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12. Describe your understanding of diakonia, the servant ministry of the church, and the servant ministry of the provisional member. The word diakonia is the Greek word for service and sums up in one word the nature of Christian ministry. The last thing we fallen humans like to think of is serving others, instead our instinct is to seek power, wealth, status, and influence. Thinking and acting like a servant requires our minds to be transformed and our physical limitations to be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. First, the Holy Spirit must create in our hearts and minds a new, independent perspective: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2). Next, we need the Holy spirit to provide the energy in our lives to begin to lead and manage in ways that truly glorify God. The examples of servant leaders are numerous in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. From the Old Testament examples emerge two significant themes. First is the Levitical priesthood which was consecrated by God to serve the Children of Israel. Examples of the duties of the Levitical priesthood include: the teaching of the Law, offering sacrifices, maintaining the tabernacle and the temple, officiating in the Holy Place, inspecting ceremonially unclean persons, and they adjudicated disputes. It is important to note that all of these duties are in service to the people as the priests mediate God’s presence among the Israelites. The Levitical priests derived their very identity from their service to God and God’s people. However, no Old Testament passage exemplifies servant-leadership like Isaiah 53 and the portrait of the “suffering servant” we see there. Of significant note are verses 4 and 5 which state, “Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” Isaiah 53 paints a picture of a servant willing to give all for those served, which is in stark contrast to the way most humans live their lives; seeking to be served, desperately reaching for the next rung on the ladder of success. Jesus himself condemns this form of power-over that seeks to subjugate others and elevates the needs and wants of the master over the servant. In Luke 22:14-34 he vividly sets forth the foundation for living the Christian life, that is, seek to serve. Seek to empower others, meet the needs of others, and descend from your perceived place of prominence and live as a servant whose only purpose in life is to satisfy others. John Wesley recognized this and, in what is generally referred to as “Wesley’s Rule”, stated, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” Wesley urged other Christians to not just concentrate on saving their own souls, but also to reach out to others in need by visiting prisons, giving practical help to the poor, educating those of lesser means, etc. The Biblical witness and our own experience and traditions give us ample reason to believe that the role of the Christian minister is that of “servant-leader.” However, we must be careful not to allow one system of subjugation to be replaced with another. We should continue to ask ourselves serious questions about the intent of our “servant-hood.” Are we seeking to use servant leadership as just a rung on the ladder of spiritual progress, leading to the eventual “reigning with Christ” so often spoken of? Do we place ourselves in the position of servant-leader to gain some sort of cosmic advantage over those who we could not otherwise subjugate? Or are we truly seeking to imitate Christ and in so doing give our very lives in service to God and to others. The human condition requires that we continue to learn what it means to respond authentically to each other to avoid replacing one form of domination with another. Even if there are questions regarding what it means to be a servant, the call is clear. Following Christ’s example, we are to give our lives in service to others. As a provisional member, my role as a servant takes a distinct form – word, sacrament, order, and service. My responsibilities will be to preach and teach, administer the sacraments, assist in the administration of the Church through pastoral guidance, and lead my pastoral charge in service ministry to the world. All of this is an expression of “love of God and neighbor” lived out as service to others 11. How do you perceive yourself, your gifts, your motives, your role, and your commitment as a provisional member and commissioned minister in The United Methodist Church? I wish that I could say that my response to God’s call had always been “Here am I. Send me.” Unfortunately, it has often been just the opposite. For as long as I can remember, God’s call has been present. Though it took nearly thirty-five years for me to answer, I now look back on my life and see how God’s guiding hand has brought me to this place, where I can say without reservation, just as Isaiah did, “Here am I. Send Me!” My family first saw the evidence of God’s call when I was a small child, much of which I cannot even remember. As a small child, my Grandparents and I shared many Sunday mornings together, and while they rarely attended church, they never missed an opportunity to watch Adrian Rogers’ Sunday morning service on television. As soon as he was finished, I would set up a TV tray and “preach” to anyone who would listen. A decision by my parents, during my adolescent years, began what I considered a great difficulty. In the winter of ‘81 when I was eleven, my mother and stepfather moved us from Memphis, Tennessee to Batesville, Mississippi where we began attending a fundamental holiness church. While that alone may not be a bad thing, for an eleven-year-old boy that could barely remember the last time he was in a church, three-hour worship services, four days a week can be something of a shock. This began a struggle with my parents that lasted through my teen years where I tried to balance pleasing my family and determining for myself what it meant to please God. As a young adult, on my own, I continued to struggle with what it meant to please God and often questioned whether we could ever really know that God existed. This search for the reality of God eventually led my wife and me through the doors of Courtland United Methodist Church, where the love we felt assured us that we were home. As I began to study Wesleyan theology and the polity of the United Methodist church, I became more and more convinced that God had indeed led me to a place where my faith and belief could find true expression. Most of my life has been like so many others. My wife and I have been married nineteen years. We have two wonderful children, who remind us everyday who God is. The journey has not always been easy and at times, I did not even recognize it as a journey at all. There have been times in my life when I was sure that in the face of my persistent refusal, God had given up and would let me live my life the way I wanted to, but thank God, that in spite of my protests, God has been ever faithful. Just when I thought that I had reached a place in life where I could be comfortable, a wonderful family, a good career, God’s call began to echo within my heart, just a little louder. “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” There is only one answer that fills my mind, “Here am I, send me!” Above all, my goal is to serve God wherever God’s call may lead. While I may not yet fully understand where that call will lead me, I am certain that God has called me to serve within The United Methodist Church – appreciating all that it is and rejoicing in the hope of all it can be. I cherish my role as pastor in the local church as I seek to discover new ways in which to express “theology” as relative to our society, and gaining new perspective on our lives as Christians. The opportunity to journey with fellow travelers who share a commitment to the quest for God’s revealed knowledge and wisdom is precious. Seeking to understand God and each other draws us nearer to our creator and one another, because understanding is essential in the development of any relationship. My wife and I have been married nineteen years, and each day brings me new insight into who she is and what my response as her husband should be. In the same way that my love and appreciation for her grows through understanding, through understanding, we grow to love and appreciate God and each other even more. Participating with others seeking to “know” God in a meaningful way, seeing the expressions of God’s grace in their lives, and seeing God from their perspective has a profound impact on my spiritual growth and enables me to fulfill my duties as pastor with a glad heart. As I continue to grow spiritually, I become increasingly aware of how vitally important it is that we as Christians find ways to express our faith in meaningful ways. If we retreat into our own world of self-centeredness and personal indulgence, how then do our faith-expressions maintain consistency with the truth of the Gospel message? How can we speak to our sisters and brothers of God’s sustaining grace, when all they see is our vain attempt to sustain ourselves? 10. Discuss your understanding of the primary characteristics of United Methodist polity. For me, connectionalism is the primary defining characteristic of United Methodist Polity. Bishops, superintendents, itinerancy, etc. all seem to be outgrowths of this central characteristic. I once heard our own David Stotts say, “Connectionalism is the DNA of United Methodism.” This can sometimes be the source of our greatest challenges as we attempt to navigate the waters of diversity, but our connectionalism, infused with life by the Holy Spirit, offers the best hope for accomplishing the mission of the churches and pastors who are within the connection. We can accomplish so much more together than we could ever dream of accomplishing alone. Connectionalism gives rise to another primary characteristic of United Methodism – itinerancy. Ordained elders of The United Methodist Church are committed to an itinerant ministry. “They offer themselves without reserve to be appointed and to serve, after consultation as the appointive authority may determine” (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2008, ¶333.1.). Itinerancy has been a hallmark of Methodism since it earliest inception. It offers churches the benefit of a large pool of well-trained leaders and offers the ordained elders the freedom to share their gifts and graces as they are so led. The Book of Discipline says that the local church “is a strategic base from which Christians move out to the structures of society.” However, each local church is a member of a larger structure that facilitates the work and mission of the Church in the world. This structure, made up of conferences, begins with the Charge Conference organized by districts, then the Annual Conferences, Jurisdictional Conferences, and finally the General Conference which is the governing body of the Church. Each Jurisdictional Conference elects bishops to preside over Annual Conferences who then, according to the Book of Discipline, guide the local churches in carrying out our mission – “making disciples for the transformation of the world.” 9. Describe the nature and mission of the church. What are its primary tasks today? The Church is the body of Christ in the world, formed for the restoration of God’s created order. The Book of Discipline states that the local church, “as the most significant arena through which disciple-making occurs” is a community of true believers under the Lordship of Christ, the redemptive fellowship in which the Word of God is preached, and the place where the sacraments are duly administered. There are three specific areas that the Discipline posits as the reason for the local church’s existence – “for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, and the redemption of the world” (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2008, ¶201). Such is the nature of the church according to the best expression of our common tradition. This understanding of the church highlights its communal nature, which Wesley himself described, in his sermon titled Upon our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, Discourse IV, by saying, “Christianity is essentially a social religion, and to turn it into a solitary religion is indeed to destroy it.” He said “that it cannot subsist at all, without society, without living and conversing with other [men and women].” The church is called to be “in the world,” to be Christ in the world. As we live into this call, we endeavor to live out our mission which the Book of Discipline defines as “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” The Church, as a community of faith, is all about calling others to share with us in the abundant life that Christ offers, while we ourselves grow together in “grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2Pe 3:18a). Each faith tradition has its own nuanced approach to the making of disciples, but we as United Methodists are given significant guidance as to what this means for us. The Book of Discipline says that we make disciples as we proclaim the gospel; as we seek, welcome and gather persons into the body of Christ; as we lead persons to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and the spirit, and profession of faith in Jesus Christ; as we nurture persons in Christian living; and as we send persons into the world to live lovingly and justly. Our mission finds it fullest expression in the life of the local church, but that life has cosmic significance, as our life together transforms the world. 8. The United Methodist Church holds that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason. What is your understanding of this theological position of the Church? The primary source for our Christian beliefs and practices is the Bible. The Book of Discipline (2008) states that, “United Methodists share with other Christians the conviction that Scripture is the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine” (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2008, ¶104). In article V of the Articles of Religion we find the statement that the Holy Scriptures contain “all things necessary to salvation.” In Scripture, we find the story of humanity’s fall, redemption, and restoration. We see our own story played out over and over in the lives of women and men seeking to know God in a real and meaningful way, and sometimes failing miserably in the process. But throughout the narrative, we see God’s continual action and involvement in the lives of men and women as God works toward “paradise restored.” Through it all we are challenged to be followers of Christ as we come face to face with God incarnate. From beginning to end, Genesis to Revelation, we read of God creating, redeeming, and sustaining God’s creation. But we also hear our call to participate in this narrative. We find that the story is not just of some ancient people and their journey, but it is a journey in which we play an active role. We find that we are called to belief and to action; belief in the Triune God revealed in scripture and action that reflects our understanding of who that God is and who that God would have us be. How do we determine if our understanding bears any hint of truth? For this we turn to the remaining elements of the quadrilateral – tradition, experience, and reason. It is through these that various faith communities, seeking ways to live out their faith in ways that are true to their beliefs, have developed. From the earliest of times, men and women have sought to interpret the Word of God. The interpretive lens through which they look, shaped by their own tradition, verified by their own personal experience, and passing the tests of their own reason have left us with very diverse ways of understanding God. For me to ignore the voice of my contemporaries and those who have gone before is the height of hubris. This leaves me with something of a dilemma. The diversity of human tradition, experience, and reason leads to the inevitable conclusion that all attempts at knowing God are subject to the individual human condition. We are all subject to the effects of our unique brokenness that leads to varying responses to, and apprehensions of, who God is and who God would have us be. How then do we justify the elevation in our discourse of one person’s interpretation/revelation over that of another? Maybe the answer is, “We don’t.” For me, the beginning of “the answer” is recognizing how the interconnectedness of our beliefs might provide a richer understanding of how we judge what we believe. In his book, He Is There and He Is Not Silent, Francis Schaffer in his discussion of the Trinity speaks of “unity in diversity.” Could it be that the diversity of human tradition, experience, and reason is not an obstacle to truth, but an ultimate consequence/benefit of the infinite God making Godself known in and through God’s finite creation? Maybe I’ve created more questions for myself than I’ve answered, but I think that’s the nature of our theological quest: exhaustible creatures seeking to know the inexhaustible God. 7. How do you intend to affirm, teach and apply Part II of the Discipline (Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task) in your work in the ministry to which you have been called? As a Christian, my first obligation is to bear a faithful witness to Jesus Christ. As a pastor/theologian, my primary obligation is to instruct/guide/nurture others in seeking to understand and articulate their own theology which finds expression in their own personal witness. The Book of Discipline defines theology as “our effort to reflect upon God’s gracious action in our lives” (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2008, ¶104). Theology is our limited human attempt to search the limitless reaches of an infinite God – no small task. The Book of Discipline provides a framework for understanding our “theological task.” It states that our “theological task” is critical and constructive; individual and communal; contextual and incarnational; and essentially practical. This framework offers us an insightful way of delving into the difficult task of “doing theology.” It is important to remember that everyone is a theologian; even if they don’t see themselves as such. We all have beliefs about how the universe/cosmos operates, the rules that are in play, and the ultimate outcome of it all; and we bring those beliefs, as expressions of faith, to any discussion. As a pastor, it is my job to critique those expressions faith based upon criteria formulated by the Wesleyan quadrilateral – scripture, tradition, experience, and reason. I don’t however see it as my job to tell people which of their beliefs are right or wrong, but to help them critique themselves. I have often found that the best way to engage in meaningful discussion is to ask good questions. This helps to get at the real discussion that is taking place without becoming antagonistic. Often, the discussion is about one thing, when the underlying theology is really what is in question. So, my role as pastor is often just to be an observant traveler, journeying with my parishioners, not necessarily leading or pushing, just helping along the way as necessary. This, I think, is the only way that criticism can be seen as constructive – when the one you’re critiquing recognizes your relationship as one of mutuality, not one of power-over. The next piece of the framework is the tension between individual and community. I’ve heard it said that you can’t be an isolated Christian, that the Christian faith requires community. I would have to agree. While the question of faith is deeply personal, the expression of Christian faith is always expressed in community. Personal relationships with God must grow and yield to the ever-present reality of human existence, which manifests itself in our relationship with God as well as our relationships with each other. It is in our relationships within the broad context of human existence that we show ourselves to be witnesses to the resurrection of Christ. How we respond to each other is an expression of our response to God. The contextual nature of our theological expression is directly related to our communal nature as humans. Each of us operates out of a context that shapes our being and shapes how we respond to the world around us. Our response to issues of justice, peace, and reconciliation, as Christians, should be direct expressions of how God’s grace has affected these issues in our individual lives. “Freely ye have received, freely give”, is a command to relate to the world as Christ relates to us. Through education and spiritual growth, our understanding of Christ’s relevance in our own lives should affect the way we relate to the world. As we live as the “body of Christ” we live into the promise of the incarnation, that Christ is present in the world. Finally, what does it mean that our theological task is “practical?” I have often stated that I see myself as a practical theologian. I am much more interested in how a person lives their life than if their theology makes sense. That is not to say that theology/beliefs are not important, they are. But my experience is that a person’s true beliefs/theology finds expression in their living. You can say all day long that it is right to love your enemy, but if you don’t practice that in life, you must not really believe it. Getting people to see that the way they live their lives is an expression of their true beliefs and helping them to orient their lives as a faithful witness to Jesus Christ is the primary task to which I am called. 6. What is your understanding of the kingdom of God; the Resurrection; and eternal life? “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…” It is a prayer that has been central to the Christian faith from its inception. But what is it that we envision God’s kingdom to be? It is easy for us to superimpose upon our image of the Kingdom ideas that come from our understanding of earthly kingdoms. The quest for kingdom (little k) in our world has always come with violence; physical, social, economic, etc. In our quest for kingdom, peace has been fleeting at best and at worst merely an illusion. The violence done on the part of one person or group of people in an effort to establish their own vision of kingdom leaves behind nothing but brokenness, even when the intentions are good. The “Good News” is that we have a promise from God that all of our insufficient attempts at kingdom building will be replaced by “a new heaven and a new earth.” Where we will dwell eternally with God and God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.” (Rev 21:4) When we pray, “thy kingdom come,” that is what we pray for. However, we must never forget that Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God had drawn near. That means that we can experience the coming Kingdom of God as a reality now. It is more than just a future hope, but also a present reality. Jesus not only proclaimed the Kingdom had come, but then set out to show us what it looked like to live into that reality. As he went out about dismantling the power structures that had arisen out of our broken attempts at kingdom, he showed us what it meant to live the Kingdom of God. No longer was “power over” an acceptable way of being in relationship with others. It was no longer acceptable to seek positions of power or privilege, but servant hood was the basic component in the new order. It is the resurrection that verifies for us the veracity of Christ’s claims. Nothing else proves so clearly that God’s Kingdom is our present reality like the resurrection of Christ. The enemy of humanity, death, has been defeated and Christ calls us to participate in the resurrected life. The Apostle Paul stresses the importance of the Resurrection when he says that without the Resurrection, “then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain” (1Cor 15:14). It is the resurrected life of Christ, in which we participate, that is the assurance of our salvation. Paul says, “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10). 5. What is your conception of the activity of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world? In the Gospel of John, Jesus talks with the disciples about how the paraclete, an advocate, a comforter, a counselor, an intercessor – the Holy Spirit – would be sent to teach and to remind us of all that Jesus taught and to work within us as the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of all humanity to form within us all a knowledge of who God is and what God requires of us. Jesus told the disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit into the world to “prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:7-11). The Holy Spirit has convicted everyone of sin whether they recognize it or not. Some may call it conscience, but it is the Spirit that applies the truths of God to the minds of women and men to convince them that they are sinners. In this capacity the Holy Spirit is the agent of God’s prevenient grace convicting men and women of their sins. Responding to that conviction brings us to salvation. On a personal note, the Holy Spirit is more than just a theological proclamation. The Holy Spirit is that which enables me to “move my feet.” Without the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit of God, operating within my life I could not in any way function as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am by nature an extremely shy person, but the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit gives me the strength and courage necessary to complete the work God has placed before me. For me to serve in the roll of pastor is no less a miracle than Peter, at Christ’s call, walking on water. Just as God enabled Peter to walk upon the waves, so does the Holy Spirit of God enable me to walk above my fears. And like all other humans who struggles with the limitations imposed upon them by the human condition, I rely upon Strength outside myself, to live a life acceptable to God. 4. How do you interpret the statement Jesus Christ is Lord? The very earliest confession of the Christian church was, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” To those who made this declaration, these words summarized the theology that encompassed all other faith statements. Jesus of Nazareth, the god-man, had transformed our understanding of what it meant to be human and opened for humanity the possibility that God could indeed be, not only important in their lives, but also personal. But, this personal relationship comes with a cost. Borrowing from Bonhoeffer, it may be free, but it’s not cheap. This personal relationship requires us to recognize Jesus as not only friend, savior, redeemer, but also Lord. Lord is an interesting word for us today. We have nothing today that compares to a first century understanding of the word. While we may have nothing that uniquely corresponds to the definition of a first century “lord”, we do have plenty of things that exercise lordship in our lives. We can begin our list with noble things like family, friends, career, religion, politics, etc. We can then add things that are questionable at best, self-interest, self-indulgence, alcohol, drugs, etc. But, no matter how good or evil we perceive these things to be, if they reign in our lives in the place of Jesus, then they have usurped Christ’s rightful place as Lord of our lives. The lordship of Jesus extends beyond just our personal sphere, but to a corporate sphere as well. He is the Lord of the Church, the Lord of our social structures, the Lord of our culture, the Lord of our politics, and the Lord of all creation. There is no area of our life, either seen or unseen, where Christ is not the rightful Lord. The problem of course is submitting ourselves to the lordship of someone other than ourselves. It is the problem as old as humanity – we think we know best. We think that control is more that just an illusion, but something that we can obtain. Ultimately, our pride becomes the source of all assaults on the lordship of Jesus. True peace and joy can only be found by allowing Jesus to take his rightful place as Lord of lords, King of kings, and Lord of our lives. |
   
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