It is 99% official that it is over...

The first step in ordination in the UMC is to read a little book called "Christian as Minister".  After that there are many other steps that one must take to become ordained in the UMC.  

Some roll their eyes at the length of the ordination process (for a frame of how long it took me, I read Christian as Minister when I was 17 years old and I am now 28.)  

Some are appalled that a Masters of Divinity is an 80+ hour masters program which is on par with a Ph.D in terms of course work.  

Some are working to change the ordination process for the better.  

Some are glad the process is taken seriously with real discernment by all those involved.  

Some dread the paperwork that we have to do while others dread the interviews and still others are intimidated by both.  

Today, at 8:30am, I was interviewed by a team on the Board of Ordained Ministry (BOM) of the Central Texas Conference as a candidate for Elder in Full connection in June.  

I am delighted to share with anyone who will listen that I was approved for ordination in the UMC this June.  

There is still one more vote that happens in June in which all the clergy of the conference (that is a large geographic region comprised of over 300 churches) must approve the candidates that the BOM recommends for ordination.  (It has been my experience that I have never heard of anyone being rejected by the conference after the BOM recommends them, so I could be the first.)

So, baring some unprecedented action by the conference, come June I can add "ordained" to my facebook profile.  

The journey continues.

The sermon is not the word of God, but that is not how worship is set up

If you have ever walked into a protestant church then you may have seen the pulpit.  In fact one of the most impressive pulpits I have ever seen was in St. George's UMC church in Philadelphia.  I did see a pulpit that looks similar to this pulpit to the left.

The pulpit is where the sermon happens.  It is where the "action" happens.  Even Joel Osteen's pulpit is impressive.  

Pulpits are larger because that is where the "Word is proclaimed".  It has been my experience however that Scripture is not always read from the pulpit, but from the lectern (which might look like the one on the right).  

Regardless of where the sermon is preached or where the Scripture is read, no one walks out of Church and critiques the reading of Scripture.  Most people are talking about the sermon.  

The sermon is the meat of the protestant worship.  That is where most of the time is devoted to in the worship time.  Sermon is the center of the worship.  

The over emphasis on the sermon has gotten to the point of idolatry of the sermon.  

Click to enlarge

The sermon is an interpretation of Scripture, it is not Scripture.  The sermon is an expression of the Word of God, it is not the Word of God.

We need to stop with the worship of the sermon and reclaim the centrality of Scripture.  

With Scripture as the focus and the center it keeps God at the center of the worship hour and not the preacher.  

"I will pray for you."

Of the many phrases that ministers use, one that might be the most common might be "I will pray for you."

It has become aware to me that that phrase may be misunderstood by people.  

When I say "I will pray for you", I do not mean I will not just add you to a laundry list of people or situations.  I will not just pray "for you" as one might ask God to provide you something as just one of many voices that will also ask, and thus operate like nagging children to a parent.  I will not just pray for you as a way of thinking of you for a moment.  

I will not pray for you so that you do not have to pray.  

Rather, when I say I will pray for you I mean that in light of your situation, you may not be able to pray for yourself.  You may be in a situation that is difficult or troubling that results in your inability to pray.  Perhaps you are so overjoyed in life that you are unable to focus on praying for the least, last and lost of the world.  Perhaps you are so down that you cannot pray for new life, new creation and resurrection.  

It is in these situations that I will pray for you.

I will pray for you when you cannot pray for yourself.  

This ought to be part of the reason why we go to worship on Sunday regardless of your state of mind.  

Perhaps you cannot pray that day - the community of the Body of Christ will pray for you.  

Perhaps you cannot sing that day - the community of the Body of Christ will sing for you. 

Perhaps you cannot listen that day - the community of the Body of Christ will listen for you.

Perhaps you cannot lament that day - the community of the Body of Christ will lament for you.

I will pray for you when you cannot pray yourself, because we are the Body of Christ.  We are the Church.  

I know that there are days for which I cannot pray, sing, listen or lament...

and I know the Body of Christ will do that for me.