Lead like a Mother

It's been a couple weeks since you have heard me preach a sermon. I want to first thank Doug and Pom Olsen for sharing with us about their ministry on the other side of the globe. It is my hope that we can be a strong sponsor for them in the future. Maybe we as a church can partner with them and be a part of their ministry to see lives changed by the grace of Christ. It was less expected honestly that I would be gone last Sunday, but I am grateful that I took the time to go to the memorial service for John’ step-sister in Michigan. I believe that everything has happened for reason. I also want to thank Ken for his timely message last Sunday. He delivered a message that only someone who has been with this church for many many years could give for such a time as this.

Things have been very difficult for me and many of our leaders for a few weeks. I don’t know if everyone knows just how much prayer, debating, and hard work has been poured into this church. Please know that nothing has been easy. If things were going easily and normal, then I would be preaching to you today about the time when a few of the apostles saw Jesus on the shoreline after the Resurrection. Instead, I am going to share with you some honest thoughts and some long time inspirations from the Holy Spirit to myself.

With the things that have been going on in my life, and in the life of this church I have decided that I am going to really get down to some basics of our beliefs. Today is Mother's Day and I want to read to you a passage that is a favorite of mine. The passage that we are reading today it is about a mother who was elected for a very special task.

Pray and Read 2 John 1:1-13

2 John 1–13 NRSV

The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love. I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it. Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist! Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward. Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. Do not receive into the house or welcome anyone who comes to you and does not bring this teaching; for to welcome is to participate in the evil deeds of such a person. Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. The children of your elect sister send you their greetings.

So, plainly put, although commentaries will skirt around the true meaning of the term “elect lady”, this letter is addressed to a woman who leads a house church, holds a church in her home, or has some official title where she is the leader and caretaker of a church. So, this is why I relate to this passage. I was sent to lead this church by The United Methodist Church 3 1/2 years ago. However, from the moment I arrived, I knew that I was to be pastor at this church at this time by God. God placed me here. God, called me here. I am meant to be your pastor. Come June 17th, that will be your decision however. I am pastor to you and for you and at your service.

Come June 17th, we will be a stand alone church. We will not be siding on the right or on the left. We will not be arguing over what is truth and what is love. We have before us an opportunity to be the church God wants us to be with no man made strings attached. At one thought that is terrifying, at another it is very freeing.

I have always said that I may not always understand why things happen the way they do, but I also know that if I tried to figure my life out on my own I would not be in a good place right now. I mean it when I say that I am praying for you and that I am doing my best. My best may not always be good enough, but I will always try to be the best pastor God wants me to be. So even if I don’t always please you, I am going to do all that I can to please God!

You can count on me to tell you the truth and to love you. The truth is Jesus Christ is the Son of the one true God, who died for us, rose again to give us new life and will come again for all who love Him very soon. I love you, and I want you to love yourself as God created you to be. I feel that it is one of the most important jobs as a pastor is to help each and everyone of you discover the gifts that God has given you and help you use those gives to help others and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want you to love each other even if you don’t always agree or get along. This church made a very difficult decision last Wednesday. I did not cast a vote personally. That decision to leave the denomination needed to be made by the members of this congregation.

We were not unanimous in this decision. Undoubtedly, some are hurt and concerned with the direction we will go from here. My prayer is that we can open lines of communication in this church and prayerfully find hope in Truth and Love. Again, my hope is that we as a church will speak in Truth and in Love. All of us need to be growing in our discipleship or in our relationship with Christ. That means that we need to know the truth about God’s commands and what is expected of those who are called children of God. We all need to pray with each other and for each other. We all need to celebrate each others gifts and encourage one another even when we do not agree with how some details are done or with each others ideologies. Truth and Love, that is the summary of the greatest commandment that is spoken by God in the Old Testament, said again by Jesus in the New Testament, and we find it here towards the end of our Bibles.

Moving forward, we will be forging our own identity. We must not let the will of this world guide us. We live in a day and age where anyone can be easily deceived. Our identity is not found in anything that will make people happy. Our identity is not found in just a small group of appointed leaders who have been leading for years. Our identity is not found in the way things always have been. Our identity is not based on one generations idea of church life. Our identity is not just what I say it is. Our identity is based on Christ and in Christ alone. I am here to lead everyone into deciding where we stand as a church. I want to hear from all of you.

This is the plan:

For the next two weeks, I am calling for all of you to a time of prayer and fasting. Just promise me that you will spend a regular amount of time praying and worshipping God, asking for any revelation or vision or prayer for this church and our future. For the next six weeks, I want to hear from as many as you as possible. I will be asking you some serious questions. My prayer is that we take the time to prayerfully seek God first, then talk to one another and build up a connection with ones that we haven’t connected with before. If we follow God’s will, God will be faithful to us.

In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.