Tony Jones in Missouri

I'm not from Missouri, but I was pointed toward a blog entry by Tony Jones about a day he spent there speaking to United Methodist pastors. Since I wasn't there I don't know what was really said, but I found the blog entry and especially the comments really interesting. Some thoughts from the conversation:

1. I'm not sure it was a good idea for Tony to tell the pastors not to do something that the Bishop has told them to do. It seems to me that one of the "emergent" values is to allow people to be different from each other and think differently from each other. Different ecclesiologies and practices are fine. So in the UMC, if we want to have Bishops who give us instructions then let them give us instructions and we'll follow.

2. Like Bishop Schnase, I'm a "numbers guy". Like many commenters, though, I wonder whether we're getting the right numbers. Before we start collecting data we have to ask ourselves what the purpose of the data is. Why do we need to measure attendance? I think there are some good reasons. Why do we need to divide out on form 3 giving to the church from pledgers, identified givers who weren't pledgers, and unidentified givers? This one I can't figure out a good reason for.

3. The bottom line question should be what do we need to measure to determine if we are fulfilling the purpose of the Church, defined by the UMC as to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world? I think things like attendance start pointing that direction, but I think we desperately need a new metric for determining whether we are successful.

Inaguration Day

I just watched online as Barack Obama was inaugurated. Very cool. I've been wondering in the days leading up to today about how much hype there normally is before an inauguration. I don't remember this much excitement when previous Presidents took office. But then again both of George W. Bush's elections and at least Clinton's second election left the country divided. Obama's election doesn't feel that way. Even most people who voted for McCain are at least willing to give Obama a good shot.

Here's the amazing thing to me, though. Bush and Obama are so very different from each other in style and substance. Yet they had breakfast with each other this morning, say nothing nasty about each other, and we have a completely peaceful transition of power. I like what I heard Tony Campolo say a couple years ago. As he spoke about U.S. foreign policy he referred to us, and the rest of the world, as Babylon. We're in exile in Babylon. When he was questioned about calling the U.S. "Babylon" and not being thankful for all the good things our country does, Campolo said something like "don't get me wrong - if I have to live in Babylon America is the Babylon I want to live in." I like that. Our country, our world, is full of problems, sin, and evil. As Christians, we're called in part to be a light pointing to a different way of living. But if we've got to live in Babylon, I'm grateful to be in this one.

May God grant President Obama and all of us wisdom and discernment for the days ahead.