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The Biggest Problem Facing the United Methodist Church

January 26, 2014

The title of today’s blog is based off a question recently asked by our Bishop in the Memphis Annual Conference of the UMC. This is not my usual geeky fair.

The following is a mixture of thoughts I’ve recently put on Facebook and mentioned in my sermon series on 1 Corinthians.

One of the greatest problems facing the United Methodist Church is not Calvinism but, rather, our unwillingness to follow our Wesleyan heritages demand we call all people to experience the life transforming love of God as made real in Jesus Christ and to share that love with our neighbor through both word and deed.

Thanks to my friend Mark L Agee for helping me think this through….

What is often thought of as #Calvinism is a Christian cultural malaise that says “everything happens for a reason” thereby allowing many to ignore their personal responsibility for their own actions as well as their inaction in the lives of the hurting and needy.

While not a Calvinist, I’ve had great friends in the PCUSA who truly understand personal responsibility for their own decisions as well as a call to social and personal care for others.

For the United Methodist, this should be a “no brainer” but, sadly, this malaise has effected the religious affections of Christians of all backgrounds. The key to a #UMC view of this is tied to something Bishop Bill McAlilly has continually tried to reinforce in our conference. 

We are called to Matthew 25/28 ministry. This is a ministry that engages a humanity ravaged by sin with the life transforming power of Christ while, at the same time, offering a healing hand of hope.

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