Bishop Mike Lowry

I read the words during my daily devotional time.  “Our communities should be places where people can detox, whether that be from alcohol, tobacco, gluttony, shopping, or gossip. We long for a place that tips us towards goodness …” (Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, & Enuma Okoro, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, p. 286).

That struck me like a bolt of lightning. It was not the “newness” of the words. I’ve heard them before; I’ve said them myself before! What struck me was my own longing for such a place. Even church can be too busy. We need less promulgation and more ministry; less injunction and more immersion; less stridency and more peace. Worship, at its best, is both an oasis and stopping area. It both refreshes and sends us back out.  The same can and should be said for our quiet devotional time.

This longing washed over me at 37,000 feet while flying to Nashville for yet one more meeting. Last Saturday, I preached at the Conference UMW gathering at First UMC Brownwood on Phil. 4:4-7 on “The Peace That Passes All Understanding.”  I long for peace …. and engagement. How about you?

I have written in a previous blog that as a Cabinet we went to a Healthy Church Initiative (HCI) workshop.  As we continue to live in the “Exodus Project” we are consciously seeking to invest prayer, time, energy and learning to energize and equip local church to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”  In conjunction with HCI, I am reading Bob Farr’s new book Renovate or Die.  I commend it to you for its practical helpfulness.

In Renovate or Die, Bishop Robert Schnase writes the eleventh chapter  entitled, “Overview: Changing the Conference Culture.”  He writes: “A church consultant began a teaching session with the provocative statement, ‘God doesn’t care whether your congregation thrives or declines, lives or dies.’  God cares about whether the transforming truth of Jesus Christ changes people, and changes the world through them, and God will gladly use our congregations for that purpose or work around our congregations for that purpose.”  Bishop Schnase goes on to comment, “Congregations are not ends in themselves.  Local churches are particular expressions of the body of Christ existing to further the mission that we see revealed in the life, death, and resurrection” (Bob Farr, Renovate or Die, p. 104).

I think God does care whether our churches thrive or decline, live or die.  But I take the basic point as true.  My way of putting it is that churches are not to be the object of our love.  They are an instrument of God’s love.  Outwardly focused churches driven by the winds of the Holy Spirit thrive as they engage in the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  Churches that inwardly focus solely to take care of each other die.  The church doesn’t have a mission.  The church is a mission post of the advancing kingdom of God. It is an instrument of God’s redemptive mission to this world.

This past weekend I attended a Renovaré/Aprentis Institute event with my wife in Wichita, Kansas.  (It was her birthday present.)  Entitled Formation in Christlikeness: The Process of Change, we drank deep from the well of learning and reflection.  Dallas Willard offered a framework on “the ingredients of Transformation into Christlikeness” built on Vision – Intention – Means.  He noted that we tend to focus on the means but vision is the “support of it all.”  He further commented that the availability to us of God and His kingdom means we are not victims unless we chose to be
victims.  Intention according to Willard “is solidly formed in the light of correct vision. . . . We become disciples, apprentices of Jesus in kingdom living from our Vision of life.”

Willard’s questions linger in my mind as I reflect on our time together.  “How are you doing with your kingdom today?”  The answer is often, “Not great.”  The response is an invitation to live in the Kingdom of God.  Put differently, “Would you like a life of abiding peace?”  Who wouldn’t! And, if I don’t experience abiding peace in my life today, even in tough times, then is a challenge to the vision – intention – (and) means of Christ-like formation in my life?  Is my vision focused; is my intention true?  Means (spiritual disciplines) follow vision and intention.

“Means,” said Dallas Willard, “becomes available and effectual where the Vision is clear and the Intention is unwavering. . . . Outward conformity without inward transformation (Vision and Intention) is impossible and will kill you and others spiritually.”

The first part of this week, I am at a Healthy Church Initiative workshop
being attended by the Cabinet, some members of the Conference staff, and our Lay Leaders (Steve McIver and Kim Simpson). In major part, we are investigating a major tool for the transformation of local churches to engage in their stated mission of “making disciples for the transformation of the world.”  Among many things, we are learning how cluster groups might best engage in energizing and equipping local churches and how we as a Conference staff might help them.

As a part of that learning, I read a blog written by Dr. Thom Rainer (author of Simple Church) in 2011 entitled “Signs of Hope.” I found the blog both accurate and encouraging. I quote:

1. A Renewed love for the Bible.
   -Increased hunger for deeper preaching and
   teaching.
   -The rise in interest and commitment to spiritual formation.
2. Increasing passion for nations.
   -Transformational church members are actively involved in reaching nations with the Gospel. Conference churches engaged in places like Kenya or other nations.
   -The Denominational Focus area (1 of 4) reaching around the world especially to Africa on Imagine No Malaria and the emphasis in conversion growth for extended areas of the world.
3. A concern for both eternal needs and temporal needs.
   -Transformational churches are focused on both the Great Commission AND the Great Commandment … with fervor.
   -Attempting to rediscover the connection between evangelism and social justice/mercy. The Focus Area in the UMC on combating poverty.
   -The rise in local church mission initiatives in their community.
4. The young and restless millennial Christians [born between 1980 – 2000].
   -The largest generation in America’s history (78 million).
   -Only 15% are Christians.
   -Causing shake up in our churches with their Holy Discontent.
   -We have tended to relate to the 15% and struggle to engage the 85%.
5. A desire for authentic and transparent leaders in our churches.
   -… a return to godly, biblical leadership
   -The overwhelming feedback from laity and the great need for us to teach leadership to both lay and clergy.
   -Leadership Development as one of the Four Focus Areas for the UMC.
6. A healthy reevaluation of church and denominational structures.
   -New leaders are not anti-traditional … but want structures that are the best use of God’s resources
   -The Call to Action Report and Interim Operations Team Report – IOT on the national level; the Exodus Project on the Conference level.
7. An increased emphasis on church planting.
   -U.S. currently has one church for every 1,000 people
   -Path One as one of the Four Focus Areas of the UMC

(Source: Healthy Church Initiative – Orientation 2011, p. 8 – quoting blog by Dr. Thom Rainer; additional comments by Bishop Lowry in italics.)

Last Saturday’s Fall Summit with Dr. Reggie McNeal was a blast!  As usual First UMC, Mansfield did an outstanding job of hosting (highlighted by an awesome witness in music).  Reggie framed his presentation around the idea that it is our job to bless people.  Genesis 12:2 lays out the concept that we are blessed to be a blessing. “The missional church is the people of God partnering with God in the Lord’s redemptive mission in the world.”  Teaching us to go beyond the basic metrics (but not to ignore those basic metrics!), McNeal said, “the scorecard is … is the world any different because of us.”  He advised us that the best way to become involved in the community is through serving in the public school system.

Friday, September 16^th, Jolynn and I along with Katy Zeh (a staff member from the Board of Church and Society met with our Representative, Congresswoman Kay Granger, to thank her for her support of global health issues.  As chair of the  Appropriations subcommittee for State, Foreign Operations, and Related programs, she has been a major champion in the effort to fight killer diseases  and especially in women’s health issues. (Congresswoman Granger is a United  Methodist.)  She remarked that people ask her “why do we give away all that money to foreign countries.”  Noting that foreign aid is 1% of the federal budget, she listed two towering reasons to support such aid.  1. National Security and 2. Moral Responsibility.

Speaking to the issue of national security she drew the connection between involvement in fighting disease and especially women’s health.  People are much more likely to turn to violence if not helped.  The mother’s health in the family system is especially critical.  “If mom’s sick, the family is gone.”  Our influence is an influence for peace in the world – “where we aren’t China is.”

Speaking of the faith perspective Congresswoman Granger made the clear connection with biblical teachings like the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) and our response.   Her commitment was deep, faith-driven and heartfelt.  I am thankful for her good work on this great focus issue of the United Methodist Church and of our country.

Do you recall where you were when the news first starting coming in about the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001?  I do.  I was at University United Methodist Church in San Antonio (where I was serving as Senior Pastor).  As the news came in, we gathered the staff and anyone else present in the building who wished to join us for a time of prayer in the sanctuary.  In the sacred quiet of that sanctuary we laid our fears before the Lord.

In a host of different ways we will remember the events and victims of the 9/11 tragedy.  Once again I hope that we will lay our fears and hopes before the Lord.  The world needs Christians to show a yet more excellent way (I Corinthians 21:31).

In watching the various TV specials and reports leading up to the 10^th anniversary, I find my emotions stirred on a deep level.  Anger and hope vie for control; fear and forgiveness wrestle with each other; peace and  vengeance stalk the inner corridors of my soul.  In the tumult of my emotions, the words of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians come back to me.  “Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus: Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to be exploit. But he emptied himself by taking the form of a salve and by becoming like human beings” (Philippians 2:5-7, CEB).

I have come back from renewal leave with enthusiasm and hope for ministry in our changing (wilderness) time. Today, I am at a meeting of the Conclave (the name for the Texas Methodist Foundation’s clergy group for the 11 active bishops in the South Central Jurisdiction). As usual I find the discussion stimulating and engaging. Like much of the church, we are wrestling with the deeper implications of “making disciples for the transformation of the world.”

There are many nuanced definitions of discipleship. Among the mix it seems safe to assert that a disciple is a carrier of the good of Jesus Christ. It also seems apparent (but needs saying) that we can’t make disciples without being a disciple. Our mission statement challenges me to walk closer with God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. . . And to invite others to join with me in a common journey. My prayer remains that of Aelred of Rievualx “to see Him [Christ] more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly.”

In the midst of exciting challenges and hopeful signs of God at work, reality intersects. Yesterday on my drive down to Austin, my wife called with news of the tragic death of one of her cousin’s children (a young woman age 27). My planned activities are in the midst of being suddenly rearranged. Tomorrow we will drive to Louisiana for the funeral service. Our extended family grief is a part of wilderness living (and dying).

The Wesleyan Heritage part of our renewal leave calls to mind John Wesley’s dying words:  “The best of all is that God is with us!”

It is great to be back from my renewal leave and family vacation time.  As I turn my attention to the fall, I am tremendously excited about having Dr. Reggie McNeal with us on September 10^th at First UMC, Mansfield for the Fall Summit.  Dr. McNeal serves as the Missional Leadership Specialist for Leadership Network.  His books are must reads for me.  I expect the pastors and lay leadership of the Central Texas Conference to be present. (You can register through the Conference web site www.ctcumc.org or at www.firstmethodistmansfield.org.)

In his book Missional Renissance, Dr. McNeal writes: “Going missional will require that you make three shifts, both in your thinking and in your behavior:

• From internal to external in terms of ministry focus
• From program development to people development in terms of core activity
• From church-based to kingdom-based in terms of leadership agenda

These shifts are the signature characteristics of what missional means. They are not destinations; they are compass settings. They point you into the new world. They will move you from doing church as primarily a refuge, conservator, and institutional activity in a post-Christendom culture to being a risky, missionary, organic force in the increasingly pre-Christian world in North America” (Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard from the Church, by Reggie McNeal, pg. xvi).

I’ll see you at the summit!

I must confess that I came to Iona Abbey with a romantic notion of the Abbey Community.  Somehow in my mind it represented a modern representation of a heroic past involving courageous Christian witness and daring Christian service.  While still impressed and thankful for my time at Iona, I left Iona Abbey searching for something more.  Allow me to briefly (far too briefly to do real justice to something I have given much thought and prayer) explain.

George MacLeod started (or more properly restarted the Iona Abbey community) in 1938 out of a heartfelt concern to reconnect the church of his day with the working class people of the community.  He took young ministers (essentially ministers-in-training) and unemployed stoneworkers together to Iona.  As they worked together in rebuilding the Abbey, they shared together in the Christian faith.  Not all of the stoneworkers were Christian but the intermixing of the clergy with laborers helped the church reconnect with the working class of Scotland.  Following the ministry and model of Columba, MacLeod combined genuine conversion-oriented evangelism (witnessing to Christ as they worked side by side) with justice and mercy (helping fight the crippling unemployment of the depression).

From those early beginnings the Iona Abbey Community has emerged with a deep sense of justice and mercy ministry.  Though the historic island of Iona and the physical Abbey itself are the spiritual home of the Iona Community, the community’s main ministry is all over the world through the reach of its approximately 270 members and a much larger number of Associate Members.

Over the years it has been extremely active in the peace movement, ministry to the marginalized and impoverished, deep commitment to ecological sustainability and the like. Prayer, worship with liturgical and musical renewal has remained a central emphasis as well.  Members (capital M) of the worldwide Iona Abbey Community commit to fivefold rule of prayer and Bible study, economic sharing, planning of time, meeting together for mutual support and accountability, and working for justice and peace.  In many ways, the ministry is impressive and faithful.  And yet, there is  something lacking.  As the justice and mercy ministry has moved more and more to the forefront, a sense of evangelistic witness has faded to mere abstraction. The worship liturgy and prayer alone appear to keep the group from  drifting off into being just another agency of social activism.

In a discussion group, a layman from a church in Leek, England probed the Member of the Iona Community on their current connection to the original vision of MacLeod to reconnect the church to working class people.  The response to his probing was  polite but defensive.  The Member of the Iona Community acknowledged that they were essentially a mid-class (mainline) Christian movement that had lost connection with the working class.  Peace and justice were the predominant focus of their work.

Later, I sought the layman out to follow up on his thinking.  Perceptively he  commented that it was “hard for an institution to recover its original mission.”  As we conversed, it became clear that this layman did not disagree at all with the commitment to justice and mercy.  What he missed (and had come to Iona looking for) was a concomitant commitment to sharing the gospel in the way of St. Columba and Rev. MacLeod.  He spoke of a great commission commitment to share the faith with others in a way that led to committing one’s life to Christ.

The direct application for my ministry and for the Central Texas Conference was not lost on me. However good (and it is truly good, needed and a work of God) social justice ministry is, it alone is not enough.  The second major way the Iona Community is seeking to live out the mission and ministry of Christ is in and through authentic community.  Essentially they represent another attempt (among many) to re-engage the great insights of Christian community tracing a line from the original Christ followers (read the close of Acts 2) and the abbeys of old down to today.  This is a large subject which must wait for another day.  (Watch this fall’s The Wilderness Way.)

As we moved through our week at Iona Abbey, our time and activity took on the aspect of a church summer camp.  One night as we watched the children (many
families had come to be a part of the Abbey retreat) perform in a talent show
(the word “talent” was very charitably applied!), I leaned over and commented
to Jolynn that we could have gone to Glen Lake and saved money.

I had come expecting more quiet meditative time.  I knew in advance that community was a central part of the Iona Abbey experience and believed that I would benefit
from being in community while I prayed, meditated, studied and reflected.  I failed to account for how “messy” community can be!

We have met and conversed with people from a variety of countries (though predominately from Great Britain – Scotland and England).  We’ve shared in conversation and learning what has not always been comfortable.

What holds the messy whole together is worship.  Twice a day at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., all in the Iona Community are required to be in worship. (The only other requirements are to participate in the common meals and share in the common work.)  I am not a
liturgist.  Most of those reading may be aware that I helped pioneer so called contemporary or “praise” worship.  But, the liturgy in the Iona community is marvelous.  I have found it deep and rich in imaginary; fresh and new in style; provoking and guiding in direction.  Much of this is, I think, from the great music leadership of John Bell and also from the great liturgical traditions of both the Church of Scotland and the Church of England.

At its heart, the liturgy is impressively and insistently Trinitarian.  “Holy one, holy three” is a common phrase.  The liturgy refused to settle on either the first, second, or third person of the Trinity.  There is a lesson here for us.  I find myself more convicted and determined to be deeply Trinitarian.