At times, I am bewildered by the complacency of some of the laity within the UMC; they seem satisfied to accept the fact that since the Pastor has the appointive authority to provide spiritual and temporal leadership to the local church, there is little they can do beyond the parameters of what the Pastor sanctions. Not So!!
Let’s go back to the time of Wesley. When Wesley became an outsider within the Church of England (ca 1750) he was fighting a church aristocracy that centered on the power of the priest. The attitude seems to have been that if the priest could keep the people ignorant, or could cater to only those they endorsed to attend church, they were doing God’s work satisfactorily. Consequently, there were a lot of “common” people who were excluded from the life of the church. John Wesley recognized this fact and what resulted was his taking to the fields (literally) of England to preach the word. There he met the “little” people of Great Britain; the miners, the farmers, the shop keepers, the grunge of England, if you will, – the people the priest intentionally excluded from worship within the Church of England, the ones they did not want in their church.
In this way, the worshipers that Wesley appealed to quickly became a church of laity…those same common people who had been excluded from worship within the walls of the local Church of England. Of course, this became even more of a reality when Wesley introduced the Methodist Church to the “new world”, America. Wesley faced the challenge of “spreading the word” to those who had a hunger for "the word". One solution was to use the laity to help spread the message.
If you know Wesleyan history, you recall that at one time he rejected the idea of laity preaching; they just weren’t properly trained. It was his own mother, Suzanna Wesley, however, who convinced him that it didn’t really matter who spoke; the important thing was that the word was shared with other believers.
Our annual conferences today have a policy of shared responsibility for the organization and polity of the church; i.e., for every clergy member to attend annual conference there shall be one lay member in attendance. 50-50 – half clergy and half laity. The laity has an equal voice on most matters regarding the organization and polity of the church.
The Discipline of the UMC validates the importance of laity. It substantiates the rights and prerogatives of laity that many lay members think they don’t have. Laity has a voice in how the church is operated. They have a voice in evaluating the local pastor. They have a voice in how worship is conducted. And there are other prerogatives they have which are well documented in The Book of Discipline. Of course, as in any organization, there are methods and procedures that much be followed, but if you are going to express your voice, then there’s a process that must be complied with; a right way and a wrong way. That’s a small price for exercising your voice, however.
The important thing to recognize is that as a lay person of the UMC, you do have that voice, and if you want to exercise that voice, then you have the responsibility of finding out “the right way” of expressing yourself in accordance with certain well established parameters. There have been many lay people who have tried to do their own thing, invoking their own policies and procedures, and rightly so have gotten no response. In a like manner, there have been many who do know what to do, and how to do it that have been successful in lifting their voice.
Probably the most relevant method of letting your voice be heard comes every four years at General Conference time. It is the one time that The Discipline of the church is reviewed for currency. It is the one time that any member of the UMC can voice their opinions, their ideas and their suggestions as to how the UMC operates. That voice is raised via the medium of a “PET” or a petition. PETs can address any issue that you think appropriate for review by various committees and task forces that operate under the guise of the General Conference. There are many PETs submitted each General Conference and many of them are rejected for cause. Nevertheless, rejection does not imply that your voice was not heard. I assure you, every PET received is given a fair review by an appropriate committee; its receipt and the action taken regarding the PET are well documented.
So you do have a voice. That voice shouts all the way from the various committees in the local church, to the pastor, to the District , the Annual Conference, and if you choose, to the General Conference.
There is a saying we all have heard many times; “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” Well, ignorance of what you as laity of the church can and cannot do is no excuse. You have got to be inquisitive; inquisitive enough to find out what you can do and what you can’t do. You have got to be eager to find out how to do what you want to do. Your church’s Lay Leader, the lay Member to Annual Conference, the chair of the SPRC, the chair of the Church Administrative Board/Council and the pastor are all starting places. The Discipline is a prerequisite source and The Book of Resolutions is a helpful resource to see what has been undertaken by other laity and congregations. The important thing is that you become “informed”. Know you rights and stand up for them with the voice God has given you.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Talking Paper on THE STRATEGIC PLAN –
The following post is the address prepared and presented by John Barham, Director, North Texas Conference Lay Speaking Ministries, and given to those in attendance of an event to celebrate the reorganizatin of the Annual Conference and its impact on the Lay Speaking Ministries program. The event was held at FUMC McKinney August 7, 2010.
This past April 23rd , The United Methodist Church celebrated its 42th anniversary. It was in 1968, when the 10.3 million-member Methodist Church and the 750,000-member Evangelical United Brethren Church joined together to become The United Methodist Church. Just as using the name 'The United Methodist Church' was a bit challenging in the beginning, so the North Texas Conference in 2010 will face similar challenges as it transitions from six districts to four and adapts to the establishment of four areas of focus within the North Texas Conference. The Strategic Planning Committee declared that Changes were needed; the objective was to streamline The Conference structure and staffing in order to address our ministerial priorities more effectively.
Each of these changes was open to discussion at the Annual Conference held in Wichita Falls this past June. Members of The Conference offered both positive and negative comments. Issues were addressed with patience and decorum, and on that fateful Monday in June, the North Texas Conference voted to “advance into the 21st century” with the purpose being to reclaim the energy and tradition of our historic denomination and an attempt to restore our Wesleyan heritage as a gift of connectionalism.
It was declared that committees and agencies that had previously existed within The Conference but not specifically identified in the Book of Discipline or named in the plan would cease to exist. This mandated the demise of several committees and ministries that had operated for years, but because the Lay Speaking Ministries is identified in the Book of Discipline, our ministry prevails intact.
We are a vital part of the church today, but that doesn’t mean that we will not be impacted by the various changes instituted. We are here today to celebrate those changes. Obviously, we will conform to the four-District structure with the establishment of the Metro District, the North Central District, the East District and the Northwest District. In accordance with the Discipline, each district will be selecting a District Director of Lay Speaking Ministries at an upcoming District Conference to be held later this month.
Since the various district directors have not yet been selected, you will be meeting with Lay Speakers who have volunteered to oversee our transition activities for today only. All except one has been a district director in the past, so be confident that they know well what is going on within The Conference and at the district level.
Another key change that we anticipate to impact our Lay Speaking organization is the establishment of The Center for Leadership Development at the Conference Administrative level. This center will be responsible for identifying, recruiting, equipping and developing young, diverse, lay and clergy principled Christian Leaders.
Another key component of the reorganization was the establishment of the Core Leadership Team which has been given the responsibility for planning, setting goals, coordinating and communicating actions to address the priorities of Conference needs. We are focusing on the activities of The Center for Leadership Development because it is destined to work closely with the Core Leadership Team as well as The Board of Laity of The Conference to further the involvement of the laity in the mission of The Conference. Since the Lay Speaking Ministries program is an integral participant in the activities of the Board of Laity, I expect we will have a prominent role in this arena. Already, I have been in serious discussion with Dr. Keith Boone, the Center’s Director, and Richard Hearne, the Conference Lay Leader, to emphasize the importance of training for both clergy and laity within The Conference.
The Lay Speaking Ministries’ mission and vision fits the new conference structure well with a plan to respond to training needs. We have a known history of being dedicated to service and training, especially the training of adult laity, and we feel we are well qualified to support the training needs of laity within The Conference. And while we have had, for a number of years, a program for Youth Lay Speakers, we are anxious to expand our scope of training by engaging the Conference Council of Youth Ministries in order to further ratify the fact that, “in our youth lies the future leadership of the United Methodist Church”. Ladies and Gentlemen, all the youth of our conference need our support, and we must commit to their advocacy.
We are convinced that a comprehensive training program for all laity within The Conference will produce lasting and positive results for the success of this restructure. Lay Speaking Ministries has been in the past and we will continue to be there for people who need and want the training we have to offer. Not only will we continue to offer established General Board of Discipleship training, but we are actively engaged in developing training programs tailor-made for other leadership needs within The Conference.
You have already seen evidence of this effort with our offerings of conference-level training such as The Organization and Polity of the United Methodist Church as well as The Basics of Theology. Soon, we will be conducting a pilot course on Local Church Leadership Essentials which we intend to release to the districts as a course of study. We are taking an aggressive stand to make use of the internet with distant learning classes allowing one to take Lay Speaking Courses from the convenience and privacy of their home. This will further exploit the commitment of the Conference Committee; “to take Lay Speaking Ministries to the People.” We are actively pursuing the production of short-burst training DVDs addressing the leadership issues outlined in the Cokesbury “Guideline” series of church leadership. To date, we have productions addressing the Chair of the Church Council, and Board of Trustees Responsibilities. We are working on others for the SPRC committee and Risk management. Each of these we hope to eventually upload onto the Conference WEB site for Conference-wide consumption.
We are also hopeful of establishing a dedicated training effort within The Conference similar to that that exists in other conferences – a programmed training program appealing to the needs of local churches and districts and offered to both clergy and laity.
The opportunities are open and endless. With this gathering today, we appeal to you to come along for the ride. It’s going to be fun; it’s going to be interesting, but we need your help. Many of you have unique qualifications – special abilities that can contribute to the success of our Lay Speaking Ministries program. When you became a Lay Speaker, each of you responded positively to the question, “Will you support the mission of the United Methodist Church?” You probably were not looking for a “full time job” as a Lay Speaker but you were willing to participate as needed. Your occasional contribution will be beneficial and useful, but we need to know what your abilities are and how you might be a part of our program. You have been provided a personal resume card. Take the time to describe for us your skills and abilities. Be sure the card gets into our hands so we can get in contact with you. And in advance of our calling, let me say “Thank you.” Each of you has demonstrated a keen interest in the success of our North Texas Conference Lay Speaking Ministries program, so let me be the first to express my gratitude for your involvement.
This past April 23rd , The United Methodist Church celebrated its 42th anniversary. It was in 1968, when the 10.3 million-member Methodist Church and the 750,000-member Evangelical United Brethren Church joined together to become The United Methodist Church. Just as using the name 'The United Methodist Church' was a bit challenging in the beginning, so the North Texas Conference in 2010 will face similar challenges as it transitions from six districts to four and adapts to the establishment of four areas of focus within the North Texas Conference. The Strategic Planning Committee declared that Changes were needed; the objective was to streamline The Conference structure and staffing in order to address our ministerial priorities more effectively.
Each of these changes was open to discussion at the Annual Conference held in Wichita Falls this past June. Members of The Conference offered both positive and negative comments. Issues were addressed with patience and decorum, and on that fateful Monday in June, the North Texas Conference voted to “advance into the 21st century” with the purpose being to reclaim the energy and tradition of our historic denomination and an attempt to restore our Wesleyan heritage as a gift of connectionalism.
It was declared that committees and agencies that had previously existed within The Conference but not specifically identified in the Book of Discipline or named in the plan would cease to exist. This mandated the demise of several committees and ministries that had operated for years, but because the Lay Speaking Ministries is identified in the Book of Discipline, our ministry prevails intact.
We are a vital part of the church today, but that doesn’t mean that we will not be impacted by the various changes instituted. We are here today to celebrate those changes. Obviously, we will conform to the four-District structure with the establishment of the Metro District, the North Central District, the East District and the Northwest District. In accordance with the Discipline, each district will be selecting a District Director of Lay Speaking Ministries at an upcoming District Conference to be held later this month.
Since the various district directors have not yet been selected, you will be meeting with Lay Speakers who have volunteered to oversee our transition activities for today only. All except one has been a district director in the past, so be confident that they know well what is going on within The Conference and at the district level.
Another key change that we anticipate to impact our Lay Speaking organization is the establishment of The Center for Leadership Development at the Conference Administrative level. This center will be responsible for identifying, recruiting, equipping and developing young, diverse, lay and clergy principled Christian Leaders.
Another key component of the reorganization was the establishment of the Core Leadership Team which has been given the responsibility for planning, setting goals, coordinating and communicating actions to address the priorities of Conference needs. We are focusing on the activities of The Center for Leadership Development because it is destined to work closely with the Core Leadership Team as well as The Board of Laity of The Conference to further the involvement of the laity in the mission of The Conference. Since the Lay Speaking Ministries program is an integral participant in the activities of the Board of Laity, I expect we will have a prominent role in this arena. Already, I have been in serious discussion with Dr. Keith Boone, the Center’s Director, and Richard Hearne, the Conference Lay Leader, to emphasize the importance of training for both clergy and laity within The Conference.
The Lay Speaking Ministries’ mission and vision fits the new conference structure well with a plan to respond to training needs. We have a known history of being dedicated to service and training, especially the training of adult laity, and we feel we are well qualified to support the training needs of laity within The Conference. And while we have had, for a number of years, a program for Youth Lay Speakers, we are anxious to expand our scope of training by engaging the Conference Council of Youth Ministries in order to further ratify the fact that, “in our youth lies the future leadership of the United Methodist Church”. Ladies and Gentlemen, all the youth of our conference need our support, and we must commit to their advocacy.
We are convinced that a comprehensive training program for all laity within The Conference will produce lasting and positive results for the success of this restructure. Lay Speaking Ministries has been in the past and we will continue to be there for people who need and want the training we have to offer. Not only will we continue to offer established General Board of Discipleship training, but we are actively engaged in developing training programs tailor-made for other leadership needs within The Conference.
You have already seen evidence of this effort with our offerings of conference-level training such as The Organization and Polity of the United Methodist Church as well as The Basics of Theology. Soon, we will be conducting a pilot course on Local Church Leadership Essentials which we intend to release to the districts as a course of study. We are taking an aggressive stand to make use of the internet with distant learning classes allowing one to take Lay Speaking Courses from the convenience and privacy of their home. This will further exploit the commitment of the Conference Committee; “to take Lay Speaking Ministries to the People.” We are actively pursuing the production of short-burst training DVDs addressing the leadership issues outlined in the Cokesbury “Guideline” series of church leadership. To date, we have productions addressing the Chair of the Church Council, and Board of Trustees Responsibilities. We are working on others for the SPRC committee and Risk management. Each of these we hope to eventually upload onto the Conference WEB site for Conference-wide consumption.
We are also hopeful of establishing a dedicated training effort within The Conference similar to that that exists in other conferences – a programmed training program appealing to the needs of local churches and districts and offered to both clergy and laity.
The opportunities are open and endless. With this gathering today, we appeal to you to come along for the ride. It’s going to be fun; it’s going to be interesting, but we need your help. Many of you have unique qualifications – special abilities that can contribute to the success of our Lay Speaking Ministries program. When you became a Lay Speaker, each of you responded positively to the question, “Will you support the mission of the United Methodist Church?” You probably were not looking for a “full time job” as a Lay Speaker but you were willing to participate as needed. Your occasional contribution will be beneficial and useful, but we need to know what your abilities are and how you might be a part of our program. You have been provided a personal resume card. Take the time to describe for us your skills and abilities. Be sure the card gets into our hands so we can get in contact with you. And in advance of our calling, let me say “Thank you.” Each of you has demonstrated a keen interest in the success of our North Texas Conference Lay Speaking Ministries program, so let me be the first to express my gratitude for your involvement.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Role of the Laity in the NTC Reorganization
What with the upcoming discussion and action by the North Texas Annual Conference regarding its proposed reorganization, it becomes a complex issue to talk about the impact this change will have on the role of the laity in the Conference as well as the laity of the local church. Why? Because this proposed change is often perceived to have more of a bearing on the clergy than the laity. Frankly, while talking with numerous laity about the change, the perception voiced is that laity will not be affected. The response I hear most frequently is, “Why should I be concerned; it isn’t going to impact me or my local church.”
While it is true the clergy will definitely be affected more precipitously than will be the local church laity, have no worry, local churches will feel the effects of these changes. Now, what the precise impact these associated effects will have at the local church level remains to be seen. But, there will certainly be some effects.
First, the structural change of the district offices is designed to render the Superintendents more attentive to the needs of the local church pastors and subsequently the local churches. This intent will certainly be challenging what with the number of churches per district increasing by as much as 20% to 30% and perhaps even more. Also impacting this projection is the fact that all but one of the “new” district superintendents is being retained and simply reordered into the newly named districts. The question remains, “Will they adjust accordingly?” I am hopeful, for as I understand it, it is intended that the District Superintendents pay closer attention to the needs of the local church pastor and to cultivate a more personalized relationship with them. If that happens, then perhaps the more intimate needs of the local church will also be addressed.
Second, if the local church pastors are afforded closer attention by the District Superintendents, then perhaps there will also be recognized that local church pastors cannot do their jobs alone. Serving a local church is not a one woman or one man operation and laity and clergy must be committed to partner together to incorporate a comprehensive leadership and management program into the local church. Confidently, District Superintendents will encourage local church pastors to seek out and take advantage of the leadership and management skills of their laity. Hopefully, laity will be encouraged to step forward and respond to the leadership and management needs of their church using their God-given gifts.
Thirdly, if laity are to partner with clergy, then they must be enabled to do so. This means training. Training has historically be an element of local church management overseen by the local church pastor. Unfortunately, it is one element of church management that has been mostly discounted. Understand the recognized fact, that not all churches do leadership training well, and this isn’t always the pastor’s fault. Laity have got to understand the dynamics of their role in church leadership and management matters. Hopefully, with the new conference structure and the incorporation of the proposed Leadership Development Center, local church pastors will be stimulated to focus on the specifics of training local church leadership. Optimistically, the new conference structure, especially the Leadership Development Center, will respond intentionally to the efforts of the local church regarding training needs.
So, don’t be deceived into believing that this proposed change is only about the preachers. Laity have a role to play in the future of this conference and their local churches; they’ve just got to recognize that fact and be prepared to respond with their expectations stated clearly and concisely.
John Barham, Director
North Texas Conference
Lay Speaking Ministries
While it is true the clergy will definitely be affected more precipitously than will be the local church laity, have no worry, local churches will feel the effects of these changes. Now, what the precise impact these associated effects will have at the local church level remains to be seen. But, there will certainly be some effects.
First, the structural change of the district offices is designed to render the Superintendents more attentive to the needs of the local church pastors and subsequently the local churches. This intent will certainly be challenging what with the number of churches per district increasing by as much as 20% to 30% and perhaps even more. Also impacting this projection is the fact that all but one of the “new” district superintendents is being retained and simply reordered into the newly named districts. The question remains, “Will they adjust accordingly?” I am hopeful, for as I understand it, it is intended that the District Superintendents pay closer attention to the needs of the local church pastor and to cultivate a more personalized relationship with them. If that happens, then perhaps the more intimate needs of the local church will also be addressed.
Second, if the local church pastors are afforded closer attention by the District Superintendents, then perhaps there will also be recognized that local church pastors cannot do their jobs alone. Serving a local church is not a one woman or one man operation and laity and clergy must be committed to partner together to incorporate a comprehensive leadership and management program into the local church. Confidently, District Superintendents will encourage local church pastors to seek out and take advantage of the leadership and management skills of their laity. Hopefully, laity will be encouraged to step forward and respond to the leadership and management needs of their church using their God-given gifts.
Thirdly, if laity are to partner with clergy, then they must be enabled to do so. This means training. Training has historically be an element of local church management overseen by the local church pastor. Unfortunately, it is one element of church management that has been mostly discounted. Understand the recognized fact, that not all churches do leadership training well, and this isn’t always the pastor’s fault. Laity have got to understand the dynamics of their role in church leadership and management matters. Hopefully, with the new conference structure and the incorporation of the proposed Leadership Development Center, local church pastors will be stimulated to focus on the specifics of training local church leadership. Optimistically, the new conference structure, especially the Leadership Development Center, will respond intentionally to the efforts of the local church regarding training needs.
So, don’t be deceived into believing that this proposed change is only about the preachers. Laity have a role to play in the future of this conference and their local churches; they’ve just got to recognize that fact and be prepared to respond with their expectations stated clearly and concisely.
John Barham, Director
North Texas Conference
Lay Speaking Ministries
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Good Leaders are Good Communicators
Good leaders are good communicators, though it may not always appear so. Good leaders are those who really want to connect to others on a personal basis. Because they care about people, they are intentional about establishing and nurturing relationships with people. In fact, one of the nonnegotiable elements of a leader’s character is how he or she treats others. This relationship is cultivated through dialogue and stimulating conversation which basically means to be successful, they also have to be good and patient listeners.
Good leaders expect team members to be invested in the tasks at hand and must be focused on making the team better and not allow members to get bogged down with noncontributors. Teams will only succeed by constantly admonishing and encouraging one another. (In the United Methodist tradition, it is called “Christian Conferencing.") Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love. According to Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky in their new book, The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, they claim the most underused skill among leaders is the ability to diagnose and detect what’s really going on. Conclusions should be reached through detailed analysis…by taking abstract concepts and attempting to convey them in concrete language as statements of goals, plans, values, and the like.
These abstract thoughts are generally derived through detailed analysis and a lot of questioning of self and others. Such thoughts may result from the leader challenging others and the testing of ideas and concepts. Good leaders will conjure a vision of what they want and what they perceive as important. They aren’t afraid to address instances of discomfort, and they certainly are not known to gloss over bad news. They look for passion in fellow team members and are focused on hearing the honest opinions of others and making them feel safe in the process. They tend to ignore external criticism unless it makes a difference in the end result or rings true.
The difference lies in the ones who listen when people are disappointed in the approach or when people have different ideas than the leader’s; they are unafraid of hearing and understanding the leader’s point of view or style of evaluation. Good leaders will draw such people out and encourage them to express their opinions and identify problems that probably could not be resolved otherwise. This process generally takes time, but it is time well spent since it effectively points people toward a consensus agreement by all members, and they can leave of one accord, committed to getting the job done.
John Barham
Good leaders expect team members to be invested in the tasks at hand and must be focused on making the team better and not allow members to get bogged down with noncontributors. Teams will only succeed by constantly admonishing and encouraging one another. (In the United Methodist tradition, it is called “Christian Conferencing.") Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love. According to Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky in their new book, The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, they claim the most underused skill among leaders is the ability to diagnose and detect what’s really going on. Conclusions should be reached through detailed analysis…by taking abstract concepts and attempting to convey them in concrete language as statements of goals, plans, values, and the like.
These abstract thoughts are generally derived through detailed analysis and a lot of questioning of self and others. Such thoughts may result from the leader challenging others and the testing of ideas and concepts. Good leaders will conjure a vision of what they want and what they perceive as important. They aren’t afraid to address instances of discomfort, and they certainly are not known to gloss over bad news. They look for passion in fellow team members and are focused on hearing the honest opinions of others and making them feel safe in the process. They tend to ignore external criticism unless it makes a difference in the end result or rings true.
The difference lies in the ones who listen when people are disappointed in the approach or when people have different ideas than the leader’s; they are unafraid of hearing and understanding the leader’s point of view or style of evaluation. Good leaders will draw such people out and encourage them to express their opinions and identify problems that probably could not be resolved otherwise. This process generally takes time, but it is time well spent since it effectively points people toward a consensus agreement by all members, and they can leave of one accord, committed to getting the job done.
John Barham
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
…For the Transformation
We live in an exciting time as members of the United Methodist Church within the North Texas Conference. Even with our membership in a steady decline and participation in our Sunday worship diminishing, there are those who would continue to commit to the mystery of transformation, trying to identify and define some guaranteed formula that will bring a close to this downward spiral in both participation and interest. Many of our members have “given up” and gone elsewhere, searching diligently for some sense of satisfaction that will respond to a deep seated need for spiritual enrichment (and we wish them success). The rest of us? Well, we remain; realizing there isn’t any magical formula, yet hoping that some stealthy method heretofore unrealized or tried will be revealed and fashion itself into a revival of spirit and renewal of ideals reminiscent of times past.
Well, it ain’t going to happen. When you watch your children sitting in your living room with a HDTV remote in one hand and a texting cell phone in the other, doing their homework on a wireless laptop, you have got to recognize that “you’re not in Kansas any longer.”
Times have changed and that fact alone isn’t bad. What impacts that ever-changing observation is that the United Methodist Church needs to change also. “Rethink Church” is an effort to encourage the translation of the word “Church” from a noun to a verb. And if we buy into this attempt, then we must ask a follow-up question, “Just what do we want “Church” (a noun) to be?” Well, don’t come to me if you are looking for some quick answer, because I don’t have one. Appreciate the fact that there are no magic bullets; no one person has all the answers.
Together, though, as Lay Speakers, we just might be able to find an answer to this riddle…not “the” answer but “an” answer. As the Director of Lay Speaking Ministries within the North Texas Conference, I personally search diligently for some ingredient that can be added to the mix that just might make a difference. With adult education being an important attribute of Lay Speaking Ministries, quite naturally I look for ways the laity of the church can become better informed as church leaders; better informed as United Methodist, better informed as local church lay managers and organizers, better informed spiritually and Biblically; empowered by the Holy Spirit to reach out and make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world
We had a wonderful experience at Annual Conference. The Bishop divided us into various groups intent on exercising the concept of Holy Conferencing. Now, this undertaking was nothing more than a group of people listening to one another express common concerns without being judgmental of another’s opinion. But you and I both know that “talk” alone will not hack the program. We have got to be prepared to back talk up with action, and action means “getting involved”. “Oh”, you say, “You want me to get involved? Well, getting involved takes time and my plate is already full.” Well, listen to the following:
These astute words of observation by C. Gaines of Fresno, Cal. Chairman of Fresno County Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations were penned in 1913.
So, this dilemma of time-availability is nothing new. You have heard it said that 80% of the church’s work is done by 20% of the membership, and that statistic is not likely to change dramatically by responding this article. However, finding a place to get involved and then making a commitment of time will unquestionably impact mission accomplishment and any ultimate transformation that the local church and its membership might seek. The second ingredient of this effort is making a commitment to become more informed – better educated, if you will, in the fundamentals of how and what makes the church “work” effectively. If we are going to be successful in “rethinking church”, then we have got to rethink the way we inform ourselves about the way the local church conducts its affairs and our involvement in that process.
Lay Speaking Ministries is but one way to get involved in the activities of the local church. Obviously, it isn’t the only way but it is a responsible way. However, as Lay Speakers, we don’t do a particularly good job of letting people know what the program is all about, do we?. Unfortunately, we are obliged to constantly make clear that to participate in Lay Speaker training, you do not have to be a Lay Speaker. And probably the most consistent rejection we encounter concerns the fact that that as a Lay Speaker, you don’t have to preach.
The discipline describes a Lay Speaker as “A professing member of a local church or charge who is ready and desirous to serve the Church and who is well informed on and committed to the Scriptures and the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church and who has received specific training to develop skills in witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communication, church and community leadership, and care-giving ministries.” Well, you don’t have to be a Lay Speaker to do all those things within the church. But the key words in this description are “well informed, committed to the Scriptures and the Doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of the United Methodist Church”.
.
Fundamentally, it amounts to having a real self-understanding of priorities…getting life’s “hard issues” in some sort of definitive order of value and worth. It mandates the questions, “So, what is important? Will I continue to stand by, watching from the sidelines or will I take the initiative to become involved, well informed and committed…to be a part of the Church’s “transformation”? The empowerment of the church’s membership through the spiritual formation of Bible Study, the study of Christian doctrine, the study of United Methodist heritage and the organization and polity of the United Methodist Church, i.e., being accountable by becoming intentionally involved in the daily life, the evangelical mission, ministry, and programs of the local church is what makes these times “exciting”
Well, it ain’t going to happen. When you watch your children sitting in your living room with a HDTV remote in one hand and a texting cell phone in the other, doing their homework on a wireless laptop, you have got to recognize that “you’re not in Kansas any longer.”
Times have changed and that fact alone isn’t bad. What impacts that ever-changing observation is that the United Methodist Church needs to change also. “Rethink Church” is an effort to encourage the translation of the word “Church” from a noun to a verb. And if we buy into this attempt, then we must ask a follow-up question, “Just what do we want “Church” (a noun) to be?” Well, don’t come to me if you are looking for some quick answer, because I don’t have one. Appreciate the fact that there are no magic bullets; no one person has all the answers.
Together, though, as Lay Speakers, we just might be able to find an answer to this riddle…not “the” answer but “an” answer. As the Director of Lay Speaking Ministries within the North Texas Conference, I personally search diligently for some ingredient that can be added to the mix that just might make a difference. With adult education being an important attribute of Lay Speaking Ministries, quite naturally I look for ways the laity of the church can become better informed as church leaders; better informed as United Methodist, better informed as local church lay managers and organizers, better informed spiritually and Biblically; empowered by the Holy Spirit to reach out and make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world
We had a wonderful experience at Annual Conference. The Bishop divided us into various groups intent on exercising the concept of Holy Conferencing. Now, this undertaking was nothing more than a group of people listening to one another express common concerns without being judgmental of another’s opinion. But you and I both know that “talk” alone will not hack the program. We have got to be prepared to back talk up with action, and action means “getting involved”. “Oh”, you say, “You want me to get involved? Well, getting involved takes time and my plate is already full.” Well, listen to the following:
Time? Yes, assuredly leadership means time. (I speak especially of the unpaid leadership of business men). Right out of the strenuously busy life comes a large segment of important time if one would be a conscientious, faithful leader. Its path will cut right across the path of everyday affairs, and will insistently demand time. Everything we do takes time. The more thoroughly we do it the more time it takes. Leadership along the lines of Christian work is no exception. The faithful leader may as well understand that preciously valuable time must be set aside from, or cut out of, the ordinary routine of living in which there are not at best sufficient moments to get the work done. We will, therefore, write time on the debit, or cost side, of the leaders' ledger.
These astute words of observation by C. Gaines of Fresno, Cal. Chairman of Fresno County Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations were penned in 1913.
So, this dilemma of time-availability is nothing new. You have heard it said that 80% of the church’s work is done by 20% of the membership, and that statistic is not likely to change dramatically by responding this article. However, finding a place to get involved and then making a commitment of time will unquestionably impact mission accomplishment and any ultimate transformation that the local church and its membership might seek. The second ingredient of this effort is making a commitment to become more informed – better educated, if you will, in the fundamentals of how and what makes the church “work” effectively. If we are going to be successful in “rethinking church”, then we have got to rethink the way we inform ourselves about the way the local church conducts its affairs and our involvement in that process.
Lay Speaking Ministries is but one way to get involved in the activities of the local church. Obviously, it isn’t the only way but it is a responsible way. However, as Lay Speakers, we don’t do a particularly good job of letting people know what the program is all about, do we?. Unfortunately, we are obliged to constantly make clear that to participate in Lay Speaker training, you do not have to be a Lay Speaker. And probably the most consistent rejection we encounter concerns the fact that that as a Lay Speaker, you don’t have to preach.
The discipline describes a Lay Speaker as “A professing member of a local church or charge who is ready and desirous to serve the Church and who is well informed on and committed to the Scriptures and the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church and who has received specific training to develop skills in witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communication, church and community leadership, and care-giving ministries.” Well, you don’t have to be a Lay Speaker to do all those things within the church. But the key words in this description are “well informed, committed to the Scriptures and the Doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of the United Methodist Church”.
.
Fundamentally, it amounts to having a real self-understanding of priorities…getting life’s “hard issues” in some sort of definitive order of value and worth. It mandates the questions, “So, what is important? Will I continue to stand by, watching from the sidelines or will I take the initiative to become involved, well informed and committed…to be a part of the Church’s “transformation”? The empowerment of the church’s membership through the spiritual formation of Bible Study, the study of Christian doctrine, the study of United Methodist heritage and the organization and polity of the United Methodist Church, i.e., being accountable by becoming intentionally involved in the daily life, the evangelical mission, ministry, and programs of the local church is what makes these times “exciting”
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Conference-Level Lay Speaker Training
“Prepare to Teach”
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Conference Ministry Center -- 500 Maplelawn Drive -- Plano, Texas, 75075
http://www.ntcumc.org (for map and directions)
Registration/Check-In 8:30 am, Class begin at 9:00 am and conclude at 5:00 pm
Registration Fee: $10
Plus $6.00 for sandwich lunch (or you may bring you own brown bag lunch.)
Registration Receipt Deadline: August 7th
(download registration form from the NTC website www.ntcumc.org
Path: home>Laity>Lay Speaking Ministries>NTC Training)
This is a course for those who want to improve their skills as facilitators of adult learning – including Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, and those who preach. It is one of 2 courses required to become an "Accredited Lay Speaking Ministries Course Instructor" in the North Texas Conference
(the other course is “Lay Speakers Teach Adults”).
Fee must accompany registration form.
If you are unable to attend, the course syllabus will be sent to you upon request.
Please make Checks or Money Orders payable to:
NTC Lay Speaking Ministries
Mail registration form and check to:
Sherry Nash, Training Coordinator
8549 FM 1861
Eustace, TX 75124
For additional information contact:
Sherry Nash 903-603-0384
e-mail: shnash@usa.net
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Conference Ministry Center -- 500 Maplelawn Drive -- Plano, Texas, 75075
http://www.ntcumc.org (for map and directions)
Registration/Check-In 8:30 am, Class begin at 9:00 am and conclude at 5:00 pm
Registration Fee: $10
Plus $6.00 for sandwich lunch (or you may bring you own brown bag lunch.)
Registration Receipt Deadline: August 7th
(download registration form from the NTC website www.ntcumc.org
Path: home>Laity>Lay Speaking Ministries>NTC Training)
This is a course for those who want to improve their skills as facilitators of adult learning – including Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, and those who preach. It is one of 2 courses required to become an "Accredited Lay Speaking Ministries Course Instructor" in the North Texas Conference
(the other course is “Lay Speakers Teach Adults”).
Fee must accompany registration form.
If you are unable to attend, the course syllabus will be sent to you upon request.
Please make Checks or Money Orders payable to:
NTC Lay Speaking Ministries
Mail registration form and check to:
Sherry Nash, Training Coordinator
8549 FM 1861
Eustace, TX 75124
For additional information contact:
Sherry Nash 903-603-0384
e-mail: shnash@usa.net
Monday, June 8, 2009
Lay Leader's Address at Conference.
Tuesday at North Texas Annual Conference –
I was really encouraged and inspired by the Laity Address brought by our Conference Lay Leader, Richard Hearne, this morning. As Lay Speakers, we look forward with eager anticipation to partnering with the lay leadership of our Conference in the coming months as we bring our God-given gifts to bear on the four focus areas of the United Methodist Church:
1. Developing principled Christian leaders
2. Creating new places for new people and revitalizing existing congregations
3. Engaging in ministry with the poor
4. Combating the diseases of poverty by improving health globally
Richard’s stories vividly reminded us that one person CAN make a difference and even small churches can band together to support powerful missional efforts. He reminded us that we can’t wait for “top down” direction (from clergy) to tell us what to do – that laity must take responsibility for reversing the negative trends we heard reported to us earlier in the morning (losses AGAIN this past year in overall membership, worship attendance, new members and new members by profession of faith).
He issued three challenges to the laity of the Annual Conference:
1. Get involved with mission and outreach with the poor in your community! This is the foundation of our Christian and Wesleyan roots. As Richard said, “We can’t keep acting like we are giving a banquet for ourselves!” He was especially fervent in encouraging us to focus on the needs of children.
2. Find creative ways to deal with the issue of hunger and needs of food banks in our Conference. In particular, he offered a suggestion that wouldn’t cost us anything! When we encounter sales where we can “Buy 2, get 1 free” or “Get 4 boxes of cereal for $10 (the equivalent of 50% off, or buy 2, get 2 free)” -- donate the “free” items to your local food bank or food pantry!
3. Witness! (“Not the doorbell-ringing, Bible-thumping kind!”) Mention to others the missional work we are doing as a church… People want to be involved in things that make a difference. Invite them to participate! Invite 1 person a month for the next year. SHARE and INVITE and rely on the movement of the Holy Spirit.
There is so much servant leadership and personal spiritual formation that underlies the kind of discipleship that moves forward with confidence in God’s grace and power to meet these challenges. We, as leaders in Lay Speaking Ministries, have unique opportunities to support and lead in these efforts through the training we provide and receive. What a gift to share!
Sherry Nash, Certified Lay Speaker
First UMC, Mabank – Dallas South District
(and Training Coordinator, Lay Speaking Ministries, NTC)
I was really encouraged and inspired by the Laity Address brought by our Conference Lay Leader, Richard Hearne, this morning. As Lay Speakers, we look forward with eager anticipation to partnering with the lay leadership of our Conference in the coming months as we bring our God-given gifts to bear on the four focus areas of the United Methodist Church:
1. Developing principled Christian leaders
2. Creating new places for new people and revitalizing existing congregations
3. Engaging in ministry with the poor
4. Combating the diseases of poverty by improving health globally
Richard’s stories vividly reminded us that one person CAN make a difference and even small churches can band together to support powerful missional efforts. He reminded us that we can’t wait for “top down” direction (from clergy) to tell us what to do – that laity must take responsibility for reversing the negative trends we heard reported to us earlier in the morning (losses AGAIN this past year in overall membership, worship attendance, new members and new members by profession of faith).
He issued three challenges to the laity of the Annual Conference:
1. Get involved with mission and outreach with the poor in your community! This is the foundation of our Christian and Wesleyan roots. As Richard said, “We can’t keep acting like we are giving a banquet for ourselves!” He was especially fervent in encouraging us to focus on the needs of children.
2. Find creative ways to deal with the issue of hunger and needs of food banks in our Conference. In particular, he offered a suggestion that wouldn’t cost us anything! When we encounter sales where we can “Buy 2, get 1 free” or “Get 4 boxes of cereal for $10 (the equivalent of 50% off, or buy 2, get 2 free)” -- donate the “free” items to your local food bank or food pantry!
3. Witness! (“Not the doorbell-ringing, Bible-thumping kind!”) Mention to others the missional work we are doing as a church… People want to be involved in things that make a difference. Invite them to participate! Invite 1 person a month for the next year. SHARE and INVITE and rely on the movement of the Holy Spirit.
There is so much servant leadership and personal spiritual formation that underlies the kind of discipleship that moves forward with confidence in God’s grace and power to meet these challenges. We, as leaders in Lay Speaking Ministries, have unique opportunities to support and lead in these efforts through the training we provide and receive. What a gift to share!
Sherry Nash, Certified Lay Speaker
First UMC, Mabank – Dallas South District
(and Training Coordinator, Lay Speaking Ministries, NTC)
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