So as the story goes in the Book of Exodus, chapter 32, the Israelites have become quite impatient, waiting on Moses to descend from Mount Sinai.    Actually, it’s easy for us to understand the impatience they experienced, after all, we too become very impatient in life and many times offer “knee-jerk” reactions because of our impatience.   As you remember, at this point in Israel’s history, they had been rescued by God from the Egyptians and had witnessed some of the most phenomenal miracles documented in Scripture.   There was the parting of the Red Sea and all of the plagues that God brought upon the Egyptians in order to have the Israelites released from captivity.   Once released, they had a great deal to celebrate, and the future for them looked exceedingly bright, but alas, our old adversary “impatience” had come to roost in the camp at the base of Mt. Sinai.  
 
If you remember, Moses had led the Israelites to this place at God’s instructions.   There, they waited at the bottom of the mountain in camps while their leader, Moses, climbed the mountain in order to commune with God.   This was not Moses abandoning his people, but rather, at God’s direction Moses was going to receive further instructions.   Sometimes, God wants His people to wait, and to wait patiently, in faith and trust, and without wandering into places that will lead us astray.
 
This aspect of human nature, to become impatient and do things on our own, is one of the great deterrents of faith that we have to overcome in order to remain faithful to the truth of God.   It’s hard to remember that God does things in different ways and timings than we do.   His timing is perfect, and our timing we usually “think” is perfect.   So, when we become impatient with God, we many times subconsciously institute plans to “carry on” for God, rather than patiently waiting, seeking His voice, wisdom and instruction.  
 
At this point in their history, the Israelites are gathered at the base of Mount Sinai waiting for Moses to descend and continue to lead them into the promised Land.   But like waiting for Congress to pass a bill, or, a phone call from a doctor regarding a diagnosis, they became “antsy!”   There is something about the human mind that puts limitations on God and what He’s doing, all brought about by our impatience!   “Surely, He must be ready to proceed by now!   I’ve waited so long and we’ve got to get started!”  
 
Moses was not alone though, he had a brother who was with him on this journey, and his name was Aaron.   Aaron was chosen by God along with Moses to see the Israelites out of Egypt.   He was to aid his brother Moses in all that God had called him to do.   But when the people became impatient at the base of Sinai, he caved into their desire to have some form of God’s presence to worship.   Maybe this was meant to be a good thing, or maybe it was complete idolatry, there are various trains of thought on this subject today.   Regardless of the original intent, what they did has gone into the history books as a tremendous “fail!”   God was not honored, but dishonored!
 
With that, it brings us to the ultimate question for our day: “Are we honoring God in the world today, or, are we dishonoring Him?”   “Have we grown impatient with God as His timing and ways have come into question, or are we substituting something else in His place?”  
 
Just like the actions of the Israelites didn’t happen overnight, the same exist in our lives today.   Are we tired of God telling us things that do not line up with the current culture?   Have we chosen our understanding and wisdom over God’s, that seems to be “antiquated?” Are we now like the Israelites, worshipping things of our own choice, as opposed to honoring the things God has ordained, as well as Him as Creator God?
 
Such is what I see in the United Methodist Church today.   We have become a people of division, not unity, anxious to do things our way!   We are no longer of one mind when it comes to God, and His statutes.   In essence, we have become like the Israelites, impatient with God and His accountability in the world.   We have taken His precepts and manipulated them into a form that both satisfies our understand of God’s laws, as well as what the culture deems as acceptable and worthwhile.   Consequently, our focus has moved from “following” God without question, trusting in His ways and will and having a primary responsibility to share the Gospel of Christ with others, to a focus of resolving the social justice issues in the world and being present during times of need related to the tragedies that nature brings forward.   Somehow, we have forgotten that God didn’t come into the world to “fix it,” but rather, to “redeem it.”  
 
Now many will argue that we are rightfully pursuing God’s unfolding will in the church, but clearly, no one can argue that we are placing the proclamation of the Gospel behind other Christian values.   Yes, it’s a good thing to feed the poor.   Yes, it’s a good thing to clothe the naked.   Yes, it’s a good thing to welcome everyone into our churches.   Yes, it’s a good thing to love all people regardless of who they are, but are we sacrificing God’s truth for the sake of being socially acceptable and doing things as we want to see them?   Have we sacrificed the truth of God for an understanding of sexuality as the culture sees fit?   Has being “open, loving and accepting of all lifestyles” replaced the truth that Jesus died for?   Have we become our own god knowing better than God how we should live, or, have we chosen to dilute the truth of God in order to keep our families from enduring the same arguments that the church worldwide has been faced with for decades?
 
Remember those most famous and distressing words, spoken centuries ago: “Did God really say, ‘you must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”   Friends, it’s really the same old argument.   Did God really say …?  
 
NOTE TO THE READER: This article does take a look at a particular side of the arguments and decisions facing the United Methodist Church today.   This article DOES NOT take any sides, it is simply something to consider as we all struggle to understand and implement God’s will in our lives, and in His Church.   Please be respectful …
​

​The state of affairs in the United Methodist church today is one of division and upheaval.   Who’s right?   Who’s wrong?   No one seems to know, yet at the same time, both sides say they are.  
 
The intension behind the controversary on sexuality is one of complexity to say the least.   The notion is one of bringing individuals to faith in Christ.   That’s a good thing, right?   Sure, it is!   It’s the goal of the church, the mission, the instructions that Jesus left us with, tell me if I’m wrong!   We are to go out, and to preach the Gospel to all of His Creation.  
 
One of the biggest concerns for all of us is this: what will a church split do to the witness of our faith in the world?   Will it unify the church, will it unify both sides?   Will it enhance the mission, will it show the world exactly “who” Jesus is?   Probably not.   Instead, it will only serve to fulfill the passions of many.  
 
If the United Methodist Church continues on the path that it is on, it will most certainly split into several factions.   If this happens, the message to the world, and more importantly the current culture, is one of “confusion and uncertainty.”   I hate to use this analogy, but it is appropriate, if the UMC splits then we will be confirming a message to the culture that we really don’t know what we believe and stand for!   Think about it, the culture will be vindicated in its rationale to “not get involved with the church” because even they don’t know what they stand for, or believe!  I can't tell you how many people I have had this discussion with!  In effect, it would “politicize” the denomination, like Republicans and Democrats.   Polar opposites!
 
By splitting into “progressive and traditional” denominations, we are affirming that God’s Word, the Scriptures, are irrelevant, outdated, inaccurate and unworthy of being followed.  
 
If we recall the teachings of Jesus two thousand years ago, there were many if not most, that could not accept what He was saying.    I know, this is a very complex situation, yet simple.   Many turned away from Jesus because of the difficulty of understanding and application of what He was saying.   At one point, Jesus asked the Disciples, “are you going to leave me too?”   Imagine, this was at the start of what would become the church!
 
The people of Jesus’ day were being separated by what they would accept, what they understood and how far they would go to follow God.   It really was based on the “hardness of their hearts” toward God.   They wanted to follow God, but under their own terms.   Unfortunately, God doesn't work that way.  
 
Today, no one wants to be known as “exclusive” or “unwelcoming.”   I don’t either, especially in the church that I am serving!   But if a church divide takes place, we will end up with two factions.   The “Traditional” church will be one of older, Bible believing members that are seen as unwelcoming, outdated hypocrites.    A “Progressive” church will be seen as one of more modern, culturally accepting, sexually diverse people that accept whatever lifestyle the individual prefers.   Both of these churches are losers!
 
Why?   Because it removes Jesus from be “Lord” and places the interpretation of what is acceptable to God in the hands of each individual.   Why?   Because it nullifies just about every lesson that Jesus preached.   Why?   Because it enhances the problem that led humanity into trouble in the first place … pride and something less than total devotion to Christ!
 
I “get it” that clergy want to grow their churches!   They want to “reach” new people for Christ, but at what cost?   Heresy?   Is that worth it?   Is changing God’s Word lifesaving, or is it life condemning?   At times it becomes all-important to justify our actions, direction and goals.   Nothing wrong with that, unless it causes us to lose sight of the “mission” of the church.   In the UMC, we are called to make “Disciples for Jesus Christ.”   A beautiful goal.   But a Disciple is one that is called to follow the Master, not to discredit Him, which is so easy to do!   Unfortunately, the discrediting of God’s Word started many years ago within the confines of the Christian Church, especially our seminaries.   What has been taught for years has been eroded away through our own “pride from knowledge” as for years God’s Word has been studied, debated, tested and tried.   Yet somewhere in the process our “own” understanding has taken the place of the original meanings and constructs.   We have succumbed to the temptation of knowledge without wisdom.   Its kind of like what has been taking place in the Human Genome Project.   We can manipulate DNA to change things for the better (we think), but should we?  
 
The trend in the culture today is one of independence, individualism and acceptance.   We want to accept all people to be the person that God created them to be.   But who gets to identify what God has called us to be?   Is it what we think and feel?   Is it the fulfillment of our natural desires and preferences?   Was the choices that Adam and Eve made in submission to God, or were they simply exploring who they were created to be?   Don't get the wrong idea here, we are all fallen in the eyes of God, and many times need to be corrected by God and set back on the path towards His righteousness.   So again, the questions remain: Is the Christian Church on the right pth, or the wrong one?

Share where you think we are heading, and what needs to take place.   This article is simply one side of the debate in the UMC, however, it is not final, and I personally am still learning each day what the perspective of those on the other side of the debate believe.   In Christian unity .... can we have this discussion ...?

​“Doing What It Says” means taking God at face value.    It means that God is still on the throne, holy and perfect and does not need our help in guiding the world toward holiness; we just need to accept His definition of it.   In becoming devoted Disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to accept God’s guidelines for what is acceptable behavior and what is not.   Just because we “feel” a certain way or because we were “born” a certain way does not give us the right to call it “normal” or “acceptable.”   We were born in sin and consequently many of our feelings, desires, understandings etc. are sinful in nature.  
 
I’m sure that Moses didn’t agree with God on many things.   Was it fair that God sent all of those plagues?   Was it right that God drown the Egyptian Army in the sea?   How about Abraham, asking him to sacrifice his son?   What about Adam and Eve, after all they had permission to eat of everything else in the Garden!
 
Regardless of where you stand on the many issues surrounding our obedience to Scripture, you always end up asking certain questions:
Is God’s Word really God’s Word?
Is the Bible really inspired by Him?
Is it relevant for today?
Why do some things no longer apply as they use to?
Would it be right for God to leave us guessing?
 
NOTE TO SELF: Jesus said that the faithful would experience opposition.   Are you ready for it?

​I was recently in conversation with a UMC Pastor that held the Bill Clinton approach to the homosexual issue in the United Methodist Church; “” Don’t ask, don’t tell.”   As the lead pastor of a growing church his answer was simply not to address the issue publicly, and in fact to skirt around it if need be.   The difficult part is that taking a stance on one side or the other could fracture the core of the church causing many to leave.   It can also fracture our family structure, especially when the issue involves a loved one in our own house.   It is an issue that sharply divides our hearts and culture.   So, to go back a few years and approach the issue; “what would Jesus do?”
 
Let’s break it down into bite size chunks: first, yes, God wants all of His creation to be with Him in an eternal loving relationship for all of eternity.   This includes all people, young, old, black, white, straight, homosexual, bi-sexual, questioning, whatever.   God never created one person that He didn’t want to include in His heavenly family forever.   Let the record show that God loves all people, through all time, in all states of existence.     But there is a condition called sin, or rebellion, or pride, and this condition separates us from a holy and perfect God.   God loves us but due to our sinful nature we are eternally separated from Him.   So now what?  
 
As a perfect God, he does not leave us alone in our fallen state, He offers us redemption.   The first step of taking God up on His offer of redemption is to admit that we need it!   If I don’t see or admit that I have sinned then how can I do my part which is simply to accept His sacrifice and repent?   To repent means to have a change of heart, to want to have not sinned, to desire to not sin if we had the opportunity to live those moments over again.   It would be absolutely wrong of God to create humankind in His image yet imperfect and not offer humankind the opportunity to be forgiven.   In reality, our decision to accept His sacrifice and repent is part of the creation process.   God is still “creating” you!
 
But where do we get our sense of what’s right and wrong?   What determines what is acceptable or not?   In other words, where is truth?   Where is the dividing line of acceptable behavior and sinful behavior?   Is it left up to each person, society or culture?   Has God given us the principles of righteousness and holiness somewhere or are we left in the dark to figure it out for ourselves?
 
For centuries Christianity has accepted that the Bible is God’s holy and perfect Word for humankind.   We have accepted the authorship of the Bible as being God inspired through various writers and have taken God’s Word at face value when it has told us of its perfect harmony with the holiness of God.   So why all of a sudden has our stance in the church changed?   Is it not telling us what we want to hear?   So, as an example, if the Bible is no longer correct when it comes to sexuality what else needs our attention?
 
NOTE TO SELF: decision time

​Mike was a young man with a new family.   His wife and he were building the American dream and literally had the small house, two kids, a dog all surrounded by a white picket fence.   Mike was a builder by trade and very meticulous about his work.   Many of his houses were listed each year in the Parade of Homes due to his eye for quality and detail.   Life was good and the family seemed very happy and secure, but one day that all changed when Mike enrolled in school to become a Pastor.
 
This was only somewhat of a shock at the time as Mike had been growing in his faith for many years.   He became more involved at his church, started attending small groups and spending more and more time in the Scriptures.   While Mike felt that his life was flowering into something new and beautiful his wife did not.   She felt abandoned and like she had lost her husband to something else.   As time went on the arguments became uglier and the time, they spent away from each other seemed to fuel the fires even more.   Finally, the camel’s back broke.   Mike’s wife felt that her marriage was going down a path that would be unrecoverable.   She felt ordinary, not appreciated, abandoned and empty.
 
While Mike was becoming more and more involved with his faith, growing and now going to pastoral licensing school, his wife was also becoming more involved at her work.   She was starting to sense the attention and affection of a co-worker.   Over the months, Mike missed the signs of a deteriorating marriage until the day she finally told him she was having an affair.   This rocked his belief in God to the core.   “After all I’m doing for God how could He let this happen?”   Mike felt that since he was following the path God had carved out for him that God was left with the responsibility to keep everything else “in order!”   Wrong!   Really, Mike was putting God to the test!
 
While we are to “Do What It Says” (follow the call of Christ in our lives) we are not to ignore the other responsibilities God has entrusted to us.   Mike had family responsibilities that he had walked away from.   He ignored those that he loved because of his enthusiasm for his new-found life direction.   In essence he had replaced his family with his ministry calling.   In his subconscious, Mike was also looking forward to “God owing” him because of his service in Pastoral Ministry.   Mike’s enthusiasm got the best of him!
 
To be faithful to the calling of God we have to remember that God will never ask us to do something that is wrong.   God is good and the plans He executes in the world through us are good too!   These plans are many times difficult, misunderstood and laden with hardship, but they are always good.   We have to remember that “good” in God’s eyes is much different than “good” in humanities eyes.   God is always moving forward toward the eternal redemption of His creation while our attention is many times very temporal.  
 
In the fall of 2015, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Mike at a seminar we were both attending.   Things had progressed in his family situation to a full-blown ugly divorce that included using the kids as pawns.   Mike was extremely depressed.   One day in the middle of a class Mike turned to me and said; “I really blew it!   I mentally and emotionally walked out on my family …. now it’s just done.”   
 
As the months went on Mike did his best to become the father and husband that he knew God wanted him to be.   He found out that he could serve God as a pastor and be a loving father and partner at the same time.   It was difficult, as most things God calls us to do are, but he prayerfully started to seek God’s help and guidance to do them all.   The good news is that Mike and his wife “dating” once again.   Truly God is healing their marriage.
 
As in all situations where we are torn between living out God’s plans in our lives, we have to remember that those plans do not include abandoning the loved ones He has giving to us or expecting God to clean up our trail of broken commitments.  
 
NOTE To Self: Don’t abandon those lovely people God has given to you!   

The biggest problem for people that want to serve Christ, is that they don’t know where to start.   I have a great idea, start by serving either as a greeter or nursery helper.   Both of these ministries in the church are usually understaffed, so check in with the ministry leader for each and get plugged in.   How hard is it to welcome someone to church or change a diaper?   Actually, neither of these ministries is complicated or require great skill, they just require a willing heart.   That’s the key: willingness.  
 
Mark 10:38
"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

 
In this setting the disciples wanted to follow Jesus without completely understanding what they were getting into.   I believe we can admire their faith and choices at this point even though Jesus points out to them that they could never endure all that He was going to.   Their hearts were willing to step into the unknown regardless of how extreme it was going to be.   They were eager to follow but unrealistic as to what it would cost them.   At this point the disciples were relying on their own strength, fortitude and reasoning to be able to walk in Jesus’ shoes.   It wasn’t until later, after the ascension, that the disciples were ready to go forth with the help, strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.   That’s the deal … it is God through the Holy Spirit that provides the wisdom, strength and fortitude to do His will, not the human intellect, stamina or persona.   Our job is to simply be willing …. regardless of the path or outlook!
 
Are you?

From 2010 to 2014 I served three small United Methodist Church in Central Michigan.   During that time, applying the principle “It’s not about you” became the dividing line between spiritual maturity and immaturity.   Many in the parish I was serving had been going to church and participating in church activities most of their lives.    They were walking as Christians, looking the part, doing all the appropriate stuff but still considerably immature.
 
One of the congregations I served was very small, only 14 people on a good Sunday.   This congregation was comprised of mostly older and retired individuals and consequently volunteerism was almost non-existent.   But they always “bellied-up” when the heat bill was due or the apportionments for the church conference were past due, but usually with a self-interested heart.   The overall attitude of this church was one of complacency and self-preservation.   There was essentially no outreach whatsoever at the church.   The church building while beautiful was slowly deteriorating and approaching an unsafe status, but the coffee fellowship was always an integral part of their Sunday morning rituals of gathering in the sanctuary and then communing in the basement for coffee and snacks.
 
The congregation was small and financially struggling but they didn’t want to lose the church building and fellowship that they had enjoyed for years.   It really didn’t make any difference if they weren’t promoting Jesus to the community or inviting others to know Christ, what was important was their own comfort and traditions.
 
I once had a pastor tell me that his small church was dying.   He said there was usually around 13-15 people there on Sunday but the day would come when they could no longer afford to keep the doors open.   What a shame!   But this pastor was very comfortable with the slow death of this church.   “If all I do is minister to these few while they slowly die, that’s OK.”   It didn’t make any difference that the church wasn’t growing.   It didn’t make any difference if new people were coming to faith, what was important was that they had their traditions in place, it was comfortable and it remained all about what they wanted .. not Jesus.   My heart sank and I told him “what a shame!?”
 
Somehow, I don’t think that God is honored when a congregation focuses on keeping the doors open and not the mission Jesus left us with.   In Matthew Jesus spells it out.
 
Matthew 28
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

 
Jesus doesn’t tell us to keep the fires burning and He doesn’t say to keep the coffee pot on.   Jesus instructs us to “lose” ourselves in obedient service to Him.   “GO” He says and tell someone.   Unfortunately for many congregations you can’t do that when you use your resources keeping yourself comfortable and self-serving traditions in place!   GO!   To ignore the call of Christ upon your own life, or the life of the church, is to sin against God and to dishonor Christ’ command.   After all, the Great Commission isn’t the Great Suggestion, it’s a command to action!   He doesn’t say “let’s have blueberry muffins next week,” He says to feed someone in need, shelter the homeless, clothe the needy, comfort the sick, write to an inmate and visit the destitute all to be done in His name.
 
Jesus basically said to give of ourselves not to accumulate for ourselves.   “How about Panera muffins next week?”

​We live in a world today that is overrun with selfishness, anxiety, entitlement and a sense of extreme division.   If the world was a hospital, we would see ourselves in the operating room struggling to stay alive.   If it were a prison, we would be sitting on death row feeling unjustly accused.   I know it’s not a pretty picture, but the world that we live in today is filled with violence, opinion and deceit.   Truthfully, everyone seems to have their own version of the answer to our problems, but no one can agree with what should happen next.   A few weeks ago, I heard a prominent individual say that the answer to our worldly problems is that we have yet to move from “protest” to “policy.”   Really?
  
For thousands of years governments have tried to rule nations, peoples, tribes and such, some fairly, others being oppressive.    They have all failed.   They failed as their policies were not followed, and their leadership crumbled underneath them.   If you doubt this, I encourage you to do your own research, this is historical fact.   So, does that mean that we are never going to get out of this mess?   No, it does not.   What it does mean is that instead of protest and policy, we need Jesus more than we ever have.
  
In the Garden of Eden, God had established the perfect life and environment for all to live a wonderful and fulfilled life.   It was “good” as God Himself said.   Think about this, in the Garden, Adam and Eve didn’t have any racial issues, or political affiliations to deal with, no, they were devoted to God, and followed Him in perfect peace until the day that they chose not to.   While there are many factors surrounding the fall of humankind, it was the “choice” to elevate themselves above God that caused so much grief for centuries.   As much as we refuse to admit, we are not totally capable of perfectly governing ourselves without the guidance of God and adherence to His will.   Let’s face it, there are literally thousands of laws on the books in the United States trying to accomplish the same basic principles outlined in the Ten Commandments.  
 
Today, many believe that if we simply put our time, energy, attention, resources and political game plan into action that we will end up with a just and affluent life for all.   And that sounds great, and it is so needed!   However, not everybody is “on-board!”   People differ in their ideas of what is “just” and “right.”   They cannot see eye to eye on the issues that we face, and many are simply unwilling to listen to anyone but themselves.   In short, the world is a mess because we are a mess!
 
Now you’re ready to fight, to attack with your way of seeing things!   Friends, again I go back to the story of humankind and human nature.   We are, and have always been “at odds!”   So, now what?
 
The problem cannot be rectified by rules, regulations, finances or human leadership.   The problem is the human heart.   I can take away an individual’s gun, but I can’t make them not want to shoot another person.   The problems we are facing stem from our interpretation of what we think is right, what we think will happen tomorrow, what we think is right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable.   Let’s get real.   If the human heart (as a culture) really cared about the problem of homelessness, we would wipe it out in a heartbeat.   If we really cared about lives, then we would not be aborting children.   If we really cared about racism, we would look at our own attitudes first!   If global warming was really important, we would make the changes necessary without the government even being involved.   If loving our neighbor as ourself was really engrained in our hearts, we would be actively involved with those in need around us.   Food Banks would not be necessary as neighbors would make sure others were fed.
 
NOTE TO SELF: Let God change my weak imperfect heart

​Johns health took a turn for the worse when he reached his late 60s.   No longer was he the “rough-tough” cowboy mountain man that he once portrayed.   He was now weak, fragile and struggling to just breathe.   The rough life he lived, which was filled with hard work as well as hard partying caused him to slow down to a crawl.   He was only a shell of his former self.   Now it was his time, his time to face the end-of-life scenario that we all will face.   In his life questions started to erupt: Do I trust in Jesus?   Do I trust what God is allowing to take place in my life?   Am I OK with whatever the outcome might be, or am I demanding that God heal me and save me?   Is it about me or Him?
 
Regardless of the outcomes of life, they are always easier to accept when we truly understand that “It’s not about me.”   My life was created for the purposes of a holy and perfect God.   The plans for me are good yet many times painful.   If I truly accept what God has offered me, even when I do not understand, I can live each day, moment by moment in the assurance of a life filled with blessings and joys beyond my human comprehension.   Amen!
 
NOTE TO SELF: Get very real!