True Leadership

Three weeks ago the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church met in order to hear reports, celebrate ministry and organize for the coming year. As has been the case for the last four years Annual Conference really was wonderful. We had some powerful worship and I expereinced wonderful fellowship with many of my fellow Clergy persons who I had not seen or seen very little in the last year.

I did find it interesting, though, that our largest debate for the whole week occurred around our standards for clergy housing. Particularly the debate was whether or not smoking should be allowed in parsonages. If I timed it correctly, this debate went on for about an hour and a half. In essence this was not a theological discussion, nor was it a missional discussion, it was simple house keeping. However, isn't it these simple issues that we get side tracked on too often. The discussion of the smoking in parsonages reminded me of a church I served whose biggest controverseys were the color of a new piano and the color of the church carpet. How do these issues help us to "Make disciples for Jesus Christ." Ultimately, if someone is allowed to smoke in a parsonage or not, does not really help us make disciples. I heard all of the arguments, if we are going to reach out to the unchurched, they may want to come to my house and smoke. If I follow another pastor that smokes it will wreak havok with my allergies. I am allergic to cigarrette smoke, so I am painfully aware of this problem. I also have parishoners and friends outside of the church that smoke. I have always asked people to step outside to smoke if they are in my home. This is not being rude, it is simply the way it is. I have yet to have any of my smoker friends to get upset with me for politely asking them to step outside. In other words while these are nicely theologically sounding arguments, in reality they are easily adapted one way or the other. (I am aware that this ban on tobacco technically goes for chewing tobacco as well, but I am not going to ask someone to spit thier chew out if they visit me, unless they are spitting on my floor. In fifteen years of ministry, I have not had anyone spit on my floors!).

A truly theological point was made at Annual Conference in a simple gesture, though. When our awesome prison ministries was giving a report, there was a young woman who came forward to speak, her four children came with her. They all looked to 10 or younger and on the platform they could not be seen. Our Bishop, Bishop Bob Hayes, got up out of his chair and allowed the children to sit in his chair, where they could be seen and be more comfortable. This simple action hit me profoundly and I started crying. I think this action embodied what it means to be a servant leader. Allowing a child to take the most important seat in the house. Allowing the child of a single parent, ex-con, who is trying to get her life back together to be the honored guest for a few minutes. What an awesome picture of Christ like service. I applaud the Bishop.

I do not know if this act was an intentional symbolic act of the Bishop Hayes. I do not really think it was. Because one of the things that made it so profound was that he did not appear to think about it, the act was a deep part of who he was. The children needed to be seen and what better place to be seen than in the Bishops chair. I believe that such acts come naturally to our Bishop because he is a true servant leader.

May God bless our Bishop and all the other servant leaders of our Annual Conference. May we take away from Annual Conference not disagreements, not smoking or non-smoking, but that we are called to be servant leaders and to live our lives in the way Christ showed us how to live.

Politics, Respect and Disagreement

I was listening to talk radio just a few minutes ago and I really started to get irritated. It was mentioned by the talk show host that John McCain had come out immediately after Hillary Clinton withdrew from the race and said that he had great respect for Ms. Clinton and perhaps even has a freindship with her. Both canidates have been very respectful to each other and have complimented each other quite often. (For more information on thier freindship and respect see
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/06/mccain-clinton.html). This particular talk show host, though, was calling this a negative. He claimed that McCain was merely trying to court the Hillary Clinton supporters and it would end up turning off most of the true conservatives. My question is When did it become wrong to respect and even be freinds with someone who disagrees with you?

I have always prided myself in the diversity of my friends. I have friends who are gay, straight, liberal, conservative, middle of the road, don't know what they believe, right wing nuts, left wing nuts, open minded, closed minded, to the right of Attilla the Hun, virtual socialists, Jewish, Islamic, Christian, red necks, cowboys, city slickers, fundamentalists, literalists, and just about any other title you might think to give someone. I enjoy talking a debating our various areas of disagreement with each of them, because they are respectful toward me and I respect them as well. Do I think I am right? Absolutely, or I would have changed my mind, but that does not mean I have to be mean spiritted and arrogant about what I believe.

You know, it seems to me that Jesus hung out with a divergent crowd as well. One of his disciples was a zealot, another a tax collector, he had some fishermen and at least one disciple that was known by the high priest. Then there is the people he talked to and created a relationship with, there were Pharisees, prostitutes, tax collectors, women of questionable reputation, crippled people, sick people and the unclean in society. If Jesus could be friends with such diversity, then maybe we could be freinds with those that disagree with us as well.

I gained a new respect for Senator Ted Kennedy when I heard one fellow congress person make the comment that he could argue a point vehemently with you on the senate floor, he could be passionate in his disagreement with you, but when the senate dismissed he would pat you on the back and greet you as an old friend. That is the way it shold be.

Perhaps if the church could be better at respecting and loving those we disagree with, then the world just might take our example. There is nothing wrong with disagreement. We each disagree with each other in one way or another. What is wrong is hate speech and failing to love one another. Christ preached against these things. We as Christians should stand up and demand more respect and civility in our politics and in our culture. I pray that we will.

Moving Day

I alway become somewhat reflective during this week of the year. For us as United Methodist pastors it is moving week. By Thursday at noon for all the churches changing pastors, the former pastor is to be out of the parsonage and the new pastor moving in. I am not moving this year, but I have several freinds that are. Moving Day as I remember it is hectic, exciting, nerve wracking, patience trying, happy, sad, angry and about every other emotion that can be described. Moving day is a time of endings and new beginnings a time of mourning and a time of excitement. It is an awe-filled, awefull day of mixed emotions and rushing. It is a wonderful day as well.

I know there are some pastors who are looking forward to moving day. Perhaps he or she realized that they had taken their soon to be former church as far as he or she could. He or she knew it was time to move and thier District Superintendent had been attentive and listened to what they wanted and the move is to a place they wanted to be. For those of you whose move occurred under great cicumstances, my prayers is that the move will be everything you hope and dream. I pray that your church or churches are even more wonderful than you thought they would be. I pray that this new beginning will be a growing oppurtunity for your church or churches and for you. I pray that the Lord will richly bless your ministry and show you how to enable your church or churches to make disciples for Jesus Christ. God bless you.

I also know there are others moving in a less than idealistic manner. Perhaps you really did not want to move. You have freinds or family that you do not want to move away from. Perhaps, your appointment was not quite in the geographical location you were hoping for. Perhaps you feel like your District Superintendent did not listen to you or God in making this appointment. Perhaps you feel as if the system has messed you around once again and are getting rather tired of it. Perhaps you are burned out, but do not know what to do. For these pastors I say a special prayer. I have been there before. It is not fun. However, we must never forget that God works in our system sometimes despite the circumstances, but God is always working.

I would encourage those of you in the latter category to first and foremost remember, it was not your church that messed you around. The system may or may not of messed you around, but the church you are moving to, certainly did not. It is not their fault you asked to be in the OKC or Tulsa area and are actually six hours away from civilization. They do not need to have your anger taken out on them. The new congregation needs you to love them unconditionally. They need to feel the love of Christ from thier pastor, not be beaten up again as some congregations have been. I do say special prayers for you. I pray that you will find the healing you need. I pray that you will rediscover the love of God and I pray that God will lead you to be the strong leader that this new church deserves.

My prayer for all of you moving is that this will be a new beginning for both you and the church or churches you will be pastoring. My prayer is for travel mercies and for guidance from God. My prayer is that the love of Christ will be shown to you and you will show the love of Christ as well. I pray your new community will become home very quickly and that you will be the pasoral leader that your new church has prayed for. All of you moving, please remember, that I am praying for you and your Church or churches. God bless you and keep you. Amen.