WHY
SHOULD WE STAY IN THE
THE
QUESTION POSED:
I’ve
got a problem: I don't get a lot from TWC. I'm not real involved in my
district. I don't feel it has a lot to offer me. Am I only staying for
accountability? I seek training and mentoring on my own anyway, I have never
used TWC for any of that in my entire ministry. My DS told the pastors at a retreat once,
"If you're going to be Wesleyans then be
Wesleyans. If you want to be independent, then be independent." He's
right!! Where do I draw the line on staying and going? I don't have any
Wesleyans in my church. They have no tie in with TWC in any way. I don't talk
down TWC, my DS has preached here and comes every year. He does a great job.
Except for last year when finances were extremely tight, we have always paid
100% USF. We're working to pay the back USF that we owe. I have never presented
anti-TWC in any way. But we're not a "church campy", kind of church
so I put out the posters but I don't push it. My people don't go, I don't even
like to go anymore! So am I a hypocrite for pastoring
a Wesleyan church full of non Wesleyans?
I am a third generation Wesleyan. My extended family is full of Wesleyan
pastors. I graduated from one of our schools and loved church camp as a kid.
But do I stay just because of these things? Should I just go ahead and leave TWC? Except for USF and our yearly DS visit that's
what I've already done. Should I just go all the way?"
Somebody help me, why do we stay?
MY REPLY:
Wow,
tough questions! And frightful implications.
My short reply: You should stay
because it's like a marriage – it's not all about the easy things you get out
of it, it's about what you give to it and how it grows and stretches you.
My longer reply:
You
should stay because your church is part of the Wesleyan spectrum as much as the
little backwater wesleyan
church whose 48 members all go to family camp every year and who have two
members on the DBA. You contribute to who we are -- and losing you doesn't mean
we lose "non-wesleyans" it may mean we lose
a part of the intended body of believers that is The Wesleyan Church (TWC).
You contribute more than USF, you can be sure of it. When your DS comes to town
-- you influence him in what you're doing. I bet he speaks of your church in
other settings.
Don't fret about "not finding mentors in The Wesleyan Church" --
again, it's like a marriage... who cares if they aren't mentoring you, who are
YOU mentoring in the
If you're a 3rd Gen Wesleyan, then that's a lot to consider too -- Leonard
Sweet gave us an inspiring talk at General Conf this year about looking back to
our tradition and seeing how it should inspire us towards a more relevant
postmodern ministry. Get that tape if you weren't there. WOW!
And beyond these reasons -- remember that you MAY need The Wesleyan Church some
day and at that point it would stink to be an independent church.
Accountability is a GREAT reason to say in the denominational marriage. I did a
study while at school in
Regardless... it might just be the 7 year itch type thing. You're looking
across the bed right now and the denomination doesn't seem that attractive to
you. You're having a denominational ministry-mid-life crisis.
Don't worry, go buy a red sports car and don't leave yet.
David Drury
©2004 David Drury
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