How To: Rediscovering a Sense of Urgency
In the latest episode, we shared several highlights from a recent trip to Charlotte for the first Fresh Expressions UM conference. It was a great week with so many highlights, but there were also a few occasions on which I really felt challenged. One of these came when Dr. Candace Lewis, dean of Gammon Theological Seminary, asked us if we believed the best is ahead for The United Methodist Church. I’ll confess to you now; I struggle to respond positively to this question.
Don’t get me wrong, I want to say yes. I’m certainly dedicated to work towards that goal. But belief in our ability to get there…I’m conflicted. As I’ve been struggling with this question, I must remind myself that the power and efficacy of our denomination must come from God, not our own ability. Easy to say, hard to live into. This is a huge part of the THRIVE mentality we’ve talked about: believing in the present risenness of Christ (as Brennan Manning would say in Abba’s Child [highly recommend]), that God is active today and cares to be involved in the life of God’s church.
Well, I think a renewed sense of urgency is a pretty important step toward building a better church for the future. After last week’s episode on the pressing need for a renewed sense of urgency within our faith journeys and in the life of our denomination, I’ve been thinking a lot about what steps we can take to put our words into action. After all, we really aren’t doing much good if all we do is talk about this stuff…
So, to that end, we’ve written another guided inventory to walk each of us through some necessary introspection. How well are we living an urgent faith? How are your actions and intentions stretching you to stay on-mission, creating disciples for the transformation of the world? Let’s dig into it…
Reflection on Personal Faith Journey:
- How often do I assess my spiritual growth and seek ways to deepen my faith?
- In what ways am I actively responding to God’s call to serve and love others in my daily life?
Engagement in Ministry and Service:
- Can I identify moments when I felt a strong sense of urgency to act on my faith? What sparked these moments?
- How am I contributing to the mission and activities of my congregation and community?
Commitment to Learning and Growth:
- Do I regularly seek out opportunities for learning and spiritual development?
- How do I incorporate the teachings and values of my faith into my everyday decisions and interactions?
Advocacy and Social Justice:
- What injustices or needs in my community am I passionate about addressing?
- How have I used my voice or resources to advocate for change and support those in need?
Inclusivity and Community Building:
- As I reflect on the inclusivity of my actions and attitudes, am I welcoming and open to people from different backgrounds and perspectives?
- How do I contribute to creating a community that reflects God’s love and welcome for all?
I’m not ready to give up on The United Methodist Church, and I’m striving to be in a place of optimism. The more we have the conversations, the more I am encouraged. I believe we can THRIVE in our ministry. I believe we can live into a sense of urgency. May we use this dialogue and optimism as a spark towards the kind of change we long for in our denomination
