I cried. Last night a group of people I did not personally know came to an event to which I was invited to speak. They were from what had been a large county seat church. They asked me for help. I don’t think I gave them much help.
Their story, summarizing several conversations, is both sad and repeated so many times across their denomination, my former denomination. They told of having a traditional pastor in mid-year “ripped” out of their church and four pastors in five years. Their current pastor has no senior pastor experience in a church of their size and is fully committed to the “progressive agenda.” He has informed them that anyone who disagrees with him “and the bishop” should just leave.
“We had been a predominately Traditional church. But so many of us have simply left, we may now be in the minority.”
They shared that they have been told they can have no meetings to discuss the current crisis in their church or denomination. There can be no discussion of disaffiliation using Book of Discipline paragraph 2553. The bishop addressed the church and said, “You are free to leave,” they said.
They asked, “Who will help us?” “How can we get good information?” “What do we do since we are even forbidden to discuss the problem?” “Do we have any recourse?” “Will no one hold the bishop and this pastor accountable?” “What is the agenda that is driving the decimation of our church?”
Besides so many traditionalists simply leaving to go to other orthodox churches, they reported the severe decline in worship attendance and giving. They said the pastor was trying to “take over the Pre-school” because “It’s the only solvent thing happening in the church.”
They told of perceived lies, deceit, disinformation, labeling, division, demoralization, defeat.
As they poured out their hearts, I wept. These were “good Methodists.” For generations many had been Methodist. Some reported about decades of membership and service in their church. They were the kind of folks any pastor would have loved to have in their church just a few years ago.
Now they are asking, “Where can we go?” “Do we just walk away like so many have already?”
I shared some ideas with them. I made a few suggestions. But in the end, I had to confess I did not know what they ought to do. I did suggest they fast and pray about it for 30 days before making a firm decision as to their direction. One of their group spoke up and said, “Maybe we should just walk away and plant a new orthodox congregation. Who would help us?”
I drove home with a heavy heart. I thought about them and I thought about an appointment I had scheduled for the next day with a brilliant and life-long Methodist who tells me he is in the same situation in his church. This appointment is for him to ask for my advice. I will do the best I can.
However, my heart breaks as I watch the splintering of a church to which I gave 50 years of my life. Thankfully, I also knew I was first serving the Lord and secondly the church. Therefore, the work for the Lord was not in vain. But it is so hard to watch the loss. I am sad. Not for me, but for the church I loved…and still love.
Yet, I believe the Lord will take the new thing he is doing and use it for the blessing of the nations. Thankfully, my hope remains in the Lord.
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