Roy’s Ramblings
“Being a United Methodist is as Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5”
Sometimes I think we make it too hard to understand. We throw around words like “connectional” and “itinerancy” and a hodgepodge of alphabetical terms (like UMC, UMCOR, UMIF, UMYF, GBGM, GBOD, etc.). Sometimes we make it hard for our own United Methodist people to describe how we United Methodists are followers of Jesus.
So here it is, in simple fashion, 5 ways to describe how we United Methodists live our Christian faith:
1. We have ONE mission statement: “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” We have all agreed on this statement, it is Biblical, it is in our Book of Discipline, and it is the mission statement of the entire World Wide United Methodist Church.
2. We believe in TWO forms of holiness: personal holiness and social holiness. That is why we United Methodists work to bring individuals (and ourselves) into a Christian way of life, but we also work to change our society to care, nurture, fight injustice/evil, etc.
3. We try to live by the THREE Simple Rules: do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God. John Wesley gave us those rules, all clergy agree to them when they are ordained, and all United Methodist people are called to follow them to the very best of their ability.
4. We believe that truth is found by the FOUR sides of the Wesley Quadrilateral: Scripture is primary, and it is interpreted by Tradition (what the church has taught), Reason, and Experience. We are a Biblical people, but we also see the importance of learning from the Christian teachings of the past, using our minds to think through our faith, and bringing our own experience of God into our understanding.
5. When we join the United Methodist Church, we take a pledge/vow to support the church in FIVE ways:
By our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness. These aren’t just words we say, but actions we are expected to do. And If we do them on a regular basis then the Kingdom of God grows, the church flourishes, and lives are changed for the better.
So, there it is. Five steps to being faithful United Methodist followers of Christ. Those FIVE describe what is unique about being followers of Jesus in the Wesleyan Way . Once a person has committed to follow Jesus, these Five Steps are the hallmarks of The United Methodist Church.
In the days and years to come when things of the world may seem dim, or depressing … we must stand for what we believe and for what we see as right. Maybe those of us who lead in the United Methodist Church, both laity and clergy, would do well to focus on these Five steps and to use that common language. I plan to do so, and I invite you to join me.
Prayers for Mercy, Justice, Peace, Hope, Love and Grace – Pastor Roy