By Rev. Dr. Scott Field
October 3, 2023
The dreaded Red Zone Fumble! Clock running down. No time for missteps, miscues, or mistakes. Your team’s offense is driving toward the goal line. It’s the Red Zone! Just-twenty-yards-to-TOUCHDOWN! You are oh, so close… the last thing you want to do is fumble the ball and, even worse, let the other team recover it.
And then it happens. FUMBLE! Players scramble. Momentary chaos. And then…the opposing team recovers the fumble and dances in delight. Turnover! Oh, no! Say it ain’t so!!
Your offense trots off the field. The defense goes back to the grind. What was an almost certain touchdown has turned into, at best, a holding action. And, as is so often the case, the outcome hangs in the balance.
I am a Chicago Bears fan. I know whereof I speak, friends.
With apologies for another sports analogy, I want to share this word of encouragement with you:
We’re in the Red Zone
Many of us in traditionalist/evangelical/orthodox United Methodist congregations have longed for a way to step out of the cycle of denominational conflict. We have experienced an underlying sense that the price of loyalty to the UMC has become the violation of our Christian conscience. That is a price too high.
Though the General Conference has not met since 2019, local churches have taken the matter into their own hands, hearts, and prayers through the challenging process of disaffiliation. Through prayerful discernment and dealing with the pragmatic details, thousands of congregations have chosen to leave the UMC. They want to fully engage their calling to spread the gospel of Christ, invite others to welcome the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit, and network globally with like-minded and like-hearted believers in mission and ministry. And they are more than ready to leave the intramural squabbling of United Methodism behind.
I am awed by the energy, commitment, wisdom, and joy of this burgeoning network of sisters and brothers. These are the freshening winds of revival…for the glory of God and the healing of the world!
I find myself drawn to Psalm 126. The sacred text resonates with our current situation:
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
(Psalm 126 NIV)
We’re Pressing Toward the Goal
The mission of the Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) is to inform, support, and assist congregations to make their way into the faithful future they desire. Without question and without apology, the WCA has been instrumental in the development, launching, and growth of the Global Methodist Church. I call the WCA the “ground-pounders”, the grassroots network, laity and clergy, who have been the key to bringing this amazing and effective team together.
Oh, but don’t take a seat on the bench now!
Those who already have made the challenging disaffiliation journey might want to take a break, settle into your “new normal”, and enjoy a season of relative rest. And that, friends, is how we will be most likely to fumble just when the goal line is so close.
Or you and others may have walked away and are starting a new Christian community within the Global Methodist Church. Again, give glory to God and get on with it!
Even more, as I write this on the last day of September, there are Special Sessions scheduled yet this fall in over 20 of the 54 UM Annual conferences in the US. All of these additional meetings have been called for the express purpose of voting on additional congregational disaffiliations. And beyond that, a couple of Annual Conferences have already decided to extend the option of congregational disaffiliations throughout 2024 under provisions of paragraph 2549 in The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (2016). These special sessions this fall and the possibilities of further departures over the next year indicate, of course, that many more churches will be “formerly UMC” in the very near future.
As you might imagine, echoing the words of Psalm 126, there are exuberant songs and shouts of joy breaking out in so many communities and congregations after such long nights of sorrow and weeping. Without a doubt, the Lord has done and is doing great things. We are filled with joy. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!” (Psalm 107:2)
Let’s Avoid the Dreaded Red Zone Fumble!
We’re close, but we’re not done yet. The Institutional Administration of the UMC is mounting a formidable goal line defensive stand.
In some areas within the US, attempts at congregational separation from the UMC have been forced to turn to the courts. These situations are ongoing, some still developing, very costly, and highly disappointing. It seems to me that the UMC’s denominational leaders simply cannot avoid appearing to be bullies. Why not negotiate a transparent, fair, feasible pathway for churches to leave?
In other areas of the US, it’s like the referees ejected local congregational leaders from the game without cause. I’m thinking here of churches that have been notified the disaffiliation of their congregation would be too significant of a loss for the UMC in their area. These congregations have been “disqualified for disaffiliation” by their Annual Conference leaders and prohibited from even voting on the question of disaffiliation. This is where my analogy might better shift from athletic competition to unjust incarceration. Prohibiting congregations from exercising the right to vote, again, leaves UM denominational leaders simply unable to avoid the appearance of browbeating local churches. Perhaps it would be good for UM Annual Conference leaders to review the UM Anti-Bullying Resources available here.
What is more egregious still, of course, is that any provision at all for disaffiliation has been denied by the UM Bishops to the congregations in the Central Conferences (Africa, the Philippines, and Europe). While many congregations in the US have found their way out, our sisters and brothers in other countries who want to join us in this revival movement have found the gates closed and locked.
These situations simply cannot be allowed to stand.
The WCA and our coalition partners will not quit now; not before we have done all we can to support, assist, and welcome all who want to be part of the Next Methodism.
Fans are great…but players are needed
Maybe you want to suit up and be part of the team. Or you want to add some strength to our effort. WCA is a membership organization, so if you have not joined us before, I encourage you to do so now. And if you are a member already, we can certainly use whatever additional donation you might be able to provide to help the cause. We are in great need of your support in prayer and financial gifts right now. We don’t want to fumble the ball just as we are closing in on the long-sought goal. I’m new to the role of WCA President. I don’t want to be a “perpetual fundraiser”, but money helps move the mission and we need to fully engage our mission now.
Pressing through the Red Zone of denominational disaffiliation is exciting, exhausting, and critically important. For us right now, good enough is not good enough. Let’s leave no congregation behind. We cannot settle for anything less. Thank you for being part of the team!
Speaking of MVPs:
Debbie Moore has been the Administrative Assistant to WCA President Jay Therrell. Regional chapters as well as the Global Leadership Council and the Global Legislative Assembly have all relied upon Debbie for gracious and efficient management of myriad administrative details to keep the WCA network running. Debbie retired from that role as part of our recent WCA leadership transition. We are deeply in her debt and bless her as she heads into the next chapter of her life.
And, Elizabeth Fink, Secretary of the Global Leadership Council, student at Asbury Seminary, and lifelong UM, is moving into the role of Administrative Assistant to the WCA President. Elizabeth and I are “learning the ropes” of WCA administration, networking, and the global relational connections. We’re focused on fulfilling the mission in this next chapter. Welcome, Elizabeth!
Need to get in touch?
- PO Box 130609, The Woodlands, Texas 77393
- 540-891-4007
- info@wesleyancovenant.org