In my almost-20 years of full-time ministry in the United Methodist Church, I have overheard some “you can’t make stuff this up” remarks come out of the mouths of United Methodist people. Preachers, usually.
Most of what follows is first-hand, with a smattering of reliable second-hand quotes as well.
- A pastor to his youth pastor: “You shouldn’t do so many altar calls in youth group. It might make kids doubt their confirmation.”
- A District Superintendent to his flock of pastors: “Has anyone ever heard of this Gordon-Connell (sic) Seminary? Is it legit?”
- A DS to a pastor in the 4th year of a first appointment: “It’s time to start thinking about moving up the ladder. You don’t want to stay where you are too long.”
- A pastor to a PPR Committee in a church considering multi-site worship: “Where I come from we call that a two-point charge. And I’m not being paid enough to pastor a two-point charge.”
- A parishioner during praise & worship: “This clapping’s not Methodist!”
- A parishioner to a long-tenured pastor: “I think preachers ought to move every three and half years. That’s as long as Jesus stayed on earth, after all. Then his humanity started to show and God had to call him to heaven.”
- A Methodist seminarian regarding a youth group: “If the kids start talking about getting saved, I’m going to have a real problem with that.”
- A pastor to fellow pastors as part of a continuing ed event: “I like Jesus. But he’s not my Savior.”
Fred Craddock has written expansively on overhearing the Gospel.
Sadly, there are times within Methodism when you overhear something altogether different.
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Talbot- What are your thoughts??
http://www.wsoctv.com/family/21490897/detail.html
That’s all innovative stuff; things we should look into. Thanks for the link.
Can I try to say this as gently as possible? I suspect that I’m not alone.
I grew up in a (non Methodist) church environment where, as teenagers, the actions of adult leaders constantly told us that even though we thought we’d accepted Jesus, we hadn’t really.
So people constantly telling me that I need to accept Jesus is something I have a very difficult emotional time with even though I agree with the theological principal that discipleship requires both an initial conscious commitment and the on-going commitment of persistence in growing in holiness.
Admittedly, I’m new to the UMC, but I suspect it’s not really so different from British Methodism and one of the great strengths of the Methodist tradition, I think, is the fact that we can exist as a family with many different “theological languages” and many different worship styles. We can embrace the contemplative and the charismatic. We can embrace testimonies and silent prayer. We can embrace liturgy and informal worship.
The above might seem a trivial point to many cradle Methodists who might take it for granted, but I think our tolerance of many difference “styles and languages” is somewhat unique. One of my theology professors in seminary always talked about how the Methodist tradition can be a bridge between the liberal and the conservative, the high church and the low church, the contemplative and the charismatic. I think he was right and I think it’s one of the tradition’s spiritual gifts.
Pam,
Much that you say is wise. Thank you.
Methodists can stand as bridges between traditions. Our church, for example, has a mix of charismatics, independents, and international enthusiasts.
Yet much of what I have “overheard” has not been bridge building. The two comments dealing with students & salvation — which I assume is your subject given your comment — were both from a far left perspective in which Christianity is either a) a tradition to be handed down through education (Confirmation) or b) one of many equally valid religious choices (the seminarian who objected to salvation language).
Thank you.