Vision

The past few days I was in NYC at a seminar at the General Board of Global Ministries. It was very informative and eye opening, and affirmed my love for the United Methodist Church. While there we visited three churches/ ministries of the church that are reaching out to serve their communities. What struck me the most about the ministries that we visited was that they were all rooted in prayer. The pastor had a vision that was revealed by God through prayer. What a simple and beautiful point that we often overlook in our haste to be the biggest and the best. As my colleagues toured the ministries with me, more than one made the comment, "This is neat. I can do this at my church." to which I rebutted, "But are you called to do this at your church?" The ministries we toured were reaching their particular neighborhoods through the particular vision God gave them. We aren't called to replicate what they are doing, but to pray for our communities and wait for the vision that God reveals to us.

I love the connectional nature of the UMC, but sometimes it has its down-sides. Like when we compare ourselves to other clergy and their churches. When we judge ourselves and the churches we serve off of them. It isn't supposed to be that way, but sometimes it happens.

Could the ministries we saw be effective in our area? Certainly. But is it what we are called to do? Who we are called to be? Because that makes all the difference in the world in our ministries.