It seems that from time to time the local road we travel, even the Interstate needs to be torn up, widened, and resurfaced. It’s a necessary process, inconvenient, but necessary.
I seem to be reminded of this process even more now as I travel Interstate 35 both north and south from our home in Holt. As many of you know, I-35 is a one lane parking lot at times from just north of Liberty to very near Cameron – but I do see progress coming, and I’ve been blessed to find different paths along the way which offer new insights and a varied landscape.
Now I wonder how Pastor Wesley might have viewed this process. Would there be lament over the inconvenience, or celebration for the progress to come? I believe the later. In his book, “Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit”, Lovett Weems artfully answers this dilemma as Wesley might have and shines some light on what I’ve prayed about, and searched for in listening to the spirits whispers. . . he writes,
It is significant how often there is multiple leadership during periods of church renewal and vitality – weather for the local church or for the denomination. It is in such times of revisioning and revival that whole generations of different leaders emerge for the church and society it is in these eras that conventional assumptions about who can lead do not stop this multiple leadership from flowering, unlimited by class, gender, race, and ordained status distinction.
And so it is, that in this faithful Wesleyan tradition of ours, this road we’ve been travelling has been in the process of being torn up, widened, and resurfaced for several years now. We can see the renewal, the fruitfulness of the decisions to undertake the process, the ride is smoothing out and we are witness to the wonderful transformation of servant leadership taking place in our Methodist connection.
I see pastors actively partnering with laity leaders in congregations for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. I am blessed to see and hear of the incredible outreach that our congregations are engaging in, moving outside the walls of the church into the community which surrounds them and being embraced by those whose lives are touched by this giving spirit. New leaders are taking up the mantel and sharing the good news in ways we have either forgotten or lacked the energy to try, clergy and laity resurfaced by God to move it forward.
I know there are still some side roads which will require our care and attention, but I am so encouraged and enthusiastic at the Christ-Centered progress of our journey thus far – the one-lane parking lot is breaking up, and we’re moving down this faithful highway with renewed partnerships in ministry for Christ, I believe Pastor Wesley would be moving us further down the road together, encouraging the renewal effort and filling those leadership pot-holes all along the way. What can we do? Offer someone a ride!
Kevin <><
