Today has been an interesting day in the pastorate. As I get ready to celebrate the birth of Christ, I am reminded of how God leads and guides us. Perhaps I am more sensitive, or realizing what is truly important, but the Christmas message of Immanuel brings us always to the heart of the matter. A quick glance at the day may help:
I began the day with our staff sharing how a person in the church gave a very generous gift to help a family in need. In addition, I tell how the Annual CROP Walk raised $14,000.00 to alleviate hunger. Lastly, I note how a blogger 'out there' accuses the United Methodist Church of being socialist in wanting to advocate the passing of the Dream Act. There is a sermon somewhere here! We then take time to prepare for our worship services.
Around noon we as a staff have a lunch together, provided by Kira's Cottage, a local Christian Bookstore.
After lunch Pastor Jenothy and I make a visit to a young man in the church who has cancer. We have prayer and anointing and ask God's Spirit to abide with him and the members of this family as they go through a very difficult time. We were reminded once again of God's presence and purpose.
In returning to the church I receive a phone call from a member who can finally begin playing Christmas Carols after losing her husband six years ago in December. The grief has been too much. However, today was a breakthrough. Praise God!
After the phone call I am summoned to the front of the church to help a grandmother who doesn't have anything to give her grandchildren for Christmas. I remember we have some toys left over from the Santa Shop. We go through the boxes and see what kind of gift she wants to give. Thankfully, we are able to help.
I then take time to compose a prayer for Christmas Eve!
As a pastor I am humbled by these experiences and realize again that somehow in the midst of the ebb and flow of life God is with us.
In preparing for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I take a moment to catch my breath, realizing God has come. May we all be ready to receive!
Andy Kinsey
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Books that Began the Journey
As you can see I am not consistent with blogging. However, from time to time I like to share what I think is important to the life of faith and ministry.
Below are some of the books that prompted me to go deeper into the call of God for the life of ministry.
What books are on your list? Here are a few that have kept me going.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Imagination and Pastoral Ministry
I have been reading and thinking a great deal about the role of the imagination in pastoral ministry. Over the last six months I have read several interesting books. I have listed these below, and I have been noting the various theories of the imagination. In time I will look forward to seeing what kind of fruit will grow. There are more books, to be sure, but the following have provided food for thought.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Top Picks
The Christian Century offers eight theologians' top picks of essential texts in theology over the last twenty-five years (www.christiancentury.org). It is interesting to see how the landscape has changed since Tillich and Barth and others wrote during the last half of the twentieth century. I don't know what top picks others may choose, but I have listed the following. It's a good exercise!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Transform the World?
The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. For many in the United Methodist Church this statement reflects one of the best decisions the church has made since1968. Many contributed to making it happen. In keeping with the Great Commission, there is a kind of ring to it. The problem, of course, is that the church over the course of time has failed to organize and operationalize it. It has become a slogan to repeat rather a commandment to carry out. (Perhaps I am too cynical on that.)
However, over the last few years, the church has tried to go beyond the original biblical mission of making disciples to the heavy claim of transforming the world.
I don't know how many people will agree with the following, but I don't think I am alone when I say that the phrase "for the transformation of the world" is quite pretentious. I am not sure how this phrase was added to the original statement, which was to make disciples of Jesus Christ, but I am not convinced it is a phrase any serious and thoughtful person can accept. Transform the world? Really? We can transform the world? I thought God was the transformer! In a church that has trouble growing its Sunday school, we United Methodists claim we can transform the world? Hmm...
The present mission statement of the United Methodist Church leaves a great deal to be desired. It reflects a kind ingrained hubris on our part to think we can improve upon the words of our Risen Lord. In addition, it involves not a few messianic fantasies about own abilities and motivations. And worse, it portrays a theological ineptitude, if not downright Pelagianism. In keeping with the Liberal Protestant tradition, it displays a real failure to come to terms with sin and evil. Who are we to say we are going to transform the world, as if we are now the Creator? Given the atrocities of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, it is difficult to know how any sane person could make this statement with seriousness.
Question: What would happen if we kept our mission to the following: Our mission is to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Period! Brief, to the point. What would happen if we took all the best practices we have at all levels of the church and put them forth in our ministries to make disciples?
Let's stop pretending, and let's start exploring and putting into motion what it means to make disciples. And then, just maybe, we can let God do the rest; that is, we can let God do what God does best: transform the world!
However, over the last few years, the church has tried to go beyond the original biblical mission of making disciples to the heavy claim of transforming the world.
I don't know how many people will agree with the following, but I don't think I am alone when I say that the phrase "for the transformation of the world" is quite pretentious. I am not sure how this phrase was added to the original statement, which was to make disciples of Jesus Christ, but I am not convinced it is a phrase any serious and thoughtful person can accept. Transform the world? Really? We can transform the world? I thought God was the transformer! In a church that has trouble growing its Sunday school, we United Methodists claim we can transform the world? Hmm...
The present mission statement of the United Methodist Church leaves a great deal to be desired. It reflects a kind ingrained hubris on our part to think we can improve upon the words of our Risen Lord. In addition, it involves not a few messianic fantasies about own abilities and motivations. And worse, it portrays a theological ineptitude, if not downright Pelagianism. In keeping with the Liberal Protestant tradition, it displays a real failure to come to terms with sin and evil. Who are we to say we are going to transform the world, as if we are now the Creator? Given the atrocities of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, it is difficult to know how any sane person could make this statement with seriousness.
Question: What would happen if we kept our mission to the following: Our mission is to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Period! Brief, to the point. What would happen if we took all the best practices we have at all levels of the church and put them forth in our ministries to make disciples?
Let's stop pretending, and let's start exploring and putting into motion what it means to make disciples. And then, just maybe, we can let God do the rest; that is, we can let God do what God does best: transform the world!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Almost Christian
I don't know if persons have read her book yet, but I highly recommend Kenda Creasy Dean's Almost Christian: What the Faith of Teenagers is Telling the American Church. I have been very much impressed with what Dean says about the faith of teenagers and the implications of Dean's argument about cultivating a "missional imagination" in the church. I think she's dead-on!Monday, September 27, 2010
Abraham's Five Theses
Several years ago my family and I, while on Renewal Leave, had the opportunity to visit Wittenburg in Germany, the town where Martin Luther nailed the infamous 95 Theses to the Castle Church Doors. I enjoyed the visit very much, though my family could hardly wait to leave! No one could have imagined what Luther's actions would unleash, let alone fathom the direction the Reformation would take.
Last week Billy Abraham shared a more modest five theses about the future of the United Methodist Church with clergy in Raleigh, North Carolina in an address entitled: "At Full Liberty in the Flight from the Wrath to Come: A Practical Platform for United Methodists."
As the title suggests, the Theses point to a "practical platform" that speak to United Methodist self-understanding and hope of renewal. Persons familiar with Abraham's Canonical Theism Project will find more food for thought here. Each of the Theses have positive and negative consequences.
Thesis One: United Methodism belongs historically in a third incarnation of primitive or early or ancient Christianity that is genuinely different from both its Catholic and Protestant siblings and that deserves a fresh and full implementation in our own day and age.
Translation: We should stop thinking of the United Methodist Church as an une eglise manque, or, in the words of Albert Outler, as an ecclesiastical crock. Stop apologizing for being United Methodists!
Thesis Two: Clarity about the mission of making disciples is an essential first-step in the ordering of the life of the United Methodist Church as quickly as is humanly possible.
Translation: Quit the "messiah complex" about the transforming the world and keep the mission of the church short and succint: Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Period!
Thesis Three: The United Methodist Church should take the next twelve years and figure out how to actually make robust disciples of Jesus Christ.
Translation: Figure out what it means to be a disciple of Christ and explore common efforts to provide solid catechesis and spiritual formation.
Thesis Four: United Methodists should immerse themselves afresh without apology in the actual canonical faith of the church bequeathed to us in the canonical treasures of Methodism.
Translation: Revisit the rich canonical heritage of the people called Methodists and search for the best ways to shape the mission of the church.
Thesis Five: Whatever happens in the wider church it is our responsibility and privilege as leaders and members to do all we can personally to implement the modest mandates of the preceding Theses in our own lives and ministries.
Translation: Stop waiting around for others to fix the church and get on with the work at hand wherever we are.
Never one to back away from deeper convesation, Professor Abraham always seems to find way of prompting and provoking. Hopefully, in the days ahead, his five Theses will spark further reflection and discussion, if not action.
Last week Billy Abraham shared a more modest five theses about the future of the United Methodist Church with clergy in Raleigh, North Carolina in an address entitled: "At Full Liberty in the Flight from the Wrath to Come: A Practical Platform for United Methodists."
As the title suggests, the Theses point to a "practical platform" that speak to United Methodist self-understanding and hope of renewal. Persons familiar with Abraham's Canonical Theism Project will find more food for thought here. Each of the Theses have positive and negative consequences.
Thesis One: United Methodism belongs historically in a third incarnation of primitive or early or ancient Christianity that is genuinely different from both its Catholic and Protestant siblings and that deserves a fresh and full implementation in our own day and age.
Translation: We should stop thinking of the United Methodist Church as an une eglise manque, or, in the words of Albert Outler, as an ecclesiastical crock. Stop apologizing for being United Methodists!
Thesis Two: Clarity about the mission of making disciples is an essential first-step in the ordering of the life of the United Methodist Church as quickly as is humanly possible.
Translation: Quit the "messiah complex" about the transforming the world and keep the mission of the church short and succint: Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Period!
Thesis Three: The United Methodist Church should take the next twelve years and figure out how to actually make robust disciples of Jesus Christ.
Translation: Figure out what it means to be a disciple of Christ and explore common efforts to provide solid catechesis and spiritual formation.
Thesis Four: United Methodists should immerse themselves afresh without apology in the actual canonical faith of the church bequeathed to us in the canonical treasures of Methodism.
Translation: Revisit the rich canonical heritage of the people called Methodists and search for the best ways to shape the mission of the church.
Thesis Five: Whatever happens in the wider church it is our responsibility and privilege as leaders and members to do all we can personally to implement the modest mandates of the preceding Theses in our own lives and ministries.
Translation: Stop waiting around for others to fix the church and get on with the work at hand wherever we are.
Never one to back away from deeper convesation, Professor Abraham always seems to find way of prompting and provoking. Hopefully, in the days ahead, his five Theses will spark further reflection and discussion, if not action.
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