This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:13-14
“What then is the mark?
Who is a Methodist, according to your own account?”
I answer: A Methodist is one who has “the love of God shed abroad in the heart
by the Holy Ghost given to us.”
The Character of a Methodist, paragraph 5.
Buildings last because they rest upon solid foundations. Likewise, our faith, when built upon the solid foundation of the profession of the historic Christian faith in God, incarnate in Jesus Christ for our salvation and ever at work in human history in the Holy Spirit, inspires holy imagination and can thrill the heart for what is to come in God’s preferred future of Hope. While I am challenged by the human realities that face me daily performing my work, I will not be discouraged to the point of hopelessness. Like Paul, I am constantly learning to forget what lies behind me and instead focus on the unlimited possibilities God is planning before me as a United Methodist.
We live in a “covenant of grace under the Lordship of Jesus Christ; we participate in the first fruits of God’s coming reign and pray in hope for its full realization on earth as in heaven.” As United Methodists, we “share a common heritage with Christians of every age and nation. This heritage is grounded in the apostolic witness to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, which is the source and measure of all valid Christian teaching.” I have been in ministry in some form or fashion for 20+ years and have preached this reality from my time as a lay speaker, becoming a local pastor, and then an Ordained Elder.
Did you know that the words I have placed in quotes are directly taken from the Book of Discipline, in the section marked Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task? Did you know the Book of Discipline is not “just” a book of rules, but instead is a way of helping to order our Christian communal lives together for the calling of interacting with each other with and in grace and mercy?
To be renewed in mind and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit for mission and ministry as we journey for the calling of Christ in this unfamiliar and unsettling season is critical. Perhaps it is time for each of our congregations to engage in Adult Confirmation class – maybe even alongside our youth! The authority of scripture is primary to our calling. Understanding tradition, embracing experience, and using reason is critical for engaging in relational evangelism and broadly sharing the gift of salvation as we seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Did you know that delegates from around the world are elected representatives to General Conference, and that body meets every four years (barring unforeseen pandemics)? Do you know John Wesley’s three basic rules? What does it mean to say grace is foundational to understanding how we express and perform our faith as United Methodists?
Cars need tune-ups, our bodies new check-ups, and our faith needs check-ins. When was the last time you and your congregation re-aligned your understanding of the expression of faith we practice as United Methodists? Perhaps a season of Confirmation of what we believe would benefit our spirits and refresh our souls!
– DS Chris Brady, Capital District