Self-Evaluation
Written by Bishop Max Whitfield Thursday, 14 January 2010 08:07
The mission of The United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Most people nod their heads in agreement and then continue to do what they have always done. Their congregations continue to decrease in average worship attendance, church membership, professions of faith, missional giving, and intentional faith development. When asked if they see a problem between their statements and actions some shrug their shoulders and ask, “Is this not a national problem?” as if this eliminates the issue.
This year we are requesting an evaluation of every congregation and every pastor. The questions are formulated around the five practices of fruitful congregations—radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission, and extravagant generosity. These five practices are signs of fruitful congregations and fruitful leadership. When any of these practices are missing, or we fail to live up to the adjectives preceding the practices, I see us failing to be and do what Jesus Christ commissioned us to do—make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
This past Sunday I had the privilege of confirming several young people into membership in The United Methodist Church. As part of the invitation before their confirmation, I stated, “You are making the most important decision of your life. You are deciding whether you will follow Jesus Christ and live out this faith and commitment as part of the Body of Christ.” I believe following Jesus is the most important decision any person, at any age, can make. It is a commitment that will need to renewed and expanded as we authentically follow Jesus. However, there is not another decision in life as important as this one.
Early followers of Jesus Christ became martyrs rather than recant their commitment to follow Jesus Christ. Individuals sacrificed family, prestige, wealth, and health in order to spread this Good News of Jesus Christ to people around the world. Something has happened to our souls. We have forgotten or neglected the importance and transformation that Jesus Christ produces in others and us. The Church is in the transformation business. Jesus transforms our lives, community, nation and world. We become agents of that transformation as we follow Jesus.
A person recently said to me that the members of her congregation were good, giving people. I wanted to retort, “Is your congregation a fruitful congregation filled with disciples of Jesus Christ who are agents of Jesus Christ in transforming the world?” I failed to see this congregation demonstrating they were accomplishing Jesus’ commission. Does the congregation demonstrate radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk taking mission, and extravagant generosity? These practices begin to reveal the congregation’s effectiveness in fulfilling their mission. We must also examine those factors that we cannot measure, but if our hard data indicates a lack of personal and corporate transformation, we must do a careful examination.
January is a time for me to do self-evaluation and I hope it will be a time when every Christian and every congregation will do some very serious self-evaluation.
Grace & Peace,
Max
