P & Q Paper work

All of my paperwork is due on Friday.
So... I'm going to post it all here for anyone to read.
Let me know if you have any comments.
There will be 11 post in all with two questions per post.

Questions 1 & 2

1. Describe your personal experience of God and the understanding of God you derive from biblical, theological, and historical sources.
God is a loving God who desires a relationship with all humanity. We see this in the biblical narrative where God created humankind and was in relationship with them in the Garden of Eden.[1] After they ate the forbidden fruit and were banned from the Garden of Eden, the Old Testament tells the story of how God continually called God’s people to come back and be in relationship with God.
Through the covenants of Abraham, Noah, and Moses, God continued to extend Godself to humanity by promising that their creator would never abandon humanity. These covenants repeatedly were broken by humanity, but in God’s steadfast love, Christ came to establish a new covenant, “so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance,”[2]
In John Wesley’s sermon, Free Grace, Wesley speaks of God’s desire to be in relationship with and to save all humankind. It is through the actions of God through Christ that Wesley writes, “For it cannot be denied that he everywhere speaks as if he was willing that all men should be saved.”[3] Christ’s action on the cross is for all of humanity and is the ultimate sign of God’s desire to be in relationship with us.
God uses humanity to help bring all persons into relationship with God. We see this through the church reaching out to all of humanity being Christ’s hands and feet. When the church ministers to real needs with God’s love, God reaches out to reestablish relationships with all of humanity. Through acts of mercy like the “Nothing but Nets” campaign to Africa, local food pantries and mission trips, the church has historically worked to establish relationships in the name of Christ.
On my last trip to Mexico on a youth mission trip we had the opportunity to build a home for a family in Tierra Nueva. The home we worked on was for a family whose daughter was suffering from a major medical condition. They lost everything because of doctor bills and struggled to keep the land that we were building the house on.
The youth and parents on that mission trip made it their mission to show God’s love to this family by raising money to pay off the land where we were building the house. The girl’s mom and dad no longer had to worry about losing their home and could instead focus on getting the needed care for their daughter.
Finally, the way that I experienced God on this mission trip was the love and acceptance we received from the people in Tierra Nueva as they welcomed us into their homes, as they worked beside us on their homes, and as they continually gave to us through drawings, playing games and fellowship. This ultimately showed me that we are connected as one to the One who created us, when the body of Christ is working toward bringing restoration to God’s people either in the local church or outside the church walls.

2. What is your understanding of evil, as it exists in the world?
Evil is an active force that exists in the world that separates us from the will of God. This evil entices us to forsake the one who created us and act in ways that forsake God and place ourselves as most important. Evil entered the world in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were enticed by the serpent to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree.
The introduction of evil in the world has caused separation between God and God’s creation. This evil plants inside of us a lie that we are our own and in charge of our own destiny. However, as C.S. Lewis wrote, this evil desire to say we belong to only ourselves is a lie because, “for our souls are not, in fact, our own.”[4]
Because of the actions in the Garden, sin was the result of evil entering the world. Even if we try to fool ourselves in thinking that we are righteous, we are reminded, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”[5]
We sin when we succumb to temptations to place ourselves in a higher position or gain power in a particular situation. We are surrounded by a sin-sick world that exploits people, values or even the environment for profit’s sake. We also sin when we fail to act on injustices taking place throughout the entire world.
As the Son of Man is separating the nations, the reason for the separation is due to failed actions. He tells them, “for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.”[6]
Evil is something that we can overcome. In fact, we are charged to overcome evil in our baptismal covenant when we answer the question, “Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?”[7] Through this question, and through the support of the community of faith, the church stands together to battle the forces of evil together.
Wesley established the United Societies and the General Rules as a guide for those who wanted to “flee from the wrath to come.” In these General Rules the community gathered to do no harm, avoid evil of every kind, to do all the good they could and to attend to the ordnances of God.[8]
When we commit to follow a life in Christ, we join as our ancestors of the faith did to support each and everyone to resist evil, injustice, and oppression. During a phone call a year ago, a mother asked me to bring a youth home so the police could arrest him. Over the next several hours, it became clear that the entire story was not being presented to the police. While the youth’s actions were wrong, he was being forced into situations that led to the ensuing phone call.
Standing up for the youth was hard, especially when his mother and her friends were ready to lock him away for several years in order to “help” him. Through the course of those 24 hours, the youth was removed from the home and has started a new life where his grades have improved, he has a plan for his future and he is able to grow from the past that has haunted him.
We may not want to admit that evil exists in our world. However, when we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit through the help of our Christian community, God can redeem those acts that were meant for evil and restore our lives and world in the name of Jesus Christ.
[1] Genesis 1 – 3
[2] Hebrews 9:15a NRSV
[3] Wesley, John. Sermons: An Anthology, ed. Outler, Heitzenrater Nashville: Abington Press, 1991 pg. 56
[4] Lewis, C.S., The Problem of Pain, San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001 p. 75
[5] 1 John 1:8 NRSV
[6] Mathew 25: 42 - 43
[7] United Methodist Hymnal, Nashville, Tennessee: United Methodist Publishing House, 1989 p 34
[8] The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, Nashville, Tennessee: United Methodist Publishing House, 2004 p. 73 - 74

Question 3 & 4

3. What is your understanding of humanity, and the human need for divine grace?
Our lives are a gift from God. When God created the world, God created humanity to enjoy the creation around them. In doing this, God gave humanity free will so we could make our own decisions. It is through the creation of humankind that completed the wonderful creation of the world in Genesis 1 where God saw that his creation was “very good.”[1]
From the time that sin entered the world, humanity has taken the gift of free will and misused it to advance humanity’s own agenda. Fulfilling our own desires led to destruction and even more separation from our Creator. We have tried to bridge the gap between God and ourselves but have failed because of our sinful state, falling short no matter what we try to do.
Because we are not capable by ourselves to reconnect with God, God sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross to serve as the bridge between God and us. This divine grace from God justifies us as if we have never been separated from God’s presence. God’s grace allows us to stand before God even in our fallen nature and be acceptable to God. This divine grace is evident in the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians where he writes, “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…”[2]
This divine grace is not given because we are worthy of it, but the divine grace is given because of God’s love and mercy for humanity. Without this mercy from God, we would never be able to match up to God’s perfect standard.


4. How do you interpret the statement Jesus Christ is Lord?
In the book of Revelation Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”[3] With this declaration, we see that Christ has been an active part of creation. We experience Christ’s presence with us during the time he was on earth. We experience Christ’s power and forgiveness in our lives today. In addition, we look forward to the end of the earth when Christ will come to judge the world and usher in a new heaven and new earth.
When I think about the statement that Jesus Christ is Lord in my life, I am reminded of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for me. That sacrifice was not made in order for me to do whatever I please, but that sacrifice was made in order for me to have a closer relationship with God and to place my trust in God. The sacrifice is only possible because of Christ’s perfect state, “and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”[4]
Because of what Christ has done for me, He is the Lord of my life and I live my life to be in service to Christ. It is because of Christ’s example of serving others that I as a follower of Christ must take on the mantle of a servant and not boast in what I have done, but as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians, “let my boast be in the Lord.”[5]
With Jesus Christ as my Lord, I release control of my life and place my life under Christ’s authority. There is a song that we sing at our church titled “Holiness.” In the chorus of this song the prayer is that Christ will “take my heart, and form it; take my mind, transform it; take my will, conform it; to yours, to yours, oh Lord.”[6]
For me, the ordination process is a continuing journey to allow Christ to be my Lord, even though life has presented several challenges where I could have given up on my call. Through all of the great ministry moments like mission trips, and watching people grow in their faith, as well as going through all of the struggles of ministry including conflict and lack of confidence, I know that Jesus has been with me. As I live my life with Jesus as my Lord, I have been able to move through life and ministry with perseverance, integrity and hope that Christ will always guide me in my journey of faith. It is my prayer that as a person who has submitted his life to Christ that every moment of my life I live fully surrendered to the authority of Christ and live in the ways that Christ has called me to live.
[1] Genesis 1:31 NRSV
[2] Ephesians 2: 4 – 5 NRSV
[3] Revelation 22:13 NRSV
[4] Hebrews 5:9 NRSV
[5] 2 Corinthians 10:17 NRSV
[6] “Holiness”, Scott Underwood, 1995 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

Questions 5 & 6

5. What is your conception of the activity of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world?
In the Gospel of John, Jesus talks with the disciples about how the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to teach and to remind us of all that Christ taught while he was here on earth. When I look at my life, I depend on the Holy Spirit to guide me in all that I do. The Holy Spirit reminds me that I am a child of God and helps me to envision the purpose God has for me in my life. The Spirit gives me comfort, encouragement and challenges me in my daily walk as a Christian finding ways to teach me to live and love as Christ did.
The Holy Spirit is active in the life of the community of believers when they discover how God is calling that community to respond to the needs of the world around them. Currently at Grace UMC, we are in a period of discernment as we look at the possibility of purchasing adjacent land in order to expand our ministry in west Sherman. The congregation is currently seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit to see if this will help us fulfill the mission that God has for us. We are also depending on the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we look toward new and exciting ministries in the church reaching out to young adults and college students providing a place in which they can come and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Living in a sinful and broken world, the Holy Spirit also guides us as we look to see where we, as the church, need to stand for those who need a voice. It could be a call to help those who are in need of adequate health care, taking a stance about injustices in the far corners of the world, providing clean water, setting up mosquito netting to fight the spread of malaria, or even assistance when a natural disaster occurs in our own country or abroad.

6. What is your understanding of the kingdom of God; the Resurrection; eternal life?
The church is called to be the place where we see visible signs of God’s kingdom here on earth. As Christians, we are called to bring restoration and wholeness to a broken world. As the church interacts with our sinful and broken world, we are to work with each other under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to bring restoration to God’s world.
In the process of bringing God’s kingdom to our world, we must realize that we have been placed here on earth to be stewards of God’s creation and we are called to take care of God’s kingdom. There are ways that we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, can work to bring the kingdom of God to earth. We can do this by being attentive to the world around us listening and helping those who are in need. As we work to bring God’s kingdom closer here on earth, we know that God’s kingdom will not be complete until Christ returns in glory at the end of the age.
The Resurrection brings our salvation to completion. It is the work of Jesus Christ who rose from the dead, and establishes the way for humankind to be connected to God. The Resurrection makes that which is shattered whole. The Resurrection is the event that Christians we should celebrate every day that we have breath. Paul writes in Romans that as we have died in Christ, we share in the resurrection of Christ. Therefore we should not live in our sin anymore, [1] but we need to live in celebration for what Christ has done for us and then share that Good News with the world so that all people will know Christ’s love for them.
We have moments where we experience Christ’s resurrection within us. We celebrate when we have resurrection from our sin that have driven us farther from God or our neighbors. We celebrate when we see broken relationships that have been resurrected and made whole.
In John 10:10 Jesus says that he comes to give life so that we may have life abundantly. Eternal life is the hope we have as Christians to live life abundantly in relationship with God. In Scripture, we find references to eternal life as Jesus says that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath.”[2] When we decide to strive for this eternal life, we must die to ourselves daily and serve God, with all our heart, mind and soul. When we do this, we begin to experience eternal life and hold onto the promise that we will experience in fullness one day when we join Christ in eternity.
[1] Romans 6:1-11
[2] John 3:36 NRSV

Questions 7 & 8

7. How do you intend to affirm teach and apply Part II of the Discipline (Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task) in your work in the ministry to which you have been called?
In the conclusion of "Our Theological Task" it says,
As we see more clearly who we have been, as we understand more fully the needs of the world, as we draw more effectively upon our theological heritage, we will become better equipped to fulfill our calling as the people of God.[11]
Part II of the Discipline through the Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task serves as a reminder to us that we are connected through scripture, the tradition of the universal church and leadership from the Holy Spirit to help guide the church in its doctrine. Affirming, teaching and applying Part II of the Discipline helps us to live out the aforementioned sentence from "Our Theological Task."
I will do this by using Part II as a lens through which the church will examine its mission and ministry. We must carefully examine our Doctrinal Standards and using Our Theological Task, we must see how to apply and make relevant the teachings of the church for our congregation members today.
Members of our congregation are faced with the daily struggle of living as a Christian in a broken and hurt-filled world. Images and ideas bombard the churches with what to do, say, feel and act. Having our Doctrinal Standards stressed in the church will strengthen our congregations with what they believe. First, we need to learn how to think theologically by relying on our theological position of scripture, tradition, experience reason to see how as Christians we should move forward to use that experience to help themselves or others grow in their faith and relationship with Jesus Christ and their neighbor.

8. The United Methodist Church holds that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason. What is your understanding of this theological position of the Church?
Scripture is God’s inspired word that is living and relevant centuries after it was written and is as true for us today as it was for its original audience.[1] When we look at the scriptures, we see ourselves in the garden making a choice to turn away from God. We see ourselves in the rebellion of the people of Israel. We see ourselves in Paul’s statement of being the foremost of sinners.[2] Most importantly, we see ourselves as the redeemed people of God saved by Christ’s actions on the cross. Scripture is primary to show us how to live as God’s people.
Tradition is based on what the church does with the Scripture, including how the church interprets the Scripture and uses that interpretation to establish what they believe. The United Methodist interpretation through Scripture, tradition, personal experience and reason is a result of the practices that have been passed down from John Wesley. We hold on to the tradition of the ancient church when we recite the historic creeds and confessions of the church during our worship service. We rely on the tradition of the hymns and the prayers that have been passed on from generation to generation. This tradition is important because when we recite the creeds, confessions, prayers and sing the hymns of our ancestors, we remember that the faith we believe in is not our own faith, but in the words of G.K. Chesterton, “I did not make it. God and humanity made it; and it made me.”[3]
The Christian faith is brought to life by the congregation’s personal experience. That personal experience gives the Christian faith flesh. It is through the personal experience of the congregation that we see the Christian faith lived out. Our personal experiences should reflect scripture and tradition in the lives of the believers. We may have different reactions to scripture and our church’s tradition. However, when we reflect on our personal experience we should focus on how we can have our personal experiences change us so we may become more like God. Although personal experience is important in the life of a Christian, we must make sure that personal experience does not trump the significance of scripture in our lives.Reason that holds true to scripture is considered the glue that holds all three together. It is through reason that we can interpret the scriptures, make sure our witness is clear, seek to understand God’s action and will, make our witness understandable to ourselves and to others, and test our experience with Scripture to make sure that our actions are in accordance with God’s will.[4]
[11] BOD ¶104 pg. 85 - 86
[1] See 2 Timothy 3:16-17
[2] 1 Timothy 1:15 NRSV
[3] Chesterton, G.K., Orthodoxy San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1995 p 13
[4] Jones, Scott J. United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002 p. 140

Questions 9 & 10

9. Describe the nature and mission of the Church. What are its primary tasks today?
The mission of the church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ.[1] This is done by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, providing healing for a hurting world, and equipping the laity for mission and ministry.
Teaching the good news of what Christ has done for us should be the first and foremost task of the church. Finding ways to reach God’s people with the message of what Jesus Christ has done for them is the most important thing that we can do as a church. This Gospel should be taught in more ways than just the Sunday morning worship service. It should be taught in Bible studies as well as different outreaches with which the church can be involved. When the Gospel is being proclaimed, the church can be moved to provide healing for this hurting world. Providing food and shelter for those who have little, helping those who are being discriminated against and also taking care of the gifts God has given us are important aspects that arise out of the Gospel.
The church must equip the laity to be in ministry and mission within the church, throughout the community, and around the world. In the grand picture of the church’s mission, the pastor’s responsibility is to move and motivate the congregation to take the gospel to the world. The pastor can make suggestions, but if the pastor is not training and equipping the laity to action, then the words coming out of the pulpit are empty rhetoric.
We see the church fulfilling the mission of the church when they look for ways to serve each other, their community and the world. I have seen this in various ministries such as mission trips to Mexico, second hand clothing stores and a legal clinic for the underprivileged. It is through these ministries that God’s people help the church to come alive and touch the lives of people in the community and the world.

10. Discuss your understanding of the primary characteristics of United Methodist polity.
The primary characteristics of the United Methodist Church consist of the constitution, doctrinal standards, ministry of Christians, social principles, and the organization and administration of the church. These five different characteristics establish a connectional system that holds the denomination together and forms an important bond within the church.
It is through connectionalism that the entire denomination can move to make a difference in our community and in our world. This occurs when the local congregations are connected in districts that are connected to annual conferences. Each annual conference is in relationship with other annual conferences in a regional Jurisdiction, which ultimately relates to the General Conference.
The constitution outlines how the United Methodist Church was established and shares basic views on the connection that we have. The doctrinal standards are statements that the church believes and teaches. The ministry of Christians is a part of our polity to encourage and equip our members to be in ministry to the world.
Our social principals say to the world what the church believes and how we stand on social issues including socioeconomic, life and death and morality. These principals are written to encourage all people, but especially for United Methodists to critically reflect on those issues to see how God is calling us to act upon them.
The final part of our polity deals with the organization and administration of our church. This describes the patterns and plans for how the church is run so we stay uniform in our administration. Each aspect is defined in the Discipline so that it is clear and ambiguity cannot cripple the process.
[1] Matthew 28:19

Questions 11 & 12

11. How do you perceive yourself, your gifts, your motives, your role, and your commitment as a probationary member and commissioned minister in The United Methodist Church?
I see myself first and foremost as a servant to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Being a servant for Christ keeps me focused on actively following God who has called me. My hope is that I am bringing honor and glory to Jesus Christ rather than to myself or the church I am serving.
My motive to be in ministry is to help others experience God’s love for themselves and always point them towards God. I could not be in ministry if it were not for what God is doing through me. The only gain that I want to receive out of being in ministry is to see myself continue to grow in my faith and to watch others discover their relationship with God and to continue to mature in that faith.
Anything that I could do to share Christ’s love with others is most definitely Christ working through me and through my weaknesses so I can say like Paul, “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.”[1]
At times, I wrestle with my sense of security and wonder about my ability to fulfill the task that God has placed before me. However, during the past couple of years as I waited to come before P & Q, I have felt God’s hand giving me strength to accomplish the task of becoming a Probationary and Commissioned member of the Annual Conference.
Even though I wrestle with a sense of security, my commitment is strong because I know, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”[2] The process of ordained ministry has at times been hard, but I know that it has also strengthened me because I have had the opportunity to see God work in wonderful and miraculous ways in my life.
I have seen God strengthen and use me during a twenty-four hour stretch with a youth who was facing jail because of false accusation. I have seen God strengthen and use me when a mother of a youth member called me panicked because her father-in-law has disappeared and no one knew where he was.
Through these difficult times of ministry, God has shown me that one of my strongest gifts in ministry, is that I care for God’s children and that I am able to listen without being judgmental and bring a sense of calm to a situation. My prayer is that as I continue in ministry, I will be able to rely on the council that God gives me in order to fulfill the call God has on my life.


12. Describe your understanding of diakonia, the servant ministry of the church, and the servant ministry of the probationary member and commissioned minister.
The term diakonia points to what Jesus was telling his disciples in Matthew 20. When questioned about leadership and the role of authority, Jesus tells his disciples,
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.[3]

All members of the church are commissioned at their baptism to be in ministry within the local church and in the world. At our baptism, we are given the task to be the diakonia of the church.[4]
As a probationary member and commissioned minister of the church, I am to place myself under the authority of Christ who gave us the example of serving others instead of trying to bring recognition to himself. Through all that I do, I am to show the example of service for those in my congregation.
On one level, it could be making pastoral visits to the congregation, teaching classes, and making myself available to the congregation in times of need. Another level is recognizing that while in service to the congregation, I will be teaching and equipping the congregation to be in service ministry to each other and the world.
I was talking to my son about the possibility of him becoming a junior counselor at Junior High Camp this upcoming summer. During our discussion, he talked about how great it would be to boss around the other campers, be able to do things first, have the best bed in the cabin and all of the benefits he perceived he would have as a junior counselor.
I reminded him that the purpose of being a junior counselor was to make sure the campers were having a great camping experience. I told him that the leadership of the junior counselor was to show what it means to truly serve Christ and allow others to experience that diakonia and want to then go out and serve others.
[1] 2 Corinthians 12:9b - 10
[2] Philippians 4:13 NRSV
[3] Matthew 20:25 – 29 NRSV
[4] BOD ¶305 pg. 197 - 98

Questions 13 & 14

13. What is the meaning of ordination in the context of the general ministry of the Church?
Ordination is a gift from God that affirms the ministry of people who have been set apart by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is through ordination that men and women commit their lives to the proclamation, and living out of the gospel. The end result of this proclamation and holy living is to fulfill the great commission of making disciples for Jesus Christ.[1]
The United Methodist Church upholds two orders of ordination: the order of the deacon and the order of the elder. These orders are established to provide a connection for deacons and elders, and to provide a place for support in ministry. These orders also provide a place where clergy can deepen their relationship with God together.
The deacon is called to the ministry of service and to equip those in the church for ministry. The deacon equips through teaching, worship, and other specialized ministries of the church. The deacon also assists the elder in the administration of the sacraments. The task of the deacon is to serve as the bridge between the worship life of the congregation and the service of God in the local community and the world.
An elder in the United Methodist Church is given the responsibility to be in ministry of Word, sacraments, service and order. The elder has the responsibility to teach God’s Word to the congregation. The elder has opportunities to do this through the sermon on Sunday morning and establishing classes where adult, youth and children have the opportunity to discover God’s Word and discuss it among their peers. The task for the elder is to challenge the congregation with God’s Word and help the congregation to discover how to apply God’s Word to their lives every day.
The elder is also charged with teaching about and presiding over the sacraments of baptism and holy communion. Teaching and presiding over the sacraments are important to me because it brings God’s gifts of the sacraments to the congregation so they may be brought into covenant with God.
The task of the elder is to educate the people of the church and provide opportunities for them to go and be in mission to the world. The body of Christ is not effective unless the body is reaching out to the world and sharing Christ’s love with all people. It is not the task of the elder to lead all service opportunities of the church, but the task is to encourage and equip the body to serve the world with their own unique giftedness that God has given each member of the church.
Finally, the elder is responsible in taking care of the day-to-day organization, stewardship, budget and vision of the church. Again, it is not the task of the elder to run the church by him or herself, but to encourage and lead the congregation in taking care of what God has given them.


14. Describe your understanding of an inclusive church and ministry?
As a church, we are called to reach out to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, status or economic condition.[2] We must be reminded that the church was not established for one group of people, but the church was established so that all people can come in community to experience Christ together, to serve together and to help encourage one another to grow in their faith.
As we form an inclusive church, we must hold firm to standards of membership that holds our membership accountable to what the church believes, but through this accountability, we encourage everyone who is a part of the church to move from where they are into a deeper more fulfilling relationship with Jesus Christ. When I think of being an inclusive church, I see its inclusiveness being demonstrated through its ministry outreaches. The church should be proactive, looking throughout the community to find ways to reach out to God’s people and inviting them into a relationship with Jesus Christ. If we are called as a church to be imitators of Christ, then we need to reach out to the sinners where they are and take Christ’s unconditional love to them. At times, this may seem controversial, but when we look at who Jesus pursued we see that he reached out to the people that the religious leaders of his time would consider useless and unworthy of being included in the synagogue.
Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”[3] We see from this scripture that Paul, a Jewish Christian, worked to include the Gentiles into the life of the new church. In the book of Acts we see the conflict between Paul and the disciples centered on the inclusion of the Gentiles. The idea that God was not with the Gentiles was prevalent in the early church, and Paul encountered opposition as he included them in the life of the church. Paul’s point was that God is with everyone and that is why we as a church must minister to all people.
Today there are people who feel excluded from the life of the church for social, racial or economic reasons. Our ministry should include them, but we should also hold them accountable to what God is calling them to do and help them move toward perfect love of` God and perfect love of neighbor.
[1] Matthew 28:17
[2] 2004 Book of Discipline, Article IV of the Constitution; pg 22
[3] Galatians 3:28 NRSV

Questions 15 & 16

15. You have agreed as a candidate for the sake of the mission of Jesus Christ in the world and the most effective witness of the gospel, and in consideration of their influence as ministers, to make a complete dedication of yourself to the highest ideals of the Christian life, and to this end agree to exercise responsible self-control by personal habits conducive to bodily health, mental and emotional maturity, integrity in all personal relationships, fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness social responsibility, and growth in grace and the knowledge and love of God. What is your understanding of this agreement?
I understand that as a minister of God’s Word, I should set an example for the congregation to follow. By following this agreement, I am stating that I will live my life in a way that demonstrates that I am holding myself accountable in all areas so that the church can be confident that my focus is on Christ and not on worldly matters.
I will take care of my physical body by staying in shape and following the guidelines of the church’s wellness initiative. I will take care of my mental and emotional health by continuing to advance in study and by making sure I take Sabbath rest. Following these guidelines, I will show that I hold to what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that our body is Christ’s temple and, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy and you are that temple.”[1]
Having integrity in all personal relationship shows that as a pastor I will honor all relationships in which I am involved. When the trust of spouses, friends and congregation members are betrayed, the effectiveness of ministry is affected. In such situations, whatever we may teach has the chance of becoming null and void because of the trust that was lost and it can be a long difficult struggle for the congregation to recover.
Finally, as a pastor, I must be a trusted witness of Christ to the community at large. If the church does not minister to the community, we will be deaf to injustices that occur, and we will not know how to respond to them. The call of the church is to share God’s love with the community. When the pastor is aware and active in the community, he or she can truly shepherd God’s people in the direction God is calling them to go. By being active in the community the pastor is leading the church showing that the church’s doors are open to the community at large. When a pastor is not aware of what is happening in the community, or refuses to be a part of what is happening in the community, the church can become paralyzed and become an unhealthy community.


16. Explain the role and significance of the sacraments in the ministry to which you have been called.
The two sacraments that the United Methodist embraces are baptism and holy communion. These two sacraments are outward signs of an inward grace that we receive from God. The sacraments were either instituted[2] or commanded[3] by Christ in the Gospels and convey God’s grace and love to us using words, actions and physical elements.[4]
The role of the elder is to teach about and administer the sacraments. I believe that the sacraments are a means of grace that are given by God not to be chores that make us worthy, but instead are acts that we participate in that draw us closer to God and become available to the grace that is offered through the sacraments. There are different interpretations about the sacraments and the importance of them throughout the different denominations. As an elder of the United Methodist Church, I will teach and uphold the Wesleyan tradition of the sacraments of baptism and holy communion.
Baptism is the start of a lifetime journey for the participant. We participate in the sacrament of baptism because we are celebrating the initiation of the baptized person into the life of the church, the sign of our new birth in Christ, and the representation of the divine act by which we are redeemed from our sins and brought into reconciliation with God. We must remember and teach that while we participate in this ritual, we are not the instigators. Through the sacrament of baptism, God is the instigator that offers the gift of God’s grace to us and by participating; we are accepting that gift from God.
When we baptize, we recognize that it is the power of the Holy Spirit working through the water and the word. Because of the Holy Spirit’s work, we affirm that age or mental capabilities cannot disqualify a person from being baptized. God’s grace is available to all and the act of baptizing persons from infancy to adults shows God’s grace given to all.
Holy communion is a sacrament that binds the church together, not just the present congregations in our world today, but it connects us with the saints that came before us as well as those who will follow in our footsteps. Through the gift of bread and cup, we remember Christ’s sacrifice for us, but we do not stop at the cross. We are reminded by the bread and the cup that Christ is always with us. As we receive the elements we are reminded that we are Christ’s hands and feet to the world and we are to take Christ with us wherever we go, sharing the Good News that Christ died for us so we can have a personal relationship with God.
Another significance of holy communion is that we celebrate an open table. This open table signifies that communion is a gift that Christ has given to the world, to draw the world closer to Christ. It is through the open table that we as a church can practice reconciliation. While we have different ideas that may draw us apart, the reconciliation that we participate in by sharing the same body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ helps us to express what we say in our liturgy: “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.”[5] It is through the sharing of the bread and cup that we are to be Christ’s body in the world and through Christ’s sacrifice, we are able to bring reconciliation to the world by reaching out together as redeemed people of God.
[1]1 Corinthians 3:17 NRSV
[2] Matthew 26:26 – 30, Mark 14: 22 – 25, Luke 22: 15 – 20
[3] Matthew 28: 19 - 20
[4] By Water & The Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism, Nashville, TN: Discipleship Resources p. 7
[5] UMH pg. 11

Questions 17 & 18

17. What is the United Methodist understanding of the process of salvation?
The process of salvation is about the grace that God gives to us. Each “step” is first an action by God given to us. Wesley wrote,
All the blessings which God hath bestowed upon man are of his mere grace, bounty, or favour: his free, undeserved favour, favour altogether undeserved, man having no claim to the least of his mercies.[1]

These blessings lead us from the depths of our sinful selves leading us onto perfection where all of our actions are motivated by love of God and love for our neighbor.
The process of salvation starts with God’s prevenient grace. This is the grace that God extends to humanity before humanity knew God. We see this written in the book of Jeremiah where God tells the prophet, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”[2]
Prevenient grace says that God is continually active in reaching out and loving all of God’s creation. We see this written in the Gospel of John where Jesus tells Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”[3]
The prevenient grace that God has given us constantly pursues us and calls us into repentance and into relationship with God. God is constantly showing us his grace in order for us to repent, turn from our sins, and accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
Justification is the moment when we understand that we can no longer go on by ourselves, but we accept the pardon that is given to us through Christ’s death and resurrection. In justification, a decisive change occurs in our heart and we turn from the sin of the past in order to live a new life. It is God’s actions through the person of Jesus Christ that accepts us and removes our sin. Wesley writes, “His sins, all his past sins, in thought, word, and deed, ’are covered’, are blotted out; shall not be remembered or mentioned against him, anymore than if they had not been.”[4] This is all done through the actions of Jesus Christ on the cross, dying so that we may have life fully.
When a person makes the decision to accept what Christ has done for them it marks the beginning of a lifetime journey called sanctification. While justification takes our sins away, sanctification is the “process of gradually changing the person from the sinful state to becoming increasingly perfect.”[5] The work of sanctification changes our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. This work of the Holy Spirit draws us to what Wesley called having a heart “habitually filled with the love of God and neighbor” and “having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked.”[6]

18. What is your understanding of itinerant ministry?
The itinerant system is an important trait of The United Methodist Church. In the itinerant system, an elder of The United Methodist Church is sent to a congregation by the bishop and the cabinet of the annual conference. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they look at the elder’s gifts and graces and match them with the needs and growth areas of local congregations. It is through this system that the elder places him or herself in covenant with the annual conference and echoes the words of Isaiah, “Here I am, send me!”[7] I agree with the itinerant system and I am looking forward to placing myself within this covenant.
The itinerancy system has been instituted to help effectively minister to the local church, the elder and the local community. The bishop and cabinet examine the different needs and characteristics of the local congregation, which include the general situation of the church, its theological stance, and the ministry of the congregation within the local community. After the church’s needs are evaluated, the bishop and cabinet review the elder’s gifts and graces, the elder’s spiritual commitment, any personal/family relationship issues, the elder’s theology and experience, gifts in different areas of ministry, and how the elder would relate with the new congregation and community setting. Finally, the bishop looks at the community to see how the congregation and appointed elder could best reach out to that community to make disciples for Jesus Christ. While on the outside, the itinerancy may look like just a system to appoint pastors. I believe it is an important way to uphold the covenant among all the elders of the church. The itinerancy is an effective tool to bring continuity to the ministries of the local church and build support between all of the elders of the connection.
[1] Wesley, John. Sermons: An Anthology, ed. Outler, Heitzenrater Nashville: Abington Press, 1991 pg. 40
[2] Jeremiah 1:5
[3] John 3:16 NRSV
[4] Sermons pg 115
[5] Jones, Scott J. United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002 p. 179
[6] 2004 Book of Discipline pg. 47
[7] Isaiah 6:8 NRSV