...And Witness
Throughout January, I have preached on how God calls into relationship persons who are outside of the covenant community. The key message over these weeks has been that though individuals heard and responded to God, that they were not able to fully enter into relationship with God without the intervention of experienced members of the covenant community.
In May of 2008, the General Conference of our church enacted legislation that is relevant to the messages of the last several weeks. The heart of this legislation, and its most visible effect, was to change the vows of membership for professing members of the United Methodist Church.
Every member of our church, at one time or another, has taken the vow to “be loyal to the United Methodist Church and do everything in [my] power to strengthen its ministries,” and to “faithfully participate [in the ministries of this congregation] by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service” (UM Hymnal, p. 38). These vows now have been altered in two significant ways. First, new members commit to be “loyal to Christ through the United Methodist Church…” And second, we promise to participate in the ministries of the local congregation through our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.
On the one hand, we might tend to minimize the alteration that these few words represent for our church. After all, isn’t our commitment to Christ and the importance of witness understood? Can’t it be assumed? Perhaps. But I tend to believe that nothing of great importance should ever ‘go without saying.’ If it is truly important, then it cannot be assumed, but must be proclaimed. Our commitment to the church IS first of all and above all be a commitment to Christ. And our commitment to support the church in every way must include a willingness to share with others the call of God on the lives of all his children.
After all, where would the Magi have ended up without the guidance from the Jewish teachers? Or the household of Antioch without the guidance of Paul? Where would Samuel be without Eli to teach him, or the people of Nineveh without the proclamation of Jonah? We are called to loyalty to Christ. And we are called to bear witness—to lead others to him. This is a fundamental part of what it is to be a Christian...and a member of the church.
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