Monday morning I had the privilege of attending a TMF (Texas Methodist Foundation) Board learning session which focused on ministry with "Generation Y" (young adults). With leadership provided by a young clergy couple from Church of the Resurrection and a follow on panel of four young adults (including Ben Lake, a lay member of 1st Georgetown), we engaged in nonjudgmental cross generational learning. Among many insights is the repeated importance of going where young people are and engaging them on their turf. To use the language of my age, this is a far cry from invitational evangelism. It is an emphatic call to risk-taking evangelism through open engagement.
A repeated insight from Gil Rendle that I continue to "chew" on is that each new generation reacts & responds as a corrective to what it perceives as the problems/excesses/failures of the previous generation. Thus, all generations struggle to some degree with the generations on either side of them. There is much for all of us to learn here!
Yesterday Jolynn & I traveled to Tampa for Council of Bishops (COB) and General Conference. We will be here for almost 3 weeks. The Council will engage both in preparation for General Conference and in ongoing mission & ministry. The first item on the agenda is a report from the Unity Task Force (of which I am a part). In an age and culture known for its divisions, we who claim the title Christian must be known for our grace and good will. Or, in the old liturgical words, "let us be together what Christ has been for us."
I covet your prayers for the Church, the bishops and our General Conference.
P.S. I commend to you the reading of Bishop Robert Schnase's most recent Ministry Matters blog #24 "A Healthy Urgency." I strongly urge you to read the entire blog (!) - especially the last 4 paragraphs.