Centering the United Methodist Church on Christ
One Has to Wonder
A number of our larger, most healthy churches have recently been told that their senior pastor is being moved to another appointment, without consultation with the pastor or the congregation. One is Mt. Bethel in the North Georgia Annual Conference. It’s one of the...
A Time for Clarity
As you are probably aware, the Commission on the General Conference announced on February 26 that the 2020 General Conference has now been postponed until August 29, 2022. This is a second postponement, General Conference having previously been moved from May 2020 to...
Protocol on Track
As we begin a new year, I know many United Methodists are wondering, “Where do things stand regarding the protocol for separating the church? Is it still on track? Why haven’t we heard much about it lately?” The Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation...
Life matters: A Christmas meditation
We Christians believe the most remarkable things. Incredible things, really. We believe that God exists. That’s our most important belief. But it’s not the most surprising or incredible. We believe that he came to earth as a human being. We believe that as a human...
Choose Kindness
It’s not news that our country was divided before the election. It’s not news that our country will continue to be divided after the election. And, hopefully, it is not news to you that this nation desperately needs the people of God to model a different, better way...
The Good ol’ Boy and Divine Encouragement
He didn’t go to our church. The truth is, he probably wouldn’t have fit in very well. I went to “First Church” where most of the members were professionals – doctors, lawyers, bankers, successful business owners. And many in my hometown worked at the oil and gas...
Working for Good
One of the great counterintuitive truths of our faith is that God brings good out of bad. What human beings mean for evil, God often uses to bring about a new and better day. There is no greater example than the cross. Our Lord Jesus – pure, innocent, and...
The Good ol’ Boy and Divine Encouragement
He didn’t go to our church. The truth is, he probably wouldn’t have fit in very well. I went to “First Church” where most of the members were professionals – doctors, lawyers, bankers, successful business owners. And many in my hometown worked at the oil and gas...
Letting Go of Worry
We are living in a time of great turbulence and anxiety. The coronavirus pandemic has stirred panic. As Christians, part of our lifelong discipleship is seeking to allow faith to overcome our fears. “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about...
Why I Support the Separation Plan
Responses to the proposed plan for separation could hardly be more divergent. Some are shouting “hallelujah” and others are feeling dismissed, even sold out. We need to remember that nothing is final until General Conference has voted. There are several components of...