Ballot Results

My friend Kevin, at Deeply Committed, is posting the results of the Oklahoma Annual Conference voting for delegates. I’m very encouraged by a strong group of representatives.

Opening Worship of Annual Conference

My wife and I went out for our anniversary (8 years today!) to the new Cheesecake Factory in OKC. We then went to Saint Luke’s UMC downtown for the opening worship service of Annual Conference.

We had a great opening service for Annual Conference. The Africa University choir sang, and the Bishop Greg Palmer of the Iowa Annual Conference delivered the message. He preached on the Prodigal Son and the necessity of celebration.

My Class with the Surgeon General

This is such a small world. Today, I read that Dr. Jim Holsinger, a United Methodist physician from Kentucky and former chairperson of Asbury Theologial Seminary’s board of trustees, has been nominated to be the next Surgeon General!

Dr. Holsinger often took biblical studies classes at the seminary, and I had the opportunity to take Minor Prophets as a January term intensive course with him. I don’t know anything about his politics, but I know this. He is, in my estimation, an incredibly gracious, intelligent, genuine, and humble Christian. You would have never known the kind of influence this man had from meeting him for the first time. He introduced himself as “Jim,” and carried himself as a fellow student. I loved getting to know him during the shared pain of this inductive bible study class, and I pray that he rises yet again to the challenge of this appointment.

Pentectost Sunday Sermon

A few months ago, I was sitting in our kitchen as Nanci got off the phone with the soccer coordinator for Eufaula’s kids leagues. As she hung up the phone she looked at me with a big smile and said, “Guess what honey!? You’re going to be Emma’s soccer coach!” So, in a matter of seconds I became the coach of The Cheetahs, five girls ranging in age from four to six who had never played soccer in their life being coached by me, a man who had never played soccer in his life! Our season started off with a bang.

Our girls were so excited to be playing their first game, even if it was against a bunch of boys with a few seasons of experience under their belt. Our girls ran up and down the field, but didn’t score a single goal. That was OK, because we knew what we needed to work on: everything! A few weeks later, we were still desperate to score a goal. A few games later, in the last half of a game, little Amelia broke free from the pack and began moving toward the goal. As she closed in, all of our Soccer-moms had to restrain themselves from running out and kicking the goal for her! By the time she neared the goal, most of our parents were three steps over the foul line screaming, “KICK IT AMELIA! KICK IT!” And in that moment of sheer exhilaration, we scored our first goal of the year. Excitement filled the air…this was the first of many more to come. Instead our schedule got more and more difficult, and it seemed that the boys got taller, faster, and stronger…three more games, four more games, five more games…zero goals. Now, I like to think of myself as a leader of sorts, and I tried my best to keep the girls motivated. Its OK girls, you really improved your kicking this week! But the frustration was mounting…week after week no more goals. The drought was unbearable…one girls decided she wouldn’t play against boys and sat out a few games. Another showed up with her head hanging. Of course some just wanted to make sure they looked good in their uniform: win, lose, or draw!

Before the final week, I gave it everything I had. We were about to play one of the other girls teams, and I hyped it as if it were the NBA Finals, World Series, and Superbowl all wrapped into one. I pumped them up and we practiced like crazy the last week. The morning of the big game, our girls marched in like little 5 & 6 year old soldiers. Even our little AWOL soccer girl told me, “I’ll play this game coach.” We were facing the “Little Divas,” but they looked huge! They were beaming with confidence…looking taller and bigger than any of our little Cheetahs. After seven games and only one goal, I held my breath and waited for the whistle to blow. Our girls held hands as they stood in a line for the coin-flip. Immediately after the whistle, their biggest girl took the ball down and kicked it toward the goal like a rocket. Our entire side winced as the ball bounced out of bounds off the goal. All of a sudden, the girl who had sat out the last three games took the ball and got a look of determination on her face…she kicked it down the field like a professional and kicked it through the goal with authority! Our side erupted – jumping up and down in excitement! But our girls didn’t quit…they looked like the Brazilian national team blocking goals, stealing the ball, and eventually scoring eight goals! I almost felt sorry for the Little Divas. What happened? Our girls played with passion and determination – they played like they were on fire…there is only one way to describe the way they went out and played. They were inspired, and as everyone who has ever watched a sporting event knows: there is a huge difference between “just playing” and “playing inspired.”

You all have heard enough sermons to know that this story isn’t just about girls soccer. : It’s a story about life…it’s a story about the Church…and it’s a story about who we’re called to be as Christians. Sometimes it feels easy to be a Christian when you first start out in a life of following Jesus. We start off our faith journey just like our girls began the season. We’re excited; we’re resolved to start doing things the right way. You share your faith, you bring friends to church, you’re a different person…but then you stumble the wind is gone from your sails. There have certainly been times in my life where I’ve felt like I’ve been spiritually dry. In fact there are times when every Christian would like to get down and sit it out on the sidelines of faith forgetting about the struggle to live daily as a Christian.

But today’s scripture is the story of a different way to live. Today’s scripture is the story of inspiration. In our final game, our little girls played like they were different people because they played inspired. On Pentecost, God inspired the Church by pouring out the Holy Spirit on normal men and women just like us. The disciples were waiting in an upper room after Jesus’ Ascension. All of a sudden, the room was filled with the Holy Spirit – the event was so indescribable that all we read is that the sound was like a rushing wind and there was something like tongues of fire that deeply touched everyone who was there. As soon as these disciples were touched and filled by God’s Spirit, they began to witness in an inspired way. In fact, they were able to share the testimony of God’s work to people whose languages they didn’t even know! The fire of the Holy Spirit lit the fuses of the disciples and the Christian Church spread like wildfire from a little upper room in Jerusalem to all parts of the earth…and it began right there that day!

And just as there is a difference between “just playing” and playing inspired, by the power of God’s Spirit, there is a world of difference between just living and “living inspired.” When I baptize anyone, I ask the Holy Spirit to work in their life to make them faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. I ask the same for each person here. The Holy Spirit can and will inspire you to be the person God has created you to be if you’ll receive God’s call to live inspired. Sometimes we don’t talk about the Holy Spirit because we’re afraid of sounding too “Pentecostal,” but being filled with the Holy Spirit is more about empowerment and inspiration! It’s about being enabled to do more together with God than you can ever do on your own. When you are filled and inspired by the Spirit of God you can do things beyond your own power and ability, things that are heroic. I’m not talking about comic book stuff like outrunning a speeding locomotive or leaping a tall building in a single bound. I’m talking about us performing spiritually heroic acts because of the power of God’s Spirit poured out on the Church at Pentecost!

Several years ago, while I still worked in a research lab, I had several difficult experiences with my boss. There was one person I worked with that often did things that were blamed on other people in our lab. One day, during a lab meeting, I was accused of leaving several things unfinished and several mistakes that were actually the fault of this other person. Every bone in my body wanted to stand up and let them have it with both barrels. At the very least, I was ready to walk out. But for several months, three of us who were Christians had been meeting for prayer and bible study before we started work. Everyone else knew we did this and watched us very carefully to see how we lived. As badly as I wanted to respond, something in me said, “Don’t say anything…just sit there.” So, against my own inclinations, that’s what I did. As I was walking out to my car that day, my friend Lance said, “I don’t know how you did that. You know you weren’t responsible for what they blamed you for.” By the power of God’s Spirit, I was able to say, “You know you’re right every bone in my body wanted to let them have it and tell them whose fault it was. The only reason I didn’t is because I’m a Christian, and I felt as though God didn’t want me to respond.” Instead, by the power of the Spirit, I was able to understand a little more about Jesus and how he endured so much and suffered for things he never did. I would have missed that blessing if I had responded under my own power. I was able to receive that grace only because of God’s Spirit. I was given the opportunity to grow as a disciple because of God’s Spirit. Today, I have something I want to offer you. It’s a prayer to God’s Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and every enjoy Your consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

When we pray this prayer to be attentive to God’s gentle, yet surprising, Holy Spirit we’ll see changes in our lives. We’ll see deep spiritual changes: the ability to respond to evil with kindness, the ability to let things go, the ability to witness and share our faith in natural ways, the ability to see the difference between “just living,” and “living inspired.” 2000 years ago, God poured out his Holy Spirit on a group of Christ followers and the world has never been the same. What would happen here if we did the same?

This afternoon, I’m heading to Annual Conference, and I have a request to make for this week. This is a strategic and important time as we’re preparing for the General Conference of 2008 where United Methodists from around the world will come and work together shaping the future of our denomination. We’ll be electing delegates for that this week. Pray this prayer daily with those of us who represent United Methodism in Oklahoma in mind. Pray this prayer daily, thinking of our bishop, our lay delegates, our clergy, and the future of our denomination. If the Holy Spirit will ignite Godly fires in each of our hearts and gives us wisdom and guidance, the UMC will be a different Church and we’ll be a different people. We’ll quit “just living” and start, by the power of God’s Spirit, “living inspired.”

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bittersweet

This story of the closing of Mary Help of Christians Roman Catholic Church is moving and bittersweet. The devotional life and practice of the Ruta sisters is inspiring. I loved it.

Annual Conference ‘Round the Bend

Our Oklahoma Annual Conference begins on Sunday. Andrew Thompson of gen-X Rising had an interesting post the other day asking, “What does it mean to conference?” I think this is an increasingly important question, especially if we as a denomination want to take reaching young adults for Christ seriously. I agree with him on several points,

The United Methodist Church is not, and should not be, a congregational system. And neither should annual conference devolve into simply a business session that must be endured.

I know annual conferences vary widely in how they are perceived and how they are conducted. I have actually been very encouraged in recent years by changes that the Arkansas Conference has made to put worship and ministry resourcing front and center. On the other hand, changes could still be made to improve it. For instance, I understand why we have petitions. But they are often distracting and create more polarization that consensus. Would it be so bad if we simply decided not to debate and pass resolutions??

Conferencing is very important, and it shouldn’t be left by the wayside for a congregational polity, but I agree with Andrew that there may be several ways to improve it starting with his suggestion to leave out the resolutions (perhaps handle this in a separate gathering that leaves time for conversation instead of polemic).

I also think we need more intentional time for networking. We are able to do this over meals most of the time, but we need more time to get with pastors and see what is working and what isn’t. If one sits in every single session, there is not much room for this invaluable aspect of conferencing. This will be increasingly important for my generation of clergy, I believe.

Andrew gives us a few more insights in his article “Can We Learn to Conference Together?” where he writes,

The annual conference is the place where the church membership of every elder and deacon is held. It should be the place where our hearts are held as well. If we take a Wesleyan view of conferencing and of the covenant relationships that are nurtured through it, we can gain a model of how to survive and thrive in a world that is decidedly inhospitable for ministry in the church.

This is another excellent article. I thrive on the relationships I have from the connection, and I look forward to nurturing these through the time at Annual Conference. Hopefully we can fulfill this Wesleyan view and deepen our covenant relationships through the very structure of the AC itself.

Any thoughts on how we can do this?

Candidates on Abortion

With apologies to those seeking a debate or rant, I’d rather not enter either on this subject right now. However, I do think people with varying views on the abortion issue would like to know where each candidate stands (or in the case of Giuliani…stands at the moment). You’ll find that here at the New York Times.

Pentecost

I find the account of Pentecost in Acts to be very interesting. One thing I’ve noticed is the interpretive model that Peter uses. There are three responses to the dynamic outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 1.) Confusion: as seen in the folks who asked, “What’s going on?” 2.) Skepticism demonstrated by the folks who said, “They’re just drunk…don’t we all speak foreign languages when we’re drunk? Don’t we?” and 3.) Peter’s interpretive act whereby he clarifies and interprets the event through the lens of Old Testament prophecy.

What is our response to strange events in our lives? Are we too confused to look for answers, do we respond with the same old staid skepticism, or are we steeped enough in the narrative of Scripture to interpret them through the lens of God’s ongoing drama of Salvation?

I’m pretty smitten with some of the post-modern/emergent ways of thinking, and I really appreciate the emphasis on mystery and awe found in that way of being the Church. However, sometimes I think we can over-mystify things to the point that we neglect placing them in the trajectory of God’s story of salvation. This passage seems to suggest that there are times that what seems confusing or strange, even mysterious, can be interpreted when placed in the right interpretive framework.

On another note, here are some helpful thoughts on Pentecost from Dan Clendenin.

End of an Era…Well at Least a Vacation

I’m two days away from the end of my vacation. Tomorrow we will be attending Mass at Saint Catherine’s of Siena, my in-laws parish. I always enjoy attending mass, but feel left out by not being able to receive the elements.

Our Annual Conference starts a week from Sunday, so that is on the horizon. I love seeing all of the other pastors I admire and enjoy talking to. I don’t look forward to other parts, especially voting on resolutions. Sometimes I feel like we propose and vote on resolutions just to feel like we’ve accomplished some “social justice,” sort of like adding sweetener to our coffee (pardon my skepticism, it’s a holdover from my science days).

Today, I’m feelng down because vacation is almost over. I’ve loved spending time with my wife and kids while having almost zero responsibilities. I’m also feeling that weird feeling that I get every now and then.

On a positive note, bishops are planning on planting new churches! That is a very positive sign, I believe. I pray that our conference will do this and reach new unchurched folks.

Eucharist in the Midst of Conflict

On Tuesday in Corpus Christi, my family and I were able to tour the USS Lexington, a aircraft carrier now docked in the bay there. More than anything, I wanted to see the chapel. I wanted to see where Eucharist was prepared and received in the very heart of this enormous ship. So, here are a few pictures of what I found there.

Lately, I’ve been thinking of those ministers who are living out their call in the heat of battle. Chaplains must have an extremely difficult job, and I often wonder how they survive spiritually.

They have to be faced with the most difficult questions of the faith in a very immediate way. Questions of suffering become more urgent as you are surrounded by it. Questions of violence and non-violence have to be on the forefront of nearly every chaplain’s mind as they are surrounded with conflict and people desperately trying to live out their faith in an unimaginably difficult situation.

Say a prayer for our chaplains, and ask God to grant them wisdom and courage.