Limited Appeal

I got an email this week from a lifelong Methodist who writes:

You do realize, don’t you, that you have a very limited appeal? The majority of United Methodists are extremely happy with the way things are.

Really? We are happy with losing credibility? We are happy that more people are leaving than are coming? We are happy that younger educated people find us irrelevant and ridiculous? We are happy that the only people who care about our survival is us? Really? Then why are we so obsessed with doing anything and everything to ensure our continued survival — whether we deserve to survive or not? Can the church of Jesus Christ fulfill its mission without a United Methodist Church? You betcha’, which means we better clean up our act really fast.

United Methodism is so “last year.” No one much cares if we are “UM,” what they care about is whether we are making the world a better place. If a church is actually helping people relate to God, grow in their faith, and make a difference in the world, people care. If a church spends tons of money on ads and holds an annual “Change the World” campaign? Not so much.

My appeal is irrelevant. I don’t care who reads me — I blog for me. If others read it and are challenged, all the better. I know that “the powers that be” could care less what I say. Here is a quote from one of our denominational power-brokers:

You’re a flea, a nuisance. You criticize the work of people who are smarter, more Christian, and more committed than you, but you don’t make a bit of difference. If what you say made a difference, we would invite you into the important work of envisioning a future for the church.

I am okay with this. I have a different opinion and vision, that’s all. I want to see our church make the world a bit more like the kin_dom of God. I don’t think we have used very good critical thinking skills in looking at our short- or long-term future. I believe we are focused on the wrong things and that no matter how hard we work, we will not see the kinds of results we want. Lots of people disagree with me. They look at the results we have been getting for the past 40 years and say, “we’re good with this. Decline and decay, losing millions of members, this is what we were hoping for. We need to keep doing what is killing us.” That’s fine, but it will never make me happy.

We have so much opportunity, and so many options. The only one not truly viable is to continue pandering to the lowest common denominator. As long as we exist to coddle and comfort those least interested in living the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are on the path to extinction. Nothing can exist if its highest value is compromise and irrelevancy. We must actually support Christian discipleship or we will disappear.

And, yes, I know discipleship is a joy-killer; we only want a faith that makes us happy and comfortable, but that isn’t what Jesus called us to. For those who think Christianity is showing up occasionally for a worship service, we may disappoint. The active Christian life calls us to service, sacrifice and standards. Being Christian actually means something. Our church could commit to this. Now, of course, 70% of the tag-a-longs we now have would bolt, but oh how glorious is could be to have a church filled with bona-fide disciples-in-formation.

No, to dedicate ourselves to our disciplinary mandate to reach our and receive new people,to relate people to God, to nurture and strengthen them in an authentic Christian faith, and to equip them to live transformed and transforming live in the world? That’s hard work. It is what we say we are all about, but still…

We won’t do this. We like money too much. We have bills to pay. We have big buildings to support… and build more of. We like US way to much to like Jesus more.

Christianity, true discipleship, will always have limited appeal. The costs outweigh the benefits, and the sacrifice outweighs the material rewards. We don’t like this. We want a faith that is all about us, and we want a church that helps us feel comfortable, safe, and accepted.

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34 responses to “Limited Appeal”

John Meunier

May 29, 2011

Wow, a denominational leader wrote that to you. That is sad.

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1. Dan R. Dick
  
  May 29, 2011
  
  I can understand how I am an irritant. I hope I am not a flea, but a flea does get a reaction…
  
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  1. Nora
    
    June 2, 2011
    
    Seriously, I think you should name names on your quote and “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s.” It is important to know which jackass(es) among the denominational power brokers are more interested in the survival of the institution and less interested in the survival of this church.
    
    I am a life-long Methodist layperson and have spent a serious amount of time/energy/resources trying to make the changes you speak of at the local and conference level. Now I am asking the question: When do I decide that the UMC is irredeemable as a divinely-called connectional community of faith? At what point are all the unhealthy power structures and “isms” that exist within the UMC so inherently cultural that the survival of the denomination is not worth the fight?
  2. Dan R. Dick
    
    June 2, 2011
    
    Nora, there are times when I have been tempted to “name names” but I made a commitment a long time ago to make this an open forum where people can air their opinions, and when people send me personal emails, I only name them with their permission. I don’t want most of this to stay personal or to get into fights. I generally share those illustrative encounters that I believe reflect a larger issue. I am not sorry that I irritate people — being ignored and dismissed troubles me more — and I see my blog as a seed-sower opportunity. I find myself quoted in magazines, in sermons, in newsletters, and in church meetings across the country. I am more interested in who IS listening to me rather than who is not.
    
    I wrestle with the question of irredeemability of such a mammoth institution, but if we can get enough leaders to stop talking about how to save “our” church and start talking about how to be “God’s” church, I actually think redemptive incarnation is still possible. Our ability to screw things up pales in comparison to God’s power to make all things new.
Will Campbell

May 29, 2011

Very good article, Rev. I do have one issue with it. In changing the Kingdom into kin_dom, I think you are doing the very coddling of neurotic, unhealthy behavior (cheap grace discipleship?) you otherwise rightly call out. Christ did come to strengthen kinship, yet there is no indication via the same Christ that we are not being better related to one another to live in a kin_dom. For those hurt by masculine figures to the point they cannot see God’s Kingdom as the healthy rule of Agape every heart of hearts desires/needs, we can either coddle, and thus feed neuroses by changing name and meaning of what Christ is preparing us for, or we can hold fast to the healthy meaning of God’s Agape-RULED Kingdom Monarchy while walking with those – helping Love to heal those – who have had bad experiences with earthly male role models (and the same must be done with those who have had bad experiences with earthly female roles models). Again, otherwise, great article.

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1. Dan R. Dick
  
  May 29, 2011
  
  The hegemonistic, power-based theology of prior cultures isn’t of much interest to me. I understand that unenlightened cultures cast things in paternalistic terms as a reflection of their age, but we do know better now. I actually think a vision of common community graced by equality is superior to the former visions of a paternalistic culture. I know there are those who wish we could go back, but I simply am not one of them.
  
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  1. Scott McAffee
    
    May 30, 2011
    
    Thank you. Kin_dom bespeaks the family of God realized not some vassal-suzerain relationship. I like it much better. It fits much better with the theology of baptism in which we become brothers and sisters and heirs to the family inheritance.
Bill

May 29, 2011

Dan…thank you. I believe that being a “flea” is an unmentioned spiritual gift. As a member of Generation X, I was born, baptized, confirmed and ordained into a denomination in decline. Leaving is the easy way out. I believe in Wesley’s model of works of mercy and works of piety, so I stay. I believe God is not done with the UMC. I have hope for the future and I appreciate your insight and thoughts

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1. Shannon
  
  May 30, 2011
  
  I don’t think it’s unmentioned, Bill. There’s a pretty long tradition of it in the Bible and in church history; the gift is often called “prophecy,” and the people with it don’t generally win popularity contests.
  
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  1. Tom bolton
    
    May 31, 2011
    
    Shannon, that is so true!
2. Scott McAffee
  
  May 30, 2011
  
  What about when the “powers that be” make your life so hellish that you have to get out or risk your own personal health. That’s why I’m gone. I don’t regret it a bit.
  
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Derek W. White

May 29, 2011

A great article. When my family and I came into the UMC, we found it a place we truly wanted to be….a place of hope and healing.

As I returned to ministry, I’ve found just what you’ve written to sadly be a norm for many churches. Places that are happy going “gently into the dark night” and the call to discipleship is not one that goes over very well.

I think one of the biggest worries that someone like myself has is that the radical things that we want to do will be scoffed at by others and we’ll not be allowed to do it within the “system.” For those of us with a great deal of student loan debt just so we could become a UM minister, it often seems as if we’re stuck maintaining the status quo so as to “pay the bills” that you mentioned.

It’s my hope that our church might be revitalized. That we might flow against the status quo and have the flame of the Spirit burn brightly within us with a true desire to transform this world for our living Savior.

Please keep up the good work. You definitely make me think and keep me updated on a variety of factors within our church and maybe with more voices like yours we will rediscover the ability to ask one another, “How is it with your soul?”

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1. dave werner
  
  May 30, 2011
  
  Derek, one of my concerns is active pastors who for one reason or another feel trapped in their situation. Student debt, having to pay family bills, feeling deeply the call to pastoral ministry “in spite of” the situation, etc., contribute to a sense of desolation. (Perhaps i exaggerate….)
  
  While in seminary in the early ’60’s, we heard from a rep from the denominational pension board, who made a comment that i had heard before but was just driven home harder then. It went something like this: “If you ‘pay the rent,’ the congregation will give you the freedom to do other things.” By this he meant that a pastor doing the necessary, faithful pastoral things such as preaching, teaching, visiting, and caring for the administrative needs of the congregation probably would be able to try some new things in the congregation. i found this to be true in my active years; i wonder if it holds today?
  
  How can “we” (UMC, congregations, family and friends, colleagues, etc.) support pastors who are willing to tackle this two-headed adventure?
  
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  1. Scott McAffee
    
    May 30, 2011
    
    No, it isn’t because it causes people to get upset. The majority of UM congregations are not Methodist at all. And many bishops and district superintendents harass clergy that try to bring things back on track. They talk out both sides of their mouths. Just look at this non-guaranteed appointment issue. That’s code from the bishops to get rid of those they don’t like. And elitism from the “power brokers” who think they will never be on the receiving end of a bishop who doesn’t like them and doesn’t want to give them an appointment.
Zuhleika

May 29, 2011

Thank the the Creator for the flea! Remember, the lowly flea decimated Europe spreading the black plague!

I would not want to leave the UMC – I really believe in what John Wesley started and I don’t believe the current UMC is very faithful to Wesley’s “methods”. We need another movement to re-vitalize the church.

I have been struggling lately with my local UMC. I have had 2 UMC pastors suggest I even try other denominations! Sad commentary.

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Joseph

May 29, 2011

I also firmly believe that leaving the UMC and complaining about it is a cop out and the easy way out.
I, for one, believe that the UMC can still be powerful and relevant.
I believe we have the right theology for our times today.

These “lifelong” Methodists need to stop acting like the church belongs to them. We can really make an impact in the world when we stop seeing our mission as survival and maintainence of a building, and start having our mission be about the people that God loves. There are enough UMCs doing that to give us hope.

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Keith

May 29, 2011

Why do you stay in the umc? Honest question from somone who was never “really” a Methodist even though I was a member of and worked for a UMC church for a while. Denominations are dying out, are irrelevant and more bad than good for extending the kingdom at this time in history. You seem to see at least some of this, so why do you stay? Come join us on the outside (more or less) it can be a crazy scary place but there is so much potential here you will never even come close to within the system.

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1. Dan R. Dick
  
  May 29, 2011
  
  I believe you make change from the inside. The UMC has such amazing potential. There are opportunities to steer that which is lost to something worthwhile. If I didn’t believe this, I would be gone! I do think we can tame the beast and make United Methodist meaningful again. But I also know that bridges with those on the outside are essential to bringing about change within. Can we play in the same sandbox?
  
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