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.

Rate this:

34 responses to “Limited Appeal”

Louis Armstrong

May 30, 2011

Bro, I am not surprised about the name-calling from a power broker within the denomination, but then you and I have seen the inside of the bureaucracy.

I continue to be surprised by the response of people in the church I now serve to basics of Wesleyan discipleship. During a study using Kevin Watson’s A Blueprint for Discipleship these questions came: “Why haven’t we heard about these General Rules before? When did Methodism become so far removed from the societies, classes, and bands? Tell us more about these spiritual practices. Does Covenant Discipleship really work today?” Similar responses to sermons. Change is happening.

Thanks for being a gadfly on the horse’s rump.

Reply
Shannon

May 30, 2011

I think more than half the problem is that the UMC has “denominational power-brokers.” That’s just the sort of thing that would make Jesus as presented through the gospels roll his eyes and say something about whitewashed tombs.

Reply
Curt Naeve

May 30, 2011

Thanks for another great article Dan. Certainly, the replies you’ve quoted demonstrate and attitude of some of the upper echelons that have those of us seeking change very discouraged.
I hope you don’t mind that I’ve linked to this on my facebook page, you can see the replies here:

Blessings,
C

Reply
Rex Nelson

May 30, 2011

Shedding the 70% tag-alongs would allow us (require us) to shed huge amounts of real estate and hierarchy (and associated upkeep). Not a popular topic among the power brokers, I’m sure. Just how much income and bureaucracy are necessary to support the connection and keep doing the great good we do?

And remember, we are a movement before we are a denomination. The UMC is only a subset of our true communion. Can we extend and sustain denomination-independent connection?

Reply
dave werner

May 30, 2011

Other than your entry this time sounding like you fell out of bed on a wrong side, i too am stunned that “one of our denominational power-brokers” would write to you in the words you quote. Personally, i don’t think we need to envision a future for the church, as i think God has taken care of that in pretty decent fashion. We need to pay attention to our allegiance to the kin(g)dom of God.

i’m holding on to my dream of a family of churches from a variety of traditions cooperating to love the world as God does. While keeping in touch with The UMC, i now worship with a UCC congregation and find great energy in discovering that they are not bound up with a few of the issues that seem to be paralyzing The UMC. At the same time, i can offer a number of our UM “distinctives” for the enrichment of worship and service in the life of this community.

There are more things that unite us than that divide us….

Reply
1. Dan R. Dick
  
  May 30, 2011
  
  I will concede a more extreme than normal frustration reflected in this post. I have been writing about our obsessive-compulsive focus on our problems and repackaging old solutions that didn’t work before in the hopes that magic will happen this time. This does not imply we should pretend we don’t have problems, but that we should accurately analyze and strategize that which will actually transform them. I have no problem with people disagreeing with me — you can’t write publicly then get defensive when people challenge your thinking. But it is interesting that so many have not argued with my thinking; they have chosen to insult and dismiss me personally. (Perhaps “flea” was intended as a compliment, and I missed it… At least “flea” was clean enough to include in the blog. Two others were not so flattering.) Anyway, I cannot possibly agree with you more when you remind us that the things that unite us outnumber those that divide us — I preach that word all the time.
  
  Reply
  1. dave werner
    
    May 30, 2011
    
    Well, if the “flea” comment was meant to be less than nasty, the intent was well hidden (as you presented the quote). In any event, let me be clear that i appreciate your honesty, even when it is tinged with frustration, and i look forward to your blog entries!
Floyd Castro

May 30, 2011

Rev. Dan,
I don’t find your blogs irritating at all, in fact, I am personally driven to reflect on how God is calling me as a lay person and how I can serve him well whenever I read your articles.
I am a life-long United Methodist too and I also have my own share of frustrations about our church but I will always be hopeful because Jesus promised to be with us to the end.

Reply
D. L. Keck

May 30, 2011

A belief in the vision of John Wesley is mentioned 3 times, (including mine), in the comments. I find that my own church does not stand firmly with the vision of Wesley, The Social Principles, or the Book of Resolutions. These three are the potential and relevence of the UMC. They are the flame of the spirit that sets us apart from many other denominations. Unfortunately, I hear very little, if anything, about them from the pulpit, the laity or the leadership.

Reply
1. Todd Anderson {a/k/a Todd the rabble rouser]
  
  May 30, 2011
  
  DLK — my “soapbox” exactly………
  and the APPEAL maybe limited — but I recall the saying of Pope Gregory the Great “The Harvest Is Great but the Laborers Few…..” So — those of us who this does “appeal to” maybe like the Marines — The Few — (but of course HUMBLE n o t PROUD).
  
  Dan — I think that “lifelong Methodist” belongs in Remidial Methodism 101 with that Mary Dame…….
  
  Reply