The Fine Line

Reconditioning a church isn't easy work. I've been in ministry (pastoral or otherwise) for 12 years now, and I long ago realized the difficulty in helping people grasp the church's mission. Just this week, we were in conversation about a ministry opportunity that's available to my congregation. We certainly felt that it was ministry that reflected the mission and God's vision for our church, but how to present it to our congregation was the question.

We're getting clear that we need to rediscover our Wesleyan DNA as United Methodists - living out the Great Commandment and Great Commission through acts of piety and mercy. And, we feel that every person who is a part of the church should be striving to grow in their love of God and their neighbors...but there is a fine line between holding persons accountable to their growth, and judging them for a lack of fruit. How do we teach people the importance of moving forward on their journey with God, but not push them too far too fast? The answer is not easy.

How are we handling it in this particular situation? We've decided to present the ministry opportunity to the small groups in our church, and invite them to discern if God is calling their group to intentionally participate in this ministry. Then, we'll open it up to the entire congregation to participate if they so choose. This way, we're using groups as a vehicle to hold the church accountable to participate in the ministry, but we're not judging individuals who choose to participate only for a short time, or not at all. Yet, we will continue to keep the ministry in front of the congregation, with gentle reminders that persons can become involved.

Inclusion and embrace of all - whether or not we see the fruit of the life of faith, is important. Perhaps our best accountability is to provide opportunities to experience God's grace. We can offer acts of piety and mercy, and encourage persons to participate for their own personal growth and development. Ultimately, though, as we embrace someone as a brother or sister in Christ, we also embrace their free will. And, although we may not agree with a person's choices, we still need to make space for God to work on that person, while gently encouraging them. That's the divine dance of judgment, accountability, and God's scandalous grace.