Jonathan LeMaster-Smith

Below are my thoughts on speaking into the anxieties and hopes that come next.

You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. – John 15:16

With General Conference over, we as pastors, teachers, and other ministers in The United Methodist Church are now charged with interpreting what has happened, what it means for us, and what it means for the future of the church. One reality that we face is, we cannot predict the future, we have no crystal ball to see how the changes to The Book of Discipline, and more so, the life of our denomination, will play out.

But I am hopeful. And my encouragement with every pastor, educator, and faithful United Methodist is to be honest about what happened and is happening. Name that we have begun a process of regionalizing for contextual ministry and connectional power. Name that we have revised our Social Principles to be more global and scope and grounded in history in tradition. Name that we removed restrictive language around human sexuality, ordination of LGBTQIA+ folks, and the hosting of queer weddings. Acknowledge that we now have two definitions of marriage.

Then, beyond the big-ticket items, explore with them what it means that we have begun the process of revising our language around race, gender, and disabilities. Name that we opened sacraments up to the Order of the Deacons. Explain that we have removed paths for disaffiliation and disconnecting, and that we have begun the process for letting other churches back into the denomination. But for those who are different, we have reaffirmed that we are allowed to disagree, and that the church acknowledges that, and we even name the language in the Book of Discipline.

But beyond the facts, I want you to also acknowledge that you cannot predict the future of how this will impact your church or any other church. Acknowledge your own anxieties, because we all have them. But also, acknowledge your hopes, because we all have them. I know that I will be focusing on the beginning of the dismantling of top-down leadership, including instructing boards and agencies to create contextual resources, of affirming churches’ and pastors’ rights around worship, mission, and ministry in context. That my churches are both parts of the greater denomination, and beyond that the family of God. But I will also note that we have doubled down on the reality of contextuality of ministry, belief, and action. They each have their own personalities, perspectives, and passions. And, that it is those very things that will help us be the church God is calling us to be.

You’re going to have people with all sorts of emotions, but instead of bracing for impact, why not be open to letting people express their feelings and concerns, and walk with them through those feelings. Now, this does not mean acquiesce to bullies ramped up by needs of fear and control. It also does not mean to be a doormat by letting them walk all over your name and the name of The United Methodist Church. Because, what I also saw is a church that is no longer tolerating people who refuse to work together to create a future that looks toward God’s Kingdom, even amid our differences.

I am praying for you and for your churches as we discern.

Onward to Perfection Y’all,
Dr J