tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21720499.post5110440640348811877..comments2022-11-17T02:45:05.042-06:00Comments on emergingumc: What Is the Great Commission, Part 2: Three Good Things about the Mission Statement of The United Methodist ChurchTaylor W Burton Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00963804209682220712noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21720499.post-13417718556833762162010-08-04T22:54:17.708-05:002010-08-04T22:54:17.708-05:00Helpful insights all, Mike.
I do not hear the con...Helpful insights all, Mike.<br /><br />I do not hear the conversation happening in the way it COULD happen. I agree-- much of the conversation is far more about institutional survival (not necessarily a bad thing-- but neither is it synonymous with the thriving of actual discipleship!).<br /><br />My hope in the conversation, though, is that somehow the fact that this statement keeps getting trotted out means it may at least be a sort of center of gravity that at the very least restrains the conversations and subsequent actions from being as entirely self-serving as they otherwise might be. <br /><br />Frankly, I tend to think that's the way most mission statements of most organizations tend to work in real life, by the way-- more as touchstone than marching orders.<br /><br />I couldn't agree more that we do not celebrate enough the actual signs of discipleship in the lives of people-- in congregations and beyond them. I think that's an ongoing symptom of a way of thinking that the congregation itself is supposed to be the generator of discipleship through its programs rather than composed of all sorts of people some of whom are disciples, some of whom want to be, and perhaps a good number of whom are simply glad to be there for whatever reasons. It also misses the point that discipleship happens in real time-- and most real time isn't spent in congregations or congregational programs-- but precisely in the matrices of the relationships in which we find ourselves in our daily lives.<br /><br />Your work and leadership at both "Broadways" in Indiana is living proof of this!Taylor W Burton Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00963804209682220712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21720499.post-86388817449117792612010-07-26T16:05:48.506-05:002010-07-26T16:05:48.506-05:004) What can we do better?
Throw more parties. ...4) What can we do better? <br /><br />Throw more parties. Really. I have spent my whole professional ministry in congregations located in low-income neighborhoods. I would have liked for once -- in all the times we have been visited by District Superintendents or Bishops from our area they would have thanked the congregation for their witness across the years - for their faithfulness in living out their discipleship (but for the most part they don't know about it - because their work keeps them focused on other things -- not because they are bad people). I would like them to lay hands on our people and bless them. I would like our general agencies staff to spend their time not providing "training" - but instead -- blessing, celebrating and throwing parties for the extraordinary acts of faithful christian discipleship that are lived out in the lives of the people of our congregations - in the world (and I know that will take a little less attention from what is happening outside of worship, in the local church -- but hey, losing leads to finding right?)<br /><br />5) And what are YOU doing about it?<br /><br />Good question. I think we are trying to do it, by jettisoning our programming - focusing more on our worship and on finding ways to celebrate the discipleship of the people of our parish (and we mean that in the broadest sense)in worship and at other times, so that it might multiply. <br /><br />I hope these thoughts are in the least part helpful to conversations on these important topics. <br /><br />Thanks Taylor.<br /><br />Mike MatherMike Matherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16235028237943894027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21720499.post-66291297584141993342010-07-26T15:57:03.613-05:002010-07-26T15:57:03.613-05:00Okay - now to your questions: How do I read the m...Okay - now to your questions: How do I read the mission statement...?<br /><br />I read it as a thinly veiled attempt (gosh, I hear how cynical that must sound) to say we are doing something else, when what we are trying to do is get more members to sustain our institution. At the same time I'm willing to, and I work at, find the good in it.<br /><br />2) Where do you see us living this out faithfully?<br /><br />I would say that I see that in congregations. I don't see it at the larger level. I am pretty impressed when I meet with congregations - and see the level of commitment and discipleship in the lives of the people of the congregations. So - I see it lived out, in the witness that people called United Methodist make in their work places, their communities, their neighborhoods, their homes. Awesome. Truly.<br /><br />3) Where and how are we not doing so?<br /><br />The biggest sadness I have is that we are failing to recognize and celebrate when and where it is going on. It seems that, even among congregations - we seem only able to celebrate it when we act corporately as a congregation, rather than in the lives of the people of our parishes. And I think in the language of our liturgy, in the awards we give out in the denomination at large, and in the way we are structured at the district, conference, and general conference level we are failing. There is so much goodness going on and we just seem to be unable to see it. I know it takes a lot of effort to see it in my congregation - because I've been trained so well (smile). (continued - I'm worrying about running out of space)Mike Matherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16235028237943894027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21720499.post-64814479609703291732010-07-26T15:48:18.542-05:002010-07-26T15:48:18.542-05:00Taylor, I will make a pass at responding to this p...Taylor, I will make a pass at responding to this post. One thing I want to remark upon before I try to address your questions is about your observation that "It is being used intentionally and widely to direct conversations, planning and budgeting in congregations, districts, conferences, General Agencies, the Connectional Table, the Call to Action Committee and the Council of Bishops about how we will organize, manage, evaluate, and pay for our work as The United Methodist Church." <br /><br />Truly, I haven't noticed that this is happening - at least in terms of bringing about any different action or actual practices that would be different than if we had another statement guiding our conversations. Certainly our budget here in the Indiana Conference would not seem, I would think, to an outside observer to be built about this mission. I'm not at all sure that I would like it if it was. I'd be interested in concrete examples that you could offer. I would like to see such things because I think it would be very encouraging (and because it matters to me both personally and professionally).Mike Matherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16235028237943894027noreply@blogger.com