Andrew Forrest

My phone was blowing up today with folks asking me if I had seen the news of a proposed split for the United Methodist Church, and what my thoughts were. Here is my initial reaction, along with some clarifying information as to what today’s news actually means.

Facts Are Our Friends

The facts are that the United Methodist Church is an extremely divided denomination, and not only as to the definition of marriage: there are wide divisions in the denomination over nearly every other theological category one could think of.

It is good to recognize this fact. We may wish it were different, but it isn’t, and we’ll never make progress unless we acknowledge the stubborn uncomfortable facts of the present. The fact that we are divided is sad, but sadder still would be our refusal to acknowledge that these divisions are deep and irreconcilable.

Life Requires Trade-offs

Because the UMC is so divided, no interest group or caucus or theological camp will ever be able to get 100% of what it wants. It is good to acknowledge this, even if it’s painful. So, a mediated plan for amicable separation is, at this point, a good thing.

Leaders Make Hard Decisions

I’m impressed that the proposed plan has signatories from many of the relevant camps and caucuses. There is no other way forward. No doubt there were parts of the proposed plan that were hard for any individual signatory to stomach. Good for the folks who hammered out this plan for knowing that ANY successful solution will have distasteful parts to their respective constituencies. I have a lot of respect for those sorts of leaders, leaders who make hard decisions.

It Is Better to Part Than to Remain in a Wrestling Match to the Death

When Abraham and his nephew Lot can no longer live together (see Genesis 13), they decide on an amicable separation. Lot chooses his direction, and Abraham goes in the other.

Although it would have been better if we could live together in unity and love, since we can’t, then it’s good for us to part peaceably.

IMPORTANT: The Proposed Plan is Just That: a Proposal

The plan of separation will need to be passed at the 2020 General Conference for it to actually mean anything. The General Conference could pass it or reject it or modify it. Until then, the plan is an idea only. Let me say again: literally anything or nothing could come out of General Conference 2020. That said, it is significant that the 16 signatories represent such a wide array of caucuses and camps, and presumably these signatories will be working hard between now and the May General Conference to get buy in from the elected delegates with regard to the plan of separation.

Local Churches And Pastors Have No way of Affecting the General Conference Outcome At This Point, Apart from Prayer

The only people who will have a say at General Conference 2020 are the 862 elected delegates, who were elected last year from around the world. (General Conference 2020 will be held in Minneapolis in May.) The United Methodist Church is organized into regional bodies called Annual Conferences; I am a member of the North Texas Annual Conference. [Bishop Michael McKee—our bishop, put out a helpful and informative statement on the proposed plan.] The North Texas Conference was allotted 8 delegates to General Conference 2020–4 clergy delegates, and 4 lay delegates. At the North Texas Annual Conference meeting last June, I was able to vote for 4 clergy delegates, and the lay members of the Annual Conference were able to vote for 4 lay delegates. After the voting, neither I nor any other pastor who is not an elected delegate has any say whatsoever on the outcome of the 2020 General Conference.

What Does This Mean For Munger?

Munger is officially a part of Highland Park United Methodist Church. There is no way to know at this point what these proposed plans mean for Munger—it all depends on what happens at General Conference, and what the North Texas Conference and then Highland Park UMC do in response. What I do know is this: for over 10 years now, the leadership of Highland Park has always worked hard to do whatever it takes to set up and then help Munger to flourish as a congregation in East Dallas, and I am confident that that won’t change going forward.

Fear of the future has no place in the people of God. Instead, we should all be grateful that our denominational leaders have put in the required hard work toward a necessary way forward, and grateful that God has permitted us to be in ministry at this place and time—there is lots of ministry in the name of Jesus to do.

The future is inherently unknowable, which is why Jesus tells us to only focus on today. As I write this, e.g., it seems that the United States will be at war with Iran; I have no idea what that means for the future, nor did I have any idea 48 hours ago what the geopolitical news would be today. My point is that there is no point in worrying over the future, which is out of our hands. What I do know is that God tells us to be faithful, to love our neighbors and our enemies, to trust him with the future, and to carry on.

Let’s do it. See you Sunday.