"What I Believe About. . ."

A Trilogy
By James W. (Jim) Lane
Sherwood, Arkansas

We are the church of the "Warm Heart"

John Wesley described his experience at the small mission on Aldersgate Street in London in terms that we understand. We know what is like to have our "hearts strangely warmed".

God's Holy Spirit just comes over us, envelopes and hugs us, and we feel love all around us. A young mother than I know uses this phrase, "I just get Holy Ghost bumps all over!"

John Wesley had gone through all the motions, he had been to preachers school, he had been to college, he was an Anglican Priest. He says that he went most unwillingly to a small gathering of lay folks who were having a store front meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. I imagine he sat on the back row since the meeting was going on when he got there. Tradition has it that a man who was a house painter by trade was reading from Martin Luther=s Preface to the Book of Romans. While a scholarly piece, it would hardly incite anyone today. Dull as dishwater!

But, God works miracles in our lives at the most unexpected times when we least expect it. John Wesley rejoiced in the fact that he felt his heart "strangely warmed". For the first time ever his salvation became personal - - he felt HIS sins were wiped away.

A WOW moment for sure! Well Brother John was never the same again. History records that a religious revival overspread England all because a diminutive Anglican Priest "felt his heart strangely warmed".

That Revival Fire came to America, and spread from shore to shore. At one time around 1900 we were opening two new Methodist churches a day.

Let me share a story with you that came out of the "Witness" group that I led - -

We had been talking in our Witness group about those "Ah ha!" moments when we know that the Holy Spirit has come upon us and really feel the presence of God's Holy Angels around us. We had also discussed the importance of everyone being a faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ.

I received an e-mail from Pepper one day in which she shared with me that she was sending an e-mail to another of her planning group for the new Mother's Day Out program, when it suddenly occurred to her to call the program the "Little Disciples Mother Day Out" program. Her dream is not to just warehouse children, but to train them in Christian discipleship. Tears came to her eyes as she experienced God=s Holy Spirit warming her heart and giving her a real "Ah ha!" moment.

An Open Heart is a loving heart, a caring heart, a healing heart, a welcoming heart, a listening heart, a hugging heart - - a heart that is always open!

Mark, the gospel writer, tells the story of when Jesus, Peter, James and John came down from the transfiguration experience only to witness a squabble amongst his disciples, the town folk and some of the high church officials. The other disciples had been trying to cure this poor kid with Epilepsy and had been highly unsuccessful. These same disciples had cured others on many other occasions. What went wrong this time? They tried to remember what Jesus had done and mimic him. The desperate father came to Jesus and the boy was healed. Later the disciples asked Jesus what happened. He told them that their prayers were just not getting through because of their lack of obedience and faith. They were depending on and trusting in their own power. Jesus said this kind of healing needs PRAYER!

Jesus was talking about prayer that is empowered by the Holy Spirit. To pray "in the spirit" we must have the "strangely warmed heart" that has been set on fire by the Pentecostal Fires of God's Holy Spirit.

And that is what I believe about - - Open Hearts!

I am continually amazed and puzzled at highly educated people with advanced degrees in the sciences and other disciplines who seem to get all wrapped up in these SSP (show up, shut up, pay up) faith groups. Their brains must be bipolar where one side is stuffed with disciplined, scientifically proven, God-revealed knowledge and the other side is an ugly gray from non-use which they use as their "religious side." Arthur Sulzberger is quoted as saying "I believe in an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out." The corollary of that is a mind that the light of knowledge never enters.

God is revealed to each of us in very special and unique ways. For some, it is wisdom, for others vision, still others possess special gifts and graces. I want to enter a church where I do not have to leave all of that at the door and be spoon-fed someone else's revelation. Yes, there are indeed some churches' doors where you have to check your brain at the door as you enter.

When the United Methodist Church says that we believe in and practice - - Open Minds - - what do we mean?

Ours is a global church with many languages, cultures and many ways of "being" the church.

I have met United Methodist folk from all across the theological spectrum. Some march to a very different drum beat - - than I do. Does that mean that they are "wrong" and I am "right". Does that mean that we cannot commune together at the table of Jesus?

Those of us of the "Southern Tradition" think that "The Kingdom" rises and sets in our back yard. We have our great revival tradition of camp meetings and evangelistic fervor. We are mostly evangelical and hold to very traditional standards.

My travels around the world attending World Methodist Conferences have convinced me that we who hover under the Wesley umbrella are about as diverse a group as you will find.

While we might be different in dress, speech, color of skin, culture and way of approaching the "Throne of Grace" - - we are all alike in spirit. We yearn for the same freedoms, and we yearn to breathe free. We are all "God's Kids" and God loves us all just the same.

Our mission as a church is to produce Disciples who love and serve Jesus Christ.

We can tell all those who stand outside our doors - - come on in! You do not have to leave your brain at the door as you enter!

We are a church of an Open Mind!

"Behold I stand at the door and knock" our Savior says. Our desire is that Jesus never has to stand at the doors of our churches and knock - - and find no one home. Or find us unwilling to open the doors wide to welcome the sojourner who comes our way.

A popular movie of a few years back had the line of "Build it and they will come!" While that might work for baseball fields - - it seldom works for churches.

Having a church of an Open Door is hard work.

We must thrust open the doors of our Churches, as we go out in ministry and service. We need to quit sitting around in meetings talking about what we ought to do - - and get out and about and be in ministry. If every church would declare a moratorium on meetings next year and send the people out - - equipped and prepared to offer Christ to their world, what do you think would happen? United Methodists who are dispersed for mission and ministry onto the highways and by ways of our global community - - just think about it? Folks, it should be obvious by now to everyone that we can't, as Wesley said, "Offer them Christ" - - by sitting in the Churches waiting for something to happen.

Our doors should always be open and the lights on every night. We can no longer afford tabernacles that are used on Sunday's only!

Mission Stations - - Saving Stations - - Empowering Stations - - Equipping and Sending Stations

First, our Churches must become "full service mission stations". Centers for spiritual renewal and personal commitment. Stations where the sweet, Holy Spirit of God has permeated and engaged a whole community of believers. Stations that are community centers of wholeness and healing. Stations that serve as a welcoming beacon to all God's children who are seekers of The Way. Stations where everyone "standing in the need of prayer" will find love, forgiveness, acceptance and haven.

Second, we must become United Methodist "saving stations" where love abides, and all God's children can find salvation, healing, wholeness and safety. We shall offer Christ as Savior to God's people, to the community and to God's world. We shall be centers of fellowship where all people feel included, loved and valued - - a place where everybody knows your name! We must create a myriad of programs of ministry and healing for young, old, men, women, boys, girls, married, single, senior citizens, persons with disabling conditions, all persons who are hurting - - ALL God's children.

Third, we need United Methodist Church "empowering stations" to offer vital and exciting opportunities for worship and learning. We are people of The Book. It is absolutely essential that we know and understand our Book.

Let's take a really honest look at how we conduct our worship services. Do they communicate the Good News gospel? Do they lift up the excitement and call of the Pentecostal fires of a Church in mission and ministry? Do they offer Christ? With God's help, do we lead persons to conversion and commitment? Do we have an opportunity for conversion and commitment at every service? Today worship must be exciting and vital. Worship must address our heart felt and gut felt needs with the integrity of Holy Scripture.

We must feed others with God's manna and lead them to the well with the water that will quench their thirst forever. We must meet the spiritual needs of our people! Let us challenge each other to ministry and service as Disciples of Jesus Christ. Let us "Lift high the Cross, the love of Christ proclaim!"

Fourth we must become "equipping and sending stations" where we equip persons for ministry and send them out into the community and world for mission and ministry. Equipping the Saints for ministry is one of our most challenging tasks. Hands-on training for ministry and skill building events are what we need for the 21st century. Every Church should have a part time or full time Director of Volunteers. This person must be a dedicated church worker who has caught the vision and is willing to be equipped and sent and to equip and send others into mission and ministry in the Church and in the community and world.

We must learn to listen to all our people. Our best ideas for ministry come from those who live out their lives in the everyday world who have seen the struggles and injustices. People who see ways out for those who are in need and who are hurting. We need to help these with vision, sometimes far beyond our own, to translate their ideas, hopes and dreams into ministry.

And that is what I believe about - - Open Doors.

A Jim Lane Commentary
May 19, 2003