Confession: Sometimes I feel like one of the things that United Methodists are best at is shallow optimism. In looking at the events of our most recent General Conference, I am not sure I am willing to put a positive spin on things, or accept the attempts some made in the immediate aftermath of General Conference to put it in a positive light. While I can certainly understand why delegates would want to find meaning in the way that they have poured themselves out over the last two weeks, I’m not sure we have much to be proud of. I’m not sure anybody won. And I’m pretty sure The United Methodist Church lost. And yet I sense that people are already putting a positive spin on things. Something about the catharsis of a stressful ten day meeting ending seems to make people feel better about the meeting itself, even in the face of the apparent evidence.
For my part, I wish we could be honest: we are sick and we do not appear to have the necessary resources to heal ourselves.
There were many ways our inability to heal ourselves was illustrated during the meeting in Tampa, FL, but none display the communal brokenness more clearly than efforts around restructuring the church. Coming into this General Conference, there seemed to be widespread recognition that the denomination was at a crossroads. We are in serious decline and the time to act is now, lest it be too late to make meaningful change. I may have missed it, but I do not recall hearing or reading any arguments that suggested that everything is great and there is no reason to worry. So, people of good will and gifted ability invested countless hours and resources in trying to identify ways forward and make the case for the necessity of the agreed upon way forward. The results are before us and they give us no grounds for having hope in ourselves.
The General Administration committee was so divided that it voted down every single substantive proposal that was before it and did not bring anything to the floor of General Conference.
A heroic effort was made to bring a compromise plan directly to the floor of General Conference. A compromise was hammered out and brought to the full conference. It passed, though few seemed very enthusiastic about it. The general idea, among those who voted for it, was that something was better than nothing.
And then, halfway through the last day, Judicial Council announced that the plan was unconstitutional and unsalvageable.
During the dinner break, another heroic effort was made to find a way forward. The final proposal was tabled, never to be retrieved.
Look, I was not in Tampa. So I may be missing something. And I mean no disrespect whatsoever to those who poured themselves out for so many days. I believe that each person at General Conference took their job as a delegate with utmost seriousness and I am grateful for their work. I believe men and women were scratching and clawing, trying to find a way forward, trying to do something to turn this thing around. But it does not look like that happened.
I am almost embarrassed by how closely I followed this General Conference. I even made my students in all three undergraduate classes I am teaching this quarter watch part of a session live.
One of the things that continues to amaze me is how wide a disconnect their sometimes seemed to be between what actually happened as the result of a conference and what we act like happened.
At Methodist Conferences, I am often reminded of the children’s story with the emperor who has no clothes on. You know the one. It is pretty straightforward, the emperor has no clothes on, but everyone tries really hard not to notice. Sometimes we put so much effort into putting our best face on things that it feels like we are saying that decline is a sign of vitality, that spiritual malaise is a sign of holiness, and that mistrust and division are reasons for a hopeful future.
When I am the closest to Jesus, I am the most aware that I cannot do in myself what God in Christ wants to do in me. I have found that growth in my life is usually related to my awareness of my own brokenness and my need for salvation. I cannot save myself.
From where I sit, in sackcloth and ashes, it sure looks to me like what is happening in the church that I deeply love is not a new thing being done in the name of the Lord, but walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Does anyone really think that all is well in The United Methodist Church? Is this what spiritual vitality looks like? In our present state, do we resemble the Body of Christ? The harder we try to whip ourselves into a frenzy and pretend that everything is great and that God is doing a new thing in our midst, the more it feels to me like The United Methodist Church has no clothes on.
And from my perspective, the worst possible news would be that this is what health looks like!
When I look at The United Methodist Church, I do not know what God is up to. I am pretty sure that collectively, despite our best individual efforts, we are making a mess of things.
We cannot save ourselves. Based on the results of our best efforts, we have no basis for hope.
There is always hope in Christ, individually and for The Church. But I don’t know what God’s will is for our part of The Church. I hope that better days are coming. But I wonder if there is more of a role for lament, for weeping, and for repentance than we are currently making room for. I wonder if the most appropriate posture that we could have in the wake of General Conference is one of confession and repentance. I wonder if we need to be silent and weep instead of trying to wrap a pretty bow on what was a pretty disappointing meeting.
Early in this General Conference, someone said “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.” If that is true, the 2012 General Conference should teach us that “it” isn’t going to be, because we can’t pull it off. If we learn nothing else, may God help us to turn away from self-reliance and self-confidence and turn toward the living God, who brings life after death.
God, help us! We cannot help ourselves.
Kevin M. Watson 
The results of this General Conference are much better than people are giving them credit for. The restructure of each of the general agencies was quality: it created more efficient (smaller) boards that reflect global realities. At the same time, we did NOT rush into a disastrous decision that was not thought through, violated our constitution, did not effect any substantial changes other than minimizing ministries of justice and history (which are needed even more during times of great change/uncertainty than in times of ease), and was created using anti-democratic, exclusive, non-Spirit-led paths.
This is no time for shallow optimism. It pains me that the “accomplishment” we bring home from General Conference is that we averted far worse legislation. What I cling to as hope is that we in the UMC will repent as God reveals our distrust of one another (THAT is the major adaptive challenge of the Towers-Watson Report!).
Now I’m off to preach “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God… perfect love casts out fear… those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen…”
Kevin, United Methodist Insight would like to reprint this post as part of its General Conference round-up. Please reply to one.scribe56@gmail.com
Kevin,
Great thoughts here. I made my polity class watch some of the streaming video and I think we all came away with a similar impression. I never believed that restructuring would solve our ills, nor do I believe that vital congregations is the complete answer. Without mature disciples making more disciples we are done. But, thankfully, that work is not entirely up to us. As Wesley said:
“Only the power that makes a world can make a Christian” – John Wesley, Notes on the New Testament, 2 Cor. 5:17
In that spirit,I don’t think God is done with the people called Methodist.
N
Kevin, your comments sum up much my own reaction to General Conference. We are indeed sick, and indeed we do not appear to have the necessary resources to heal ourselves. One of the problems is that we appear (to me, at least) to be looking to the wrong resources.
Anybody who is terribly shocked by the Judicial Council decision ruling “Plan UMC” to be unconstitutional has forgotten an important moment in our history and should go back to the General Conference of 1972, which adopted the legislation that established the General Council on Ministries. That body was envisioned in the 1972 legislation as having two major powers/responsibilities:
1. To establish policies and make decisions governing the functions of the general boards and agencies of The United Methodist Church, consistent with the actions of the General Conference, during the interim between its sessions.
2. To approve or disapprove recommendations by a board to change its internal structure as specified in the Discipline or by boards to transfer functions among them, subject to ratification by the General Conference.
The Judicial Council ruled that this legislation was unconstitutional in Decision 364, the full text of which is available here:
http://archives.umc.org/interior_judicial.asp?mid=263&JDID=1020&JDMOD=VWD
The reasoning of the Judicial Council in ruling that “Plan UMC” is unconstitutional is almost exactly the same as the reasoning that led to the 1972 decision.
This Judicial Council decision was perfectly predictable, or so it seems to me, and could and really should have been foreseen by those involved, whether the CT and IOT (and COB) in proposing the original reorganization plan, or those who crafted the alternative widely called “Plan B,” or the MFSA in crafting its alternative proposal. Once we got to the point at which things stalled out in the legislative committee, it is entirely understandable that the cobbled-together “Plan UMC” did not pass constitutional muster.
Nobody involved in any of this appears to have been talking to those in our Church who are most knowledgeable about our history and our polity (not to mention our doctrine).
In response to a similar post on Facebook, a friend made this savvy if slightly cynical comment:
“Apparently the constitution guarantees that no strategic planning and alignment can be led or coordinated by a chief executive, whether among the bishops or among the agency fiefdoms. So the constitution is producing the results it was designed to produce. Since nobody can pull off rewriting the constitution, each of us can focus on our home congregation or ministry and get back to work.”
I certainly don’t want to invite or promote the prospect of a wholesale rewriting of the Constitution of the UMC. Given what just happened in Tampa, can anyone who happens to read this imagine the chaos of a UMC Constitutional Convention?
On the other hand, it does not seem to be too much to ask that those involved in crafting legislative proposals for reorganization of the entire structure of the denomination seek to involve in the process, or at least to actively engage in conversation with, some of the history and polity and constitutional scholars of the UMC. For the record, I’m certainly not counting myself in that company; I’m thinking of people like Dick Heitzenrater and Russ Richey and Tom Frank, to mention only three names.
If we really want to achieve the objective of reorganizing the structures of the UMC along something like the lines of “Plan UMC,” then it will be necessary to craft a series of carefully drafted constitutional amendments to make that possible. And since for better or for worse our constitution makes the process of constitutional amendment so difficult, we certainly need to pay much more attention than has been evident during the last quadrennium to our constitutional history.
I recently have the privilege of editing a collection of essays honoring Russ Richey, the title of which is _The Renewal of United Methodism: Mission, Ministry and Connectionalism / Essays in Honor of Russell E. Richey_ (Nashville: GBHEM, 2012). In the Preface to that volume, which I wrote, I made this statement on behalf of all the parties involved:
“The contributors to this volume share the conviction that the genuine renewal of United Methodism is more likely to result from careful attention to and serious engagement with the work of the church’s scholars and teachers, exemplified by Russ Richey, than from the proposals of organizational consultants and management experts from the business world.”
For my part, in the aftermath of Tampa, I stand by that statement even more strongly than before.
Reblogged this on iPorch.
The Wesley brothers, and others, were great tools in God’s hands intending to bring renewal to the Church of England. The movement grew around the globe and people’s lives were turned around. Then contrary to John Wesley’s desires the movement beame an institution and a Church. Institutionalism most always kills a Church and kills the movement of the Spirit. The Church of England was not renewed and continues to decline and the movement of the Holy Spirit through a group called methodist has long ago lost its steam and its purpose. It may be well to recognize it has served its purpose and now needs to R.I.P.
Thank you for expressing my feelings. As a local pew person who has been extremely challenged by what is happening within my church, I monitored General Conference for the first time. To be honest it was initially over concern of the homsexuality debate–an issue I struggle deply with. I monitored the restructure efforts prior to General Conference and was concerned with “How things were handled”. After the committee could not come up with a single plan to take before the Conference, my heart stopped. I realized then the homosxuality debate was not our main problem. The current structure and leadership does not lend itself to change. I have the sense the United Methodist denomination as we know it may already be dead and it is just taking a while for it to collapse. But, I have joyfully watched the rise of Wesleyan thought and extreme interest in the Wesleyan way of Practicing Christianity, particularly among the younger generation. So Mehtodism will survive because it will be returning to its roots in John and Charles Wesley–it has to return to those roots because that is why the church is in exestence, it can not be anything other than what it is supposed to be no matter how much others try to do otherwise. God is truly at work. Christianity was never meant to be this instiutionalized.
I fully agree and pray for God’s direction to make meaningful adjustments.
Kevin…While I appreciate your comments very much….I come from a little different perspective. After serving 20 years in a different Wesleyan denomination…and serving as a D.S. in our UM church…my view of GC2012 was one of not “shallow optimism” but heartfelt optimism and hope! In fact…GC2012 might even be cosidered historic. 1. First of all, our African brothers and sisters made it possible to send a very clear message that the UM church will NOT accomodate our culture like many mainline denominations…and we will not change our position on ordination and approval of the homosexual agenda. While that is a battle we have been fighting for a long time…it seems to me that this is the first GC where we have definitively set the standard and the future of this aspect of our doctrinal integrity indeed
looks optimistic. 2. It has also been interesting to me how much emphasis we place on
Structure and pronouncements that come out of GC. The truth is that it is the local church that is the frontline of ministry and growth. What pronouncements that come out of GC in relation to structure….really have little to do with the effectiveness of the local church…with the exception, in my opinion, of guaranteed appointments. Even in that particular instance we have crossed the line in the sand…and while not exactly as some of us wanted..we at least
took a step forward in recognising and acting on the issue. 3. The future looks bright…as our most effective pastors and churches continue to grow and our African brothers and sister their rightfully place
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Our Methodist “structure” was hammered together at the same time as our nation’s “structure” – could it be that both have become broken at the same time too? With both sides so entrenched in their “rightful” positions, there is no room for consensus, no room for true thought and no room for hearing God say something we don’t want to hear. Let us all pray it is not too late.
Oops…sorry….I haven’t gotten quite used to the android. 🙂 Anyway….3. The future looks bright…as our most effective pastors and churches continue to grow and our African brothers and sisters take their rightful place in leadership in our denomination. The least effective conferences continue to decline because of their loss of historic Methodist ethos and their influence in GC also continue to decline. They will, I assume, continue to make their dramatic statements and hold their press conferences to gain the media attention, but while we must remain viligent, their voice seems to grow either increasingly desperate or increasingly dim. 4. The structural issues most important in my estimation are to lessen the influences of General Church committees who refuse to be accountable to those increasingly evangelical voices in the pulpit and pew…such as GBCS and GBHEM and either replace them completely along with their unaccountable staff, or do away with their role by continuing the restructuring at the GC level. Not that it will have much impact on the effectiveness of the local church….but will at least lessen the controversial statements they make which cause the local church harm and p.r. headaches.
Just My 2 cents worth from a somewhat different perspective…coming after 20 years in another denomination. I am VERY happy to be a UM!
The problem with this article is that “we” is used fr too much. We can’t change hearts, we can’t grow the UMC, or make disciples. Only GOD can this work. That is not to say we are not to be used by His saving spirit. Quote, “we are sick and we do not appear to have the necessary resources to heal ourselves.” That necessary resources is God and the power of His Holy Spirit. “We” need to quit trying to be God!
Jesus’s disciples never got to see in their life time the fruition of their influence. To them it must have seemed small change, but they remained faithful. It may not be God’s intention for the UMC to grow at this point in history. All that “we” can do is to remain faithful and put our trust in the God who knows the eternal picture.
JB
After reading scores of blog posts, tweets, and Facebook comments from both laity and clergy, I believe we are weary of the “shallow optimism.” Yes we did hurt ourselves with GC2012. If our connection was not cracking before, it is now. I sense that more than ever GC2012 has created a quiet almost stoic attitude of, “Well, there is nothing the denomination is going to do to resolve this. We’re on our own now.”
Actually, some good may come of this attitude in local churches. There is no reason to wait on our judicatory. We can discern God’s future in our churches and move on. Nothing more is needed for us to be making disciples locally.
As for the denomination (above the local church), I think of Paul’s words to the Galatians. “Have you received the Spirit because you obeyed the law or because you believed…” Denominationally, it’s time to stop thinking that new rules, processes, structures and church law will fix anything, and return to prayer, fasting and repentance (Not that we don’t need the same repentance in local churches). If GC2016 makes another attempt at new rules and laws we’re most likely sunk. What we need to do is the 21st century equivalent of sack cloth and ashes, and we in the local churches need to be called to that same level of repentance. Let’s all begin to fast and pray now for a very different GC2016.
@pastorbobryder: I think your reading is accurate, Pastor Bob. We’re already seeing many new conversations spring up in the virtual world, such as this week’s Tweetchat about young-adult UMs at #dreamumc. As one who observed GC2012, I feel sure God’s Holy Spirit entered the proceedings at the end when the Judicial Council halted Plan UMC. Now the Spirit has spread out through the denomination to work God’s true will. The more we attune ourselves through spiritual disciplines such as prayer and fasting, the more we’ll be able to discern what God wants for the UMC. Blessings be upon our efforts!
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