (Bonheoffer 44). Therefore, even though the church is open to all persons, those people must be open to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. They must be willing commit to a lifetime of discipleship.

Just as Jesus invited all to hear the gospel and welcomed them into fellowship with himself and his followers regardless of social position (Samaritans, Lepers, beggars, children, Roman soldiers, etc.), so should we. As the Body of Christ, doing the work of Christ in the world, our standards should be the same. The assortment of people with whom Jesus interacted gives us a perfect picture of the Kingdom of God. This picture of the Kingdom – diverse in race, gender, social status, political affiliation, and all other traits and characteristics man uses as dividing points in society – offers a glimpse of what the Church can and should be.

To be inclusive, a church needs ministries that reach across all cultural, economic, and social barriers to speak to the needs of all; as well as ministries that encourage its members to cross those barriers. The church is community. An inclusive church fosters community among dissimilar people working toward the common goal of reaching the world for Jesus Christ – making disciples of Jesus Christ and changing the world.

An inclusive church should not simply reach across societal barriers; an inclusive church should smash those barriers. The church is community, and if the church is serious about changing the world it must turn from the things that divide and marginalize and turn toward reconciliation and equality.

Questions 12 & 13

More ordination questions & answers.
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12. How do you perceive yourself, your gifts, your motives, your role, and your commitment as a Provisional Member in the United Methodist Church?
As a Provisional Member in the United Methodist Church, I perceive myself as a servant, a leader, an equipper and encourager, and, most importantly, as a member of the body of Christ. As followers of Christ, we are all a part of the Body of Christ – Christ incarnate, working in the world for the furtherance of God’s reign. As a commissioned Provisional Elder, I will work (by the power of the Holy Spirit) in the ministries of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service as dictated by The Book of Discipline (¶326) to make disciples of Jesus Christ. 

I believe that I am gifted for ministry as a Provisional Member. One gift I perceive to be helpful is leadership. From May 15 of 2011 through November 1 of this year, I served my first appointment at Mt. Moriah United Methodist Church in Moulton. When I began my time there, Mt. Moriah was a struggling church. Working with the congregation and the church leadership, we identified potential roadblocks to the church’s success including: 1) Children’s Ministry had been choked out of existence by limitations that resulted from complaints of some older church members; 2) lack of outreach to the surrounding community. I appointed a person to head up a team to address each issue. Following their discussions, the teams brought recommendations to the church leadership on how to address each issue. When I left Mt. Moriah at the end of October, the church had a revitalized and thriving Children’s Ministry, voted to begin a food pantry ministry and began collecting canned food, and “adopted” a family from the community to help with school supplies and clothing.

While I believe I have other gifts that will benefit my ministry as a Provisional Member, I also believe that the Holy Spirit gifts us as needed for ministry. An example from my ministry involves my first funeral as a pastor. Visiting the sick and performing funerals were two areas of pastoral ministry I found absolutely intimidating as I contemplated my call. Within 2 weeks of beginning my appointment at Mt. Moriah, a member entered the hospital in critical condition. Throughout my visits in the hospital with the member and her family and the subsequent funeral, the Holy Spirit gave me the gifts necessary to perform these vital ministries in a way that was a blessing to the family.

Since I am pursuing ordination as an Elder, my role as a Provisional Member is to serve in an appointment in a local church to perform the ministries of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service. In doing so, I will be faithful to the clergy covenant by serving willingly as appointed by the Bishop and Cabinet. Another aspect of my role as a Provisional Member is to learn. I plan to remain always open to the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit. During this provisional period, I hope to grow in faith and to grow in practical knowledge of pastoral ministry so that I may be as effective as possible as an elder in full connection.

As a Provisional Member, I commit to be “on probation as to character, servant leadership, and effectiveness in ministry” (Discipline ¶327). I commit to learning and growing in faith and in ministry. I commit to open myself and seek out guidance from my clergy mentor and other pastors with whom I serve. I commit to remaining open to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life and in Christ’s church. 

13. Describe your understanding of the diakonia, the servant ministry of the church, and the ministry of the Provisional Member and commissioned minister.
Diakonia is the Greek word for “service.” In this context, it implies the ministry of all Christians, which is a ministry of service. In the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, we see a perfect example of servant leadership. “The New Testament witness to Jesus Christ makes clear that the primary form of his ministry in God’s name is that of service, diakonia, in the world” (Discipline ¶305). This is an example each of us is called to follow; “all who follow Jesus have a share in the ministry of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve” (Discipline ¶305). 

In the New Testament, the word diakonia and its root word diakonos are translated in various places as either ministry/minister or service/servant. This demonstrates that all ministry is service – service to the world by the Body of Christ. In the gospels, Jesus told his disciples, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NRSV). The church now functions as the Body of Christ, doing the work of Christ in the world. Therefore, we serve.

A ministry of service is one that looks out for the other first. In Mark’s gospel, Jesus addresses an argument among the disciples about who was the greatest. He tells them, “Whoever wants to be first of all must be last of all and servant to all” (Mark 9:35 NRSV). Then he demonstrates what it means to be a servant. Jesus calls a child into their midst. Children, in first century society, were among the lowest in the social hierarchy. With his words, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Mark 9:37 NRSV), and his actions a few verses later – blessing and hugging a group of children whom the disciples tried to send away – Jesus exhibits to the disciples that social status should not, and cannot, affect to whom we minister. As followers of Christ, we are to be servants of all.

The Book of Discipline refers to both the privilege and obligation of ministry. “The privilege is a relationship with God that is deeply spiritual. The obligation is to respond to God’s call to holy living in the world” (¶134). That response to holy living is marked by servant ministry. By our baptism, all Christians are commissioned “to ministries of love, justice, and service” (Discipline ¶305). All who covenant with God and the church through Christian baptism are thus ministers to the world. “All Christians are called through their baptism to this ministry of servanthood in the world to the glory of God and for human fulfillment” (Discipline ¶125).

As a commissioned minister in The United Methodist Church, it will be my duty “to be a faithful servant leader among the people, to lead the church in service, to proclaim the Word of God, and to equip others for ministry” (Discipline ¶325). In that role, I will be a servant first and a leader second. I am called to be a servant to all and to live out that calling as an example of servant ministry. Part of my role as a servant leader is the formation of “Christian disciples in the covenant community of the congregation” (Discipline ¶137).

Questions 10 & 11

The first one is fun. the second one, not so much (I mean that strictly in terms of you, the reader. I love it.)
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10. Describe the nature and mission of the Church. What are its primary tasks today?
Part III of the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, titled “The Ministry of All Christians,” explains the responsibility of all Christians to share the love of Christ. The section opens with a statement of the mission of the church. “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” (Discipline ¶120). On the surface, the mission statement seems straightforward, if not self-evident. It is also a mission that drove the church at its inception and for many decades afterward, despite not being stated explicitly before 1976 (Frank 162). 

The mission of “making disciples” seems to be a simplistic view of the church’s mission. It also, arguably, is problematic in light of the Church’s Wesleyan roots. Thomas Frank believes the statement “suggests that the church can ‘make’ disciples as a product or output” (163). This, as Frank argues, places emphasis on the actions of the church rather than on God’s grace and power (163). It is, after all, a response to God’s pursuing grace that initiates discipleship, not the ministries of the Church. Perhaps the statement needs reworking in order to include the provision of God’s grace and express the limits of our own abilities in “making” disciples. We are, in the end, only agents of God’s grace working in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to bring others to a recognition of and response to that grace; in this way, the church itself is a means of grace for the world.

Despite the mission statement’s deficiencies, the United Methodist Church uses the statement as its guiding principle in ministering to the world. According to the Discipline, we carry out this disciple-making mission by “proclaiming the good news of God’s grace and by exemplifying Jesus’ command to love God and neighbor,” which grounds the mission in scripture using the “Great Commission” (Matthew 28) and the “Greatest Commandments” (Matthew 22) as validation (¶121). This and later paragraphs (specifically ¶124) shift some of the focus from our actions to God’s grace and the activity of the Holy Spirit in the world. “In the midst of a sinful world, through the grace of God, we are brought to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We become aware of the presence and life-giving power of God’s Holy Spirit” (Discipline ¶124). It is by this faith and through this awareness that we “seek to reveal the love of God” for all people (Discipline ¶124).

One thing the mission statement gets right is the responsibility placed on the church to proclaim the gospel and share the love of Christ. The mission statement declares the local church as the “most significant arena” for making disciples (Discipline ¶120). “The people of God, who are the church made visible in the world, must convince the world of the reality of the gospel or leave it unconvinced. There can be no evasion or delegation of this responsibility” (Discipline ¶129). Therefore, the mission of disciple making falls to the church, the entire church. “The Church seeks to fulfill its global mission through the Spirit-given servant ministries of all Christians, both lay and clergy” (Discipline ¶123). In fact, the Discipline proclaims the witness of the laity to be the “primary ministry through which all people will come to know Christ and The United Methodist Church will fulfill its mission” (¶126).

The primary task of the church today is to be a means of God’s grace for the world. This is accomplished in a variety of ways. As we worship together, God offers grace. As we serve our community through food programs, housing ministries, and disaster recovery efforts, God offers grace (to both the minister and the ministered). It is by our ministry to the least, the last, and the lost that we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, assist others in recognizing and responding to God’s grace and, therefore, “make” disciples of Jesus Christ.

11. Discuss your understanding of the primary characteristics of United Methodist polity.
The polity that governs the United Methodist Church is a unique combination of polity characteristics. Thomas Frank states, “The UMC is an amalgam of ecclesial polities – Catholic, Anglican, Reformed, pietistic, and evangelical” (320). This combination can best be summed up as connectionalism. “Connectionalism in the United Methodist tradition is multi-leveled, global in scope, and local in thrust. Our connectionalism is not merely a linking of one charge conference to another. It is rather a vital web of interactive relationships (Discipline ¶131). This connection is expressed in a variety of ways that make our connectional polity unique.

Our connectional nature is reflected in the governance of the United Methodist Church. The Church is made up of various conferences that hold voting power on specific matters of church governance. Division Two, Section I of The Constitution names the conferences as General, jurisdictional, central, annual, and charge conferences. Only General Conference can speak for the entire denomination. It is the legislative body of the church. General Conference meets every four years to revise church law (the Constitution), organization of the church, and the church’s stance on social issues (The Social Principles) all contained in the Book of Discipline and the Book of Resolutions. Clergy and lay delegates from around the world make up the delegation to General Conference. Delegates are elected from each annual conference. “The annual conference is the basic body in the Church” (Discipline ¶33).

The annual conference, like General Conference, is made up of equal numbers of clergy and lay delegates. The annual conference votes on constitutional amendments, elects delegates to General and jurisdictional conferences, acts on matters of clergy character, and votes on clergy ordination (clergy members only) (Discipline ¶33). Jurisdictional conferences and central conferences serve the same basic purpose. Central conferences are located only outside of the United States. Jurisdictional and central conferences meet every four years. The election of bishops is the central duty of these conferences. The charge conference is made up of certain officers of the local church. This group meets at least annually.

Another characteristic of United Methodist polity is the superintendency. Article III of the restrictive rules forbids the General Conference from changing or destroying “the plan of our itinerant general superintendency” (Discipline ¶19). This refers specifically to the office of bishop. Bishops are elected by the jurisdictional conference to serve a specific annual conference. Bishops have the responsibility of appointing pastors to the various charges of the annual conference they serve. The bishop and the cabinet of each annual conference appoint district superintendents. The district superintendent is charged with managing “the total ministry of the clergy and of the churches in the communities of the district” (Discipline ¶419).

Another characteristic of United Methodist polity is itinerancy. Those ordained into the Order of Elder “offer themselves without reserve to be appointed and to serve, after consultation, as the appointive authority may determine” (Discipline ¶333.1). This means that ordained Elders itinerate as directed by the bishop. Itinerancy has been a characteristic of Methodism from its beginnings in 18th century England.

Another characteristic of United Methodist polity is the Judicial Council. Thomas Frank called the council “One of the most obvious ways in which American United Methodism has adapted to contemporary social trends” (311). The Council consists of nine members, and it is made up of both lay and ordained clergy members. The Judicial Council determines the legality and/or constitutionality of decisions and actions of the General Conference, bishops, and church trials (Discipline ¶2609).

Ordination questions 8 & 9

Apparently I double posted question 6. I've fixed that now. Here are the next 2.

The questions so far have been more theological than doctrinal. 8 & 9 are more doctrinal.

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8. How do you intend to affirm, teach and apply Part II of the Discipline (Doctrinal Standards and our Theological Task) in your work and in the ministry to which you have been called?
Part II of the Book of Discipline contains two basic elements. The first three sections give the doctrinal legacy and statements of the United Methodist Church. These sections lay out the doctrinal elements of the Book of Discipline; including beliefs shared with the church catholic as well as doctrinal elements unique to the United Methodist Church (e.g. Articles of Religion distinctive Wesleyan elements, etc.). Section 4 describes “Our Theological Task.” This section lays the groundwork for “interpreting the world’s needs and challenges to the Church and by interpreting the gospel to the world” (Discipline ¶104). Together these elements provide the church with a foundation from which we can go about our mission of making disciples and seeking the fulfillment of God’s reign in the world (Discipline ¶120). 

The United Methodist tradition intimately intertwines doctrine and theology. Theology reveals doctrine. Theology tests doctrine. Theology helps us to live out doctrine. “Theology is our effort to reflect upon God’s gracious action in our lives” (Discipline ¶104). Our theological reflections bring us face to face with doctrine as we wrestle with the task of living out our mission in the world. “Theology serves the Church by interpreting the world’s needs and challenges to the Church and by interpreting the gospel to the world” (Discipline ¶104). Doctrine offers a starting point as we begin the theological task of relating the church to the world and vice versa.

Hans Schwarz writes that the theology of a particular denomination “is the communally authoritative teaching regarding beliefs and practices which are considered essential to the identity or welfare of that group” (168). He continues, “a religious body cannot exist as a recognizably distinctive entity unless it has some beliefs and/or practices by which it can be identified” (168). In other words, if we do not apply, teach, and affirm our doctrine and our method of doing theology then we become irrelevant and will cease to exist as a distinctive group within the church as a whole.

The most effective means for affirming Part II of the Book of Discipline is to live it. In accepting and abiding by the Articles of Religion, Confession of Faith, and other doctrinal statements, we demonstrate their validity and keep them relevant in the life of the church. As we engage in theological thought and practice as guided by “Our Theological Task,” we show the necessity of doing theology. It is important that we, as clergy, encourage congregants to “do theology.” As has been stated often, and by many, “The unexamined faith is not worth having.” In the Wesleyan tradition, we believe that faith is a process; salvation is a spiritual journey. It is impossible to continue on that journey without doing theology. As we “work out our own salvation,” we utilize the tools of scripture, tradition, experience, and reason to “hate what is evil” and “hold to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

I will affirm and apply these principles by using them and encouraging others to do the same. I will do this from the pulpit, in small group settings, and one-on-one; that is communally and individually. It is important to stress the importance of both aspects of our faith, and the benefits each has in our theological understandings. Individually, we work out our own personal relationship with God. A personal relationship with God is vital to our faith, but interpersonal relationships with other believers are important as well. We are created to be in community with one another. It is in community that we flourish and grow in our faith. One of the means of grace John Wesley taught is Christian Conferencing. When we come together to discuss our faith and our personal faith journeys, we receive God’s grace. By God’s grace alone can we “work out our own salvation” (Philippians 2:12).


9. The United Methodist Church holds that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason. What is your understanding of this theological position of the Church?
In the United Methodist tradition, scripture is our primary source for our beliefs and practices. Article V of the “Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church” states, “The Holy Scriptures containeth all things necessary to salvation” (¶103). Article IV of the “Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church” says, “We believe the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, reveals the Word of God so far as it is necessary for our salvation. It is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for faith and practice” (¶103). These statements demonstrate the primacy of scripture in our beliefs and practices. In scripture, we find the story of God and God’s people – the story of God as creator, redeemer, and sustainer. We find the story of how God relates to people and how people relate to God. In short, we find our story – a story of failure and redemption; a story of hope. 

In allowing scripture to guide our belief and practice, we must interpret how to apply the scriptures and how we understand them. In the section of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church titled “Our Theological Task,” we have a tool to use in our theological reflections as we “attempt to articulate more clearly our understanding of the divine-human encounter and are thereby more fully prepared to participate in God’s work in the world” (¶104). This tool is commonly referred to as the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral.” The statements from The Book of Discipline concerning this tool make clear the primacy of scripture and the role of the other three “legs” in interpreting and understanding the truth of scripture. “In theological reflection, the resources of tradition, experience, and reason are integral to our study of Scripture without displacing Scripture’s primacy for faith and practice” (Discipline ¶104). Scripture guides our beliefs and practices while tradition, experience, and reason guide our understanding of scripture.

Tradition, for John Wesley, meant the writings and practices of the primitive church, as well as the traditions of the Anglican Church. In the modern church, we have a wealth of tradition from which to derive our understanding. We still lean on the writings of the early church fathers, as well as those of John Wesley and other leaders and theologians of the Methodist tradition. We also use our own experience with God to guide our theological reflections. The Book of Discipline calls our Christian experience “the personal appropriation of God’s forgiving and empowering grace” (¶104). This experience, thus, “authenticates in our own lives the truths revealed in scripture and illumined in tradition, enabling us to claim the Christian witness as our own” (¶104). Our reason then helps to put it all together. In other words, we have to think about it.

That is not to say that by considering scripture in light of tradition, experience, and reason we can fully understand God. No amount of tradition, experience, or reason could ever bring us to a full understanding. We are broken, finite beings. Our humanity limits our understanding. God is eternal. God is beyond human limitations and far beyond human understanding. Our limitations do not, and should not, keep us from theological reflection.

Ordination Questions 6 & 7

I decided to start posting these 2 at a time. So here are 6 & 7.

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6. What is your conception of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world?
It seems that the Holy Spirit suffers as the forgotten person of God. Many prayers and other acts of worship address and praise God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Spirit, though, often goes unacknowledged. We cannot ignore the Spirit. If we are to truly worship God, truly experience God, and truly do the work of God’s Reign, we can only do so through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the continuing presence of Christ among humanity. The Holy Spirit is how we, as Christians, experience God. The Spirit is how God works in us and through us. Article III of the Confession of Faith says this about the Spirit: “[The Spirit] convinces the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. [The Spirit] leads men [and women] through faithful response to the gospel into the fellowship of the Church. [The Spirit] comforts, sustains and empowers the faithful and guides them into all truth” (Discipline ¶103). 

The Holy Spirit first calls attention to sin in our lives. Through the Spirit, we experience God’s prevenient grace. The Holy Spirit convinces us of our sin and convicts us, leading us to respond to God’s grace, for it is only through the Spirit working in us that we can respond to God’s grace and experience salvation. The Spirit continues to work in and through us, moving us toward sanctification. “Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to increase in the knowledge and love of God and in love for our neighbor” (Discipline ¶101). The spirit continues to work in and through us to continue God’s saving work in our lives. It is through the Holy Spirit that God speaks to us – through scripture, through creation, through the words of a stranger, through a still, small voice. The Spirit works in us to move us forward as we pursue “holiness of heart and life.” The Holy Spirit is, as the Confession of Faith declares, our comforter, our sustainer, our guide, and the source of power we need as we do the work of the Kingdom.

Throughout Paul’s letters, he calls on Christians to a “life in the spirit.” He calls on us to allow the spirit to guide us that we may avoid the “works of the flesh” that cause us and those around us to stumble. According to the Book of Discipline, “’Life in the Spirit’ involves diligent use of the means of grace such as praying, fasting, attending upon the sacraments, and inward searching in solitude. It also encompasses the communal life of the church in worship, mission, evangelism, service, and social witness” (¶101). This statement includes the role of the Spirit “in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world.”

The community of believers – the Church – was born at Pentecost. On that day the Spirit “brought [the church] into existence for the healing of the nations” (Discipline ¶101). The Spirit works, not only in the lives of Christians, but also in the life of the church. The Spirit guides the church as we seek to be the faithful Body of Christ. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit can a group of broken and disparate people come together to function as a community for the common purpose of serving God by sharing God. The Spirit transforms individuals into new creations in the image of Christ; the Spirit also transforms communities of believers into the Body of Christ that we may continue, through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the work of Christ in the world.

7. What is your understanding of the Kingdom of God, the Resurrection, and Eternal Life?

Last June, I preached a sermon on a few of Jesus’ “Kingdom” parables. In that sermon, I explained a bit of my understanding of the Kingdom of God. 

“There is something important to know about these parables. Actually something important to know about that phrase, ‘The Kingdom of God’ or sometimes it’s ‘The Kingdom of Heaven.’ The word translated as kingdom is basileia. It does not refer to geographical boundaries of a kingdom, but to the reign and rule of a king or the sphere of influence of a king. Therefore, the Kingdom of God is the sphere of influence of God rather than a specific location. In other words, it is not simply a reference to heaven. That is why many times instead of Kingdom of God I will say the Reign of God. Therefore, when you hear ‘The Kingdom of God is like’ you can think of it as meaning ‘As things go in this parable, so they go under the reign or authority of God’ or ‘When God reigns it will look like this.’”

The Kingdom of God is best understood by the phrase “already and not yet.” Jesus’ life and ministry on Earth signified the inauguration of God’s reign. “The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15 KJV). John Wesley said in his sermon “The Way to the Kingdom”, “As soon as ever God hath spoken to thy heart, ‘Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee,’ his kingdom comes.” The Kingdom is present in the work and ministry of Jesus. The Kingdom is also present in the work and ministry of the church – the Body of Christ.

The Kingdom of God is inaugurated but not fulfilled. As United Methodists, we “recognize that the reign of God is both a present and a future reality” (Discipline ¶101). As the church, we work here and now to help bring God’s reign to completion. We pray (many of us weekly) that God’s Kingdom will come “on earth as it is in heaven.” We look toward the complete restoration of creation when God will reign over “a new heaven and a new earth.”

I believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that through our baptism we share in the death and the resurrection of Jesus. Through Jesus death and resurrection, sin and death were defeated. Jesus death and resurrection delivers us from the consequences of sin. In his letter to the Roman church, Paul tells us “the wages of sin is death.” Jesus defeated death. As followers of Christ, we share in his baptism. In sharing his baptism, we share his death. In sharing his death, we share his resurrection. For the believer, sin and death have no power. As Fredrick Buechner wrote, for the believer “Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.” Jesus’ resurrection also holds future promise for us, his followers.

Eternal life is often reduced to the idea of “going to heaven” and living forever. Eternal life is less about some future extension of life, and more about living true life now and forever. Eternal life is about quality of life, not quantity. Eternal life does not begin at death. Eternal life is given right here, right now. In chapter 6 of John’s gospel, Jesus shows the “already, not yet” dual nature of eternal life. In verse 54 Jesus says, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life.” In that statement, Jesus tells us that eternal life is now. Then in verse 58 Jesus says, “The one who eats this bread will live forever.” Here, Jesus shows us the future aspects of life eternal. Eternal life, just as the Kingdom of God, is both a present reality and a promise for the future.

Ordination Question #5

5.      How do you interpret the statement, “Jesus Christ is Lord”?

 In the early church, the statement Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior was as much a political statement as it was a theological statement. The statement itself springs from the early church’s response to the Roman Empire and its Emperor (or Caesar).  In 1^st century Roman culture, Roman citizens referred to Caesar as “Lord and Savior.” Rome looked to their political and military leader as the ruler of all and the one who would save them – from defeat in war, from financial ruin, from destruction. The first Christians co-opted the phrase and altered it to proclaim, “Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior;” implying, of course, that Caesar is not. As modern Christians, we stand with the early church in proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The statement “Jesus Christ is Lord,” means just that, Jesus is Lord – Lord of all. Colossians 1:15-20 offers a glimpse of what it means that Jesus is Lord of all:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross (Col 1:15-20 NRSV).

Jesus is Lord of our personal lives. Jesus is Lord of the church. Jesus is Lord of the social order. Jesus is Lord of the Heavens and Earth.

Jesus is, firstly, Lord of my life, and should be the Lord of any Christian’s life. As a part of the “Great Commission,” Jesus calls the Apostles to instruct new disciples to “obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20a). This instruction applies, not only to new disciples, but also to every disciple. We are called to obey all of Jesus’ commands; to let Jesus be the ruler of our lives. In proclaiming Jesus as Lord, we proclaim Jesus as the top priority in our lives. For Jesus to be Lord of your life means that nothing else can be; nothing else can come before Jesus.

Jesus is also the Lord of the church. The church is the Body of Christ doing the work of God. Jesus Christ is the head of that body. Article V of the Confession of Faith states, “We believe the Christian Church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ” (Discipline ¶103). As a community of believers, the church has but one Lord.

The passage from Colossians also proclaims Jesus as Lord over the social order and social constructs of this world. Jesus rules over all of the earth. Jesus rules as Lord over and above all “thrones or dominions or rulers or powers.” Jesus is Lord over all of society. If we live as if Jesus is Lord over the social order, this should lead us to pursue what Wesley called “social holiness.” When we see Jesus as Lord of the social order, we are inspired to a practical Christianity. The United Methodist Church emphasizes this type of practical Christianity as evidenced in the “Social Principles” of the Book of Discipline. “The United Methodist Church has a long history of concern for social justice” (Book of Discipline 97). These principles, including the Social Creed, show the church’s dedication to showing the world that “Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Jesus is also the Lord of the natural realm. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. Colossians 1 and John 1 both proclaim Jesus’ role in creation. “Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being” (John 1:3). “[F]or in him all things in heaven and on earth were created” (Colossians 1:16a). All things fall under the Lordship of Jesus, all of creation. If we are to honor Jesus as the Lord of the natural world, the Lord of heaven and earth, then we must care for all creation.

Jesus Christ is Lord of all. All things should be submitted to Christ.

Ordination Question #4

Continuing with my answers to the question for provisional membership.

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4.      What is your understanding of the incarnation?

Incarnation is a concept that is simple and complex at the same time. Incarnation is, at its simplest, the divine indwelling among the human. When we, as Christians, talk about the doctrine of incarnation, we are talking about God coming to Earth and walking amongst us as one of us. Jesus Christ was both God and man – fully divine and fully human. This seems a simple enough concept to grasp, but it is a concept that is infinitely complex. It leads to many questions. How is it possible for one to be fully divine and fully human? Why would God condescend to inhabit a flesh and blood body? Does it even matter if Jesus is fully human and fully divine or not? Some of the questions are answerable some are not.

Scripture gives us a foundation for what the divine indwelling the human looks like. John’s gospel gives one of the most vivid images of the incarnation.

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known.” (John 1:1-3, 14, 18 CEB)

The opening verses of the Letter to the Hebrews offers another view of the incarnation, including insight into God’s motivation for “becoming flesh”.

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:1-3 CEB)

Jesus Christ is God’s final word of love. Having spoken for centuries through the prophets, God chose to speak “in the flesh” in order to make “purification for [our] sins.” Jesus is the incarnate Word of God. In other words, Jesus is God’s revelation to the world – the full revelation of God. It is through Jesus that we access God. With Jesus’ actions and words, he is proclaiming to Jerusalem and to the world that the traditional concepts of accessing God through the priests and the rituals they performed at the Temple are no longer valid. Instead of the temple being the center of worship, Jesus now takes that role.  God incarnate walked the earth; there was no longer any need for the temple to serve as God’s presence on earth. Jesus is God’s presence.

In the Feasting on the Word series of Bible commentaries Bishop Willimon wrote, “[The] incarnational gospel reminds us that Jesus intends to have all of us, body and soul.” This echoes an idea posed by the 4^th century theologian Gregory of Nazianzus: “What is not assumed is not redeemed.” In Jesus, God assumed the body, mind, and soul of humanity and therefore all of us – body, mind, and soul – is redeemed through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

Ordination Question #3

I'll try to get these up quicker from now on.
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1.      What is your understanding of humanity, and the human need for divine grace?

My understanding of humanity begins at creation. God created, and it was good. This includes humanity – created in God’s image. God created humanity as a part of God’s good creation. God created humanity for relationship – relationship with God, relationship with creation, relationship with each other. God also created humanity with the freedom to do good or to do evil. In expressing that freedom, humanity moved away from the goodness and relationship for which God created us and into depravity and self-reliance.

In his book, United Methodist Doctrine, Scott J. Jones points out that John Wesley traced our propensity toward sin to the sin of Adam. Jones quotes Wesley from his sermon “Justification by Faith,” “By the sin of the first Adam, who was not only the father but likewise the representative of us all, we all ‘fell short of the favour of God,’ we all became ‘children of wrath,’ or, as the Apostle expresses it, ‘Judgment came upon all men to condemnation’” (Jones 150). Jones goes on to expound this idea. “The result of the fall is that human beings have a corrupted nature. This is first of all an explanation for the state of humanity as a whole” (Jones 151). The “state of humanity” to which Jones refers is a brokenness that cannot be repaired apart from the grace of God.

The “Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church nature of humanity and humanity’s need for divine grace in Article VIII – of Free Will.

The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to faith, and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will. (Book of Discipline ¶103)

It is only by the divine grace of God that humanity can, or even desires to, enter into the relationship with God for which we were created.

The Book of Discipline defines grace as “the undeserved, unmerited, and loving action of God in human existence through the ever present Holy Spirit” (¶101). In the United Methodist Church, we believe humanity experiences divine grace in three forms. In United Methodist Beliefs, Bishop Will Willimon quotes from the Discipline, “While the grace of God is undivided, it precedes salvation as ‘prevenient grace,’ continues in ‘justifying grace,’ and is brought to fruition in ‘sanctifying grace’” (74). Prevenient grace is the grace that pursues us, grace that “goes before” our salvation. This grace makes us aware of our wickedness. This grace convicts us of our sin and leads us to realize our need for salvation. God’s justifying grace is the grace that saves us. It is sometimes called “accepting grace,” because this grace allows us to accept the gift of salvation offered in Jesus Christ. Sanctifying grace, or sustaining grace, moves toward perfection. God’s sanctifying grace “draws us toward Christian perfection, which Wesley described as a heart ‘habitually filled with the love of God and neighbor’ and as ‘having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked’” (Discipline ¶101).

I picture humanity’s need for God’s grace being similar to a swimmer in dangerous seas. As the swimmer swims through the waves, he cannot see the rip current. He does not see the danger or realize that he needs saving. The lifeguard (God’s grace), meanwhile watches from the shore and sees the danger facing the swimmer. The lifeguard begins to call out to the swimmer to alert him of his predicament. As the lifeguard calls out to the swimmer, she also enters the water and begins swimming toward the swimmer. Now the swimmer is struggling, and hearing the lifeguard’s calls, he realizes the peril of his situation. This is prevenient grace. The swimmer knows he needs someone to save him and he calls out to the lifeguard for help. As the lifeguard reaches the swimmer, she grabs him and holds his head safely out of the water. She has saved the swimmer from drowning, just as God’s justifying grace saves us from sin and death. However, the swimmer’s salvation is not complete. The lifeguard must now help the swimmer return to the shore. In essence, she is saving the swimmer with each stroke and kick toward the shore. In the same way, God’s sanctifying grace continues our salvation as we move toward the shore of Christian perfection.

Ordination Question #2

Continuing with my answers as submitted to the BOOM. This is a fun one.
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1.      What is your understanding of evil as it exists in the world?

I must begin by stating that I do believe evil exists in the world. Many would like to explain away evil as less than what it is (as an isolated “bad apple” for example). I do not doubt that evil exists. As stated in “The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church” from the Book of Discipline, Original sin “is the corruption of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually” (Article VII).

The “Problem of Evil” faces every pastor at some point in his or her ministry.  The church has debated the question of theodicy for two millennia. “If God is all-powerful (omnipotent), God is all-knowing (omniscient), and God is all-good, then why do evil and suffering exist in our world?” A seemingly simple question, which has no simple answer.

First, I think we need to separate evil and suffering. Not all suffering is the result of evil. The death and devastation left in the wake of disasters such as the earthquakes in Haiti and China or the tornadoes of April 27, 2011 were the result of natural phenomena. I do not believe evil played a part. Those events resulted from natural forces that are necessary for our planet to maintain life. Unfortunately, those forces sometimes affect humanity. We can say the same of disease. Cancer is a horrible, destructive illness. It is not, however, evil.

In his book, Why?, Adam Hamilton addresses this problem of evil. He gives three foundational ideas to help reconcile the presence of evil with God’s goodness. “The first is that God has given human beings ‘dominion’ over this planet” (5). God put humans in charge of creation. The second idea says that God gave us the gift of free will. We have the ability to make our own choices. In other words, we can choose God’s path or not.  The third idea says that as humans, we have a propensity to choose the opposite of God’s will. In other words, as John Wesley said, humans suffer from total depravity.

The combination of these three ideas inevitably leads to the experience of evil in our world. Evil in this world manifests in sin and death.  As followers of Christ, we know that sin and death hold no power over us. That does not mean that we will not be impacted by evil. Being a Christian does not preclude one from the effects of evil in this world. Being a Christian does give us the hope of resurrection and freedom from the sting of death. We know that in the end, good will triumph over evil.

It is important to note that evil is primarily an individual problem (even “corporate sin” begins at the individual level). Each of us faces the choice between good and evil numerous times every day. It is our responsibility to face our own struggle with evil (sin).

The problem of theodicy has plagued humanity for millennia. From the first telling of the story of Job to the latest natural disaster or death of an innocent child, Judeo-Christian history is filled with believers wrestling with the problem of evil. One thing is certain, the pain, suffering, and wrestling will continue as long as people inhabit this world. In the meantime, our God suffers with us and offers us hope.

Ordination Question #1

A couple of week's ago, I attended the Board of Ordained Ministry interview retreat at Camp Sumatanga.  I applied for provisional membership late last year. The interview retreat is the next to last step in the approval/discernment process. I passed the interview and was approved. Now the Board will recommend tot he clergy session at  (North Alabama) Annual Conference (in June). If I am approved, I will be commissioned as a Provisional Elder the next day. This is the next step in the process of ordination.

As a part of the application process each candidate is asked to answer questions as asked in the Book of Discipline. These answers are reviewed by the BOOM to determine if the candidate is ready to proceed toward ordination.

I've debated over the last few months over whether or not to post my answers. I decided to post them. I'll do them one at a time for a few weeks.

I ask this, if you find these through a Google (or other engine) search, feel free to read the answers and use them for guidance. Please don;t plagiarizer. It's likely your BOOM knows how to use Google. That's the basic moral reason to not copy. The more important reason is you need to answer these questions. The Board needs to know what you believe. Even more so, you need to know what you believe.

For others, read, and feel free to offer questions, comments, etc.
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1.      Describe your personal experience of God and the understanding of God you derive from Biblical, theological, and historical sources.

My personal experience of God is best described as a constant. I often hear stories of people who have profound life-changing experiences with God – an addict who turns to God and turns from his/her demons or a businessperson so convicted about their own unethical practices that they quit their high-paying corporate job to start faith-based non-profit organization.  I used to be jealous of people with stories like that. I thought that my lack of such a story meant that I did not truly experience God. I no longer believe that.

I now realize that though my experience with God may not be as dramatic as the experiences of some others, my experiences are no less profound. My experiences of God come through other people, such as my grandmother urging me toward youth ministry or my wife recognizing my call to pastoral ministry before I did. My experiences of God come through times of worship. My experiences of God come through scripture. My experiences of God come through creation. My experiences of God come through prayer. My experiences of God come through “ah-ha” moments of clarity.

I believe God works in, around, and through me always. As a child, I learned about the existence of God. I learned the typical biblical stories children learn in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. I came to know God as my creator, though I do not think I truly appreciated what that means. I am not sure we can ever fully appreciate what it means that God, the Father, created each of us – individually, remarkably, fearfully and wonderfully. I try as often as possible to realize the love with which God “knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Amazement washes over me when I think that the same God who created the vastness of the universe also numbered the hairs on my head. As a teenager, I began to see God in this light. What I realized most, though, was my need of a redeemer.

I experienced God as my redeemer (through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ) at 16 years old. I became aware of my brokenness and of the love, righteousness, and redemption offered through Jesus. Looking back now, I see abundant evidence of God’s pursuing grace in my life. I see how, despite my indifference toward God, God pursued me offering the redemption I did not know I wanted or needed. At the time, I simply saw my sin and my need for God’s justifying grace.  I found that grace – I found redemption – in Jesus Christ. I believe that through my faith in Jesus Christ I am free from sin and free from death – I am, as stated in the Articles of Religion, “accounted righteous before God.” It is in Jesus that God is fully revealed to us. As Bishop Will Willimon writes in United Methodist Beliefs, “the Word was made flesh and moved in with us and we beheld him in the great glory of God…God has a face, a name, a certain way of talking and living, and dying, and rising” (18). The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus serve as evidence of the victory over sin and death that we have through faith in Jesus.

Over the last 2 decades, I have experienced God as my sustainer and sanctifier. The Holy Spirit works in and through me, and all believers, as we allow God’s sanctifying grace to move us toward Christian Perfection. The sustaining, guiding presence of the Holy Spirit works to transform individuals into a new creation, as well as working to transform a group of faithful people from all walks of life into the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit helps me to continually experience God through scripture, through worship, through Christian fellowship. It is the Holy Spirit that inspires and provides those “ah-ha” moments when my broken human mind “gets” some truth about God. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that my understanding of God continues to grow day by day.

New Blog

I mentioned this several weeks ago, but I'm now posting at http://pastorscottcoats.blogspot.com. I'll try to get my sermons up on there by Monday afternoon. (Unless I don't preach that week.)

Also, quick question: I finished my paperwork from my Provisional Membership application a couple of weeks ago. Would anyone be interested in reading my "Theology & Doctrine" answers? If there's interest, I'll post them. (Probably one every few days for a few weeks.)

The end?

Well, this particular blog my have run its course.

I haven't done many proper updates lately. I don't think that's going to change.

I will say this: starting Wednesday I will be Associate Pastor at Florence First UMC. It's a big move. It's an exciting move.

In the past week, I've had to buy a car and a robe, I worked my last day at Coats Electric, and my last Sunday at Mt. Moriah. And in honesty, I kind of sort of avoided my last day at Coats Electric. Friday was supposed to be my last day. I only worked a couple of hours to avoid the "last day". So Wednesday was actually my last day, I just didn't know it at the time. I like that better.

I'm going to move things over to http://pastorscottcoats.blogspot.com

Join me there if you wish.

In the meantime, I may post here from time to time, but well, we'll see.

Wow, I haven't done this in a while...

So, life's been busy for the past year and a half or so. The result of that has been no blog post of any substance for quite a while. (By substance, I mean "life update" sorts of stuff.) So I thought I'd give a quick update on myself and the family.


I am currently enjoying a break from classes. I decided to not take any classes this summer. It was a good decision. Classes are going well. The only blemish so far is "Christian Beliefs". My gripe is this, if an A- gives me less than 4 grade points, why does an A+ not give me more than 4 grade points? I think my GPA is 3.975 or something like that. Stupid Christian Beliefs.


I'll have 9 hours again in the fall. That means that come December, I will be half-way to my MDiv (44hrs). Crazy. That will mean it's taken me 5 semesters (counting last summer) to finish half. I plan to get the other half in 4 semesters (with a J-term or 2 thrown in) and graduate in the spring of 2014.


I am still at Mt. Moriah UMC in Moulton. I've been there a little over a year. Things are going well. We have our annual revival coming up early next month. We are also in the process of revamping our children's ministries and kicking off an active outreach ministry. I'm also still working at Coats Electric 3 days a week. Good times.


Misty is working in Lawrenceburg. She's up there 3-4 days a week working 12 hour shifts. It's hard, and it's tiring. But she says it's worth it.


The kids are getting ready to go back to school in late August. The Boy will start 10th grade. He decided to drop out of band this year, so football season will not be as busy as past years. He is also driving. Just the learner's permit right now, but the license will follow soon. that is a scary prospect. Not that his driving is bad, it's not at all. It's just a little scary to turn your little baby boy loose in a 2 ton motorized battering ram with thousands of other 2 ton motorized battering rams whizzing by and around him.


the girl will start 6th grade. She will serve as student council president this year. That's exciting. She is also taking acting and "musical theater" classes after school this fall. Fun stuff. This past Spring, she began playing soccer. she loved it, and was pretty good at it to boot. She played again this summer and plans to play in the fall. I love it!


I guess that's it for now. Sorry I don't have any humorous stories or significant memories to share this time around. Maybe I can get back into the swing of this and those things will make a return.


Oh, yeah, I'm also currently appearing in "The Sound of Music" at the Ritz Theater in Sheffield. We have shows today at 1 pm and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:35 pm. It's been fun. I got the script last Wednesday, and we opened on Thursday. I love it!

To Life

I'm trying to get caught up on posting sermons. I guess I preached this one from just an outline. I couldn't find a transcript. Maybe I'll eventually get around to doing an actual blog post... probably not.


Click on the title for audio
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To Life - 4/8/2012 

·       Ever been told something unbelievable?

·       I’ll believe it when I see it!

·       Seeing is believing. Sometimes it’s not.

·       John – Resurrection – Mary to tomb. Empty.

·       Peter & “other disciple” come. Go home.

·       Mary remains weeping. Sees gardener. Where is Jesus? It is Jesus. Goes to tell disciples.

·       John 20:19-31

·       Thomas gets a bad rap.

·       Doubting Thomas. Lacking faith. Sing songs.

·       He’s not the only doubter.

·       Mary. Empty tomb. Peter, John. Don’t get it.

·       Mary sees Jesus and tells disciples.

·       They lock themselves in a room that night.

·       Appears. Speaks. Shows scars. Then believe.

·       A week later. Back in a locked room.

·       Fear returned. Why? Doubt?

·       Thomas asks what the others had already seen.

·       Doubting Thomas? Doubting 12.

·       Thomas is not the only doubter. All doubt.

·       Mary. Peter & John. 12. Thomas. You and me.

·       John’s Gospel written 90 AD. Witnesses dead.

·       Message is, you can believe, too.

·       “Blessed are those who have not seen yet have come to believe.”

·       All of us have heard and not seen. Experienced. But not seen. We are blessed to believe.

·       More of a message.

·       Jesus comes. Doubt. Jesus returns. Doubt.

·       Our doubts don’t scare Jesus away.

·       Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.
— Mother Teresa to Michael Van Der Peet. ‘79

·       Faith, not lack of doubt. Believing w/ doubt.

·       In spite of lack of faith – Disciples to apostle.

·       Those who follow become those who are sent.

·       Jesus comes with gifts.

·       Peace – calms fear & doubt. 3 times.

·       Purpose. – Go make disciples. Tell good news. Sent as Father sent me. Show God’s love.

·       Power – H.S. emboldened. Empowered.

·       Resurrection people. Easter people. Means?

·       Not living behind locked doors. Get out.

·       Can’t stay locked behind doors. Locked inside.

·       Sharing God’s love. We have a purpose.

·       Confident. Empowered by H.S.

·       Thomas had doubts. Thomas also had faith.

·        Answers John’s riddle. Beginning word became flesh.

·       My Lord. My God. Easter people know and follow.