United Methodist Ordination Response
I stumbled upon Mark Beeson’s blog yesterday during my internet travels. I was intrigued with his project of doing an “open source” project in writing a book to help United Methodists. In doing so he is going to post 8 “Methodist Monday” blogs for folks to respond to. Check out the link to read his blog for yourself. Below, you can see my response to his first “Methodist Monday” which has to do with why someone would choose to be ordained as a United Methodist pastor over doing a non-denominational church start-up.
I think the response has to do with call and discernment. The type of person that you are referring to is someone who is obviously up for a challenge and willing to take the risk in order to make an impact! Someone like that may be called to start a nondenominational church … or they may be called to effect visionary reform within one of the historical movements of Christendom. I would share with the individual that in my opinion the way we “do” church is going to be very different within the next 10 – 15 or even 20 years. I am not referring to music styles or worship styles (although these will be impacted); I am referring to the “how” of doing church. None of us know what that will look like… However, in the UM there are all sorts of possibilities and opportunities for passionate persons of God who possess a heart for those who have not yet responded to God’s grace. These passionate persons will help guide and fashion what we will look like as we continue to be a community that lives out our faith through our hands, mind, & heart. Is this person you are talking with up for the challenge?
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