Well, for most of us, the summer is gone. It’s back to the “real” world. What does that mean for you? Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed July with my family and friends. However, one of the highest points in my experience this July was reading “The Shack” by William P. Young.
I picked it up and could not put it down. There was a time in Montana when I thought Diane was going to shoot me! I was paying way too much attention to my reading!
Have you read it? It’s the number one best seller today. Guess what, it is about God, the Trinity and life’s most disturbing questions. After one reads the book, conversations and deep discussions are sure to follow. It’s a great book for small groups.
Heck, it’s a great book for a whole church to read. As a matter of fact, I am encourating you to read it because my next sermon series, “The Shack Revisited,” will address some of the questions the book raises. We begin this Sunday (August 10) with “The Great Sadness,” and we will address grief, pain and healing.
On another note, it’s great to be back! I have surely missed you. From all I’ve heard, after Diane’s and Jody’s preaching . . . I’m lucky to still have a job!
Let’s get this fall started in a fine fashion with every member present in worship, Sunday School and small groups!
Here is another e-mail that I received from Dr. Riley B. Case that I wanted to share with all of you.
Randy
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One of the bishops who spoke in support of the General Conference’s action on homosexuality was Bishop Lindsey Davis of North Georgia. Davis is quoted as saying: “I think the church is right. I think we are very much in sync with historic Christianity and very much in sync with 99.9 percent of Christians in the world. I make no apology for our position. It is biblical, and it is in keeping with 2,000 years of Christian tradition.”
Bishop Davis may have overstated the case, but if so, not by much. The truth is that Christians in all places and at all times have almost unanimously agreed that marriage between a man and a woman is a Biblical “mystery” (a truth too deep for rational explanation) pointing to the relationship between Christ and the Church. The sexual ethic “faithfulness in marriage and celibacy in singleness” points to that mystery and precludes the blessing of homosexual practice.
The United Methodist Church stands with Christians around the world in proclaiming this mystery. To have declared otherwise, or even to have added a qualifier that “we disagree” about the practice of homosexuality and/or the definition of marriage would have placed us outside the mainstream of Christian tradition and identified us as an extremist sect, if not a cult.
Evangelicals as well as others affirm our church’s doctrine and discipline and place United Methodism within the mainstream of Christianity. We reject the idea that our stand on sexual morality is “sinful” (as one speaker during the demonstration at General Conference asserted), or “wrong” which was the word used by Bishop Melvin Talbert. We also reject the accusation that the action is “hateful,” “homophobic,” “intolerant,” and “unloving.” These accusations must be seen as being leveled not just against evangelicals and the action of the conference, but also against Christian standards as defined by the church through the ages. What appears to be taking place is that an alien church culture, fed by religious inclusivism, would be willing to deconstruct Christianity and replace it with an alternative ideology.
It is important to understand just how out-of-step this desire to deconstruct Christianity is. Issues of truth, or even morality, are not to be resolved by majority vote, but at the same time, one must have a powerful argument to overturn the overwhelming consensus of world Christianity.
How much of a consensus is there? In United States alone one can postulate a church membership of 200 million, of which about 14.6 million belong to the four most liberal denominations (UM, Presbyterian USA, Episcopal, and UCC). According to figures taken from the Connectional Table study 39% of UM’s strongly disagree or disagree somewhat with the statement on considering the practice of homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching (even this statistic is quite suspect because of the type of people surveyed). If that same percentage were applied to the other most liberal denominations, the total who disagrees with the church’s historic stand would total 5,759,000. If another 4.3 million are added from the most conservative denominations that would total 10 million, or 5% of the total Christians in the United States. Even if we were to double this figure (20 million) this still represents only 10% of American Christians.
But Americans represent only 10% of the world’s Christians (200 million out of 2 billion-figures taken from the World Christian Encyclopedia, 2000 figures). Except for Canada and Europe, the rest of the world stands strongly with the Scriptures and with tradition on the matter of homosexuality. No matter how the statistics are figured, anywhere from 95%-98% of the world’s Christians do not believe the practice of homosexuality is consistent with Christian teaching.
Granted, interpretation of statistics is an imprecise science. Still, however the statistics are analyzed, it is difficult to come to any other conclusion than that the blessing of homosexual practice is anything other than an extremist position within world Christianity. It is also possible to argue that no Christian groups (except the cults) have ever redefined marriage to mean anything other than between a man and a woman.
Our United Methodist stand is, if anything, far more sensitive than much of the rest of the Christian world. We support civil rights for all people; we (including the evangelicals) believe that homophobia is to be resisted; we affirm the sacred worth of all individuals. We confess that as a denomination we have not always lived up to our own standards. But our church’s stand is right.
There is no “season” of Compassion Into Action! It doesn’t begin and end with certain dates. Sometimes I think people honestly believe that their Christian responsibilities and duties follow the school’s calendar. When summer rolls around, it’s quitting time!!
Last week, one of the first weeks of summer, we had to close three children’s Sunday School classes. The reason was not because of a lack of students, material, or space . . . it’s because of a lack of volunteer teachers. One mother was most upset when she was told that she could not drop her child off for Sunday School, unless she volunteered to help teach the class. She stomped and she fussed, “You can’t do this! Someone should have announced this policy from the pulpit” We did. “Someone should have publicized this in the bulletin!” We did. “Someone should have mailed postcards to communicate this need!” We did. “How can we rectify this situation?” Well, you can volunteer to teach your child! Why is it that some parents want, expect, even demand that someone else teach their child the Christian Faith? Every Baptized child’s parents have vowed before God to do what the church is begging them to do. Amazing. “Compassion Into Action” is the motto regarding our discipleship and missions ministries. It never rests and it begins with our own.
Consider what some are doing with “Compassion Into Action” this summer. Just last week, our Girl Scout Troop 2033 made 2,400 lunches for MUST Ministries. Soon, the Abundant Life Circle will be packing 1,200 more lunches. For 30 years, Mt. Bethel has provided volunteers for the MUST overnight shelter. (We need volunteers immediately for this ministry to continue).
Other “Compassion Into Action” ministries include the Hope Center Baby Thrift Store, the USO, youth mentoring projects, Foster Care support, knitting and quilting for those most in need, Any Soldier packing, Katrina rebuilding and St. Philip missions. In addition, mission trips are heading for Kenya, Romania, Costa Rica, Austria and Ecuador. Amazing!
I invite you to consider the place God has in your life. Many of us are living as if the Heavenly Father has died! Oh, we may believe with our hearts and minds that He is alive and well, but our actions and behavior say that, as far as we are concerned, He is dead. Look at your calendar, look at your checkbook. How much time and money do you spend on yourself? How much time and money do you spend on God? There’s your answer.
Perhaps you do not believe in the Devil? Jesus did. He said, “Get behind me Satan.” He wasn’t speaking to an imaginary friend. He was speaking directly to the temptation to put self before God. The tactics of the “Evil One” are very simple. In order to convert us away from Christ, all he has to do is keep us out of church, keep us out of the Bible, and keep us off of our knees. If he can accomplish two out of those three, he’s got us.
The Church is dependent upon two things if it is to survive and thrive, the Holy Spirit and willing hearts. How willing is your heart? Your involvement is putting “Compassion Into Action” is your answer.
Mt. Bethel has graduated from a mailed weekly bulletin to a monthly magazine! Our communication ministry conducted a survey a while back and, according to our readers, the internet is more appealing than the weekly bulletin. The mailed bulletin is sent third-class and is delivered accordingly. Often, the bulletin is a week old when it is received.
“The Action” is the new monthly bulletin. It contains all of the upcoming events and reports of church action. It will also include a meditation and various articles of interest. Everyone is encouraged to check the church’s website, on at least a weekly basis, for the latest news. In addition, an enlarged worship bulletin will be handed out each Sunday highlighting events and news. If one does not have access to a computer and would still like to receive the weekly bulletin used for worship, all one has to do is request that it be mailed . . . and it will!
We very much desire to be efficient financially and environmentally. The less third-class mailings and the less paper used, the better we will all be.
Please let us know what you think. We look forward to hearing from you!
Have you ever seen one of our military walking past you and wanted to convey to them your thanks, but weren’t sure how or it felt awkward?
Recently, a gentleman from Seattle created a gesture which could be used and has started a massive movement to get the word out. Please everybody take just a moment to watch…. The Gratitude Campaign …and then forward it to your friends!
Every four years, representatives from each Annual Conference (we are in the North Georgia Conference) meet to chart the course of the denomination for the next four years. Social stances taken by the church are revisited and debated during each General Conference.
The 2008 General Conference met in Fort Worth, Texas in the spring for ten days. The Conference reaffirmed the church’s position on human sexuality stating that: “Sexual relations are affirmed only within the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage.” The phrase, “We do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching” was also reaffirmed as the church’s official position regarding homosexuality.
Another very important issue debated had to do with the question of church membership. The issue was whether the pastor has authority in determining readiness for church membership, or whether the pastor is to “faithfully receive all persons willing to take membership vows” (suggesting the final authority is the person taking the vows). Does the pastor have discretion in matters of membership, or not? Behind the argument is the matter where one pastor denied membership to a practicing homosexual and that pastor was relieved of his pulpit and the case went all the way to the Judicial Council. The argument is that this matter is not about practicing homosexuals but about standards in general.
The issue was decided that the local pastor does have the authority to determine a person’s readiness for church membership.
In other action, the Conference retained the position that United Methodist ministers are not to perform same-sex marriages and self-avowed, practicing homosexuals shall not be ordained or appointed to a church. Also, no apportionment funds will be used to promote the cause of homosexuality.
Regarding the issue of abortion, the church retained the position that the life of the unborn child is to be protected at all costs, the only exception is if the well-being of the mother is threatened.
The General Conference is attended by the worldwide United Methodist Church. It was evident that the vote of the African Conferences was crucial. One African delegate was heard to remark, “Today we saved the church.” Another said, “This is why we are here.” The liberal elements of the church promptly proposed the exclusion of the worldwide United Methodists in future General Conferences. This issue will be debated by local Annual Conferences in the years to come.
An interesting observation regarding the media, not one word has been reported as to the General Conference’s decisions. Perhaps the reasoning on the part of the media is that by not reporting the decisions of the second-largest Protestant Church, no one will see the obvious contradiction of the Episcopal Church’s official position regarding homosexuality.
Some of you have requested a copy of the “I am the child” message that Randy shared in his sermon yesterday. Here it is:
I am the child. All the world waits for my coming. All the earth watches with interest to see what I shall become. Civilization hangs in the balance. For what I am, the world of tomorrow will be.
I am the child. I come into your world about which I know nothing. Why I came, I know not. How I came, I know not. I am curious, I am interested.
I am the child. you hold in your hand my destiny. You determine whether I will succeed or fail. Give me, I pray you, those thing that truly make for happiness. Train me, I beg you, that I may be a blessing to the world.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 26:11 that we will always have the poor with us. The question is often asked, “If we will always have the poor, then why bother? Aren’t we just throwing our resources away trying to feed, dress, educate and comfort them?!”
Sometimes the same attitude is expressed regarding the non-believer. Why bother? I mean, once we “get it”, why can’t we just “keep it”? Why must we share our resources, love, caring concern, the good news, with those who are without?!
Purely and simply, Jesus informs us that we can have no part of Him unless we reach out to the least, lost and last. Jesus taught that our very salvation hinges upon our relationship with the poor. Remember His words, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. And these will go away unto eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:45-46)
Do you remember the song “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers? Read (or sing) these words:
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain, we all have sorrow.
But if we are wise, we know that there’s always tomorrow.
Lean on me, when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend.
I’ll help you carry on; for it won’t be long till I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on.
Please swallow your pride, if I have things you need to borrow.
For no one can fill those of your needs that you don’t let show,
So just call on me brother when you need a hand.
We all need somebody to lean on.
I just might have a problem that you’d understand.
We all need somebody to lean on.
Lean on me when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend.
I’ll help you carry on; for it won’t be long till I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on.
Jesus promises joy and love to those who reach out to the least, lost and last! That applies to everyone who goes on a short-term mission trip, as well as those who serve at MUST and the St. Philip community. It also applies to everyone who reaches out to those labeled as “illegal aliens.”
May we all come to know the deep, abiding love and joy of Jesus as we allow His brothers and sisters to lean on us. Why bother? So we can lean on Him when our time comes!
See you at the “Leaning Place,”
Randy Mickler
Senior Pastor
As I reflect over the twenty years we have shared together in ministry, I am humbled by all that God has done. We have a growing membership and strong ministries that reflect God’s blessing.
The Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church had a membership of 1,600 in 1988 with an average worship attendance of 600. The community around Mt. Bethel was much smaller back then. Today, as the community around Mt. Bethel has grown, so has Mt. Bethel. The church now has a membership approaching 9,000. There are over twenty churches in a five-mile radius around us. None has witnessed the same growth.
What is the reason for Mt. Bethel’s growth? Simple stated, it’s the strength of the ministries. Each ministry offered through Mt. Bethel considers itself “on a mission from God.” Literally, we are here to grow God’s Kingdom through the Cause of Christ. Our vision must always be outwardly focused.
In the very near future, Mt. Bethel will be celebrating Global Impact. Our Missions Ministry reaches around the world: Kenya, Ghana, Central America, India, Europe, South America, and the Middle East. Our purpose is to turn our compassion into action! It’s not enough just to care. We are trying to reach out, as disciples of Jesus Christ, touching all with the goodness of God’s gracious love. We are doing it through short-term mission trips, building clinics, schools, orphanages, etc. We are doing it through relationships being formed in the love of God. People caring for people regardless of nationality or ethic background, hoping to demonstrate the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Mt. Bethel’s Global Impact is unique in that it includes our mission work to Cobb County. Our sister church in West Cobb, St. Philip, is located in the middle of a non-churched community. Latinos, African-Americans and Anglos are sharing and receiving the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this effort, Mt. Bethel has built 24 Habitat For Humanity homes and is the largest supporter of MUST Ministries to the homeless and most needy. We are “On a Mission From God.”
We want you to join us! Come anytime, we are here 24-7! However, our Global Impact, which recognizes our efforts in missions, will be observed and celebrated February 6-10. We are having a Missions Banquet with Bishop David from Kenya on Saturday, February 9, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Tickets are free, but you need to register through our Bookstore, online, or by calling 770-971-2880.
If you desire to add more meaning, more significance to your life and impact others with help and hope in the Cause of Christ, come and be a part of Mt. Bethel’s Mission From God.
I received this e-mail from Dr. Riley B. Case and wanted to share it with all of you.
Randy
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Evangelical United Methodists are sometimes seen as malcontents when it comes to complaining about the denomination. It is not uncommon to hear: “United Methodism is far too liberal”; “United Methodism has lost its way”; “United Methodism is apostate.”
These remarks should be seen as within the family. When it comes to outsiders, we don’t like to see our denomination under attack.
So the UM evangelical reaction to this characterization of the United Methodist Church in Joel Belz’s editorial in the November 11 issue of World magazine:
It would be hard to find two denominations that more vividly characterize the anti-evangelical spirit that became repulsive to such hard-core evangelicals than the United Church of Christ (Barack Obama’s denomination) and the United Methodist Church (John Edwards and Hillary Clinton’s denomination). Through and through, both the UCC and the UMC have been stalwarts of everything that is liberal-both theologically and socially.
We would invite Joel Belz and other “hard-core evangelicals” to attend our UM evangelical gatherings. The message that the Confessing Movement and other evangelical renewal groups seek to communicate is that evangelical faith is alive in the United Methodist Church. Despite what some of our seminaries teach, and despite what some of our boards and agencies say (which unfortunately is sometimes the public face of United Methodism), a large part of our church is faithful to the Doctrines and Discipline of the Church (which is, theologically, evangelical and orthodox), is evangelistically minded, and has a heart for missions. We frankly are not pleased to be put into the same boat as the UCC.
To set the record straight: 70% of United Methodists live in the red states (as per the 2004 national elections); Republican congresspersons who are United Methodist outnumber Democratic congresspersons 2 to 1. In terms of theology and mission outreach, United Methodists are among the largest supporters of parachurch evangelical ministries. The United Methodist hymnal is the only mainline denominational hymnal that has maintained most of the traditional language in its hymns and has not purged from its pages the atonement and blood hymns. The United Methodist Church has not compromised its stand on traditional marriage and its teaching on homosexuality as incompatible with Christian teaching.
Of course the church is diverse. Of course the struggle for the soul of the church is still taking place. But consider: in the upcoming General Conference it is not the evangelicals but the progressives who are most unhappy with who we are, and who want to do a major overhaul on the traditions and the stances of the church. It is the progressives who in the name of “inclusiveness” want to do away with all membership standards, and who, if they cannot impose their way legislatively would seek to do so through packing the Judicial Council. It is the progressives who would redefine marriage and bless the practice of homosexuality. We maintain that is not really who United Methodists are.
We urge the critics not to give up on the United Methodist Church, because we ourselves haven’t.
Well, for most of us, the summer is gone. It’s back to the “real” world. What does that mean for you? Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed July with my family and friends. However, one of the highest points in my experience this July was reading “The Shack” by William P. Young.
