United Methodist way can have appeal in 21st century
In his third session, Rev. Adam Hamilton tells the assembly that the church is God�s answer to the problems in the world. (photo by Britt Bradley) |
Written: 7/8/2009
By Lisa Elliott Diehl
Director of Communications
BALDWIN CITY—Rev. Adam Hamilton told the Kansas East Annual Conference May 5 during his third session that he is convinced that the United Methodist Church’s DNA and the Wesleyan approach to the gospel is what’s needed if anyone is going to successfully reach out to 21st century people with the gospel.
Hamilton said he wrestled with three questions when he started Church of the Resurrection, and he believes every church should wrestle with them, whether in a sermon series or in the church council meetings.
The first question is, “Why do people need Jesus Christ?” Hamilton said he asks seminary graduates this, and they answer, “I don’t know. I’ll have to think about that.”
“You get so immersed in the forest, you can’t see the trees anymore,” Hamilton said. “We’re offering people Jesus Christ. If we’re not really clear about why people need Jesus Christ, it’s going to be hard to make the sacrifices necessary to reach them for Jesus Christ.”
The United Methodist Church has a more nuanced approach to things.
“The older I get, the more convinced I am that people need Jesus Christ,” he said. “He did not promise he would keep harm from happening to us in this world. The message is that Jesus is going to sustain us and walk with us even through the valley of the shadow of death. The deepest longings of the human soul are only found in Jesus Christ.”
The second question is, “Why do people need the church?” The Doobie Brothers sang, “Jesus is just all right with me.” Hamilton said many people out there are all right with Jesus, but they don’t know about the church. The church was Jesus’ idea.
“Jesus said, ‘On this rock, I will build my church,’” Hamilton said. “The church is God’s answer to the problems in the world. God sends the church. We’ve got to be able to communicate why the church is important to their lives.”
The last question is, “Why do people need the United Methodist church?”
Hamilton said United Methodists are ecumenical, recognizing common ground with other denominations.
“We’re not better than anyone else. All these other folks are going to heaven with us,” Hamilton said. “That’s part of what drew me to the United Methodist Church.”
Hamilton said part of his job as a parent was to help his daughters see the best in themselves.
“Part of what our churches need from us is for their pastors to believe in them,” Hamilton said. “For our people to know, if I got to pick my own appointment, this is the one I’d want to be at. People invite people to church if they believe in their congregation and are proud of their pastor.”
Hamilton encouraged congregations to intentionally prepare for visitors.
“Look at your facilities,” he said. “We’ve been worshipping in our congregations so long we no longer see the things that are wrong in our facilities. Give the visitors the best parking. Don’t let your greeters talk to each other because [their] job is to look for people who are new to the congregation.”
A successful businessperson is willing to do the things an unsuccessful businessperson is not willing to do.
“The churches that move into a renewed vitality are the ones that do whatever it takes,” Hamilton said. “The successful church is willing to do the things an unsuccessful church is unwilling to do.”
Hamilton said the model for discipleship today looks something like this:
Invite people to be part of changing the world as part of a servant ministry. Talk to them about why we do what we do. Invite them to come to our congregations, begin to disciple them. Then, inspire them to go out and do more things in the name of Jesus Christ.
“When we invite people to be part of that, they begin to see faith in action,” he said. “Jesus didn’t build a building and say, ‘Ya’ll come to my building.’ We, as United Methodists, bring together the evangelical gospel and the social gospel, hearing both the call to conversion and the call to living faith in the world.
“People are most likely to come to church when someone they respect invites them,” Hamilton said. “We try to provide tools for that.”
Once they come in the doors, you have to get their names and addresses. Hamilton offered the idea that the notebooks should be passed out at a specific time, and everyone is asked to sign in during the anthem or special music. Then, follow up with the new names on the notebooks with a short 30-second to three-minute visit at their home. These visits help start new relationships.
“If I can call [a person] by name the second time she comes to the church, she’s going to join,” he said. “It’s all about people. God is able to take the painful things that happen in our lives, sustain us through them, bring good out of them and ultimately prevails. Twenty-six years ago, I found something so compelling that I remained a Christian when otherwise I would have walked away.”
There is something profound and beautiful in grace and holiness. Hamilton said the evangelical gospel says there’s something fundamentally broken within us. We need a savior, a new birth. But without the social gospel, it is spiritual narcissism. The social gospel calls us to do what’s uncomfortable, to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. Without the evangelical gospel, the social gospel is like a laptop without a battery.
“You have an approach to the gospel that may be the best hope for reaching the next generation for Jesus Christ—if you can remember it, if you can offer it with great love, if you can offer worship services that are compelling and sermons that are meaty with something to them, and if you can demonstrate love to the people. I am absolutely persuaded that our best years are yet to come. I plan to be a United Methodist pastor for the next 25 years. I don’t want to work for a dying organization. I’m going to keep saying it until it comes true. Let’s go be real United Methodists,” Hamilton said.
This is the final article in a series of three on Rev. Adam Hamilton’s keynote messages at the 2009 Kansas East Annual Conference.