Ministry Matters: Circuit Rider

ARTICLE: Four Areas of Focus: Updates

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:46:05 GMT

By Circuit Rider

Developing Principled Christian Leaders

I can think of no other time in my professional life as a United Methodist as critical as this one for our future ministry. Truly, we stand at the crossroads, and what we do right now will forge the difference between growth and decline for our denomination.

All of the four focus areas for our church are integrated, but leadership cuts across all of them. I am convinced that it will be leadership that spells the difference as we define our future as United Methodists.

The Leadership Table, led by the Council of Bishops, has virtually all of the general agencies represented in our current work. The General Board of Higher Education is designated as the “lead agency,” and this priority will focus the future of this Board.

We have three main priorities: The first is to establish a young people’s mission internship program called Spark12. Our long-range vision is to send thousands of our young adults across the connection and world to do short-term mission’s internships. We envision a holistic program of nurture and spiritual development for them, as they explore ministry in all of its various forms. We will allow them to follow their passions and skill sets, as the assignments could be as varied as doing missional service at a local church to engaging in micro financing for a developing nation. We will be running a pilot program starting in 2012 with funding from the general church. We believe that this program needs to be designed and run by young adults, with support from the general church. Currently, a group of our top UMC young adults are working on the pilot design, and it is almost ready to be rolled out for the denomination. Questions and comments can be
directed to the new website www.spark12.org.

Second, our top UMC leadership experts have met for a “Leadership Think Tank” to evaluate our present state of leadership, share best practices, and talk through a comprehensive leadership development model for the church.

Third, our Leadership Table is looking at our entire leadership system, identifying gaps, and attempting to align toward a holistic leadership development system. We are also focusing on the top annual conferences in leadership development in an effort to identify what is working well. Finally, our Table is asking the adaptive questions , “What kind of leadership culture do we want? What are the clear visions and boundaries of effective leadership?”

In short, leadership must be on the front burner in all of our plans now and into the future. At stake is our very life as a denomination.

Bishop Grant Hagiya, Chair of Focus Area on Developing Christian Leaders

New Places for New People

The past quadrennium has been an exciting time of forward movement for the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Focus Area “New Places for New People and the Transformation of Existing Congregations.” Called Path One, as the first of the seven pathways to vitality, “New Places for New People” centers on the crucial strategy of new church development.

No Christian denomination has shown growth without a high commitment to new church development. New people are more likely to join new churches. New churches are more likely than existing churches to be open to all kinds of people and are more likely to be open to female pastors or pastors whose cultural background, race, ethnicity, or nationality differs from that of the majority membership. Inclusivity and diversity by ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status are a hallmark of new church development. To date, 48 percent of the 440 churches planted are non-anglo, racial-ethnic new church starts. Furthermore, new churches find it easier to engage in new models of mission and ministry and are naturally more culturally adept at reaching new generations of people than are existing congregations.

Path One defines New Church Starts as having these characteristics:

Are theologically Wesleyan
Worship frequently and are sacramental
Have an effective system for developing disciples
Teach and practice biblical stewardship
Are missional and work toward community transformation
Receive new members

Through the work of Path One, the United Methodist Church in the United States has taken a great stride forward in advancing the ministry of Jesus Christ through the church. Four hundred and forty churches (of the projected goal of 650) have been planted in the United States since January of 2008, which represents 58% growth over the 2004-2007 quadrennium, when the denomination planted 278 churches. We are currently planting at a rate of 9.5 new churches per month (compared with 4.23 new church starts per month from 2004-2007. Prospective planters number
1,332 (far exceeding the goal of 1,000) have been assessed through Path One’s online assessment tools (English and Spanish) and through assessment processes in jurisdictions and annual conferences. Additionally, 854 potential planters have been equipped through a multitude of local, national and regional training events (e.g., New Church Leadership Institute, School of Congregational Development, Lay Missionary Planting Network, etc.).

The “New Places for New People” focus area is not limited to the United States. The General Board of Global Ministries, through its mission initiatives, is starting new churches for new people in places where there has not been a United Methodist presence. Such places include Cambodia, Cameroon, Thailand, Central Asia, Mongolia, Vietnam, and Moldova. Short-term academies for evangelism and church growth have been held in a variety of places including Southern Africa, the Philippines, the Congo, and in Nordic countries. In the Philippines, churches starting churches is an expected ethos. An amazing work of the Lord is unfolding through “New Places for New People.”

This work is not limited to new congregations. A transformational table has been at work on transforming existing congregations. A transforming congregation is a growing community of committed disciples of Jesus Christ, constantly compelled by the Holy Spirit to go beyond its current reach of ministry into the broader mission field. The Board of Discipleship has offered significant leadership through Route 122 and other ministry ventures. The work of helping to transform existing congregations is now included in the Vital Congregations emphasis of the Call to Action.

As stated by Dr. Reggie McNeal of the Leadership Network, “We have a Pentecost going on somewhere every hour in the world.”

Bishop Mike Lowry, Chair of Focus Area on New Places for New People

Engaging in Ministry with* the Poor

"Engaging in Ministry with the Poor,” one of four UMC priority foci, is led jointly by a Bishops’ Task Force that I chair, and an Interagency Task Force led by Thomas Kemper, General Secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries. This ministry is rooted deeply in our heritage, goes to the heart of the Church’s mission, and is intimately linked to the other three foci. It also is a key driver of congregational and denominational vitality, personal and corporate transformation, and connectionalism.

We discerned from scripture and theology that Ministry with the Poor is different from ministry to or for the poor, and requires all of us to take a fresh look at our attitudes, assumptions, and responses regarding poverty and “the poor.” Ministry with the poor is relational and bi-lateral, not paternalistic, and is biblically grounded in social principles of love and justice. See Guiding Principles and Foundations for Ministry with the Poor: Answering Jesus’ Call to Discipleship in God’s Mission of Love and Justice.

This quadrennium, we have been particularly heartened by the growing network of local churches, community centers, community ministries, and Annual Conferences that are engaged in transformational ministries with the poor with the Central Conferences and throughout the U.S. Some illustrations of these collaborative ministries:

Many hundreds of missionaries, national mission institutions, community developers, and volunteers in mission who engage in diverse transformative ministries, domestically and internationally
Scholarships to individuals called to serve their communities develop community leaders to transform impoverished communities. (See, e.g., 10-Fold webcast on Developing Community Leaders)
Donor-funded anti-poverty and global health projects alleviate suffering and injustice, develop local leaders, and create sustainable community development. (See, e.g., 10-Fold webcast on Philippines or 10-Fold webcast on Kamina, DRC);
A novel certification program in “Engaging in Ministry with the Poor” trains lay and clergy to lead transformational ministries with the poor;
The WITH* video (shown at thirty annual conferences and many congregations); Worship and Bible Study Series #1; and the Ubuntu Day of Service Tool Kit (used by UMCOM for Change with World 2011) inspires and informs engagement in ministry with; and
Advocacy campaigns engage people of faith in working to transform policies and systems that will move us closer to God’s Kingdom of love and justice.

Our work is not done. We must keep spreading the message of ministry with; identify others doing ministry with; and collect and share with the Connection best practices, model projects, new ideas, and spiritual and practical materials concerning poverty and ministry with the poor. That is the very purpose of the new Ministry with the Poor website at www.ministrywith.org where you will find all the resources noted above.

We have sown seeds that are bearing fruit. But, the race is long and the prize goes to those who persevere. (See Hebrews 12:1) We stand ready to lead this discipleship ministry into the next quadrennium as Church structures are being re-aligned in support of our Mission and ministries to transform this world into God’s kingdom of love and justice for all.

Bishop Joel N. Martinez, Chair of Focus Area on Ministry with the Poor

Combating the Diseases of Poverty by Improving Health Globally

The 2008 General Conference overwhelmingly endorsed the following resolution: “Therefore be it resolved that the 2008 General Conference affirm the Global Health Initiative and the Campaign to Fight Malaria as an entry point into the broader struggle regarding global health issues.”

Little did we realize the impact this resolution would make on the United Methodist Church in the United States and across the globe. At General Conference we bounced basketballs and introduced a movement called “Nothing but Nets.” Yet we quickly came to understand that in order to embrace the Millennium Development Goal of “eliminating malaria-related death by 2015” it would take much more than just a net. It would take a campaign to literally “Imagine NO Malaria.”

Through this campaign we have:

Raised Awareness

Four years ago we stated a clear reality: Every 30 seconds someone died from malaria resulting in over 1 million deaths per year. Today that rate of death has slowed to every 45 seconds. We have come to believe that every United Methodist can play a significant role in achieving this goal.

Increased Cooperation

In a time when there has been a heightened criticism of the work within our General Agencies, the Global Health Initiative has created a successful model of collaboration internally among our agencies and externally with partners from other faith-based and secularly driven organizations. This has resulted in a successful implementation program, increased advocacy networks, and an important intersection with the other three areas of focus.

Provided Greater Accountability

The development of a new model of mission partnerships has resulted in the development of “in-country” health boards where our African partners determine the projects that receive funding and take leadership in holding those projects accountable for the funds distributed.

Strengthened Our Commitment

The General Conference authenticated a campaign to raise $75 million dollars. To date we have raised over $20 million in the midst of heightened economic uncertainty. Testimonies abound with examples of how this campaign has increased giving for other areas of ministry within Annual Conferences and local churches. This work has provided a distinct way to realize the “Call to Action” by revitalizing the ministry of the local church.

Saved Lives

Twenty million dollars translates into over two million lives that have been impacted by the nets distributed, the education provided, and the treatment administered. This work has without a doubt made an impact across the globe.

On my dresser there is a picture of a little girl from Democratic Republic of the Congo whom I held in my arms. Less than twenty-four hours after the photo was taken, that little girl died from malaria. She is why this work matters. She is our bottom line. She is the reason this work must continue until this disease is no more. It’s not a quadrennial emphasis. It is a lifestyle we are called to embrace until the job is finished.

Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, Chair of Focus Area on Global Health

ARTICLE: Delegate FAQs

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:03:17 GMT

By Circuit Rider

How many delegates are there? What will they do?

The United Methodist Church’s top legislative body, the General Conference, will gather April 24-May 4, 2012, in Tampa, Florida. Nine hundred and eighty-eight (988) delegates from around the world will set policy and direction for the church, as well as handle other business. General Conference is the only entity that officially speaks for The United Methodist Church. It meets every quadrennium (four years.)

Equal numbers of lay and clergy delegates are selected from each annual conference. Every annual conference is guaranteed one lay and one clergy delegate.

Where do the delegates come from?

Just as the U.S. Congress redistricts every 10 years following a national census, the number of lay and clergy delegates assigned from each annual conference changes each quadrennium based on the number of lay and clergy members. As specified in the United Methodist Constitution, the total number of delegates must be between 600 and 1,000. The 2012 conference will have an increased number of delegates from the Central Conferences (those outside the United States). Ten delegates will come from “concordat” churches with which the denomination has a formal relationship: 4 from Great Britain, and 2 each from Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Caribbean and the Americas. There is ongoing discussion about the number of delegates elected to attend General Conference because of the cost associated with delegate expenses. General Conference 2012 is expected to cost 8.7 million dollars.

What is General Conference like for delegates?

General Conference is a multicultural and multilingual experience for every delegate. With nearly 38 percent of the delegates coming from outside the United States, the global nature of the church is becoming more apparent with each quadrennium. The Advance Daily Christian Advocate is published in English, French, and Portuguese. Simultaneous and one-on-one interpretation of plenary and legislative committee sessions are offered in French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, and American Sign Language.

Retired and active bishops attend the conference but do not vote and may not speak in plenary sessions without permission from the assembly. Individual bishops preside over business sessions.

Surrounded by worship and prayer, the delegates will hear the Episcopal Address; the Laity Address; the Young People’s address (new in 2008); and numerous reports of the general boards, agencies, commissions, and task groups. They meet in committees, consider petitions and vote on legislation, hold elections, and approve the general church budget for the next quadrennium. There are 13 legislative committees and they are expected to consider approximately 1300 petitions.

Adapted from the General Conference 2012 website.

ARTICLE: Reports Rundown

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:53:37 GMT

By Circuit Rider

Numerous study groups and task forces have been convened over the past four years to explore various aspects of the United Methodist Church and its ministries. These brief reports offer a glimpse of recommendations to come at General Conference 2012.

Church Systems Task Force

Health impacts the vitality of the UMC mission—it affects our clergy, congregations and communities. As we respond to the “health crisis” among clergy and work together to address it, we will witness the effects of long-term positive change across the connection because health affects us all.

Denominational Health
A focus on denominational health led General Conference 2008 to charge the GBPHB and GBHEM to jointly convene a task force to look at the Church systems that may impact clergy health and deliver a report and recommendations to General Conference 2012.

Church Systems Task Force Report
The 21-member Church Systems Task Force (CSTF), convened in 2009, was chaired by Bishop Hope Morgan Ward (Mississippi). The 2011 CSTF Report is the foundation for legislation to address Church systems and practices with the long-term goal of improving the health of clergy and, by extension, that of congregations and the Church itself. The importance of health in the Wesleyan tradition guided the efforts of the CSTF.

The CSTF employed a rigorous research approach in examining the employment systems and culture of the Church that affect clergy health; thirteen health factors were identified that differentiate clergy who are healthy from those who are unhealthy. The CSTF work resulted in General Conference 2012 legislation from GBPHB, GBOD, and the CSTF to address:

itineracy and the appointment-making systems and improvements that support clergy health;
improvements to supervisory systems;
processes for entering and exiting ordained and licensed ministry; and
guidelines for sustaining a healthy work/life balance during ministry.

Wesleyan Heritage
Wesley linked the health of the Church with the health of its clergy. Healthy leaders are essential for local church vitality and vibrant ministry in the world. It is time to address the intersection of Church systems and clergy health, making needed changes to strengthen our ministry. A denominational appreciation for the value of healthy ministry, and the resolve to change what negatively impacts it, underlies our ability to continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

The complete CSTF report is available at www.gbophb.org/cstf.

—Barbara Boigegrain is General Secretary, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits

Sustainability Advisory Group

The economic collapse of 2007-09 did not cause the financial challenges now facing the UMC, but it did bring to the forefront financial practices and considerations which threatened the very existence of the Church and its ability to fulfill our mission.

Financial Conversation
Conferences were challenged with pension plan funding concerns and looked closely at UMC benefits, compensation and infrastructure that may not be sustainable. The GBPHB brought financial questions into the open with conference benefits officers on March 19, 2009, triggering a Church-wide financial conversation that continues today.

Volunteers from fifteen conferences met the challenge to establish a “sustainability advisory group” (SAG) to examine financial implications inherent in sustaining our mission and ministry, and to openly share conference financial information, discussing what, as a church, we can afford and what is sustainable. GCFA and conference CFAs joined us in the discussion; together we educated UMC leadership with the goal of reversing trends over time.

SAG Report
The SAG started with a narrow focus on benefits—one thing led to another—they took a broader, deeper perspective, examining short- and long-term financial considerations, which led to suggestions in three areas: Ministry, Infrastructure and Systems; Future Workforce Compensation; and Current Compensation and Benefits.

In May 2010, the SAG Report documented for the first time financial research demonstrating the current state of the Church, which seeded open, denomination-wide conversation. Among the issues and suggested actions: identifying conference financial best practices; changing the administration of the UMC through consolidation; identifying someone to lead the general church between general conferences; eliminating guaranteed appointment, addressing the issue of excess clergy; and a defined contribution-only pension plan because, for many conferences, the current pension plan is not sustainable. The Call to Action, the Interim Operations Team, general agencies and the GBPHB took these and other suggestions under consideration for future action. The GBPHB responded by bringing to General Conference 2012 two pension plan options (a reduced benefit CRSP plan and a DC-only plan) both of which lower plan costs to conferences by 15 percent.

The complete SAG report is available at www.gbophb.org/sag.

—Barbara Boigegrain is General Secretary, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits

Ministry Study Report

The Ministry Study Report is a direct follow-up to the 2008 Ministry Study Report, the directions of the 2008 General Conference, and our listening broadly across the global church. What we offer to the General Conference is a full consensus of the members of the Commission from all over our global church who represented every segment of ordained ministry and the laity of our church. Further, we believe if the church is to turn from an institutional focus to a missional focus these recommendations will be crucial.

Using a theological basis for our work, we propose a process to develop a culture of call. Instead of waiting to see who appears before the Board of Ordained Ministry, we are recommending that every annual conference develop a strategic plan of recruitment of the brightest and best to consider the possibility of a call from God. This would include a conference vocational discernment coordinator. United Methodist membership has been relaxed and expanded. Three years have been eliminated from the process to ordination. Requirements regarding which candidacy materials to use have been eliminated, allowing annual conferences to decide which are most relevant for their circumstances. Licensing School would be replaced with a Ministry Preparation Orientation that would be attended by all seeking licensing or ordained ministry.

We agree with the 2008 Ministry Study Report that the practice of commissioning has not been substantive, well understood, or accepted by the church. So, we recommend an earlier ordination and provisional membership. Therefore, our report recommends that certified candidates be ordained upon completion of educational and other requirements and recommends the elimination of commissioning.

For the Church to realize its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world through fruitful congregations that are transforming both individuals and communities the Church must be served by effective clergy undergirded by a system that is itinerant, open, flexible and responsive. In order to create a more nimble system that will facilitate a more missional appointment process, we recommend modifying the appointment process. While adding the words to paragraph 338 of the current Discipline, “bishops and cabinets shall commit to open itinerancy” appropriate paragraphs of the Discipline would be adjusted to read, “Ordained elders and persons who have been granted a license for pastoral ministry and who have been approved by vote of the clergy members in full connection may be appointed to local churches.” If an elder or an associate member is not continued under appointment then steps shall be taken that involve the Board of Ordained Ministry.

Finally, we recommend that only ordained elders should preside over the sacraments. In the case of extraordinary missional need, and where collaborative ministry among Elders, Deacons, and Local Pastors is greatly restricted, the church can give sacramental authority to Deacons and Local Pastors through the Bishop.

Details of the Commission’s work broken down by the principle, the challenge, the vision and the recommendation may be found at www.gbhem.org.

—Alfred W. Gwinn is Bishop of the Raleigh Episcopal Area and Chair of the Ministry Study Committee

The Study Committee on the Worldwide Nature of the Church

After listening to church members around the globe, a special committee created by the 2008 General Conference concluded United Methodists around the world are committed to unity in Christ while yearning for change.

The Study Committee on the Worldwide Nature of the United Methodist Church has proposed four steps to the 2012 General Conference to reinforce the unity of more than 12 million members around the world and make significant changes in how the church functions in the 21st century.

The first step is to embrace a new worldwide covenant affirming unity, affirming cultural and ethnic diversity, committing to mutual love and trust, and recognizing equity in relationships, finances, structure, and mission.

Subsequent steps stem from the desire to foster a new sense of community as the church fulfills its mission to make disciples for the transformation of the world, include:

Laying the groundwork for a global Book of Discipline that specifies what decisions the General Conference makes, and which areas of ministry and organization are adaptable by Central Conferences.
Clarifying how general agencies function in a worldwide rather than a United States-centric church.
More clearly modeling Wesleyan Holy Conferencing in a worldwide church. This is intended to bring greater equity between church ministries outside the United States and those within the U.S.
Setting in motion a process for annual conferences to study a proposed new model for a worldwide church. This study process may result in petitions for greater structural change at the 2016 General Conference.

The final step recognizes the need to live into change and an understanding that effective change comes from a bottom-up rather than top-down process.

Committee members sought input from United Methodists and affiliated and autonomous sisters and brothers around the world. They visited Africa, Europe, and the Philippines in addition to meeting in the United States.

It’s likely that this report will not be the last word on our worldwide nature. More input will be needed and prayers sought as we live into a new life with Christ.

Full details of the report can be found at www.worldwideumc.org.

—Scott J. Jones is Bishop of the Kansas Episcopal Area and Chair of the Study Committee on the Worldwide Nature of the Church

Task Force on Theological Education

Developing leaders who can live and teach the United Methodist Way is a focus area of the UMC. The Call to Action recommends we “dramatically reform the clergy leadership development, deployment, evaluation, and accountability systems.”

Addressing these important issues, the Council of Bishops is proposing several steps to strengthen theological education. A task force of bishops with additional members from the United Methodist seminaries, and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry spent four years considering how to build upon the foundation of their 2003 document, A Wesleyan Vision for Theological Education and Leadership Formation for the 21st Century. That statement issued six calls to the church to improve its leadership development systems. (See www.gbhem.org for full text).

The Council of Bishops in 2011 approved several proposals to take the next steps in addressing those issues with four recommendations to General Conference.

The United Methodist Church needs to work more closely with seminaries on what is an adequate United Methodist ethos in the theological education of its leaders. Additional time in seminary preparation would be spent in courses on United Methodist doctrine and polity. Courses on polity would also focus on leadership.
The bishops also propose that the voice of the UMC in theological education be strengthened by creation of a free-standing Commission on Theological Education.
The Council listened carefully to the needs of theological education for the church outside the United States and proposes the creation of a Central Conference Theological Education Fund with $5,000,000 in the next quadrennium. The UMC in Africa and the Philippines is growing and there is a great need for more clergy who are theologically educated.
Noting that our leadership development system is dramatically underfunded compared with twenty years ago, the Council of Bishops called for a 10 percent increase in the Ministerial Education Fund. The increase would assist in developing United Methodist scholars to teach in theological education, strategies for reducing seminary debt for new clergy, and continuing formation of effective clergy.

—Scott J. Jones is Bishop of the Kansas Episcopal Area and Chair of the Study Committee on the Worldwide Nature of the Church

The Apportionment Study Group

The Apportionment Study Group was authorized “to explore alternative structures for the apportioned general funds of the United Methodist Church . . . that more nearly conforms to the missional focus of the denomination.”

Our Study Task Force had eleven members who represented annual conference treasurers, lay leaders, Central Conferences, and local church pastors and were assisted by staff from the GCFA, and other general agencies.

The Study Group recommended four major proposals to the GCFA. The GCFA sent three of our proposals to the 2012 General Conference for action. Our full report is found in the GCFA report to General Conference.

Emphasize generous financial stewardship as a top priority. We have done too little at the General Church level to encourage generosity. The GCFA will guide the work of all the general agencies in coordinating their stewardship activities. A renewed focus on the spiritual discipline of giving by clergy and laity is foundational for restoring the financial health of The United Methodist Church.
Provide organizational and financial flexibility between General Conferences. The General Conference may approve $600 million for the denomination through the year 2016. After General Conference adjourns, however, no one can make any changes to the allocated budgets to provide flexibility in ministry and mission. Our General Church leaders must have authority to reallocate financial resources between General Conferences to meet changing needs. Especially as General Conference considers new structures and new priorities, the budget should follow the mission not set the mission. This proposal will require two constitutional amendments.
Study further an income-based proportional giving system as the method by which local congregations provide a small portion of their current financial giving for the work of the General Church. Our current model of funding our General Church looks at past expenditures (almost a four-year lag) and then allocates apportionments. Another method is to look at current income and designate a specific proportion to such work. While the Study Task Force urged this new model, GCFA instead asked for another four years to study this model of income-based apportionments with the possibility of presenting such a model to the 2016 General Conference.

—Andy Langford is Senior Pastor at Central United Methodist Church in Concord, North Carolina, and a member of the Connectional Table.

Reinvesting up to $60 Million for Vital Congregations

Pastors and other leaders know it is important to continually reassess and adjust how we employ each congregation’s time, talent and money for effective ministries.

One of the petitions from the Connectional Table focuses on how to best invest resources to build more vital congregations ready to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the future.

Most churches react when results don’t match expectations by reinvesting available resources differently. The general church also needs the ability to experiment with fresh approaches and to seize opportunities to join efforts with and reach new people.

The Connectional Table has petitioned General Conference to allow up to $60 million of funds to be channeled to support creating and sustaining more vital congregations. The CT is not asking for more money, but for flexibility to use World Service and General Administration Funds more effectively.

The Board of the Center for Connectional Mission and Ministry would evaluate plans for agencies receiving funds to identify opportunities for reducing overhead, increased effectiveness and the elimination of non-essential expenditures. The Board would need approval of their recommendations by the General Council for Strategy and Oversight and the Council of Bishops before any changes could be implemented.

The CT suggests that the first $5 million be allocated for young people’s lay leadership development and the second $5 million for theological education for the Central Conference. Additional funds could be invested for recruiting and training UM ministerial students under the age of 35, and for other work to increase the number of vital congregations.

Rather than attempting to anticipate all contingencies and set in stone at General Conference how every dollar must be spent in what promises to be a dynamic time of transition and refocus, we urge the UMC to authorize appropriate groups to make the very best use of up to $60 million (just 10 percent of the total general church budget) and ensure that the directives of the 2012 General Conference are fulfilled. Providing accountable flexibility is essential, especially to achieve our vision for an increase the number of vital congregations.

—Andy Langford is Senior Pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Concord, North Carolina, and member of the Connectional Table

The United Methodist Committee on Faith and Order

The United Methodist Committee on Faith and Order (UMCFO) is one of the General Conference Standing Committees created by the 2008 General Conference. During the past twenty years, the United Methodist Church had made more than one attempt to set up a representative body that would have a mandate and authority to conduct theological reflections on issues related to order and doctrinal teaching of the church. These attempts were not successful for one reason or another. The establishment of the UMCFO has been welcomed within the United Methodist constituencies as well as by ecumenical partners.

The Committee on Faith and Order shall give leadership to The United Methodist Church in reflecting upon, discerning, and living out matters of faith, doctrinal teaching, order, and discipline in the midst of mission and ministry in the church and the world. The committee shall be a visible expression of the commitment of the United Methodist Church to carry on informed theological reflection for the current time in dynamic continuity with the historic Christian faith, our common heritage as Christians grounded in the apostolic witness, and our distinctive Wesleyan heritage. (The Book of Discipline, ¶ 1908).

The question we received during this quadrennium came from the Council of Bishops with regard to a need to study United Methodist Ecclesiology. From a theological perspective, what does it mean to be a global or worldwide church in the light of current conversations within the United Methodism? What does it mean in relation to the results of its bilateral and multilateral dialogues with the other Christian traditions? The committee has given priority to ecclesiology study. We discussed “The marks of the United Methodist Church” and how these marks are understood today within the broader context of the Wesleyan heritage and the Church as the body of Christ. But we went further. Dr. Russell Richey was asked to report on historical materials of Methodism which, among others, helped discern distinctive United Methodist approaches to ecclesiology study. We wondered if there might be value in bringing together some important teaching documents such as By Water and the Spirit and This Holy Ministry into a companion volume to The Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions. We also realized that a doctrine of the church is interwoven with doctrines about the Triune God and God’s redemptive work in the world.

That discussion led to a proposal to consider a resource for United Methodist teaching, a brief summary of what we believe as United Methodist Christians that could be used as a tool for evangelism, in confirmation classes and for adult faith formation. This would be a teaching tool, not a creedal statement. So we continued our work at this stage in planning the following three projects: (1) “Faith and Order Resource Paper,” (2) “Discipleship in Action: a Resource for United Methodist Teaching” and (3)“ Teaching document on Ecclesiology.” In addition, the committee discussed the possibility that The Book of Discipline might be divided into two volumes Doctrine and Discipline. The Social Principles would still be a separate book. The UMCFO “Doctrine” volume might include the statement on the sacraments.

The UMCFO was established “with the authority of an independent committee.” It is, however, located in the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns for practical purposes of staffing and budgeting. The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry provides its staff services. As the volume and the complexity of the work increase and given the scope of its mandate, the UMCFO will need more adequate staffing and financial resources in order to fulfill its mandate.

—David K. Yemba is Bishop of the Central Congo Episcopal Area in Democratic Republic of Congo and Chair of The Committee on Faith and Order.

ARTICLE: Facts and Trends

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:42:09 GMT

By Circuit Rider

Charts and graphs depicting the following statistics are available for download in PDF format at the bottom of this article:

Average Worship Attendance, 1976-2009
Annual Percentage Change in Average Worship Attendance, 1976-2009
Total Professing Membership in the U.S. and Total Professing Membership as a Percentage of Total U.S. Population, 1790-2010
Change in Total Professing Membership, 1968-2009
Geographic Distribution of Worldwide Professing Membership in 1968 and 2009
Number of Active U.S. Elders in Major Age Groupings
Non-Capital Spending and Debt per Attendee, 1995-2009
General Church Funds Overview
Percentage of Apportionments Paid by Conference

Investing in Our Mission to Make Disciples and Transform the World

We are not a church driven by scarcity. We live in God’s abundance. The recommended budget total of $603 million is actually only a 3.46% decrease (-.87% per year) from what has been apportioned this quadrennium. The Call to Action is recommending a $60 million (10%) shift of general church funds to support the annual conferences and local churches as they focus on vital congregations. However, placing the program general agencies under one board will undoubtedly lead to cost-savings and synergy in the coming years. Although General Conference is responsible for the entire church, it actually makes decisions for less than 2% of our financial resources. Most of our resources are at the local church level. However, annual conferences send to the general church an average of 26% of what they apportioned to local churches. In addition, fewer than 23% of annual conferences paid 100% of general church apportionments in 2010. Unless we make some bold changes to focus resources on more vital congregations, we will soon face hard choices. (see Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.’s projection of the coming “Death Tsunami”.)

Bishop John L. Hopkins is the resident bishop of the East Ohio Conference and the chairperson of The Connectional Table.

U.S. Trends Lyle Schaller Is Watching

Decrease in number of Methodist-to-Methodist or intradenominational transfers of membership from 309,760 in 1956 to 171,926 in 1980 to 86,575 in 2009.
Increase in number of UM congregations reporting an average worship attendance under 35 from the 1980 total of 11,133 to 11,723 in 1990 to 12,300 in 2009.
Change in number of new members received on Profession of Faith or Restored from 205,532 in 1970 to 209,894 in 1980 to 148,446 in 2009.
Change in number of baptisms (all ages) from 199,237 in 1980 to 150,690 in 2000 to 108,183 in 2009.
Changes in U.S. membership from 8,032,220 in 1944 (first time over 8 million) to 10,301,911 in 1965 to 9,825,540 in 1975 to 8,940,836 in 1988 to 7,931,733 in 2006 to 7,679,850 in 2009.
The annual death rate among UM Church members in 1970 was 10.5 deaths per 1000 members compared to 14.4 deaths per 1000 members in 2000 and 13 deaths per 1,000 members in 2009.
The number of new congregations organized in The Methodist Church in 1963 was 559 compared to 79 in 2010.
The number of UM congregations reporting an average worship attendance of 750 or more grew from 141 in 1980 to 313 in 2001 to 319 in 2009.
The number of UM congregations receiving more than 100 new members in one year decreased from 490 in 1980 to 388 in 2009 (total includes professions, faith restored and

And two important trends for which we need hard data:

Increase in number of multi-site UM churches.
Number of UM members who have left to join non-denominational churches.

Lyle Schaller is a church consultant and author of over forty books.

ARTICLE: Sermon Starter: Palm/Passion Sunday

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:48:03 GMT

By Circuit Rider

Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 26:14-27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54

How quickly the crowds of Palm Sunday disappear. The loud “Hosannas” echo in the stillness of the night. The cry of the crowd that gathers on Good Friday is not “Hosanna to the highest” but rather, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Death is an assault on our sensibilities. Maundy Thursday affronts us with the threshold of an event so horrific that it takes us a lifetime to assimilate its ghastliness. Death does that. Death comes and takes us to places we would rather not go. It roughly thrusts itself between us and the vision of life we embrace in faith. Maundy Thursday is not a night of life. It is instead the kiss of death.

Maundy Thursday is a man sharing his last meal with his friends in the numbing realization that this is their last get-together. But they just don’t get it. Jesus pleads, “Stay with me and pray that this cup of death might indeed pass from me untouched.” But even His closest friends fail him and He prays alone.

“I’m dying. Wake up to the truth of what this night holds.” But His friends fall asleep on the job and Jesus waits for death to come, isolated from human companionship. Jesus carries the awful burdensome weight of certain death without the loving hand-holding of a friend. This night shatters us with reality. There exists only death staring us in the face, for this is the night the life support has been disconnected.

We try not to wallow in the death and emptiness of Holy Week, preferring instead to leap forward to Easter morning when all is well again. On the darkest day, Holy Saturday, we jump the gun with egg hunts and spring festivals. But we must sit with this devastation, this darkness, to truly see the light that Easter brings.

ARTICLE: Sermon Starter: Pentecost

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 20:53:57 GMT

By Circuit Rider

Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, John 7:37-39

The din of the crowd increases as students continue to file into the gymnasium. The band tunes and warms up their instruments. With a wave of the band director’s baton, the fight song begins, the cheerleaders take center court, the team appears full of confidence, and the students stand in uproarious enthusiasm as the pep rally begins.

As a youth, I loved pep rallies – a mainstay of many high schools across the nation. And the purpose of these events? To build enthusiasm, support our team, and above all, to celebrate our school spirit. Spirit—that palpable feeling of pride that we were part of something bigger than ourselves. Our spirit grew as frenzied chanting and clapping and stomping shook the very rafters of the building. We were gathered together to build our enthusiasm and express our confidence in an ultimate victory!

The disciples “were all together in one place” as they waited for the promised gift of the Spirit. I imagine a growing excitement as the disciples spoke with each other, recounting the words of Jesus, “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). Like a pep rally, there was a rush of excitement as the Spirit, like a rush of wind, filled the house. There were even some pyrotechnics as tongues of fire settled on the disciples. Those who stood around asked, “What does this mean?” What this means is that each person is gifted so that “out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). It means that the spirit is creative (Psalm 104:30) and empowers God’s people through its gifts (I Corinthians 12:3b-13).

It is the New Testament witness that the disciples did not stay together in one place—there was a victory to be won out there on fields across the world!

ARTICLE: Building Young People's Character in Basketball and in Life

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:14:16 GMT

By Circuit Rider

Two free throws awarded on a technical foul would usually come as a welcome opportunity in a tight game. During a non-conference basketball game last February between DeKalb (Ill.) High School and Milwaukee Madison High School, however, the DeKalb team, including its coach, Dave Rohlman, had to be all but forced to take the shots they were owed.

Senior captain of the Milwaukee Madison Knights Johntel Franklin had lost his mother just hours earlier, after her five-year battle with cervical cancer. He arrived late to the game, intending just to watch and support his team from the stands. Franklin soon realized, however, that despite his grief, he wanted to play.

Coach Aaron Womack Jr. was happy to let Franklin play, though he had assumed Franklin would not be coming and so had left his name off the roster. Putting Franklin in the game would mean drawing a technical foul. Womack didn't mind sacrificing the points, but under the circumstances, Rohlman and his team didn't feel right about taking them. He pleaded with the referees, but they were insistent that DeKalb had to take the two free throws specified in the rulebook.

Senior captain Darius McNeal volunteered to take the shots. “You know you're going to miss them, don't you?” Rohlman asked the 5'11” point guard. McNeal nodded.

McNeal went to the line alone and lobbed the ball just a few feet—not once, but twice. As the ball rolled across the end line the second time, everyone in the arena rose to their feet, applauding this display of sportsmanship and character that has now inspired people nationwide. Circuit Rider spoke to Coach Rohlman about that memorable game and its implications for character development in young people today.

Did you know Darius was thinking the same thing you were—that he would intentionally miss the shots?

I didn't know until I asked, but when he volunteered, I turned toward him and I could tell when I looked at him that we were on the same page. Everybody was. Nobody rolled their eyes; nobody had any qualms about losing the points. That's pretty typical of this group of kids. I wasn't surprised at all.

What do actions like Darius' mean in our “win at all costs” society?

It puts things in perspective for kids. They watch professional sports on TV; they see games where one team beats another 100-0. There are so many opportunities they can get through athletics, being a part of a team, and that gets lost because kids are worried about getting a scholarship, or winning the championship. There are a lot of things you're learning about [through sports] that you don't recognize at the time that will get you through life by helping build the character and person you're going to be.

There has been so much interest in this story. With the economy, especially, people need an outlet. Last thing people want to hear about is professional athletes who can't make good decisions. Thank goodness we can hear this story because there's so much we hear that is negative about sports.

What do you hope your team will remember about that night?

I hope they'll remember the relationships and friendships that have developed. We're way beyond basketball at this point. There's so much more than the score at the end of the game. Recently, both teams were invited up to a Milwaukee Brewers game, and Darius, Johntel, Coach Womack, and I all threw out first pitches. Our coaching staffs are planning to get together again in August.

Do you focus a lot on character and sportsmanship in your coaching?

Absolutely. We give sportsmanship awards at camp in the summer. When we start camp, we are saying this is the beginning of our season and it sets the tone and theme for the upcoming season.

What can coaches (and teachers, clergy, parents, etc.) do to help instill character in the young people they influence?

They need to continue to lead by example. We start with young kids [at basketball camp] and work to get our older kids to show our younger kids what we're talking about. It's one thing to preach discipline and talk about being of high character, but it's more important to live that out. It's one thing to hear it from me, but it's another to see the bigger kids out on the court. Get to those things early.

Coach Womack and I have talked about how we hope our kids who go into teaching or coaching (several are talking about it) will carry that message forward. They probably won't become professional basketball players, but they can get out and take that message to twenty kids or however many kids they touch. Kids need to know there are a lot of opportunities out there and if you're doing the right thing, people are going to notice.

ARTICLE: Pastors Develop their Leadership through Spiritual Growth, Research Finds: RESEARCH

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:14:16 GMT

By Circuit Rider

A recent survey reveals United Methodist clergy focus most of their leadership development efforts on their own personal spirituality. Asked how much time they spend each week on various activities, respondents say most of their development time is spent praying and reading scripture. Likewise, books on devotion or spirituality are the most commonly read by pastors surveyed.

On average, pastors report spending just under three hours per week in prayer and almost that much time reading scripture. In contrast, relatively little time is spent in fellowship with others in ministry. Half of the pastors surveyed spend less than one hour a week meeting with other clergy.

Respondents expressed neither strong satisfaction nor dissatisfaction with their own leadership development efforts, most rating themselves average in response to the statement, “I am able to devote adequate time and energy to my development and enrichment as a leader.”

Most pastors spend approximately two and a half hours weekly reading books related to ministry. After devotion and spirituality books (read by 68% of respondents), the most popular subject areas were church leadership (66%), biblical studies (53%), and church growth (51%). When respondents were asked to name books they had recently found helpful in their leadership development, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, by Bishop Robert Schnase, Simple Church, by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger, and UnChristian, by David Kinnaman, were among the most frequently mentioned, evidencing a desire to revitalize the congregation and reach new people.

Most pastors (61%) attend two to three conferences or training events per year (not including Annual Conference). Twenty percent attend four or more. The most popular conferences focus on church leadership (65%), church growth (51%), and worship (43%). The high number of respondents specifically mentioning the Willow Creek Leadership Summit and Church of the Resurrection's Leadership Institute support that finding. While social justice issues ranked among the least popular conference topics in general (21%), Ginghamsburg Church's Change the World conference—which focuses on issues of poverty and global health—was among the most frequently mentioned by name.

Pastors surveyed considered themselves most skilled in the areas of worship leading, preaching, and teaching, and least strong in fund raising. While there was no correlation between these strengths and the books and conferences pastors prefer, the perceived weakness in the area of fund raising may reflect pastors' relative lack of interest in church administration and communications, the least popular subjects of books and conferences.

ARTICLE: Dreaming Together: Intergenerational Partnership Reaches Outside the Church's Walls

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:14:16 GMT

By Circuit Rider

Circuit Rider recently sat down with two pastors of Florence United Methodist Church in Florence, Kentucky. Florence is a well-established congregation—167 years old, 475 in worship each Sunday—but it has reached out beyond the typical church crowd, thanks to the partnership of Senior Pastor Gary Gibson, 48, and D.G. Hollums, 31, who is not your average Associate Pastor.

CR: D.G., your official title is “Cultural Architect.” What does that mean, and how does it fit into the mission of Florence UMC?

D.G.: Well, I 'borrowed' the title from Erwin McManus. When I first heard the term I knew that it was the business that I was in. I feel called to allow God to bring about the Kingdom of God in the lives and communities around me. We all should be cultural architects in the world, living lives of sacrifice that allow God to work through us to assist the Kingdom to come here just as it is /in heaven. This whole idea of being a cultural architect fits into ' the mission of Florence because this new kingdom culture must be formed both inside and outside the walls of the church simultaneously.

My primary responsibility at Florence is for an “outside the walls” ministry called Th3 Waters, an Experimental United Methodist Network of Organic Gatherings. Groups of seven to fifteen people meet weekly in coffee shops, pubs, bookstores, etc. to follow a modified form of Lectio Divina, and answer one question, “What is up with your life?” As each person shares what's new with them, others in the group ask themselves, “What are we going to do about it?” or “How can we help?” There is some prayer thrown in there along with a time for telling how they have intentionally blessed at least three people the previous week. It is still a work in progress, and we are trying to fail often so we can succeed sooner. One thing is for sure: people's lives are being radically changed and they are experiencing community like they have never experienced. And this goes for those who are beyond the walls of the traditional church as well as those who have been in a local church their entire lives. It is transforming old and young alike!

CR: Gary, Florence seems to be a fairly traditional United Methodist church. What led you to bring D.G. on for such a unique ministry?

Gary: Florence is traditional in many ways. It was established in 1842. However, the church relocated in 1997. The relocation brought significant growth and excitement to the congregation. Even though we are traditional in many ways, the growth and excitement allowed us to be innovative. D.G. came on staff as a partnership with our Annual Conference New Church and Congregational Development Team. Our responsibility in the partnership was to be the parent congregation to establish a satellite congregation in a rapidly growing area of our community.

Once D.G. was onsite, we felt God leading in a new direction. I have no doubt that with D.G.'s passion and personality he could have attracted a crowd for worship. However, we weren't interested in attracting people who were dissatisfied with the current church. We wanted to reach normal people who weren't going to go to any church for Sunday morning worship. We realized to reach them meant going where they were.

D.G.: Some of the people we are developing relationships with have been hurt by the church as well, and they are our ultimate focus. Yet there is a tension, because at the same time we are called to be investing in the people currently attending Florence, with the dream that they too realize they have a role building momentum in this movement of Christ's Kingdom.

CR: Are the long-time members of Florence supportive of Th3 Waters?

Gary: We don't have 100% support, but do you ever? There are always those who are just interested in themselves and doing church the way they have always done it. However, for those who are kingdom-minded and understand what it means to do mission in their context, we have overwhelming support. They support Th3 Waters financially, by being actively involved, offering encouragement, and attempting to help others understand the importance of this mission in our community.

D.G.: At first it took a while to learn the importance of terminology for members of Florence. We found that the term “organic gatherings” seemed foreign and even scary to them. I guess they thought it was just going to be all natural and much more expensive! (Just kidding.) But, when we talked about “life gatherings,” the early adopters were interested and willing to test it out. Their support continues to grow over time, especially when we explain to them that even though my title is “Cultural Architect,” they need to see me as a “local missionary in residence.” These terms promote discussion, and discussion promotes community, and in community we are finding a greater willingness to think differently.

CR: How would you describe your working relationship? Is there a balance of empowerment and accountability that needs to be struck?

D.G.: We are co-workers in the Kingdom. I realize that the relationship I have with Gary is not a common one, especially in the UMC, but the church should be working out how to make these partnerships more possible in the future for the sake of the church. This partnership really enables us to dream together, rather than me trying to fit some idea or mold that Gary has for the church. We can create a new mold together. This requires great humility from both sides, but especially on Gary's part. Neither one of us feels like we have all the answers, but through healthy relationship we can take on problems that are way beyond each of us individually and come up with creative, new, and unique ways of living out the kingdom together and through the church.

Gary: D.G. and I both are Elders with a calling from God to be in ministry, so I simply see him as a peer. Most people would look at us as Senior Pastor and Associate Pastor, but I see us as partners. This kind of relationship allows for more give and take. I have tried to create an environment where D.G. feels free to voice different opinions and doesn't feel like he has do what I say because I'm the “boss.” I think my willingness to see D.G. as a peer and not a subordinate empowers him to attempt some unique ways of doing ministry. The accountability piece runs equally in both directions. I hold him accountable and he returns the favor.

D.G.: And I must say that if we start to see each other not as persons in a hierarchy, but as fellow Christians, it promotes a shared desire to follow Christ rather than a polity that defines “who is in charge.” I think that this respectful way of thinking could even affect the way the ordination process in the UMC works. Instead of it being an evaluation process, it could be looked at as a time for relational growth between the currently ordained and those desiring to follow a calling for those places of servanthood.

An emphasis on relationships between generations might be more than just a band aid on the slow bleed of younger leaders, because they would feel like they have allies and friends, who do not merely 'listen' to them, but who dream with them.

CR: What advice do you have for pastors of different generations working together?

D.G.: If I had just one thing to say to older clergy as a young clergyperson, I would say: please allow us to dream with you. Our goal is not to challenge or usurp your authority. We truly have a passion for the kingdom of Christ and for others, and I truly believe that we have the same dream.

And to the younger clergy I would say: the only way to bring about the kingdom within the culture and within the UMC is to be able to love those who think differently than you do. I know way too many young clergy who have left the UMC because they hit the wall of polity or egos or expected status and have taken the easier route to go do what God has called them to outside of the UMC.

The United Methodist Church needs us to fight for the church that we love, yet at the same time love those who might be on the opposite side of the aisle. Developing difficult and potentially frustrating relationships with those who might think differently from you might be the only way to bring about change and renewal.

Gary: I would say to the clergy in my generation and older: don't be afraid to allow younger clergy to live out their passion and calling. We must give the younger generation permission to experiment and the freedom to fail. The most important thing is to put aside our egos so that we can give younger clergy the credit when they succeed and take the heat when they mess up. Whether younger clergy stay in the UMC or not will depend in large part how we partner with them—whether we stifle them or give them wings.

To the younger clergy I say: don't allow anyone to squelch your passion. If your “Senior Pastor” doesn't understand you, don't give up. It's all about relationship, take them to lunch (they might pay), let them see and hear your passion, let them see your willingness to sacrifice for the kingdom. If all else fails, have your “Senior Pastor” call me.